What Capitol Region Watershed District does

Capitol Region Watershed District (CRWD) is a government watershed management organization established in 1998 under Minnesota state law as a political subdivision of the State of Minnesota, charged with protecting and improving water quality across a 40-square-mile district covering portions of Saint Paul, Falcon Heights, Maplewood, Roseville, and Lauderdale. CRWD serves construction developers and property owners subject to stormwater regulation, residents and businesses eligible for clean water grants, schools and nonprofit organizations receiving Partner Grants, and multiple municipal agencies including Saint Paul Parks and Recreation, Saint Paul Public Works, Metropolitan Council, and Ramsey County that partner on pooled BMP maintenance and monitoring. The organization is governed by a Board of Managers that meets twice monthly and operates on revenue from property taxes, government appropriations, and regulatory fees.

CRWD's core work centers on stormwater best management practices (BMPs), including rain gardens, permeable pavement, underground filtration systems, and constructed wetlands, supported by proprietary technical approaches such as Jellyfish membrane filtration, iron-enhanced sand filtration (IESF) for phosphorus removal, and a shared stacked green infrastructure system at the 122-acre Highland Bridge redevelopment of the former Ford Assembly Plant. The organization operates a year-round monitoring program across over 80 stations, processing 767 water quality samples in 2024 and a multi-year microplastics sampling project (2020-2023) across six locations. Watershed rules originally adopted in 2006 and most recently revised in September 2023 provide the regulatory framework, requiring permits for construction projects disturbing more than one acre and governing stormwater management, flood control, wetland management, erosion and sediment control, and illicit discharge.

CRWD distributes funding through four core grant programs (Partner Grants of $1,000-$20,000, Planning Grants averaging $20,000, Water Quality Capital Improvement Grants of $40,000-$150,000, and Native Landscape Grants up to $1,000), delivers regulatory permitting and inspections, manages the new Facility Management Division established in December 2023, and operates community programs including Adopt-a-Drain and Minnesota Water Steward certification. Quantified outcomes include 1,720 completed clean water projects, treatment of 402 million gallons of stormwater runoff annually, 467 permitted projects, and engagement of over 2,000 community volunteers across the district.

Name

Capitol Region Watershed District

Legal name

Capitol Region Watershed District

Website

https://capitolregionwd.org

Company type

Public

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Capitol Region Watershed District is a Minnesota political subdivision that protects and improves water quality across a 40-square-mile district covering portions of Saint Paul and surrounding cities, delivering stormwater regulation, monitoring, grants, and pooled BMP maintenance services since 1998.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Watershed Management Services

NAICS

Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (92411), Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Administration of Conservation Programs (92412)

SIC

Water Supply (4941)

akta.pro primary industry

Watershed Protection & Water Quality Services (AFAMAMAB)

Keywords

• Watershed management services
• Stormwater management
• Water quality monitoring
• Regulatory permitting
• Clean water grants

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Paul

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: As a public watershed district, CRWD receives funding through property taxes, government appropriations, and regulatory fees. Revenue supports watershed management, permitting, and clean water projects.
2. Grant Programs: CRWD distributes grants to community partners including Partner Grants ($1,000-$20,000), Planning Grants (~$20,000 average), Water Quality Capital Improvement Grants ($40,000-$150,000), and Native Landscape Grants (up to $1,000).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Capitol Region Watershed District (CRWD) is a Minnesota political subdivision that protects, manages, and improves water resources across a 40-square-mile district covering portions of Saint Paul, Falcon Heights, Maplewood, Roseville, and Lauderdale. It regulates stormwater, flood control, wetland management, erosion and sediment control, and illicit discharge through a permitting program and adopted watershed rules, and it directly funds, designs, builds, and maintains clean water infrastructure (rain gardens, permeable pavement, iron-enhanced sand filters, Jellyfish membrane filters, constructed wetlands) through grants and pooled maintenance services. CRWD also operates a year-round water quality monitoring program across 80-plus stations and engages residents through grants, volunteer programs, and educational workshops.

