Watershed Health Assessment Framework

Mississippi River-Lake Pepin Watershed - The MPCA monitors water quality in all of Minnesota's 80 watersheds on a revolving 10-year cycle.

What is the Watershed Health Assessment Framework?

The Watershed Health Assessment Framework (WHAF) is an organized approach to help us understand watersheds as interconnected natural systems. Using five core ecological components; Biology, Connectivity, Geomorphology, Hydrology, and Water Quality, the WHAF provides a consistent, comprehensive overview of the health of Minnesota’s watersheds. The WHAF Delivers:

  • A suite of map-based applications designed for exploration across scales
  • Health scores calculated from spatial data and organized into five ecological components
  • Downloadable watershed reports and data summaries
  • Web pages with supporting system science information, references and other resources

The WHAF is designed to foster a deeper understanding of our ecological systems and to expand the range of factors to consider as we seek to improve the health of our watersheds - our landscapes, our rivers and lakes, and our communities.

Photo of Mississippi River-Lake Pepin Watershed courtesy of Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.

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