Subdivision 1. Monitoring equipment. The commissioner may require the installation and maintenance of monitoring equipment to evaluate water resource impacts from permitted appropriations and proposed projects that require a permit. Monitoring for water resources that supply more than one appropriator must be designed to minimize costs to individual appropriators. The cost of drilling additional monitoring wells must be shared proportionally by all permit holders that are directly affecting a particular water resources feature.

Subd. 2. Measuring devices required. Monitoring installations required under subdivision 1 must be equipped with automated measuring devices to measure water levels, flows, or conditions. The commissioner may determine the frequency of measurements and other measuring methods based on the quantity of water appropriated or used, the source of water, potential connections to other water resources, the method of appropriating or using water, seasonal and long-term changes in water levels, and any other facts supplied to the commissioner.

Subd. 3. Reports and costs. (a) Records of water measurements under subdivision 2 must be kept for each installation. The measurements must be reported annually to the commissioner on or before February 15 of the following year in a format or on forms prescribed by the commissioner.

(b) The owner or person in charge of an installation for appropriating or using waters of the state or a proposal that requires a permit is responsible for all costs related to establishing and maintaining monitoring installations and to measuring and reporting data. Monitoring costs for water resources that supply more than one appropriator may be distributed among all users within a monitoring area determined by the commissioner and assessed based on volumes of water appropriated and proximity to resources of concern.

History: 2010 c 361 art 4 s 53; 2012 c 272 s 51