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evergreen tree with dead, brown tips

Weather whiplash

This is very much what the long-term climate projections showed: more intense rainfall separated by longer periods of drought.

Group of people on a beach

Eighth Annual Big Island & Back 10k is Aug. 7

St. Paul, MN—Freshwater’s eighth annual Big Island & Back! 10K Paddle will take place on Saturday, August 7, 2021 starting at 9 am. Tune up your canoe, kayak, or paddleboard and head on over to Excelsior on Saturday, Aug. 7, for a friendly race out around Big Island and back.

woman in camouflage with turkey

Elections have consequences …

As a former political appointee, I was oft reminded of the phrase, “elections have consequences.” This refers, of course, to the reality that the majority has the right to its ideas and agendas and the minority party must find new ways to achieve their goals.

placid lake

Water storage program included in final environment deal

After weeks of negotiation, the Minnesota Legislature has reached an agreement on a budget and policy changes for Minnesota’s environmental agencies, as well as the 2020 and 2021 LCCMR bills.

baseball players on sunny field

Inside baseball at the Capitol

Not many of you choose to follow the legislative session as closely as we do, so you may want some analogies to help understand where we find ourselves now.

garden with sprinkler

A dry spring

The DNR Hydrologic Conditions Report is out for April and it confirms what gardeners, farmers and those with lawns already know: This spring has been unusually dry, with some areas more than three inches short on rain.

Road closed sign

Water storage, environment policies hang in the balance

St. Paul, MN—As the Minnesota Legislature heads into the final stretch of the 2021 legislative session, millions of dollars for environment and natural resources spending and issues that have bipartisan support hangs in the balance due to negotiations on the Environment and Natural Resources Omnibus bill. While negotiations are normal part of the legislative process, there are a significant number of differences between the House and Senate bills that threaten to derail issues that have broad support.

Farther and son building a rain barrel

Whiskey barrels get a new lease on life

Freshwater was able to contribute to the cost of diverter kits, which include a spigot and all other parts needed to convert the donated whiskey/wine barrels to functioning rain barrels. Close to a dozen Minnesota Water Stewards pitched in to help with assembly and talk about the impact rain barrels can have for water and the community.

History Doesn’t Repeat Itself, but It Often Rhymes

 “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes” – Mark Twain A recent story aired on NPR described the water filtration systems deployed by the people in the Mayan city … Read more

World Water Day 2021

March 22 is the day to acknowledge globally that water is essential for our health – people and everything that lives on Planet Earth. Water is finite and flows through … Read more

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