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"State of the River" Report 2018 budget 25 by 25 Ag Water Quality Certification agriculture ais Alimagnet Angry Inch Angry Inch Brewery Apple Valley Apple Valley Senior Center aquatic invasive species astronomy bird watching board meeting buckthorn removal Burnsville Carpenter Nature Center Carpenter St. Croix Valley Nature Center citizen advisory group Clean Water Summit 2016 climate Coca-Cola Refreshments in Eagan Minn. Conservation Minnesota County Fair CP Adams Park Dakota County Dakota County Parks Dakota County SWCD de-icing workshop Eagan Earth Day exhibits Farmington field day fishing FMR Fortin Consulting Freshwater Society Friends of CNC Friends of the Mississippi River Governor Dayton Greenway groundwater Hastings Hastings Environmental Protectors Hastings Sand Coulee SNA information meeting invasive species removal Inver Grove Heights irrigation Kevin Smith Lake Marion Lakeville landscape for the river landscaping for clean water lawn and garden lawns MAISRC Master Water Stewards Mike Lynch Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Minnesota Institute of Astrophysics Minnesota Landscape Arboretum minnesota pollution control agency Minnesota StarWatch Mississippi River MPCA MWS native plants nitrates North Creek Parks Pine Bend SNA planting for clean planting for clean water pollinators prairie seed collection private wells public hearing public meeting rain barrel rainbarrel redevelopment rosemount salt sand coulee SNA Schaar's Bluff Gathering Center scientific and natural area scott swcd Smart Salting snow and ice best practices South Branch Vermillion River Spring Lake Park St. Croix Valley Bird Club star map starry stonewort starry trek stormwater retrofits SWCD TAG Technical Advisory Group Technical Advisory Group (TAG) tour town hall township officers Trevor Russell trout stream Trout Unlimited TU turfgrass maintenance Twin Cities Trout Unlimited UMN Extension University of Minnesota urban urban best management practices Vermillion Falls Park Vermillion River Vermillion River Aquatic Management Area Vermillion River Watershed Vermillion River Watershed Joint Powers Organization Vermillion Riverkeepers Vermillion Stewards volunteer VRWJPB VRWJPO VRWPC water conservation water quality Water treatment watershed management Watershed Plan watershed planning commission Watershed Planning Commission (WPC) We Are Water MN Whitetail Woods Regional Park winter road maintenance WPC
![Turfgrass Maintenance Workshop @ Dakota County Western Service Center | Apple Valley | Minnesota | United States](https://www.vermillionriverwatershed.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Red-Lawn-mower-Mowing-Grass460x300-300x196.jpg)
Turfgrass Maintenance Workshop is for property managers, groundskeepers, and other commercial and public turf managers.
Learn sensible, cost-saving ways to maintain turfgrass and practices that protect lakes and rivers while keeping turfgrass looking its best. Attendees have an opportunity to attain MPCA Level 1 certification in turf care maintenance practices. Topics include fertilizer selection and application, pesticide application, equipment calibration, mowing techniques, environmental effects, soil testing, irrigation best practices and more. Lunch will be provided. Workshop is free.
Pre-registration is required by July 11. To register, send email to environ@co.dakota.mn.us.
![Winter Parking Lot & Sidewalk Maintenance Workshop @ Dakota County Western Service Center | Apple Valley | Minnesota | United States](https://www.vermillionriverwatershed.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/bobcat-300x225.jpg)
Winter Parking Lot and Sidewalk Maintenance Workshop is for ice removal contractors, property managers, facilities, parks, cities, and schools.
Learn sensible salting practices to save money, protect lakes and rivers, and keep parking lots and sidewalks safe. Receive a “Winter Parking Lot and Sidewalk Maintenance” manual. Attendees have an opportunity to attain MPCA Level 1 Certification in Snow and Ice Control Best Practices. Lunch will be provided. Workshop is free.
Training topics include: application rates and materials, weather conditions and storing materials, environmental effects, new maintenance methods, calibration, keeping surfaces safe, selection of materials, and policy.
Pre-registration is required by September 8. To register, send email to environ@co.dakota.mn.us.
