The following stories were either found in the news or submitted by members and feature news related to watersheds and/or the work of Minnesota’s watershed organizations. Sharing stories with one another is a great way to learn and expand our knowledge. We encourage you to contact each other to learn more. Johanna Creek Common Carp Barrier Introduction
The Rice Creek Watershed District continues to explore the expansion of its common carp management program to reduce the number of carp in the Long Lake – Lino Lakes Chain of Lakes system.
DNR invites public comment on Red Lake WMA Master Plan update
The DNR is hosting a webinar and in-person open house from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on June 6 for interested people to share their thoughts on a draft update of the Red Lake Wildlife Management Area master plan.
SCOTUS decides wetland case – overrides Appeals Court
The opinion states, in part, that “In sum, we hold that the CWA extends to only those “wetlands with a continuous surface connection to bodies that are ‘waters of the United States’ in their own right,” so that they are “indistinguishable” from those waters.
Supreme Court decision weakens EPA authority, scales back scope of Clean Water Act
The case involved the EPA blocking an Idaho couple from building a house near a lake on their property. Click here to watch the video.
The Watershed
The Watershed is a podcast exploring stories about water and people from communities throughout Minnesota. New episodes every Friday.
Register Now!
The Summer Tour will be held in Albert Lea in partnership with the Shell Rock River, Cedar River, and Turtle Creek Watershed Districts from June 20-22. Click here to register for this event.
Minnesota Watersheds Board Update
Minnesota Watersheds Board. The Minnesota Watersheds Board met on May 22 via Zoom. The treasurer’s report was approved, as were the meeting minutes for March 20. Reports were given by the Minnesota Watersheds President, Executive Director, Minnesota Association of Watershed Administrators, Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) Executive Director Jaschke, and Clean Water Council Administrator Paul Gardner.
Actions taken:
Director Anderson’s resignation effective May 31 was accepted.
Don Pereira, Valley Branch Watershed District was appointed to the Board.
The Communication Plan was approved.
A separate price at the Summer Tour for the social hour, dinner, and tour overview was approved.
A draft policy for a reduced registration rate for Summer Tour hosts will be brought to the membership at the annual conference.
Minnesota Watersheds thanks Jackie Anderson for her service to our organization and we wish her the best in her future endeavors.
Meet Your New Board Member - Don Pereira
How long have you been involved in the watershed world? My direct watershed activity started in 1997. My indirect interest in watershed management and healthy aquatic habitats spans most of my professional career as a fisheries scientist and manager (read on for more detail).
How long have you served on your local watershed board? My formal watershed board activity began when I joined the Citizens’ Advisory Committee of the South Washington Watershed District (SWWD) in 1997. I was then appointed to the Board of the SWWD in 2000, serving as its President during my last two years.
My family moved to Afton in 2020, and lucky me, I was allowed to tag along. While it was sad to leave my friends and colleagues at SWWD, I was delighted to learn of vacancies on the Board of the Valley Branch Watershed District (VBWD), to which I was appointed in early 2021.
Serving on two different watershed district boards was a great experience and taught me a few key characteristics of the State’s watershed program. First, there is no single, best solution for tackling water issues, and thus two watershed districts could have fundament differences in their structure that in turn may reflect the social institutions and human infrastructure within their respective districts. However, the bottom-line functions serve the same fundamental purpose, and different structures can be equally effective in protecting water resources. This is a very key observation that I feel is germane to how Minnesota Watersheds must operate. Given the large variety of ecotypes and supporting land use in Minnesota, the goals, objectives, and regulatory systems in the agricultural areas of the State will likely be very different from urban watersheds or watersheds in less developed parts of Minnesota. The Board of Minnesota Watersheds must acknowledge these differences and operate accordingly so that all watershed districts and watershed management organizations (WMOs) get the support and resources they need to operate effectively.
What inspires you to continue doing the work you do? Water is central to a sustainable and healthy world for both humans and the myriad organisms that we need to survive and thrive. Prior to retirement in 2018 (or semi-retirement, as I continue part time work in the private sector), I greatly enjoyed a 35-year career with the Minnesota DNR, Section of Fisheries. During this career, I observed the fisheries profession developing more capacity to conserve and restore important aquatic habitats. Simply put, healthy aquatic ecosystems support Minnesota’s most productive fisheries; and of course, we all know that healthy aquatic habitats start with clean and abundant water.
Based on the State of Minnesota’s regulatory framework for managing water, a considerable responsibility falls on watershed districts and WMOs to do the work on the ground that provides the basis for healthy aquatic habitats, either to conserve and protect or to restore. My family’s relocation to Afton in 2020 puts us close to the Saint Croix River with an inspiring viewshed. You probably know that the St. Croix River was one of the first to be included in this country’s Wild and Scenic Rivers Program. I have greatly enjoyed the wonderful fishery that the Saint Croix offers, but I am also acutely aware that this great, local resource is not immune from degradation, including declining water quality. Is the work of the VBWD relevant to protecting the Saint Croix River? Without a doubt it certainly is, starting with the funding the VBWD approves for erosion control, particularly in the immediate watershed of Valley Creek, which is a thriving, “blue ribbon” trout stream less than 20 miles from downtown Saint Paul. You likely already know that many watershed districts within the Saint Croix basin, including SWWD’s significant stream restoration just south of Afton, are marshalling efforts to protect the aquatic resources of the Saint Croix basin. Ultimately, unless you live at the top of a continental divide, the land practices of someone upstream could be impacting your quality of life. Conversely, watershed management is all about being a good neighbor to those living downstream.
