Blog

Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, and the inevitability of future events arriving

June 1, 2015

We all were warned by the demographers 20 years back that the boomers would stress the social security, pension, housing, and medical systems. Now it’s here. Similarly, rising atmospheric CO2 … Read more

California: laboratory of desperate water policy

April 9, 2015

“Let’s manage water like California.”  Can you imagine any Minnesotan saying that? Nope.  But there are things we will be watching and learning as California’s wretched water situation forces overdue … Read more

San Diego water:  Somewhere between “unlimited” and “zero”

March 3, 2015

Regional water conservation is being applied in San Diego because they must–but is it enough? Minnesota is looking at regional water conservation because it’s smart for our long-term economic vitality and … Read more

Buffers are de rigueur!

February 3, 2015

Governor Dayton made a splash on January 16th with his surprise call for vegetated buffers along Minnesota’s waters. Far less surprising was the news out of Iowa that the Des … Read more

Freshwater Blog: Clean water funding 2016

November 24, 2014

Minnesota’s Clean Water Council recently announced their recommendations for how sales tax money dedicated to cleaning up and protecting water should be spent. The recommendations for 2016/2017 show a priority … Read more

Freshwater Blog: MN Board of Water and Soil Resources vacancies

November 12, 2014

The MN Board of Water and Soil Resources has multiple vacancies coming up. They are looking for people from the following backgrounds with an interest in soil and water issues: … Read more

Road Salt $hortage

October 24, 2014

Google “salt shortage” and an array of media stories pop up. MPR’s recent report on the looming road salt shortage and increased prices gives a nice take on the issue. … Read more

Master Water Stewards – taking on stormwater, and winning!

October 21, 2014

Master Water Stewards are growing in numbers and literally stopping stormwater pollution in it’s tracks. They do this all while reaching out to their communities and giving their neighbors the … Read more

Who's Winging it on Groundwater?

September 2, 2014

Minnesota spends a lot of time agonizing over our water policy and ways to continually make it better.  Our 2013 report on groundwater policy is one such example. It’s not … Read more

Detroit shuts off water of 100,000 people

August 4, 2014

Our 2013 report on sustainable use of our groundwater supplies makes several references to having safe accessible sources of water for citizens and industries from power to agriculture. The news … Read more