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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
Capture and Release Pollinator Sampling Field Day | Lakeville
Join Great River Greening, U of M Extension Bee Lab, and the Xerces Society for a hands-on pollinator capture and release sampling field day. Participants will gain more experience with capture and release practices, as well as pollinator identification.
Sampling field days will take place on multiple days at both Ritter Farm in Lakeville and Spring Lake Regional Park in Prior Lake with morning and afternoon sessions available. With multiple sampling efforts throughout the summer, we will gain a better understanding of how pollinator populations are responding to our restoration efforts.
Additional field days are scheduled for:
– Thursday, July 7
– Tuesday, August 9
– Thursday, August 25
To sign up for Spring Lake Regional Park sampling days, visit https://givepul.se/1abay9.
Capture and Release Pollinator Sampling Field Day | Lakeville
Join Great River Greening, U of M Extension Bee Lab, and the Xerces Society for a hands-on pollinator capture and release sampling field day. Participants will gain more experience with capture and release practices, as well as pollinator identification.
Sampling field days will take place on multiple days at both Ritter Farm in Lakeville and Spring Lake Regional Park in Prior Lake with morning and afternoon sessions available. With multiple sampling efforts throughout the summer, we will gain a better understanding of how pollinator populations are responding to our restoration efforts.
Additional field days are scheduled for:
– Thursday, July 7
– Tuesday, August 9
– Thursday, August 25
To sign up for Spring Lake Regional Park sampling days, visit https://givepul.se/1abay9.
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.
Community Conversation – Lakeville
The Vermillion River Watershed invites you to attend our first round of Community Conversations in January! This is your opportunity to learn about the watershed, comment on goals, share concerns, and inform the watershed’s next generation management plan.
Come at 5 p.m. for a short introduction about the watershed from Administrator Travis Thiel; or stop by any time before 7 p.m. to enjoy snacks, get refreshed at the Water Bar, and chat with staff. Kid-friendly activity stations will be available to occupy little ones, so feel free to bring the family. Participants who provide feedback will be eligible to spin a prize wheel to win a $10 gift card to Fluegel’s, Fleet Farm, or Target, among other prizes!
Lakeville Earth Day Celebration and Watershed Cleanup
Bring your family, your neighbors and friends! Fun for all ages!
Visit the various education stations and learn about what you can do to help make a difference in our city and for the Earth as a whole. The education stations include information on the following:
- Aquatic invasive species
- Prairies
- Pollinators
- Recycling
- Water quality
- Watersheds (that’s us)
- And more!
As you visit the stations, you will earn the chance to get Earth-friendly prizes and are sure to have lots of fun along the way.
Other activities include:
- Zoomobile
- Puppet shows
- Garden tool swap: If you’re in need of new to you gardening tools OR looking to get rid of excess (but still useful) gardening tools, there will be a garden tool swap at the entrance of the event where you can leave and take what you would like.
Watershed Cleanup info:
You and/or your group can start the pickup on April 20 at 1 p.m., or you can schedule a more convenient time, as long as it is before dark on April 30. Sign up here and be sure to mark on the map where you plan to clean up.
In-person Landscaping for Clean Water Introduction Class
Join us for a one hour IN-PERSON class at Ritter Farm Park in Lakeville! Learn how native plants, raingardens, and shoreline plantings can bring pollinator and water quality benefits to your yard. The class is FREE and is a pre-requisite to taking part in the hands-on design course and grant program! Learn more.
