Join us for supper and a conversation with Roger Wolf, the Iowa Soybean Association Director of Environmental Programs, and Dave Coppess, the Ag Clean Water Alliance President, on August 16, 2010 between 5PM and 8PM at Trinity Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall in Owatonna (click here for directions). We'll learn more about the exciting work happening with between farmers, agricultural retailers, the ISA and others to protect and improve water in Iowa and talk about ideas for how we could develop something similar in the Cannon River watershed. Find out more
.
July 23, 2010
Each year the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) recognizes volunteers who have completed their fifth and tenth years as part of the Citizen Stream Monitoring Program. These volunteers collect valuable data on the transparency of our rivers and streams that plays a vital role in their assessment and understanding trends. CRWP works with this program and volunteers as well. Some of these volunteers have gone on to participate in sample collection through our Surface Water Assessment projects.
Those being recongized include:
| Robert Nicholson, Spring Creek in Rice County |
| Patrick O'Connor, Cannon River in Rice County |
| David Velasquez, Cannon River in Goodhue County |
Sincere thanks to Bob, Patrick and David and to all our other citizen monitors!
To learn more about becoming a water monitor contact Leslie Kennedy at (507) 786-3915 or leslie
crwp.net.
June 18, 2010
Thanks to all who attended CRWP’s Dragonfly Walk on Saturday, June 5th and especially to Scott King for leading our group. The Skoglund Pond at St. Olaf is a hotbed for dragonfly activity. The weather took pity on us and gave us some limited sunshine for an hour which was just enough time to see some beautiful dragonflies and damselflies along with some toads and aquatic invertebrates. These creatures are important indicators of water quality. Until recently, very little was known about the populations in the watershed. The Minnesota Odonata Survey Project (MOSP), http://www.mndragonfly.org, is trying to remedy this lack of knowledge. We learned that in the past three years the number of recorded dragonfly species in Rice County has grown from 5 to 55 through the efforts of this project.
There will be more dragonfly hunting fun on Saturday, August 28th when Kurt Mead will offer a full-day MOSP workshop at River Bend Nature Center in Faribault. In the mean time, take a look at these great drangonfly resources: Dragonflies of the North Woods by Kurt Mead and Damselflies of the North Woods by Bob DuBois.
June 18, 2010
Sheila Craig gives us an update on Nicolville moving forward with their city's wastewater improvements; view the project page to read more.
May 21, 2010
In an effort to reduce costs, CRWP is seeking companies interested in advertising in the Watershed Watcher, CRWP's quarterly newsletter. View rates and futher information or contact Beth Kallestad at bethcrwp.net or at (507) 786-3913 if there are any questions.
May 21, 2010
The Cannon River Watershed Partnership Board of Directors invites you to join us for a picnic to celebrate our 20th Anniversary as an organization. The party will take place in Alexander Park, North Shelter #4, in Faribault on July 12th from 6PM to 9PM. Feel free to bring a canoe or kayak to explore the river! Please RVSP to Beth Kallestad at beth
crwp.net or at (507) 786-3913 for more information.
May 21, 2010
This trip is a two-for-one special! The Ramblers will be paddling two rivers: downstream on the Cannon from Welch to the confluence with the Vermillion and upstream through quiet forests on the Vermillion to the takeout. This stretch of river is new to the Rambers' schedule and should avoid tubers and traffic from the outfitter in Welch. Come explore the Cannon River delta! For more information, contact Mark DeBoer at markde12000yahoo.com or at (952) 926-4675; find out more about canoeing the Cannon River from the DNR Water Trails website.
May 21, 2010
The Freshwater Society has wrote a wonderful article about Cannon River Watershed Partnership; take a look!
May 21, 2010
As a member and friend of CRWP you care about clean water; want to get your friends in on this too? Host a house party for CRWP by inviting a group of your friends to your house at a time that works for you. CRWP staff or board members will come to talk about the importance of clean water, what we do, and the need for everyone’s help. Hopefully your friends will become our friends too!
Please contact Beth Kallestad at bethcrwp.net or at (507) 786-3913 for more information.
