Once concentrations are high enough, the chloride becomes toxic to fish and invertebrates and can even prevent lakes from turning over the in spring and fall.
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All articles filed in Keeping water clean
Fifty-three Minnesota lakes and streams to be de-listed in 2022
Local lakes scheduled to be delisted next year include East Boot (May Twp), Echo (Mahtomedi), Hay and Jellums (Scandia), Lily and South Twin (Stillwater), and Plaisted (Hugo).
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PFAS contamination works its way to the St. Croix River
Six water bodies in Washington County will likely be added to the state’s impaired waters list due to perfluorinated alkylated substances (PFAS), also known as the “forever chemical.” The affected waters include Tanners Lake (Oakdale), Eagle Point wetland and H.J. Brown Pond (Lake Elmo Park Reserve), Clear Lake (City of Forest Lake) and the St. Croix River/Lake St. Croix from Taylors Falls to Prescott.
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Wetland in your yard?
Wetlands protect nearby homes from flooding and help to reduce shoreline erosion along the edges of rivers and lakes. If you have a wetland on or near your property, however, you may need to make some changes in your landscaping and seasonal yard care.
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Salt a growing problem for Minnesota’s water
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.
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Channeling a life-long passion for water protection toward community change in Forest Lake
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.
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Street Sweepers to the Rescue
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.
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New project aims to take Lily Lake off the impaired water’s list
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.
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Where the land is neither wet nor dry
Dave Medvecky’s project in Isanti County will restore approximately 13 acres of wetlands that have been lost to farming for nearly a century.
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Heat Wave Spurs Harmful Algal Blooms in Some Minnesota Lakes
Usually, algae and aquatic plants are merely a nuisance, but sometimes a form of cyanobacteria known as blue-green algae can bloom and release toxins that make humans and animals sick.
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East Metro Water 