The bill amends Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 103G.005, subdivision 15, to modify the definition of "public waters." The updated definition includes various categories of water bodies, such as water basins assigned a shoreland management classification, those determined to be public or navigable by a court, meandered lakes (excluding legally drained ones), and water basins designated for specific management purposes. Additionally, it encompasses water basins surrounded by publicly owned lands, those with state or federal ownership of beds or shores, and natural or altered watercourses with a drainage area greater than two square miles.

Significantly, the bill clarifies that the determination of public waters is not based solely on their use as a highway for commerce at the time of the state's admission to the union, nor is it limited to their inclusion in the public waters inventory required under section 103G.201. The new legal language inserted into the statute emphasizes these points, ensuring a broader and more inclusive definition of public waters in Minnesota.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 103G.005