East Metro Water

Meet our 2026 Natural Shoreline Award winners!

We are excited to announce the winners of our 2026 Natural Shoreline Awards, sponsored by the East Metro Water Resource Education Program and Lower St. Croix Watershed Partnership. These awards recognize Minnesotans who are protecting lake, stream, and wetland habitat in Chisago, Isanti, Ramsey and Washington Counties.

Lake Phalen: 2026 Natural Shoreline Award Winner

By: angiehongmn August 26, 2026

Keeping water clean, Local Achievements, Partners and Updates, Uncategorized, Wildlife, Yards and Landscapingenvironment, habitat restoration, Lake Phalen, lakeshore, Minnesota, native plants, nature, ramsey washington metro watershed district, shorelines, St. Paul1 Comment

With nearly two miles of restored shoreline, statuesque oak woodlands, and multiple ways for the public to access and enjoy the lake, the Lake Phalen shoreline in St. Paul is a showcase example for any city in Minnesota to aspire to. It is also one of the largest and most successful shoreline restorations in the upper Midwest.

Lost Lake: 2026 Natural Shoreline Award Winner

By: angiehongmn August 26, 2026

Keeping water clean, Local Achievements, Partners and Updates, Wildlife, Yards and Landscapinghabitat restoration, lakeshore, Mahtomedi, Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources, Minnesota Department of Agriculture, native plants, rice creek watershed district, shorelines, Washington Conservation District1 Comment

At Wildwood Park in Mahtomedi, there is a baseball field, a playground, and a fishing pier on a secluded lake, surrounded by massive oak trees. Near the water’s edge, bumblebees buzz happily among bee balm, dotted blazingstar, black-eyed susans, and great blue lobelia. The lake is dappled with lilies with giant white flowers, like a Monet painting come to life.

Ode to oaks

By: angiehongmn August 21, 2026

Yards and Landscapingfeatured, forest, native plants, nature, oak savanna, oak trees, oaks, trees, woodlandsLeave a Comment

Oak trees are a powerful keystone species that can live for centuries, produce millions of acorns, and support more wildlife than any other tree genus in North America.

Big waves, big problems?

By: angiehongmn August 17, 2026

Aquatic Biologyadventure, boating, featured, lakes, Minnesota, nature, outdoor recreation, wake sportsLeave a Comment

Wake-surfing and wakeboarding have grown in popularity in recent years, leading many people to worry about the possible impacts to Minnesota lakes.

Lake associations and communities in Minnesota are considering a variety of approaches, including education and outreach, community engagement, monitoring, voluntary guidelines, and local policy.

It takes a village – planting and tending to raingardens in Washington County

Since 2006, community residents and local government partners have completed nearly 6000 conservation planting projects in Washington County to protect our lakes, rivers, and streams. More than 1600 of these are raingardens, designed to catch nutrient-rich runoff from rooftops, driveways, and streets and soak the water into the ground before it reaches a storm sewer or nearby waterway. Raingardens beautify our local communities and provide habitat for pollinators, but do require specialized knowledge to design, construct, and maintain them for long-term success.

Five years in, the Lower St. Croix Watershed Partnership makes strides toward cleaner lakes and rivers

By: angiehongmn July 31, 2026July 28, 2026

Keeping water clean, Partners and Updatesconservation, featured, nature, St. Croix RiverLeave a Comment

The Lower St. Croix Watershed Partnership includes 15 local government partners in Anoka, Chisago, Isanti, Pine and Washington Counties who are working collaboratively to improve the St. Croix River, as well as local lakes and streams.

Plants tell the story of a lake in recovery

By: angiehongmn July 23, 2026July 16, 2026

Aquatic Biology, Keeping water clean, Partners and Updatesaquatic plants, Brown's Creek Watershed District, featured, featuresd, lake restoration, Long Lake, Stillwater, stormwaterLeave a Comment

Between 1970 and 2002, Long Lake in Stillwater experienced a slow decline caused by farming, development, and stormwater runoff. Since then, the Brown’s Creek Watershed District, City of Stillwater, and local landowners have completed more that 100 projects to restore the lake to good health.

Twenty-six local projects to receive funding from Minnesota’s 3M settlement agreement

By: angiehongmn July 17, 2026July 14, 2026

Groundwater, Keeping water clean, Partners and Updates, Uncategorized3M, Dakota County, featured, fishing, Mississippi River, outdoor recreation, parks and trails, PFAS, ramsey county, Washington CountyLeave a Comment

Twenty-six east metro projects will receive a total of $20 million in funding from a 2018 settlement agreement. These projects are intended to improve local lakes, rivers, and streams, restore wildlife habitat, and add new fishing and outdoor recreation opportunities.

Millions of mayflies

By: angiehongmn July 10, 2026July 7, 2026

Aquatic Biology, Wildlifefeatured, fishing, mayflies, Minnesota, Mississippi River, St. Croix RiverLeave a Comment

There are more than 3000 species of mayflies worldwide and Minnesota is home to 105. Two – the Hexagenia bilineata and Hexagenia limbata – have synchronized hatches and can form swarms so large they actually show up on local weather radars.