Minnesota DNR Delays Waterville Fish Hatchery Construction Until 2027
Construction Pushed to Spring 2027
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has delayed construction of its new fish hatchery at the Waterville site until spring of 2027. Scott Mackenthun, the area fishery supervisor, said the facility was originally planned to break ground this September, but permits tied to an environmental impact review delayed the timeline.
“It’s taking us a little bit of time to get through permitting, going through that review, but we do have the plans off to the Department of Labor and Industry, they’re looking at that and it’s going to take a little bit of time, and then it will go off for further review,” Mackenthun said. The current plan is to open bids for potential contractors by the end of 2026.
What the New Facility Will Add
The new hatchery is expected to expand the DNR’s capacity at the existing hatchery in the city by adding an extra 15,000 to 20,000-square-foot facility with more precise water quality, biosecurity, and temperature control. Mackenthun said this will help make fish eggs less susceptible to seasonal conditions.
“There is a lot to be gained from it, we have dealt with a lot of big temperature swings that have come from this year, both in the spring and in the summer. That does impact things when we’re taking water from a source pond. Our new hatchery is going to be taking water from a well, and it’s going to have considerably more temperature regulation we can impart,” Mackenthun said.
Current Production and Future Plans
In spring of 2026, the hatchery produced 50 million walleye eggs, though only 30 million survived. It also produced more than one million muskellunge eggs and 1.5 million northern pike eggs. The fish raised at the hatchery help supply local waterways in southcentral Minnesota and contribute to fish populations across the state.
Once construction is complete, the Waterville hatchery expects to continue using its old hatchery alongside the new facility for at least several years. The old facility would then be repurposed for research and storage of wild fish.
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