With a new 10-year plan officially approved Wednesday night, a local watershed board can begin breaking ground on projects as soon as next year.

The Cedar River Watershed District’s 10-year plan is meant to address recent flooding problems in the district — which includes parts of Mower, Steele, Dodge and Freeborn counties — and how to reduce both the magnitude and effects of future floods.

Among its specific goals is to reduce flooding in the area by 20 percent, which would bring flood levels down to around where they were in the 1970s, Bev Nordby, CRWD administrator and district manager, said.

While dollars have not been earmarked for specific projects yet, final approval of the plan was a significant step for the board.

“It’s been a long time coming,” Nordby said of the two-year process, “but I think it’s a good plan.”

Still, it has generated some criticism along the way — during a June public hearing, some in attendance expressed concerns that reductions to culvert size — a component of the plan — could lead to worse flooding in rural areas.

The CRWD board said at the time that culverts would be looked at on a case-by-case basis to determine feasibility. The proposal was included in the plan so it wouldn’t have to be added in later through a lengthy process.

Now, the CRWD will work on distributing the newly approved plan. Nordby said 40 large books — running $36 each — will be put together and sent to the four member counties, state agencies and others.

In addition, Nordby said 180 CD copies of the plan will be produced, and it will go online as well.

For more on the CRWD or the 10-year plan, go to www.cedarriverwd.org.