In accordance with the Wetland Conservation Act, the plan may provide for the management classification of wetlands in the plan area based on:

1. An inventory of existing wetlands in the plan area;
2. An assessment of the wetland functions using a methodology chosen by the technical evaluation panel and based on one of the methodologies established or approved by the Board of Water and Soil Resources
3. Landscape position, adjacent habitats or buffers, connectivity with or between important resources, projected land use, and other watershed-scale criteria; and
4. The resulting public value.

The locally-defined management classification of wetlands in Blue Earth County will provide a framework for protecting, restoring and enhancing wetlands.