A modern day Lorax or two

Volunteer Water Stewards John Goodfellow, Tom Furey, and Anna Barker helped to build gravel bed nurseries in their communities to support reforestation efforts.

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Trout return to Afton’s Trout Brook

The stream restoration project creates different types of habitat that fish need, including deep pools with slow-moving water, shallow riffles with fast, turbulent water running over rocks, and runs with deep, fast water and little to no turbulence.

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Planning ahead for a rainy day

Comfort Lake – Forest Lake Watershed District launches wetland enhancement project, wins Climate Adaptation award.

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Numbers for the New Year

Since 2009, Washington County landowners have completed 5325 conservation projects ranging in scale from tiny front-yard pollinator gardens to large-scale conversions of cropland to native prairie.

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Jim Pechacek and Caroline Mecklin selected as 2022 Outstanding Conservationists

Jim and Caroline are stewarding farmland in the St. Croix Valley that has been in the family for more than 140 years.

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Friends of Lily Lake invites community to celebrate lake’s “de-listing” on September 30

On Friday, September 30, 5-7:30pm, Friends of Lily Lake will celebrate this return to clean water with a family-friendly community event at Lily Lake Park. The event will include food, music, roasted s’mores over a campfire, and kids nature activities. There will also be a short program at 6pm to officially commemorate the de-listing of Lily Lake. The event is free and open to all.

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Lily Lake alum treatment scheduled for May 19

The alum will draw phosphorus out of the water column and also seal sediment on the lake bottom so that the nutrient can no longer feed algae.

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Turning Stormwater into a Resource at Applewood Hills

Washington County is working with the Brown’s Creek Watershed District and Applewood Hills Golf Course to design a stormwater reuse system that will collect runoff from Hwy 36 and Manning Ave. and use it for golf course irrigation. The project will reduce groundwater pumping by 7 million gallons per year and provide 30% of the irrigation needs for Applewood Hills.

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After 100 years underground, Phalen Creek will finally see the light

Lower Phalen Creek Project, a Native-Led, East Side environmental organization, has secured $2.8 million in funding from the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council to begin daylighting Phalen Creek.

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Valley Branch Watershed District named 2021 Minnesota Watershed of the Year

To protect homes in land-locked basins, the district built an emergency conveyance system to pump water out, taking care not to overwhelm any other water bodies or drainage systems during the process.

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