May 21, 2010
The Cannon River Watershed Partnership is hosting a Dragonfly Walk, Saturday, June 5th from 10AM to noon at Skoglund Pond in the St. Olaf Natural Lands. Anyone who has an interest in these fantastic insects and wants to learn more is invited to join Scott King on a two hour Dragonfly Walk. We’ll meet at 10AM in the parking lot nearest Skoglund Pond at the northwest corner of the St. Olaf campus by Tostrud Center and then spend a few hours exploring the wetlands. Cameras and close focusing binoculars are encouraged. Find your way there with directions to the St. Olaf campus and the St. Olaf campus map.
Questions? Contact Beth Kallestad at bethcrwp.net or at (507) 786-3913.
May 21, 2010
In an effort to increase everyone's knowledge about the watershed, CRWP introduces "Explore Your Watershed". Explore Your Watershed is a Google Map that will help you visualize and learn more about the Cannon River watershed. The map will be expanded in the future; take a peek at what we have right now:
April 29, 2010
Read the latest update from Aaron Wills, Community Wastewater Facilitator, about clean water efforts on Roberds Lake.
April 16, 2010
While out fishing, canoeing, or just enjoying the river this year, be sure to report conditions and/or problems to the MNDNR so action can be taken if necessary. Do you part at the Minnesota Water Trails website.
April 16, 2010
In an effort to reduce the amount of staff time spent on managing CRWP’s website, regular website updates will now take place once every month. Project pages will be updated as needed.
April 16, 2010
Come join Minnesota Waters and CRWP for a summit covering what citizen leaders can do to help protect and improve our waters. Read the handout for more information or contact Eli Condon for more information at (218) 251-1462.
March 19, 2010
Mark you calendars for a day of information, discussions, and opportunity to hear from and about local farmers, funding opportunities, and regional projects that are helping farmers to save money and be good stewards of our land and water. We’ll hear from the Land Stewardship Project, the Nature Conservancy, Minnesota Department of Agriculture, and others. Registration and agenda will be available soon. Cost for the day will be $20.00 to include lunch and refreshments. View the summit brochure and click here for directions; 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM.
March 12, 2010
Sheila Craig, Community Wastewater Facilitator, posted news about the Lake Zumbro Inventory Project. Take a look at the project page for more.
March 11, 2010
Aaron Wills, Community Wastewater Facilitator, has posted an update about Roberds Lake progress on solving their wastewater woes. View the project page.
March 9, 2010
Join CRWP at our annual meeting to celebrate our organization's 20th anniversary! The meeting will be held in Northfield at the First United Church of Christ (click here for directions) on Monday, March 1st at 6PM. Please RSVP with Leslie Kennedy at (507) 786-3915 if you plan on attending. We look forward to seeing you!
February 15, 2010.
Mark you calendars for a day of information, discussions, and opportunity to hear from and about local farmers, funding opportunities, and regional projects that are helping farmers to save money and be good stewards of our land and water. We’ll hear from the Land Stewardship Project, the Nature Conservancy, Minnesota Department of Agriculture, and others. Registration and agenda will be available soon. Cost for the day will be $20.00 to include lunch and refreshments. Location is the American Legion Hall, 112 NE 5th Street, Faribault, MN. 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM.
February 15, 2010.
KSMQ, the public TV station in Austin, is working on a new series about the Legacy Amendment, called "Because You Voted Yes." The station will air a 30-minute show each week covering some issue related to the Amendment. MEP and member groups have contributed content for the series. The first segment will be shown at 7 p.m. on Feb. 14, 21 and 28. More Information can be found here.
February 15, 2010.
Join the Freshwater Society at the University of Minnesota on February 22, 2010 from 7PM to 9PM and hear Robert Glennon share his insights on the sustainability of our current water use. More information and registration here.
February 5, 2010.
Carleton College Cowling Arboretum and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources are sponsoring a wildlife habitat workshop for private landowners on Saturday, March 20, 2010 at the Carleton College campus in Northfield, MN. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. Sessions will run from 9:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m. For more information, click here.
January 29, 2010
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture has produced a report on the effectiveness of a law which outlaws the use of phophorus-containing lawn fertilizers state-wide. View the report summary here.