Product overview

Capitol Region Watershed District (CRWD) is a government watershed management organization, not a technology product company. CRWD operates as a unified service organization offering water resource protection and management programs across the 40 square-mile district in the Minnesota capitol region. The portfolio consists of regulatory services (watershed rules and permitting for stormwater management), financial assistance programs (clean water project grants, partner grants, native landscape grants, planning grants, and capital improvement grants), operational services (monitoring and research, pooled BMP maintenance, facility management), and community engagement programs (adopt-a-drain). These programs work together to protect, manage, and improve water resources including lakes, wetlands, stormwater systems, and the Mississippi River.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Stormwater Management Program A comprehensive stormwater runoff management program that includes permitting, erosion and sediment control inspections, and enforcement of watershed rules for construction projects disturbing more than one acre of land within CRWD's 40-square-mile district.
• Watershed Rules and Permitting Regulatory framework of five watershed rules (Stormwater Management Rule C, Flood Control Rule D, Wetland Management Rule E, Erosion and Sediment Control Rule F, and Illicit Discharge and Connection Rule G) governing land and water use within the district, enforced through a permitting program reviewed by the Board of Managers.
• Partner Grants
• Planning Grants
• Water Quality Capital Improvement Grants
• Native Landscape Grants
• Monitoring and Research Program
• Pooled BMP Maintenance Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,720 clean water projects completed to date treating 402 million gallons of stormwater annually
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• National Monitoring ConferencemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2025CRWD team presented three projects at National Monitoring Conference (NWQMC) in March 2025: microplastics monitoring, Trout Brook Nature Sanctuary IESF, and underground stormwater infiltration BMP monitoring methods.
• Saint Paul Regional Water ServicesmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025New monitoring partnership to monitor Jake's Lake pond performance in reducing stormwater pollution. SPRWS McCarrons Treatment Plant campus drains to Trout Brook Storm Sewer Interceptor. Partnership demonstrates value of using monitoring data for stormwater management optimization.
• Ramsey County Soil and Water Conservation Division (RCSWCD)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partnership for Como Lake mussel monitoring plan development 2026 and aquatic plant surveys. Collaborated on mussel survey with Mark Hove from University of Minnesota.
• Saint Paul Parks and RecreationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2023Public partner in Pooled BMP Maintenance Program. CRWD manages maintenance for BMPs including rain gardens through collaborative approach fostering efficiency and resource sharing.
• Saint Paul Public WorkscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2023Public partner in Pooled BMP Maintenance Program. CRWD manages maintenance for BMPs including rain gardens and stormwater systems.
• City of Falcon HeightsmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2023Public partner in Pooled BMP Maintenance Program for shared rain garden maintenance services.
• Roseville Area SchoolsmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2023Public partner in Pooled BMP Maintenance Program for shared stormwater BMP maintenance services.
• Ramsey CountymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2023Public partner in Pooled BMP Maintenance Program for shared stormwater BMP maintenance services.
• Lower Phalen Creek ProjectmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 August 2022Partnership investigating how to bring more clean water to creek flowing through Swede Hollow Park. Joint study with CRWD and City of Saint Paul on restoring Phalen Creek and improving wildlife habitat.
• City of Saint Paul - Parks and Recreation DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2020Major partnership for park planning and stormwater management design. CRWD provided design assistance and grant funding for stormwater management practices at Midway Peace Park. Partnership includes Trust for Public Land, Union Park District Council, Gordon Parks High School, Hamline-Midway Coalition, and other community partners.
• University of MinnesotamajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Research partnership including Mark Hove (mussel biologist) for Como Lake mussel survey. University researchers evaluating CRWD's iron-enhanced sand filtration data to understand improvements to pond design and maintenance.
• Minnesota Department of Natural ResourcescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Partnership for Eurasian watermilfoil removal at Como Lake. DNR formally listed lake as infested and investigated report of invasive aquatic plant. SCUBA divers from DNR partnered with CRWD and RCSWCD for hand-pulling.
