A Coordinated Strategy for Resilience 

Within the watershed, more extreme flooding and drought are already impacting our treasured water resources and the communities that depend on them. As we all prepare to meet the challenges of a changing climate, the need for thoughtful, integrated planning is more important than ever.

Minnehaha Creek Watershed District (MCWD) developed a Climate Action Framework to outline a coordinated strategy that will guide our efforts as we work closely with partners over the coming years.

Setting our Climate Direction

Since its formation, MCWD has used data to understand problems and unlock solutions that provide shared benefits across natural ecosystems and communities. Sound science and collaboration also frame our approach to climate action. As precipitation patterns shift, we are expanding our data collection and analytical capabilities to predict vulnerabilities and risks across the watershed. These investments will allow MCWD to work together with partners to plan for the future. With this foundation, the Climate Action Framework (CAF) is built on three pillars: 

Pillar 1: Understand & Predict - Utilize and expand technical capabilities in data collection, analysis, and tools to understand and predict the impacts of climate change at a watershed scale.

Pillar 2: Convene & Plan - Bring together local, regional, and state agencies to build consensus around the issues, align goals, form partnerships, leverage resources, and develop a coordinated strategy.

Pillar 3: Implement, Measure, & Adapt - Coordinate implementation actions with partners to make measurable progress towards goals. Implementation actions may include projects, policy changes, and operational improvements. 

Each pillar includes near-term actions between now and 2027. This work sets the stage for further implementation under our 2027 Watershed Management Plan.

View and download the Climate Action Framework for full details.