January 29, 2010
The CRWP Board held a wine tasting fundraiser and raffle at the Cannon River Winery in Cannon Falls on January 17th. Staff, board members, citizen members, and friends of CRWP and the Cannon River Winery were all there, with nearly 60 people showing up! CRWP raised over $1,800; thanks to all who attended!
January 25, 2010
Lucas Bistodeau has provided project updates for of the monitoring projects CRWP is responsible for. Take a look at them below and contact Lucas Bistodeau at (507) 786-3912 if you have any further questions.
January 25, 2010
The Upper Cannon Assessment Project (UCAP) finished its final public meeting on January 14, 2010. With over 40 participants, the project’s objectives and goals were outlined in addition to monitoring details and future work. Click here for more information.
January 15, 2010
The Minnesota DNR and Minnesota Waters invite all interested citizens to attend an Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Prevention Open House. A series of five AIS Prevention Open Houses will be held throughout Minnesota during January. The Open Houses will provide information on statewide AIS prevention strategies and resources available for citizen-leaders. For location and times, click here.
December 31, 2009
Shoreland landuse GIS data for Wabasha County is now available for download. Click here. Olmsted County will be available shortly.
December 23, 2009
CRWP staff would like to extend holiday greetings to all of its partners, volunteers, and members and wish everyone a happy a new year!
December 23, 2009
The CRWP office is closed for the holiday season on the following dates: December 24th and 25th, and January 1st.
December 23, 2009
The TMDL implementations plan, drafted by CRWP, has been approved and is now available on the MPCA's website. Find the report here.
December 4, 2009
On November 24th, the City of Northfield Planning Commission held a session to solicit public testimony on a request for land annexation near Spring Brook and Heath Creek. Read the update here.
December 4, 2009
The U of M Water Resources Center is conducting a survey about the state’s water use and it’s open to all Minnesotans. So here’s your chance to be heard on issues of water quality, water usage, and priorities; share your opinions by clicking here.
November 6, 2009
You can now donate to further CRWP’s mission by using GiveMN.org! GiveMN.org is an online resource dedicated to building a stronger non-profit community in Minnesota. When you donate, GiveMN.org pays 100% of the transaction fees associated with giving online; which means ALL of you donation goes to CRWP. Learn more here and thank you for your support!
November 6, 2009
Thanks to all of our supporters that helped us to reach our member goal. The original goal, 40 additional members, was blown away and we doubled the goal to 80! This week, we succeeded in reaching that goal too! Thank you!
October 16, 2009
The 2009 monitoring season is over; Lucas Bistodeau summarizes this year’s stream and lake monitoring on the water quality page. Click here to read more and thank you to all of our citizen monitors!
October 16, 2009
The Rice County community is serious about preventing medication misuse or abuse and environmentally unsafe medication disposal practices. “Take It To The Box” promotes the safe use, storage, and disposal of medication. Faribault and Northfield police departments will provide medication disposal boxes. These “drop off” boxes will accept over-the-counter medications, prescription drugs, and animal medications from county residents. Click here to find out more.
October 16, 2009
Shoreland landuse GIS data for public waterways in Goodhue County is now availalbe for download. For more information on the Shoreland Mapping Project, find the project's website here.
October 2, 2009
Come over to the Northfield Eagles Club (view map here) on October 24th, 5:30PM to 7:30PM, for CRWP's Spaghetti Dinner Funraiser! Cost is $6 per ticket for all you can eat spaghetti. There's also a raffle; you might go home with a quarter beef, a whole hog, or a bed and breakfast package at the St. James Hotel in Red Wing! Raffle tickets are $2. Mark your calendars! For more information, call (507) 786-8400.
October 2, 2009
Tons (literally) of trash were collected at the 1st Annual CRWP River Cleanup! Special thanks to groups of volunteers in Red Wing, Cannon Falls, Northfield, Faribault, Owatonna, and around Shields Lake; you made this successful! A river cleanup page on CRWP’s website is coming soon.
September 28, 2009
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has just created a new tool to explore the wealth of environmental information in your community! Click here to find out more; this link is also listed with many other useful sites on our links page.
