Public waters are all water basins and watercourses that meet the criteria set forth in Minnesota Statute, Section 103G.005, subd. 15.
Public waters wetlands are defined in Minnesota Statute, Section 103G.005, subd. 15a and include all type 3, type 4, and type 5 wetlands (as defined in U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Circular No. 39, 1971 edition) that are 10 acres or more in size in unincorporated areas or 2.5 acres or more in size in incorporated areas (see: Minnesota Statutes Section 103G.005 opens in a new browser tab, subd. 17b, Wetland Type).
The Public Waters Inventory (PWI) is a compilation of public waters that was required by law and is now maintained by the DNR. The purpose of the PWI is to list and map the state’s waterbodies that meet the definition of public waters in state statute.
The regulatory boundary of the state’s public waters is called the Ordinary High Water Level (OHWL).
Availability of Public Waters Inventory maps
GIS data of PWI
The DNR’s Public Waters (PW) Basin and Watercourse Delineations GIS data layer is available on the Minnesota Geospatial Commons and provides an up-to-date representation of the public waters in Minnesota.
Original PWI maps and lists
The original scanned PWI paper maps and lists continue to be made available as a historical reference.
To view the original scanned paper Public Waters Inventory maps and lists:
- Original County PWI maps - view as historical data sources and metadata
- Original County PWI lists - view as historical data sources and metadata
- See the DNR’s Public Waters Inventory Maps Download webpage
For questions or assistance, contact:
Jen Sorensen, Public Waters Hydrologist, (651) 259-5725, [email protected]