Keeping water clean – East Metro Water

Let the gardening begin!

By: angiehongmn April 15, 2021April 14, 2021

Keeping water clean, Yards and LandscapingBlue Thumb, featured, gardening, landscaping, native plants, raingardens, shoreline plantingsLeave a Comment

Thanks to a relatively early start to spring this year, many people are already beginning to dream about gardens and planting projects. Here is a run-down of upcoming workshops and other support for eco-friendly gardening projects.

Preserving a piece of paradise in the St. Croix Valley

By: angiehongmn March 25, 2021March 25, 2021

Keeping water clean, Yards and LandscapingCarnelian Marine St. Croix Watershed District, conservation easements, featured, land conservation, Minnesota Land Trust, prairie, prairie restoration, Silver Creek, St. Croix River, St. Croix River Association, Washington Conservation District, Washington CountyLeave a Comment

Paul Goodwin and his family have established a 49-acre conservation easement on land abutting Silver Creek near Stillwater, MN and are working to convert 14-acres of fallow farmland to prairie and oak savanna.

Two miles, three raingardens, and 100 feet of native buffer: Charting Perro Creek’s journey to cleaner water and better health

By: angiehongmn March 18, 2021March 16, 2021

Keeping water clean, Partners and UpdatesBayport, buffers, featured, middle st. croix watershed management organization, native plants, Perro Creek, raingardens, streamsLeave a Comment

Local partners including City of Bayport, the Middle St. Croix Watershed Management Organization (MSCWMO), and even area Girl Scouts have worked to reduce erosion and improve water quality in Perro Creek through a series of projects including raingardens and native buffer plantings.

Cleaner water ahead at Carver Lake Park in Woodbury

By: angiehongmn March 11, 2021March 10, 2021

Keeping water clean, Local Achievementsalgae blooms, Carver Lake, featured, native plants, raingardens, ramsey washington metro watershed district, stormwater runoff, Washington Conservation District, WoodburyLeave a Comment

This summer, visitors to Carver Lake Park will discover a newly renovated parking lot, complete with a 5220 sq ft raingarden and 8000 sq ft of native plantings designed to filter and treat polluted runoff, as well as create habitat for birds and pollinators. The raingarden will capture 0.7lb of phosphorus, which is enough to prevent 350 pounds of algae from growing in the lake.

Intersex fish and cocaine shrimp

By: angiehongmn February 25, 2021

Aquatic Biology, Groundwater, Keeping water cleancontaminants of emerging concern, endocrine disruptors, featured, groundwater, intersex fish, Mississippi River, pesticides, Septic Systems, St. Croix River, wastewater, water pollution1 Comment

Scientists lay the blame for these strange phenomena on endocrine-disrupting chemicals and pharmaceutical compounds, such as pesticides, medications, and even common household products like shampoo.

New fish barrier will keep carp out of Forest Lake

By: angiehongmn February 9, 2021February 4, 2021

Aquatic Biology, Keeping water clean, Partners and Updatescarp, clean water, comfort lake - forest lake watershed district, common carp, featured, fish barrier, fishing, Forest LakeLeave a Comment

This February, CLFLWD replaced an old, dilapidated fish barrier on the northwest side of Forest Lake, where the lake outlets to the Sunrise River to prevent carp and other rough fish from migrating into Forest Lake.

Tracking the health of lakes in Washington County

By: angiehongmn February 4, 2021February 2, 2021

Aquatic Biology, Keeping water cleanBig Carnelian Lake, Big Marine Lake, featured, Lake McKusick, lakes, Long Lake, Minnesota lakes, Square Lake, water monitoring, water qualityLeave a Comment

During 2020, Washington Conservation District monitored water quality on 71 lakes in Washington County. Here’s what recent data tell us about five local lakes.

What do bugs have to do with it?

By: angiehongmn January 29, 2021January 29, 2021

Aquatic Biology, Keeping water cleanaquatic macroinvertebrates, Brown's Creek, dragonflies, featured, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, odonata, streams, trout, volunteer stream monitoringLeave a Comment

One of the best measures of stream health is the amount and biodiversity of macroinvertebrates we can find in the water.

Frozen fish and salty toes

By: angiehongmn January 7, 2021February 4, 2021

Aquatic Biology, Keeping water clean, Outdoor Adventureschloride pollution, featured, fishing, ice fishing, Minnesota lakes, road salt, saltLeave a Comment

One growing concern for urban lakes and streams is pollution from winter road salt. Currently, there are 50 lakes and streams in Minnesota that are listed as impaired due to elevated chlorides and another 75 that are “nearly” impaired.

2021 will bring $2.6 million in new funding for watershed work in the St. Croix region

By: angiehongmn December 31, 2020February 5, 2021

Keeping water clean, Local Achievements, Partners and UpdatesChisago Soil and Water Conservation District, City of Hugo, clean water, Clean Water Fund, clean water grants, comfort lake - forest lake watershed district, featured, middle st. croix watershed management organization, Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources, St Croix River, St. Croix watershed, watershed1 Comment

Just in time for the holidays, the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources approved $12.3 million in Clean Water Fund grants to be used statewide for water quality improvement projects across Minnesota. Locally, partners in the Lower St. Croix watershed will receive $1.4 million in Clean Water grants in addition to $1.2 million already…