Photo: S. Laiba Ali on Unsplash.com

By Laura Durenberger-Grunow - Boreal Community Media - June 2, 2026

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has announced plans to conduct voluntary water sampling in Cook County this summer and fall as part of its Groundwater Atlas program. 

According to the DNR, information collected as part of the sampling helps in the creation of county maps (which will be made available to the public), as well as provide "descriptions of groundwater distribution, movement, conditions, and aquifer pollution sensitivity."

The complete county atlas is structured as a two-part series ("A" and "B"), the DNR said. Part A is managed and produced by the Minnesota Geological Survey. For Cook County, the Part A Geologic Atlas was released earlier this year. The well-sampling Groundwater Atlas project represents Part B of the series, building on the Geologic Atlas to analyze flow systems, aquifers, and water chemistry.

According to a DNR news release, the organization hopes to collect water samples from approximately 90 wells combined across Cook County and Yellow Medicine County, with staff collecting water directly from an outside hydrant or spigot at selected properties.

To identify properties, the DNR will contact a selection of local well owners via mail to request formal permission to access their properties for sampling. According to the DNR, specific wells are chosen based on a variety of parameters, including local geology, the well's physical location, overall depth, and construction.

Property owners who participate in the project will receive a report detailing their well's results at no charge. And while the sampled well locations will be marked on the final published atlas maps, all personal information and contact details will be omitted to maintain privacy.

The finalized groundwater atlases help local communities and officials identify safe sources of drinking water, inform ongoing well-head protection efforts for public water systems, and guide local decisions regarding the construction of new wells and septic systems, the DNR said. Additionally, the data collected helps track groundwater movement and "recharge zones," track and assess potential contaminant migration and pollution sensitivity, and support overall water sustainability efforts.

The DNR's Groundwater Atlas program is partially funded by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund, alongside Minnesota’s Legacy Clean Water Fund.