![Winter Roads Maintenance Workshop @ Dakota County Empire Transportation Shop | Rosemount | Minnesota | United States](https://www.vermillionriverwatershed.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/plow4-300x124.jpg)
Winter Roads Maintenance Workshop is for all winter maintenance professionals.
Improve your efficiency and reduce environmental impacts of winter road maintenance and see an equipment demonstration. Training is based on the MN Snow and Ice Control Field Handbook for Snowplow Operators. Attendees have an opportunity to attain MPCA Level 1 Certification in Snow and Ice Control Best Practices. Lunch will be provided. Workshop is free.
Training topics include: application rates, weather conditions and storing materials, environmental effects, new maintenance methods, calibration, selection of materials, anti-icing vs. de-icing, and more.
Pre-registration is required by September 26. To register, send email to environ@co.dakota.mn.us.
![Turfgrass Maintenance Workshop @ Dakota County Western Service Center | Apple Valley | Minnesota | United States](https://www.vermillionriverwatershed.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Red-Lawn-mower-Mowing-Grass460x300-300x196.jpg)
The Vermillion River Watershed Joint Powers Organization and Dakota County are hosting a Turfgrass Maintenance Workshop for property managers, groundskeepers, and other commercial and public turf managers. The workshop will be held from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. on Friday, April 6, at the Dakota County Western Service Center.
Learn sensible, cost-saving ways to maintain turfgrass and practices that protect lakes and rivers while keeping turfgrass looking its best. Attendees have an opportunity to attain MPCA Level 1 certification in turf care maintenance practices. Topics include fertilizer selection and application, pesticide application, equipment calibration, mowing techniques, environmental effects, soil testing, irrigation best practices and more. Lunch will be provided. Workshop is free.
Pre-registration is required by March 23. To register, send email to environ@co.dakota.mn.us.
Open House – Hastings Drinking Water Supply Management Area Groundwater Protection Rule Process
Do you farm or own cropland in the Hastings Drinking Water Supply Management Area (DWSMA)?
The City of Hastings has high nitrate in their city wells. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is working with a team of local farmers, crop advisers, and others to develop a list of region-specific farming practices to reduce nitrate in groundwater and the city wells.
Join us to learn and share ideas about the proposed practices and the Groundwater Protection Rule process. Practice adoption is voluntary but could become regulatory if the voluntary approach is unsuccessful.
MDA staff will be available to discuss these topics, collect comments and ideas from farmers, and answer questions. A 30-minute presentation will be shared at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. Light refreshments will be served.
Public Meeting: Alimagnet Lake Feasibility Study
This spring and summer, the Vermillion River Watershed Joint Powers Organization (VRWJPO) is leading an Alimagnet Lake alum (aluminum sulfate) treatment feasibility study. City of Burnsville and City of Apple Valley natural resources staff are also participating in the process. VRWJPO has hired a consultant, Barr Engineering, to conduct field work, analyze data and help put together the final feasibility report. This report is expected to be completed in July. We are hosting a public meeting on July 20, 2023 where the findings of the report will be presented.
What is an alum treatment?
An alum treatment is a common water quality improvement practice in shallow lakes that have excessive phosphorus and poor water clarity as a result of algae growth. Often times phosphorus is released into the water column from lake bottom sediments during the summer months. When alum is added to the water, it attaches to phosphorus and falls to the bottom of the lake, preventing it from feeding algae and improving water clarity. Increased clarity following alum treatments can also lead to increased aquatic plant growth, which help to keep phosphorus levels in check.
One of the first steps in planning for a potential alum treatment is to conduct a feasibility study, which will determine whether Alimagnet Lake is a good candidate for the treatment, and if it is, how to most effectively apply alum in the lake, and the estimated costs. The study will also look at alternative solutions to improve water quality, other than an alum treatment.
At the public meeting, there will be a short presentation to present the findings of the study and then time for attendees to ask questions or provide feedback on the findings. If alum treatment is determined to be a feasible option for Alimagnet Lake, VRWJPO would anticipate applying for a grant in late summer of 2023 to obtain funding to complete the work. No treatment would occur prior to 2024.
If you have any questions regarding the public meeting, please feel free to contact Caleb at 952-895-4543 or caleb.ashling@burnsvillemn.gov.