St. Croix River – East Metro Water

Earth Day is more than just a feel-good event

By: angiehongmn April 21, 2026

UncategorizedEarth Day, environment, featured, History, Minnesota, St. Croix River, United States, WisconsinLeave a Comment

In 1965, protests in Stillwater, Minnesota ignited a national conversation that eventually inspired Congress to pass the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act in 1968.

Two years later, Senator Gaylord Nelson (WI) helped to organize the very first “Earth Day” on April 22, 1970. During this inaugural event, 20 million Americans — 10% of the U.S. population at the time — participated in teach-ins and rallies, calling for sweeping changes to end the environmental destruction they saw happening across the nation.

Slowing the nutrient highway

By: angiehongmn March 1, 2026

Keeping water cleanfeatured, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Mississippi River, nitrogen, phosphorus, St. Croix RiverLeave a Comment

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) recently released a report summarizing ten-years of progress toward reducing water pollution in the state’s rivers, lakes, and groundwater aquifers. The biggest news is that Minnesota is sending 32% less phosphorus and 6% less nitrogen down the Mississippi River, compared with in 2014. In addition, three-quarters of the lakes assessed by the MPCA statewide show declining phosphorus concentrations.

Echoes of a ghost town at Point Douglas

By: angiehongmn January 9, 2026January 7, 2026

Outdoor Adventuresfeatured, Mississippi River, Point Douglas, St. Croix RiverLeave a Comment

Though there are no buildings left to see, Point Douglas remains a unique location to see the confluence of two great rivers.

Minnesota Water Stewards goes statewide

By: angiehongmn October 23, 2025October 22, 2025

Keeping water clean, Partners and Updatesfeatured, Freshwater Society, Minnesota, Minnesota lakes, Mississippi River, nature, North Woods and Waters of the St. Croix Heritage Area, St. Croix River, St. Croix Valley Foundation, volunteering, Washington Conservation District, Washington County ParksLeave a Comment

David, Kim, Barb and Mike are part of an elite cadre of volunteers helping to engage communities across Minnesota and western Wisconsin in grass-roots projects to protect and restore lakes, rivers, and streams.

Beginning in 2026, Freshwater is taking the program statewide and removing the enrollment fee so that more people can participate. Locally, the St. Croix Valley Foundation has provided grant funds to Washington Conservation District (WCD), Freshwater, and North Woods and Waters to train-in a new cohort of volunteers, starting in 2026.

Stories of the St. Croix

By: angiehongmn August 8, 2025August 5, 2025

Outdoor Adventuresfeatured, History, Minnesota, St. Croix River, WisconsinLeave a Comment

How do you tell the story of a place?

State funds help to amplify the work of local government partners in the St. Croix Watershed

By: angiehongmn May 5, 2025May 2, 2025

Keeping water clean, Partners and Updates, UncategorizedClean Water Fund, featured, Minnesota, St. Croix RiverLeave a Comment

Nearly 8000 square miles of land in Minnesota and Wisconsin drains to the St. Croix River. Within this larger basin, 915 square miles of land on the Minnesota side is included in the Lower St. Croix watershed. This encompasses 127 lakes, over 1,000 miles of rivers and streams, and approximately 152,000 acres of wetlands.

In its first four years, the Lower St. Croix Watershed Partnership reduced phosphorus to local waterways by 10,959 pounds per year, which is nearly double what the group hoped to achieve over the course of its 10-year plan.

Local officials set sail to learn about shorelines and development

By: angiehongmn July 5, 2024

Keeping water clean, Partners and Updates, Uncategorizedconservation development, development, featured, lakes, shorelines, St. Croix RiverLeave a Comment

This year’s workshop focused specifically on St. Croix Riverway Rules, strategies for dealing with sticky issues and variance requests, and better site design for development and redevelopment projects.

Exploring the St. Croix Valley: Adventures on & off the Water

By: angiehongmn July 1, 2024July 2, 2024

Outdoor Adventures, Uncategorizedcamping, canoeing, featured, forests, hiking, Minnesota, prairie, St. Croix River, WisconsinLeave a Comment

In February of 2022, I took a week off of work, loaded up the dog, a pair of snowshoes, and copious amounts of coffee, chocolate, and wine, then headed up north to Pine County, Minnesota. My goal was to see if I could maybe, sort-of write a book. Now, two years later, this little book of mine finally makes its grand debut to the rest of the world!

The official launch party is next week (YES! You are invited!) and I’ll also be doing speaking events in Marine on St. Croix (July 9) and Lake Elmo (July 13). I’d love to see you in real life!

Enjoying wilderness & solitude on the Namekagon River…with a hearty dose of rain

By: angiehongmn June 21, 2024June 21, 2024

Outdoor Adventurescamping, canoeing, featured, kayaking, Namekagon River, St. Croix RiverLeave a Comment

The Namekagon River is located in northwestern Wisconsin and flows 101 miles from the Chequamegon–Nicolet National Forest to the St. Croix River, ending a few miles northeast of Danbury. It is the St. Croix’s longest tributary.