The Minnesota Watersheds Education Workshop began on June 20 with agency partner updates from Justin Hanson, BWSR and Glen Skuta, MPCA. Ray Bohn gave a legislative update. The workshop featured presentations from Rebecca Bullers, Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center about Common Carp; Paige Ahlborg, Ramsey Washington Metro WD and Michael McKinney, Barr Engineering Company about Enhanced Street Sweeping; Mark Origer, ISG; about Multi-purpose Drainage Management; and Brad Kramer, Shell Rock River WD about Partnerships with Private Industry.
Minnesota Watersheds Summer Tour
The Minnesota Watersheds Summer Tour included stops at the Albert Lea Lake Dam, Confined Disposal Facility, Dobbins Capital Improvement Projects, Edgewater Bay Pavilion, Jay C. Hormel Nature Center, Miller, Orr IC&E Project, Upper Twin Lake pump station, and Van Erkel Farms.
The Minnesota Watersheds Summer Tour was co-hosted by the Shell Rock River, Cedar River, and Turtle Creek WDs. Our Summer Tour sponsors included ISG, Barr Engineering, Houston Engineering, Inc.; and Moore Engineering. We thank our co-hosts and sponsors for their time and financial contributions to make this such a successful event.
In the News
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.
Minnesota Study: Water Quality-Certified Farms Have Higher Profit
Using water quality practices on the farm has financial benefits, according to a study by the Minnesota State Agricultural Centers of Excellence. (by Noah Rohlfing, Successful Farming, May 31, 2023)
Coon Creek Watershed District links habitat, stormwater work
The Coon Creek Watershed District used Clean Water Funds to improve habitat, reduce the likelihood of flash flooding, and curb pollution bound for the Mississippi River. (2023 June Snapshots, BWSR)
Flood project funds fall far short of needs in northwest Minnesota
Watershed managers in northwest Minnesota are hoping $15 million of undesignated funding in the Department of Natural Resources’ Flood Hazard Mitigation Program budget can help with projects in the Red River Basin. (by Brad Dokken, Grand Forks Herald, June 7, 2023)
Six watersheds move to drought watch phase
Due to rapidly developing precipitation deficits over much of Minnesota, six watersheds will be moving to the Drought Watch Response Phase as prescribed in the Minnesota Statewide Drought Plan. (DNR News Release, June 15, 2023)
Legislative Committee. The Legislative Committee met on June 12 to review the draft Legislative Coordination and Communication Plan. Meeting notes can be found here.
Minnesota Watersheds Board. The Minnesota Watersheds Board met on June 22 at the Country Inn and Suites in Albert Lea in conjunction with the Summer Tour. The treasurer’s report was approved, as were the meeting minutes for May 22. Reports were given by the Minnesota Watersheds President, Executive Director, and the Minnesota Association of Watershed Administrators. The board also participated in the Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) Strategic Plan Engagement Session.
Actions taken:
Approved up to $7,500 for legal fees for Smith Partners to attend Drainage Work Group (DWG) meetings to represent WD drainage authorities contingent upon approval by the Red River Watershed Management Board.
Directed the Bylaws Committee to review associate membership and make a recommendation for the membership to consider at the annual conference.
Directed the Executive Director to initiate discussion with the lobbyist about a succession plan.
Events-Education and Summer Tour Committee. The Events-Education Committee and the Summer Tour planning team met on June 28 to review the Summer Tour. The attendees discussed the education workshop, reception, and bus tour. They reviewed the survey results, discussed plans for the next several Summer Tours, and made suggestions for future events. Meeting notes 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 met on June 26. The meeting recording can be found here. The big news about the CWC is that the governor has appointed new board members. Information about these new members can be found here. For information about what has been done with clean water funds, click here.
BWSR – The BWSR Board met on June 28. The agenda and May meeting minutes were approved. Reports were given by the BWSR Executive Director and state agencies. Advisory comments were also provided. Board action included bylaws approval, authorization of a Watershed Project Tracking Grant for Rock County SWCD, FY23 Water Quality and Storage Pilot Program Grant Program Funding approval, FY24 CWF Competitive Grants Policy and RFP Criteria approval, FY24 and 25 Natural Resources Block Grants authorization, and approval of the North Fork Crow River Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan amendment. Meeting notes can be found here.
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) – MPCA has completed a major milestone with the completion of the final Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAP). Click here for more information.
Education and Training
Education, Grant, and Training Opportunities
BWSR Accepting Applications for Clean Water Fund Grants
The application period for Clean Water Fund Competitive Grants opens June 29 and closes August 24. Interested applicants can fund the Request for Proposals on BWSR’s website.
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. Two institutes are scheduled in Minnesota: Mississippi River (July 24-26).
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.
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.
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 that would be of value to our members.
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.
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!
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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 
