Tips and tales about keeping water clean
Square Lake is one of the clearest lakes in the Twin Cities area and ranks in the top 1% for water clarity in the entire North Central Hardwood Forest Ecoregion of Minnesota. New park improvements underway this fall are designed to help keep Square Lake clean for years to come.
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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.
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Bluegreen algae blooms have become more prevalent in urban lakes, as well as in pristine northern lakes including Lake Itasca, the Boundary Waters, and Quetico Wilderness Area.
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This fall, conservation districts across the state are providing new funds to farmers to implement soil health practices including no-till, cover crops, and prescribed grazing. Funds can also be used for pollinator plantings, as well as pasture and hay plantings. The program is part of an initiative by Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources to build better, more resilient soils in order to ensure long-term food security and protect lakes, rivers, and streams from water pollution.
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White Bear is a lake with a storied past. At 2438 acres, it is the second largest lake in the Twin Cities metro, and its history features a legendary fight with a giant bear, steamships, gangsters, famous authors, legal battles, and even an amusement park. Recently, efforts led by the Washington Conservation District have focused on improving habitat and reducing stormwater runoff from small communities located along the southeast shore of the lake.
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“Likely Stories,” the project that emerged, can best be described as a photographic journey through climate adaptations in the St. Croix Watershed. As part of this project, the artists seek to document the local impacts of climate change, such as black ash swamps, decimated by Emerald ash borer, tamarack “ghost forests,” algae blooms on the river and inland lakes, and future changes at the Allen S. King power plant. Equally important, they also hope to showcase examples of individuals, communities and organizations that are taking action to build climate resiliency.
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The City recently restored a 300ft stretch of degraded stream along 3rd Ave. N near Perro Park, in partnership with Middle St Croix Watershed Management Organization (MSCWMO) and the Washington Conservation District. The goal of the project is to stabilize the streambank, reduce the amount of sediment and phosphorus flowing downstream to the St. Croix River, and improve habitat along Perro Creek.
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In recognition of his many years of volunteer efforts tending trees and water on the edge of the Northwoods, Tom Furey was selected as the Washington County Conservation Cooperator of the year for 2024. He also received a Watershed Champion award from the CLFLWD at their 25th Anniversary celebration in September.
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A recent report from the Natural Shorelines Partnership noted that Minnesota has lost 50% of its natural shorelines over the past 100 years, and continues to lose shoreline habitat at a rate of 1-2% per decade.
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Fourteen new zebra mussel infestations were discovered in Minnesota in 2024, including Big Carnelian Lake in northern Washington County.
While news of a new zebra mussel infestation is discouraging, it is important to remember that 96% of lakes in Minnesota do NOT have zebra mussels and can still be protected from future infestations if lakeshore landowners, contractors, boaters, and anglers commit to taking action.
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East Metro Water 