angiehongmn

Salt a growing problem for Minnesota’s water

By: angiehongmn October 26, 2021October 29, 2021

Aquatic Biology, Groundwater, Keeping water cleanchloride pollution, featured, MPCA, road salt, salt, water softenersLeave a Comment

Overall, the MPCA has determined that road salt is responsible for 42% of the chloride in groundwater, lakes and streams. Two other major sources of chloride that are less well-known include agricultural fertilizers (23% of the total chloride) and water softeners, which account for up to 65% of the chloride discharged from municipal wastewater treatment plants.

Channeling a life-long passion for water protection toward community change in Forest Lake

By: angiehongmn October 21, 2021October 19, 2021

Keeping water clean, Local Achievementscomfort lake - forest lake watershed district, featured, Forest Lake, volunteeringLeave a Comment

Curt Sparks would love to see more people in the community get involved in lake and watershed stewardship, whether it is by joining the watershed district’s citizen advisory committee, participating in activities led by one of the local lakes associations, or merely adopting a storm drain in their neighborhood.

Street Sweepers to the Rescue

By: angiehongmn October 14, 2021October 29, 2021

Keeping water cleanadopt a drain, featured, phosphorus, stormwater, stormwater pollution, street sweeping1 Comment

Cities use street sweepers to maintain a tidy appearance, but these machines can also be an important and cost-effective tool for reducing stormwater pollution.

On the forest and the trees

By: angiehongmn October 11, 2021

Yards and Landscapingfall, featured, forest, leaves, woodlands1 Comment

Take a break from raking leaves and get involved in efforts to create more resilient woodlands this fall.

New project aims to take Lily Lake off the impaired water’s list

By: angiehongmn September 30, 2021September 28, 2021

Keeping water clean, Local Achievementsfeatured, Lily Lake, middle st. croix watershed management organization, phosphorus, raingarden, Stillwater, stormwater pollutionLeave a Comment

A new regional infiltration basin will collect and filter stormwater from a large area of land that includes commercial and residential property, delivering it to Lily Lake cleaner and with less phosphorus.

Wildlife-friendly fall gardens

By: angiehongmn September 23, 2021September 21, 2021

Yards and Landscapingbees, birds, fall, featured, gardening, leavesLeave a Comment

In the coming weeks, there are several steps you can take to prep your yard and gardens for winter and continue to support pollinators, birds and other wildlife.

A River Unites

By: angiehongmn September 16, 2021September 15, 2021

UncategorizedBrown's Creek, Brown's Creek Watershed District, featured, Mississippi RiverLeave a Comment

Though rivers have long been used as borders to divide one group of people from another, it also strikes me that they have the power to bring us together as well.

Protecting Mill Stream and the St. Croix River

By: angiehongmn September 9, 2021September 3, 2021

Aquatic Biology, Partners and Updatesaquatic macroinvertebrates, Carnelian Marine St. Croix Watershed District, featured, Marine on St. Croix, Mill Stream, stream healthLeave a Comment

(IBI) scores that function much like grades on a report card. According to Mike Isensee, Administrator for the Carnelian-Marine-St. Croix Watershed District, Mill Stream will likely get an IBI score of “B” in 2022.

Where the land is neither wet nor dry

By: angiehongmn September 2, 2021April 12, 2022

Keeping water clean, Yards and Landscapingfeatured, habitat restoration, Isanti County, wetland restoration, WetlandsLeave a Comment

Dave Medvecky’s project in Isanti County will restore approximately 13 acres of wetlands that have been lost to farming for nearly a century.

Hard Fescue and SMART Controllers Allow for Green Grass with Less Water

By: angiehongmn August 26, 2021

Water Conservation, Yards and Landscapingfeatured, lawns, low mow grass, SMART controllers, sustainable lawns, water conservationLeave a Comment

At the end of a long, hot summer with no irrigation or rain, the plot with 100% hard fescue grass was still lush and green, while the one with Kentucky bluegrass was almost entirely dead.