Mississippi River – Page 3 – East Metro Water

Spring flooding calls for lowered lake levels & volunteer sandbagging

By: angiehongmn March 21, 2019

Uncategorizedflooding, Mississippi River, St. Croix River, Valley Branch Watershed DistrictLeave a Comment

As Minnesota and Wisconsin brace for major flooding along the Mississippi and St. Croix Rivers, many folks in Washington County have noticed that their driveways, roads and fields are already underwater. According to the National Weather Service, the St. Croix River has a 90% chance of reaching Major Flood Stage, which is 689 ft, and…

Teachers set sail with free workshops on the Mississippi and St. Croix Rivers

By: angiehongmn February 26, 2019February 26, 2019

Partners and Updatesenvironmental education, featured, Hamline University, Mississippi River, St. Croix River, St. Croix River Association, teacher workshopsLeave a Comment

“Backswimmer, scud, dragonfly nymph, water boatman, another water boatman…” My son had just woken up from a nap and stumbled bleary-eyed to a clearing near the Mississippi River where our group was peering intently at a bucket-full of river water. Within seconds, he was rattling off the names of aquatic invertebrates we’d found, proud to…

Finding ways to balance farming and clean water

By: angiehongmn January 30, 2019August 5, 2020

Keeping water clean, Partners and Updatesclean water, Conservation farming, farming, featured, Mississippi River, St. Croix River, sustainable agriculture1 Comment

A story of redemption 26 years ago, Brian Axdahl and his father bought an old sod farm near the St. Croix River and plowed the turf under with moldboard plows. The soil was compacted from years of poor management. Lakes formed in the fields whenever it rained, and runoff flowed to the river, carrying sediments…

Thankful for toilets that flush

By: angiehongmn November 21, 2018November 21, 2018

Keeping water clean, Local Achievementsclean water, featured, Mississippi River, sanitation, toilets, wastewater1 Comment

‘Tis the season for gratitude, and this Thanksgiving I’m counting flushing toilets among my many blessings in life. What did people do before toilets were invented? Well, depending on where they lived, they either walked outside to use the outhouse in the freezing cold or did their business in a chamber pot and then dumped…

South Washington Watershed District celebrates 25 years of flood prevention and habitat restoration

By: angiehongmn October 1, 2018

Keeping water clean, Local Achievements, Partners and UpdatesCottage Grove, featured, Great River Greening, Grey Cloud, Mississippi River, south washington watershed district, Washington County, WoodburyLeave a Comment

Volunteer event scheduled for Oct. 11 in Woodbury Three years ago, volunteers gathered in a wind-swept field on a rainy spring day to plant 3000 young oak trees for a future oak savanna. The site – located on the border between Woodbury and Cottage Grove – is part of a conservation corridor created by South…

Stepping off the beaten path and into Mooer’s Park charm

By: angiehongmn August 15, 2018

Outdoor Adventures, WildlifeCottage Grove, featured, Grey Cloud, Mississippi River, Mooers Park, river restoration, wildlife habitatLeave a Comment

For a big river, the Mississippi can be awfully hard to find. Though it traverses 21 miles of Washington County, from the City of Newport to the St. Croix River confluence in Hastings-Prescott, there are precious few places to access the water as it flows. To find the river here requires a road map and…

Upcoming water workshops highlight new resources for teachers and hands-on lessons for kids

By: angiehongmn July 2, 2018July 2, 2018

Partners and Updatesenvironmental education, featured, groundwater, Mississippi River, nature based education, St. Croix River, teacher workshops, watershedsLeave a Comment

Dear Ms. Haydon and Hong: Thank you for the field trip. I think it was ok that we got lost but everyone makes mistakes. I learned a lot about nature and where the water flows and all about different waters and rivers and lakes. I hope you have a great time and have fun exploring…

A New Bridge and Better Habitat Along the Mississippi River

By: angiehongmn October 11, 2017

Local Achievements, Partners and Updatesclean water, Grey Cloud, habitat restoration, Mississippi River, south washington watershed district, Washington CountyLeave a Comment

This fall, Washington County and South Washington Watershed District are constructing a new bridge in Grey Cloud Township that will finally restore the natural water flow in Grey Cloud Slough and help to flush out sediment and nutrients that have accumulated over the past 50 years.

Tracing Lazy Circles in the Sand

By: angiehongmn August 14, 2017

Aquatic Biology, Keeping water clean, Wildlifefreshwater mussels, Mississippi River, St. Croix RiverLeave a Comment

Forty species of mussels live in the St. Croix, including five that are listed under the Federal Endangered Species Act: the Higgin’s eye, sheepnose, snuffbox, spectaclecase and winged mapleleaf.