Walking in the woods – new initiatives to grow and tend the forests in Washington County

This fall, the WCD is launching a new initiative to develop a countywide community forestry program, in partnership with cities, volunteers, and the AmeriCorps Climate Impact Program.

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Turning Stormwater into a Resource at Applewood Hills

Washington County is working with the Brown’s Creek Watershed District and Applewood Hills Golf Course to design a stormwater reuse system that will collect runoff from Hwy 36 and Manning Ave. and use it for golf course irrigation. The project will reduce groundwater pumping by 7 million gallons per year and provide 30% of the irrigation needs for Applewood Hills.

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Preserving a piece of paradise in the St. Croix Valley

Paul Goodwin and his family have established a 49-acre conservation easement on land abutting Silver Creek near Stillwater, MN and are working to convert 14-acres of fallow farmland to prairie and oak savanna.

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Transformation underway at Lake Elmo Park Reserve

Washington County secured funding through the Outdoor Heritage Fund to restore and improve 166 acres of prairie and oak savanna at Lake Elmo Park Reserve around Eagle Point Lake and in the north end of the park.

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Wet basement? Sorry, no app for that.

The sun is out, the snow is melting, and someday soon you may go downstairs and discover that your basement is wet. What should you do? First, it is important to determine why your basement is wet. When we first bought our 1870s home in Stillwater, water poured into the basement every time it rained.…

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Minnesota climatologists predict another year of major spring flooding

The National Weather Service and Minnesota Climatology Department are both predicting another wet spring with major flooding in 2020. There is a high chance of flooding on the Mississippi and St. Croix Rivers, as well as in lakes, ponds, farm fields, and low lying areas. Says Craig Schmidt, a hydrologist with the National Weather Service,…

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Feedback from local communities helps to shape Lower St. Croix 10-Year Watershed Plan

Learn more: Feb. 20 in North Branch or March 2 in Stillwater Over the past two years, 15 local government partners in Anoka, Chisago, Isanti, Pine, and Washington Counties have been working to create a shared watershed plan to guide collaborative work in the Lower St. Croix region for the next 10 years. Known as…

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Ten years of hard work result in big accomplishments for local water, land, and wildlife

The clock strikes midnight as another page turns over on the calendar of life. Goodbye nameless decade; hello roaring ‘20s! This week many of us are thinking about changes in our lives over the past ten years – children born, loved ones lost, new homes, new jobs, vacations, and special events. In the conservation world,…

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Underground and out of mind?

November 13 workshop will address septic systems, private wells, and other groundwater topics Nearly 140 years ago, Minneapolis first began pumping from the Mississippi River to provide drinking water for the city’s growing population. At the time, the river was a dumping ground for human sewage, garbage, and carcasses from the local slaughterhouses. Thousands of…

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What will your land look like 20 years from now?

In 1972, Bob and Marilyn Rosenquist bought themselves a piece of the American dream – 40 acres of farmland in eastern Hugo with rolling hills and plenty of woods. Marilyn came from a big farming family in South Dakota and soon the couple was raising 16-17 cattle, with a couple of horses and kids in…

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