Dakota County, MN Environmental Rules: Flood Elevation Requirements (2026)

Dakota County's Shoreland and Floodplain Management Ordinance No. 50 sets the numeric floodproofing standard for unincorporated land in the Flood Fringe District. 03(C), "Lowest Floor Elevation," requires that structures sit on non-settling fill so the lowest floor, including any basement, is at or above the Regulatory Flood Protection Elevation (RFPE). 04 defines RFPE as an elevation no lower than one foot above the regional (1% annual chance) flood elevation, plus any increase in flood elevation caused by floodway encroachments, which is the county's freeboard requirement.

03(C)(1) further requires that the finished fill pad be no lower than one foot below the RFPE and extend at that elevation at least 15 feet beyond the limits of any structure built on it. 03(C)(2) is a flat prohibition: basement construction is not allowed below the RFPE at all, regardless of flood-proofing. 03(B)(1). 02(B)(2) supplies a fallback standard: the lowest floor must sit at least three feet above the highest known water level (lakes) or the flood of record (rivers/streams), or a licensed engineer or hydrologist must run a technical evaluation consistent with Minn.

R. 6200. 03 requires a registered professional engineer, architect, or land surveyor to certify that finished fill and building elevations match the permit and the ordinance, with flood-proofing measures certified separately by a registered engineer or architect. 05.