MN HF66

Expands the definition of "board" to include joint county boards, watershed district boards of managers, and metropolitan watershed management organizations serving as drainage authorities, not just county boards.

Renames the "Division of Waters" to "Division of Ecological and Water Resources" and defines "secretary" as the secretary of the watershed district serving as drainage authority.

Allows drainage authorities to reestablish lost, destroyed, or incomplete drainage system records through investigation and a professional engineer's report supported by existing evidence, with reestablished records constituting official records defensible against trespass claims.

Enables transfer of drainage system records from county boards to watershed districts when authority transfers, with authenticated copies permissible until the watershed district has adequate storage facilities.

Authorizes drainage system repairs to include incorporation of wetland restoration, water quality protection measures, and multistage ditch cross-sections; removes requirement that erosion control measures automatically trigger viewer assessment procedures.