Permits

Private developers and government agencies are required to secure a grading permit for any grading or filling activity involving more than one acre of land disturbance, land adjacent to a water body, or any alteration to a wetland or floodplain.

To submit a permit application, please review the information on this page and fill out the online form. Refer to our monthly application deadlines when planning your project schedule. If you have any questions, contact Permit Coordinator Nicole Soderholm at 651-792-7976, nicole.soderholm@rwmwd.org.

Permit requirements are detailed in our District Rules and include the following categories:

Stormwater management (Rule C)
Flood control (Rule D)
Wetland management (Rule E)
Erosion and sediment control (Rule F)
Illicit discharge and connection (Rule G)

Please note: Revised District Rules were adopted June 5, 2019.

Wetlands

If your project impacts a wetland, it is subject to additional requirements through the Wetland Conservation Act (WCA). We process WCA requests for all areas within our boundaries except in St. Paul, where WCA is processed through the City of St. Paul. Follow this link for an interactive wetland inventory map. This map does not represent all wetlands in the District, and boundaries are considered approximate. A delineation may be required for proposed development near a wetland.

Fees and escrow surety

A $500 permit processing fee is required for non-public projects, along with escrow surety for projects involving erosion and sediment control ($2,000 per acre) or stormwater management with erosion and sediment control ($5,000 per acre). Sureties are used to cover fees resulting from any site violations and are returned after final inspection at the end of construction.

Stormwater maintenance

Best management practices for stormwater management (Rule C) require a site-specific Operations & Maintenance (O&M) Plan that includes a signed maintenance agreement between the District and property owner to ensure these practices continue to function as designed. An O&M checklist and example plan are available in the application materials below. A draft O&M plan will be required prior to issuance of the permit. A final, as-built O&M plan will be required prior to permit closure.

If the project is in Maplewood or Roseville, joint maintenance agreements with these cities are also available below.

Permit rules and application materials

Grading Permit Application

Applicant
Name*
Land Owner or Project Developer
Organization Name
Address*
Street Address Address Line 2 City State ZIP Code
Phone*
Work/Cell Phone
Email*
If necessary, further instructions will be sent to this address.
Enter Email Confirm Email
Applicant's Contact
Consulting Engineer or Project Representative
Name*
Organization Name
Address*
Street Address Address Line 2 City State ZIP Code
Phone*
Work/Cell Phone
Email*
Project Details
Name*
Address*
Street Address Address Line 2 City State ZIP Code
Acreage to Be Graded*
Type of Development*
Rule Applicability*
Check all that apply.
- Rule C - Stormwater Management
- Rule D - Flood Control
- Rule E - Wetland Management
- Rule F - Erosion & Sediment Control
- Rule G - Illicit Discharge & Connection
Is this a public project?
The application processing fee and escrow surety are NOT required for public projects.
- No
- Yes, this is a public project
Processing Fee
Price: $500.00
Escrow Surety: Erosion & Sediment Control (Rule F)
$2,000 per acre of disturbance.
Price: $2,000.00
Escrow Surety: Stormwater Management (Rule C)
$5,000 per acre of disturbance.
Price: $5,000.00
Total Due with Application
A check for the application fee and any escrow surety must be submitted and paid in full prior to issuance of a District permit.
$0.00
File Upload
Drop files here or
Terms and Conditions
The undersigned hereby acknowledges by signing this Permit Application, the undersigned, its agents, assigns and/or representatives (hereinafter "Permittee") shall abide by all the standard conditions and special terms and conditions of the Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District Permit.

Any work which violates the terms of the permit may result in the Watershed District issuing a Stop Work Order which shall immediately cause the work on the project relating to the permit to cease and desist.

All work on the project shall cease until the permit conditions are met and approved by the Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District staff.

In the event Permittee contests the Stop Work Order issued by the Watershed District, Permittee shall follow the Permit Violation Grievance Procedure, a copy of which is available at the Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District office.

Any attorneys' fees, costs or other expenses incurred on behalf of the Watershed District in enforcing the terms of the permit shall be the sole expense of the undersigned. Costs shall be payable from the Permittee's escrow account. If said fees exceed the escrow amount, the Permittee shall have ten (10) days from the date of the receipt of the invoice from the Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District to pay for the costs incurred in enforcing the permit, by which to pay the Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District for said costs.

The undersigned applicant hereby agrees to be bound by the terms of the final permit, standard conditions and special conditions as may be required by the Watershed District Board for approval of the permit. The undersigned further acknowledges that it has the authority to bind the permit holder, the owner of the property and/or any entity performing work on the property pursuant to the terms of the Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District permit, and hereby shall be responsible for complying with the terms of the Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District permit.
Applicant Signature*
Please type your full name.

Wetlands

Fees and escrow surety

Stormwater maintenance

Permit rules and application materials

Grading Permit Application

Applicant

Applicant's Contact

Project Details

Terms and Conditions