East Metro Water

Hopping into spring…again

By: angiehongmn April 18, 2019April 13, 2019

Wildlife, Yards and Landscapingfeatured, frogs and toads, gardening, landscaping workshops, spring, WetlandsLeave a Comment

Explore a local wetland or attend a Wonderful Wetlands workshop in Hugo, Oakdale or Lake Elmo The snow is melting again, which means that spring is just around the corner…again. Last weekend, I bundled up to walk the dog through 9-inches of fresh, fallen snow and paused with surprise when I encountered warm-ish air and…

Master Water Stewards offers a unique “Mini-Training” opportunity in 2019

By: angiehongmn April 11, 2019April 13, 2019

Keeping water clean, Partners and Updatesclean water, featured, lifelong learning, Master Water Stewards, volunteeringLeave a Comment

When Susan Goebel moved to Woodbury a few years ago, she began looking for opportunities to make friends and get involved in her new community. Back in West Bend, Wisconsin, where she had lived for years, she had been a Town Clerk and a Town Supervisor. She worked as a volunteer coordinator, taught classes at…

Let your hair down and leave the garden beds unmade

By: angiehongmn April 10, 2019April 13, 2019

Yards and Landscapingfeatured, frogs, oak wilt, pollinators, spring gardening, wildlife habitatLeave a Comment

You know that voice in your head that’s always nagging and never satisfied? It’s the one reminding you to make your bed because, God forbid, the burglars find a mess of blankets and sheets when they break into your house in the middle of the day. The voice reminds you to put on a jacket…

Put time on the water to good use this summer: Get free training to become a volunteer AIS Detector

By: angiehongmn March 28, 2019

Aquatic BiologyAIS, Aquatic Invasive Species, featured, Minnesota lakes, volunteeringLeave a Comment

“So much of Minnesota’s culture and recreation is based around the water and enjoying our lakes and rivers,” says Dan Larkin, an Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist with the University of Minnesota. “And so, aquatic invasive species and other threats to those habitats really affect people personally.” Over the past ten years, the number of…

Spring flooding calls for lowered lake levels & volunteer sandbagging

By: angiehongmn March 21, 2019

Uncategorizedflooding, Mississippi River, St. Croix River, Valley Branch Watershed DistrictLeave a Comment

As Minnesota and Wisconsin brace for major flooding along the Mississippi and St. Croix Rivers, many folks in Washington County have noticed that their driveways, roads and fields are already underwater. According to the National Weather Service, the St. Croix River has a 90% chance of reaching Major Flood Stage, which is 689 ft, and…

Jump into spring with a Planting for Clean Water or Wetlands workshop

By: angiehongmn February 27, 2019February 26, 2019

Yards and Landscapingfeatured, gardening, landscaping workshops, native plants, raingardens, shoreline plantings, WetlandsLeave a Comment

Workshops to be held in Wyoming, Hugo, Oakdale, Lake Elmo, and Cottage Grove After buying a home on Bone Lake a few years ago, Tom Furey downloaded the Score Your Shore tool from the Minnesota DNR website and set to work to learn more about his new property. From conversations with the Comfort Lake –…

Teachers set sail with free workshops on the Mississippi and St. Croix Rivers

By: angiehongmn February 26, 2019February 26, 2019

Partners and Updatesenvironmental education, featured, Hamline University, Mississippi River, St. Croix River, St. Croix River Association, teacher workshopsLeave a Comment

“Backswimmer, scud, dragonfly nymph, water boatman, another water boatman…” My son had just woken up from a nap and stumbled bleary-eyed to a clearing near the Mississippi River where our group was peering intently at a bucket-full of river water. Within seconds, he was rattling off the names of aquatic invertebrates we’d found, proud to…

Calling all Watershed Champions

By: angiehongmn February 14, 2019

Keeping water clean, Partners and Updates, Uncategorized, Yards and Landscapingcomfort lake - forest lake watershed district, featured, lakes, lawns, native landscaping, raingardensLeave a Comment

Comfort Lake – Forest Lake Watershed District debuts award program & schedules workshops for the spring Seeking award nominations Do you know someone in the community who has gone out of their way to protect local lakes and waterways? Perhaps it is the neighbor who transformed their yard with native plants and raingardens to reduce…

2019 Brings New Funding for Local Clean Water Work

By: angiehongmn February 11, 2019February 14, 2019

Keeping water clean, Partners and UpdatesBone Lake, Brown's Creek, Brown's Creek Watershed District, Carnelian Marine St. Croix Watershed District, Clean Water Fund, clean water grants, comfort lake - forest lake watershed district, featured, legacy amendment, middle st. croix watershed management organization, St. Croix River, Valley Branch Watershed District, Valley Creek, Washington Conservation DistrictLeave a Comment

In 2008, Minnesota voters passed the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment to protect and support clean water, healthy habitat, vibrant arts and culture, and beloved parks and trails. Over the past ten years, a sales tax increase of 0.375% has generated more than $2.5 billion, $860 million of which has been used to fund…

Revisiting American History through the eyes of the Buffalo Soldiers

By: angiehongmn February 1, 2019January 31, 2019

UncategorizedBlack History month, Buffalo Soldiers, National Park Service, Yosemite National ParkLeave a Comment

The year was 1866. Minnesota had been a state for eight short years and the modern-day states of Washington, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Oklahoma and the Dakotas were still territories. That year, Hawaii was still a sovereign kingdom and Alaska was still Russia. In the wake of the Civil War, the…