East Metro Water

A Hill of Beans

By: angiehongmn April 27, 2011

Keeping water clean, Yards and LandscapingCommunity Supported Agriculture, compost, composting, CSA, farm share, locally grown food, organic foodLeave a Comment

In your garbage, compost will fester for a few days, attracting a fruit fly or two, and eventually contribute to the over 48 million tons of food waste created by people in the U.S. every year. In fact, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, food waste makes up 17% of the garbage in our ever-filling landfills.

Lessons from the locals

By: angiehongmn April 20, 2011

Aquatic Biology, Keeping water clean, Local Achievements, Partners and Updatesalgae, Brown's Creek Watershed District, impaired waters, McKusick Lake, middle st. croix watershed management organization, MPCA, native plants, phosphorus, raingardens, shoreline plantings, Stillwater, water pollutionLeave a Comment

Says Stillwater Council Member Doug Menikheim, â€œThe Lake McKusick story is a great example of what can happen when citizens pitch in to improve their community and different layers of government work together to save money and get things done.â€

Getting rid of junk

By: angiehongmn April 15, 2011

Keeping water clean, Partners and UpdatesCottage Grove, groundwater, rain barrels, south washington watershed district, tree sale, Washington County, Washington County Environmental Center, waste disposalLeave a Comment

On Tuesday, April 26 Washington County, South Washington Watershed District and the City of Cottage Grove will be co-hosting an open-house at the Environmental Center from 5-6:30pm. During this time, they will be showcasing clean water projects from around the county as well as providing information about cost-share grants and assistance available to help residents improve backyard habitat and do clean water landscaping projects like raingardens and shoreline plantings.

Do it for the kids (Shrink your yard)

By: angiehongmn April 4, 2011

Yards and LandscapingBlue Thumb, groundwater, native plants, water conservation, wildlife habitat2 Comments

The concept of sustainability is rooted in this universal hope we all share that our children and grandchildren will lead lives as good or better than our own.

Protecting the St. Croix River

By: angiehongmn March 29, 2011

Keeping water clean, Local Achievements, Partners and Updatesclean water award, flooding, phosphorus, raingardens, St. Croix River, Stillwater, voluntary projects, Washington Conservation DistrictLeave a Comment

In Washington County, raingardens, shoreline plantings and grassed waterways are spreading like wildflowers. There were nearly 100 clean water projects on private land in the county in 2009, and 130 in 2010.

Springs have Sprung

By: angiehongmn March 11, 2011

Keeping water clean, Water Conservation1 Comment

Rocks are weeping along the St. Croix River. If you hike along the river’s edge, you can see clear, cold water trickling down the sides of their walls and burbling to the surface year-round. In seepage swamps, found low at the bases of cliffs, skunk cabbage blooms in late winter, while in the spring, rare…

Birds Gone Wild

By: angiehongmn March 3, 2011

Wildlife, Yards and LandscapingLeave a Comment

Because native flowers, shrubs and trees also help to prevent erosion and runoff water pollution, watershed districts in Washington County can provide grants to people for planting or improving bird habitat along lake, stream and wetland edges and for people with cropland or ravines that drain to the St. Croix River and other waterways.

How can I get you in some new landscaping this spring?

By: angiehongmn February 25, 2011

Yards and LandscapingBlue Thumb, Forest Lake, landscaping, planting for birds, raingardens, shoreline plantings, Square Lake, tree sale, trees, Washington Conservation DistrictLeave a Comment

Canâ€™t you just see yourself driving away with a new bundle of seedling trees this spring?

Grab your ark and get ready

By: angiehongmn February 19, 2011

Partners and Updatesflooding, Mississippi River, runoff, St. Croix RiverLeave a Comment

In fact, they issued a revised flood forecast on February 17 that actually increases the odds of flooding for all major river systems, including the St. Croix and Mississippi Rivers.

A new twist on fish fry

For those of you keeping track, 23,000 pounds of carp could probably feed at least one thousand hungry Packer fans, more if you went heavy on the rye bread.