You can learn whether the buffer requirement applies to you by visiting the Statewide Buffer Map, which will help you determine where buffers or alternative water quality practices are required and what buffer widths are required. You can also contact your local Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) office for more information about buffers and local requirements.
The Buffer Law that was signed into law by Governor Dayton in June 2015 was amended on April 25, 2016, and further amended by legislation signed by Governor Dayton on May 30, 2017. The amendments enacted in 2017 clarify the application of the buffer requirement to public waters, provides additional statutory authority for alternative practices, addresses concerns over the potential spread of invasive species, including Palmer Amaranth, through buffer establishment, establishes a Riparian Protection Aid Program to fund local government buffer law enforcement and implementation, and allows landowners to be granted a compliance waiver until July 1, 2018 when they have filed a compliance plan with the soil and water conservation district. For more information on how the map was made can be found on the DNR Buffer Mapping website.
