Mower County is partnering with its neighbors to get more watershed dollars.

The county’s Soil and Water Conservation District is considering a proposal to align watershed planning over the Root River Watershed District with Winona, Fillmore, Houston, Olmsted and Dodge counties.

Resource Specialist Justin Hanson told the Mower County Board of Commissioners at its Tuesday meeting that county water officials would assist with the plan, which could help draw more grant funding for local watershed projects.

“It’s not a turf plan,” Hanson said. “It’s just a compliment plan. It’s to make sure we have a plan where we’re all working together.”

The plan comes as Minnesota looks to plan for water on more of a watershed basis, according to Hanson. In addition, the “One Watershed One Plan” approach could give Mower officials access to more grant opportunities to fix watershed issues that have a tie-in with Root River.

“We’re trying to stay ahead of the game a little bit here, too,” Hanson said.

SWCD officials will band together to hire a consulting firm to write the plan, which would also give local governments the power to make decisions on water resource issues.

Though Hanson said the plan would come together under a joint powers agreement, County Coordinator Craig Oscarson said incoming legislation could complicate a joint powers agreement and suggested SWCD officials look into other types of agreements.

“The real question is the end result of this,” Oscarson said. “Whether it means a joint powers agreement or something else.”