September 4, 2009
Save the date, September 19th, 2009 from 9AM to noon! Come improve the water quality of the Cannon and Straight Rivers by volunteering a little bit of your time as we come together to clean up the watershed! Contact CRWP's membership coordinator Lisa Carey at (507) 786-3911 or email at lisacrwp.net for more information. View cleanup locations here.
September 4, 2009
Rice County SWCD with partners recently completed a large raingarden project that planted 2,800 square feet of raingardens at 14 different sites throughout Rice County! Read about their great work in this press release.
August 27, 2009
CRWP needs volunteers to help staff our booths at an interpretive program called Voices of The Valley on the Cannon Valley Trail at Welch Station! Volunteer your time sharing information about CRWP; August 8th and 29th and every Saturday in September, 11AM to 2PM. Contact Leslie Kennedy at (507) 786-3915 or email at lesliecrwp.net to sign up!
August 27, 2009
Local officials continue to hold informational meetings to learn more about Spring Brook and Heath Creek as development pressures in the area increase. Last Friday, Lucas Bistodeau, CRWP’s water monitoring program coordinator, briefed the meeting’s attendees about the health of the waterways. View the presentation here (6MB).
August 10, 2009
The Star Tribune reported on stream buffers in agricultural areas around the Zumbro River on July 30th. CRWP staff was interviewed and quoted for the article in relation to our work with agricultural shoreland. View the article here.
July 31, 2009
Carleton College Professor of Geology Mary Savina provided information to city staff, township staff, and concerned citizens about Spring Brook and Heath Creek near Northfield on Friday. Land near the streams may be developed in the future, and local goverment and citizens wanted more information on the natural workings of Spring Brook and Heath Creek and how they might be affected. The meeting was organized by Bridgewater Township and CRWP and hosted at CRWP's office in Northfield. View Dr. Savina's handout here. More information coming soon!
July 31, 2009
Shoreland land use information for public waterways in Rice, Mower, and Winona counties is now available for download. Be sure to read the data notice and save the list of codes for reference. Click here.
July 13, 2009
CRWP’s citizen monitoring program has won Minnesota Waters' Citizen Monitoring Program of the Year! CRWP will be officially recognized at Minnesota Waters' River Night 2009 on August 19th. Click here to view Minnesota Water’s newsletter where the award winners were announced.
July 2, 2009
Lauren Klement from Le Sueur County Environmental Services found a sale on rain barrels in Minnetonka. Rain barrels help collect drainage water from house gutters that can be later used for watering your lawn, garden, etc. It conserves water and reduces your water bill; and for only $65! Find out more here!
July 2, 2009
Before you go canoeing this summer on one of our state’s beautiful rivers, check out the DNR’s website to check on water level, stream conditions, etc. Take a look here, click on "conditions reporting".
July 2, 2009
CRWP has just recently completed our strategic plan for 2009-2012. This document is the result of hard work by our board and staff to chart the future direction of our organization.
To view the CRWP Strategic Plan, click here. If you have questions, contact Beth Kallestad at (507) 786-3913 or email at bethcrwp.net.
May 15, 2009
On Saturday, May 23rd, CRWP is hosting a fundraising yard sale. We are looking for "gently used" treasures that you would like to contribute as well as volunteers to help out. We are also searching for tables to display items on. Interested? Items can be dropped off May 11th through May 22nd, between 8AM and 4PM. Phone Beth Kallestad with questions at (507) 786-3913 or email at bethcrwp.net.
May 1, 2009
The Upper Cannon Lakes Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) is a project looking at the excess nutrient (phosphorus) impairments of the Jefferson-German lake chain and Lake Volney in Le Sueur County. A public meeting was held at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church on German Lake on April 22, 2009 to inform the public about this project. Fifty eight citizens were in attendance. The TMDL study is being carried out by the Minnesota State University–Mankato Water Resources Center and Cannon River Watershed Partnership is assisting with public meetings and the stakeholder committee. Project over site and funding is provided by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
View the presentation here (6MB).
April 24, 2009
you a land owner or farmer? Want to put conservation measures on your land but you need some financial help? Go to the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s new Conservation Funding Guide and find an incentive or cost-share program that’s right for you! Find comprehensive information on conservation programs being offered across Minnesota; click here for more information or go right to the site by clicking here.
April 24, 2009
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