Evaluation of Hydrologic Change (EHC) Technical Summary Rum River Watershed

Hydrologic change, or alteration, is a complex and dynamic concept affecting multiple aspects of water management and watershed health. Minnesota has experienced widespread changes in hydrology. These changes are known to affect stream channel stability, aquatic habitat, and water quality, and can also impact adjacent infrastructure and agricultural lands.
This summary provides an overview of changes in hydrologic conditions in one Minnesota watershed (see title) based on a set of peer-reviewed tools and analyses selected by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and developed into a standardized assessment called the Evaluation of Hydrologic Change (EHC).
In 2020, the DNR completed EHC assessments for all major watersheds in Minnesota that had streamflow gages with the necessary data. This summary presents a subset of the full suite of EHC analyses for this watershed and puts the results in context with the hydrologic changes identified for the other watersheds assessed.
The intended audience is water resource professionals and others with a general understanding of watershed hydrology and hydrologic alteration, many of whom manage water resources or advise other water resource managers. Understanding how specific hydrologic conditions have changed can help water resource managers set suitable water management goals and select management strategies that address known or potential impacts and meet local and regional priorities.