ACD collaborates with water management entities that share jurisdiction in Anoka County. There is a collection of watershed districts and watershed management organizations (WMOs) that cover all of Anoka County and fit together like puzzle pieces. 44% of ACD overlaps with well-staffed watershed districts and WMOs. The other 56% have no staff and rely solely on ACD to serve as their staff. The extreme efficiency that results from this partnership is remarkable.

Photo: Anoka County is divided among 7 water management organizations, creating opportunities for strong partnerships. By combining efforts, local funding can be leveraged more effectively to maximize conservation outcomes and improve natural resources throughout the county.
Photo: Anoka County is divided among 7 water management organizations, creating opportunities for strong partnerships. By combining efforts, local funding can be leveraged more effectively to maximize conservation outcomes and improve natural resources throughout the county.

 Wetland Regulation Specialist: Providing shared regulatory expertise reduces the need for independent hiring and consulting across approximately 10 local government units.

De Facto Technical Staff: ACD serves as the direct technical and operational staff for three watershed management organizations (Upper Rum, Lower Rum, and Sunrise River WMOs) covering approximately 60% of Anoka County.

Photo: Table showing the savings in each watershed.

$ 1.52 Million in Local Taxpayer Savings: By consolidating administrative overhead and technical staff under ACD's lean framework, this shared-services model prevents these three WMOs from needing to hire independent administrators and project managers. Operating these regions independently would cost local taxpayers an estimated $1.95 million annually. By anchoring them to ACD, local taxpayers save a net $1,526,452 annually.

For more information contact Chris Lord, District Manager, at Chris.Lord.AnokaSWCD.org.