What was your impetus for joining the Minnesota Watersheds Board of Directors? The Minnesota Watersheds Board was of general interest to me during my time serving on the SWWD. However, during the “working” phase of my life, I simply had a full plate. Now during semi-retirement, I have more time to help and support watershed efforts. When this vacancy recently came along, the timing was good. I consider watershed district work to be a form of community service and at the same time a good way to continue my keen interest in natural resource conservation.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself. If you want to see me “chill”, get me out on the water and take my cell phone away. For me, spending time out in nature, whether on the water or in the woods, is both mentally and physically restorative. After returning home following a BWCAW trip, my wife once observed that I was in a completely relaxed state. One exception to “chill” may be my annual trip in early June to Upper Red Lake, where I am called upon to guide and chaperone up to four watershed district administrators. See photos, including a glimpse of a rare event during a recent Red Lake outing.
Communication Plan
The Strategic Plan called for the development of a Communication Plan that brings structure and consistency to all Minnesota Watersheds communication efforts. The plan can be found here.
Employment Announcements
Watershed Job Openings. Do not forget that Minnesota Watersheds will post job openings for members on its website and promote them on social media. It is one of our most popular pages so email Maddy at mnwatershed@gmail.com to get yours listed today.
Clean Water Council (CWC) – The CWC attended the Forever Green Initiative Meeting and Field Tour on May 15. The CWC Policy Committee met on May 19. Jeff Strock, Southwest Research and Outreach Center, Lamberton gave a presentation regarding drainage and research. Discussion was held regarding drainage and the CWC’s interest in that subject.
BWSR – The BWSR Board met on May 24. The agenda and April meeting minutes were approved. Reports were given by the BWSR Executive Director and state agencies. Advisory comments were also provided. Board action included approval of the Rainy-Rapid Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan, Red River Basin Supplemental Grant Funding, and per diem policy. Meeting notes can be found here.
BWSR held a legislative update session for WDs and WMOs on May 25. The session was recorded and can be found here. BWSR’s 2023 Legislative Summary can be found here.
June Meetings
June Meeting Calendar. The following meetings are scheduled in January. See the Minnesota Watersheds calendar for meeting details as soon as they become available.
To assist members with key dates for the Resolutions, Finance, and Legislative Committees, as well as information related to dues, and the annual conference and annual business meeting, a schedule of key dates has been developed.
Education and Training
Education, Grant, and Training Opportunities
Lab to Lakes: MAISRC Regional Workshop
Join the Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center (MAISRC) and regional leaders in a two-day workshop about priority aquatic invasive species concerns for North Central Minnesota on June 23 and 24 at Cedar lakes Casino in Cass Lake.
Salt Symposium 2023
The 2023 Salt Symposium will be held August 1-2 as a live-streamed event from 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. each day.
2023 Rivers Institute featuring Waters to the Sea
The Rivers Institutes are designed to increase teachers’ science content knowledge and investigation skills and help area educators translate their professional experiences into meaningful, engaging classroom investigations. There are two institutes scheduled in Minnesota: St. Louis River and Estuary (June 19-21); Mississippi River (July 24-26).
The Fundamentals of River Science: Applied Geomorphology and Ecology
Attendees of this course will develop the skills for field determination of bankfull stage, geometry and stream type, which are essential to stream assessment and restoration. The workshop will be held August 7-11, 2023 in Fergus Falls.
Lawns to Legumes Grants
BWSR is accepting applications for grants to the Lawns to Legumes program. Apply online at Blue Thumb’s website. For more information on Lawns to Legumes, visit BWSR’s website. The application deadline is June 30.
New Drinking Water Protection Story Map
Visit the Minnesota Department of Health’s new story map to learn about the broad spectrum of source water protection efforts in Minnesota.
NEVER STOP LEARNING! Continuing education is a pivotal component to organizational success. Minnesota Watersheds is committed to connecting you with high quality training whether it is offered at our events or through our partners. Check out the Minnesota Watersheds online training calendar for information regarding upcoming education and training events.
BWSR offers a searchable library of recorded modules, webinars, videos, and other resources to find professional development information on a variety of topics.
Minnesota Watersheds offers an online library in the Members Only section of our website.
Please forward opportunities you see that would be of value to other members.
Contact Us - Let's Talk
Minnesota Watersheds Board members are available to meet with you at one of your future board meetings. They also welcome the opportunity to meet with you one-on-one to hear about your successes and ideas where Minnesota Watersheds could be of assistance. Contact information is on our website. We enjoy working with Minnesota Watersheds members and greatly appreciate your support!
To download a copy of this Newsletter, or to view previous Newsletters, follow this link.
Minnesota Watersheds Board members are available to meet with you at one of your future board meetings. They also welcome the opportunity to meet with you one-on-one to hear about your successes and ideas where Minnesota Watersheds could be of assistance. Contact information is on our 
