Abstract
In 1955, the Minnesota Legislature created a new special purpose local unit of government – watershed districts. Established voluntarily through local petitions, watershed districts have unique authority to regulate land use to protect water resources, levy property taxes and assessments, and construct water resource projects. This presentation will highlight the history of and evolution of watershed districts, consider their challenges and successes, and describe their role in the water management landscape along with other actors.
Louis Smith is an attorney who has practiced water law for nearly forty years. He is a member of Smith Partners PLLP, a law firm devoted to water resources law and public-private partnerships. His firm represents a dozen watershed organizations throughout Minnesota. Mr. Smith graduated from St. Olaf College and the University of Minnesota Law School. He was a law clerk to the Honorable Gerald W. Heaney, United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. Mr. Smith has taught water law at the University of Minnesota Law School. He is past president of the Rivers Council of Minnesota and past chair of the Minnesota Clean Water Council.