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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
Dakota County Parks and the Minnesota Institute of Astrophysics bring the night sky to life. Astronomer Mike Lynch presents a short talk and slide show on our solar system. If weather allows, attendees can view the sky through multiple 8-inch reflecting telescopes. The Institute staff also provides free star maps and shows visitors how to use them. Cost of the presentation is $10 per person and registration is required.
Join the Twin Cities Trout Unlimited (TCTU) Vermillion Riverkeepers for its last volunteer work day of the year! Volunteers will cut and haul away invasive buckthorn from the banks of the Vermillion River’s South Branch on Saturday, Dec. 3, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. The group meets at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Vermillion River Aquatic Management Area (AMA) at E. 200th St. at U.S. Hwy. 52 in Vermillion Township. The Vermillion Riverkeepers, now 55 members strong, plan to help re-establish native prairie, stabilize banks to reduce erosion, and restore wildlife habitat on the South Branch site. All community members are welcome to help shoulder the work, enjoy the great company, and have lunch. Please register by Thursday, December 1, by contacting Tony Nelson, if you plan to attend, to ensure TCTU has enough food and gear for every volunteer.
After a brief training on the importance of seed collecting and identification, volunteers will help hand collect much-needed native prairie seed while enjoying this rare example of a sand-gravel prairie in full fall bloom. Volunteers will work with FMR Lead Ecologist Karen Schik in the natural area most recently added to the Sand Coulee Scientific & Natural Area. Seed will be used for further habitat restoration. This is especially important as the Sand Coulee provides a home to 13 rare plant and animal species.
Previous seed collection experience is not required, all are welcome. However, this activity is very detail-oriented, and generally best suited for teenagers and up. (Learn more about FMR volunteer seed collection events here.)
This event is part of the Vermillion Stewards program, providing opportunities for hands-on stewardship of this unique cold prairie river and its watershed.
Ready to register?
To sign up and receive precise directions to the meeting spot, contact FMR Volunteer Coordinator Amy Kilgore via the contact form (please select Amy by name from the staff list under “Category”) or at akilgore@fmr.org, 651-222-2193 x31. Please include the name of the event, your name, address and phone number and the number in your party. If you’re under 18 and interested in volunteering without the company of your parent or guardian, please take a moment and have them fill out this brief minor permission form.
To ensure a high-quality experience, capacity is limited and pre-registration required. Registration closes Wednesday, September 27, or upon reaching capacity.
You will receive a confirmation email with details and directions from akilgore@fmr.org within two business days. (If you don’t, please check your SPAM folder.) Amy is typically in the office M-Th.
Celebrate “Imagine a Day Without Water” by touring the Lakeville Water Treatment Facility
Friday, October 22
Tour times: 8:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m. or 1 p.m.
Water is a finite resource and one that needs protection. Imagine if you had no water to drink or make coffee. No water to shower, flush the toilet, or do laundry. Hospitals would close without water. Firefighters couldn’t put out fires and farmers couldn’t water their crops.
Come take a tour of the Water Treatment Facility to see where Lakeville’s drinking water is treated. Learn about the life of a water droplet and how your use of water affects this cycle with:
- An interactive water cycle model
- A chance to win prizes (“Slow the Flow – Save H2O” t-shirt, rain gauge and more!) by participating in water trivia
- The VRWJPO “Pollute or Protect” exhibit in a box
- Tips on how to save water (and money) at home
Bring your kids to this fun, interactive tour (while school is out). Space is limited—you must pre-register for a tour time. Pre-register for a tour time using this online form or call 952-985-4524.
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.
Imagine a Day Without Water
Come take a tour of Lakeville’s Water Treatment Facility to see where the city’s groundwater becomes potable water. Learn how your home’s water usage affects our drinking water supplies and the quality of lakes and rivers.
Lakeville Water Treatment Facility
8400 Ipava Ave., Lakeville
Friday, Oct. 21
Tour times: 8:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m. or 1 p.m. Register now.
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.