• City of Saint PaulcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Comprehensive partnership for Highland Bridge redevelopment at former Ford Assembly Plant. City of Saint Paul and CRWD planned shared regional stormwater approach and reimagined Hidden Falls Creek. Also includes Parks and Recreation and Public Works departments.
• Ryan Companies US, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Master developer for Highland Bridge community at former Ford Assembly Plant site. Partnered with CRWD to plan energy, waste, transportation, landscape, and water needs for new community.
• Barr Engineering Co.coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2019Engineering partner for Highland Bridge stormwater infrastructure design. Senior Civil Engineer and VP Senior Water Resources Engineer involved in award-winning green stormwater infrastructure system.
• ConfluencemajorTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2019Design and planning partner for Highland Bridge sustainable stormwater management, contributing to shared stacked green infrastructure approach.
• Trust for Public LandcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019National nonprofit leading park planning for Midway Peace Park and other projects. Led land acquisition and development planning with City of Saint Paul - Parks and Recreation Department. Partnership includes Union Park District Council, Gordon Parks High School, and community stakeholders.
• Freshwater SocietymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Partner in Minnesota Water Steward certification program for District residents. CRWD collaborates with Freshwater Society to train community members committed to keeping lakes and rivers clean.
• Mississippi Watershed Management Organization (MWMO)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Neighboring watershed organization with informative seasonal maintenance videos on YouTube for rain garden and native plant landscape maintenance. CRWD shares resources and best practices.
• Metropolitan CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Partnership for CHS Field clean water projects including rainwater harvesting from Green Line light rail Operations and Maintenance Facility roof. Recipient of Freshwater Society's Clean Water Champion Award along with CRWD and City of Saint Paul.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Mississippi Watershed Management Organization: Neighboring Minneapolis-based watershed management organization with similar statutory authority, grant programs, BMP maintenance services, and green-infrastructure projects. MWMO is explicitly referenced as a CRWD peer for sharing best practices and seasonal maintenance resources.
• Minnehaha Creek Watershed District: Minnesota watershed district with comparable regulatory authority, lake and creek restoration programs, and urban stormwater BMP portfolio. Operates within the same Twin Cities metro regulatory ecosystem as CRWD.
• Nine Mile Creek Watershed District: Minnesota watershed district with parallel statutory authority, permitting programs, and capital improvement grants for water-quality projects in the Twin Cities metro area.
• Rice Creek Watershed District: Twin Cities-area watershed district performing comparable stormwater management, wetland regulation, lake monitoring, and clean-water grant funding under Minnesota Statute 103D.
• Ramsey County Soil and Water Conservation Division: Direct partner of CRWD for mussel monitoring at Como Lake, aquatic plant surveys, and watershed conservation. Provides county-level soil/water conservation services that overlap with CRWD's mission within Ramsey County.

Broad incumbents

• Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR): State-level agency that funds and oversees CRWD and other Minnesota watershed districts. Provides Clean Water Fund grants, Lawns to Legumes program, and Legacy Amendment funding — a key financial partner and broader-incumbent regulatory counterparty.
• Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA): State environmental regulator that sets MS4 and TMDL rules under which CRWD operates. Recieves CRWD monitoring data and is the principal state-level body responsible for water quality standards in the Capitol Region.

Others

• Barr Engineering Co. Engineering partner for CRWD's Highland Bridge stormwater infrastructure design. A leading Midwest civil/water-resources engineering firm with comparable expertise in green-infrastructure and stormwater BMP engineering.
• Trust for Public Land: National nonprofit leading park planning and land acquisition for CRWD projects (Midway Peace Park). Operates as a strategic partner in green-space and watershed-protection initiatives.
• Freshwater Society: Minnesota-based nonprofit collaborating with CRWD on Minnesota Water Steward certification and clean-water advocacy. Co-recipient of the Freshwater Society's Clean Water Champion Award for the CHS Field project.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CapitolRegionWD

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Capitol Region Watershed District