winter – East Metro Water

Minnesota Pollution Control Agency launches new SMART salt module for rural communities

By: angiehongmn January 31, 2026January 29, 2026

Keeping water clean, Partners and Updates, Uncategorizedchloride pollution, featured, Minnesota, MPCA, rural roads, salt, winterLeave a Comment

Road maintenance in rural communities like Grant and Stillwater Township is significantly different than in larger cities like Oakdale and Woodbury. A new rural roads training module aims to help small communities stretch their limited public works budgets while also protecting local lakes and streams from salt and sediment pollution.

The Science of a Walk

By: angiehongmn January 15, 2026January 15, 2026

Outdoor Adventuresfeatured, mental health, nature, outdoors, snowshoeing, walking, winterLeave a Comment

Feeling stressed or anxious? Going for a walk is good for your body, mind, and soul. Additionally, research shows that the benefits are even greater if you’re able to take that walk outside in nature.

A time to gather in light, rest and renew

By: angiehongmn December 26, 2025December 22, 2025

Uncategorizedfeatured, solstice, winterLeave a Comment

The winter solstice is celebrated by many different cultures around the world with stories, festivities, and quiet moments of gathering, almost always filled with light. Though plants and animals don’t commemorate the winter solstice the same way as people, they do recognize and respond to the changes in warmth and daylight.

Finding frozen frogs

By: angiehongmn December 19, 2025December 16, 2025

Aquatic Biology, Wildlifefeatured, fish, frogs, lakes, Minnesota, salt, turtles, winter1 Comment

When the snow falls and lakes freeze over, Minnesota’s wildlife employ a variety of adaptations to stay alive.

Try chicken grit as an eco-friendly alternative to salt

By: angiehongmn December 5, 2025December 1, 2025

Aquatic Biology, Keeping water cleanchicken grit, chloride, featured, salt, winterLeave a Comment

One way that homeowners, businesses, HOAs, and community organizations can help to reduce water pollution from winter salt is by using chicken grit as a no-salt alternative.

St. Croix Watershed research highlights growing impact of chloride pollution

By: angiehongmn July 18, 2025July 17, 2025

Aquatic Biology, Keeping water cleanchloride, featured, lakes, Minnesota, salt, St. croix Watershed research station, water pollution, winterLeave a Comment

Chloride is toxic to freshwater organisms like fish, frogs, and aquatic invertebrates and also alters lakes’ internal chemistry, causing a cascade of unexpected impacts.

Ice castles and cliffs plus heaves on my shore?

By: angiehongmn January 31, 2025

Uncategorizedfeatured, hiking, ice, Minnesota, nature, shorelines, travel, water, winter1 Comment

From ice castles to sculptures, and even scalable cliffs of ice, Minnesotans are adept at finding creative ways to have fun in the winter. What happens, though, when the dynamic power of ice wrecks havoc on shoreline properties?

When temps plummet, turn to sand or grit instead of salt

By: angiehongmn January 24, 2025

Keeping water cleanfeatured, ice, salt, winterLeave a Comment

By the time temps drop below 15°F, salt pretty much stops working and the ice will remain solid, no matter how much salt you dump on the ground.

Staying warm and upright during Minnesota’s winters

By: angiehongmn December 20, 2024December 17, 2024

Outdoor Adventuresfeatured, ice, Minnesota, snow, winterLeave a Comment

Twenty-five years later, I’m still wearing that same pair of snow pants and mukluks and I’ve picked up a few additional tricks for staying warm and upright during Minnesota’s winters.