The authority to create a watershed management organization is provided in the Metropolitan Area Surface Water Management Act (M.S. Chapter 103B). Watershed management organizations are required in the seven-county metro area to develop and implement watershed management plans. Watershed management organizations are based on watershed boundaries. They can be organized in three ways:

·        As a joint power agreement between the cities and townships within the watershed;

·        As a watershed district operating concurrently under M.S. 103B and 103D; or

·        As a function of county government, usually administered by the county planning department.

Watershed management organizations are governed by a board appointed by the member municipalities and townships.