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Home My WebLink About2013-03-13 PACKET 05.2.i East -Metro Water Resource Education Program Education Updates Spring 2013 Local Horse Owners Learn Tips for Protecting Water Resources Our full -day workshop on February 23 provided local horse owners with information about horse care, in addition to tips for managing pastures and manure to protect nearby wells and surface water resources. Roughly 25 people attended, including folks from Baytown, Grant, Marine, May Twp., Stillwater Twp., West Lakeland and Woodbury. Workshop attendees listen as nutritionist Kelly Ann Graber talks Speakers at the workshop included Dr. Krishona about phosphorus in horse feed. Martinson, who spoke about pasture management and rotational grazing to reduce erosion, and Dr. Heiko Schoenfuss, from St. Cloud State, who talked about the ways that horse owners can keep pharmaceuticals out of groundwater by composting their manure. Other workshop topics included managing farm runoff and horse nutrition and hoof care. AIS Workshop on March 9 EMWREP partners Comfort Lake - Forest Lake WD and Carnelian- Marine -St. Croix WD are teaming up with Chisago County to hold a workshop about aquatic invasive species on March 9, 9 -11 am, at the Scandia Community Center. At this workshop, guest speakers Steve McComas and Byron Karns will discuss common invasive plant and animal species found in area lakes and the St. Croix River, in addition to highlighting new and emerging threats. People attending the workshop will learn how to identify these aquatic invasives, get the latest updates on where they've been found, and find out what's being done on a local and statewide level to keep aquatic invasive species at bay. See flyer for more info. Recently Eurasian watermilfoil, an invasive aquatic plant, was found in Stillwater's Long Lake. (above) 1 Mississippi River Updates a, M IP G a Last fall, National Park Service - Mississippi National River and Recreation Area and Friends of the Mississippi River released a report titled State of the River: Water Quality and River Health in the Metro Mississippi River. The report examines the health of the Mississippi River in a 72- mile stretch between the Crow River confluence near Dayton and Ramsey to just past the St. Croix River confluence near Prescott and Hastings. The findings, which are broken into five major categories — river flow, swimming and recreation, fish and fishing, ecological health, and other contaminants of concern, paint a picture of a river that is full of life in some places, alarmingly polluted in others, and always beset by complications. Find the report and companion stewardship and policy guides at ;,vww.stateofthe river. com. On December 4, EMWREP partners South Washington WD, Cottage Grove and Washington County hosted a special presentation of the State of the River Report for people living in southern Washington County. Approximately 35 people attended the workshop, held at Hidden Harbor Marina in St. Paul Park. The following week, Dakota Soil and Water Conservation District hosted a State of the River presentation in Hastings, which drew in folks from southern Washington County as well. In addition to learning about the report, workshop attendees also took home information about cost -share grants for clean water planting projects like raingardens. At our June Washington County Water Consortium meeting, Trevor Russell from Friends of the Mississippi River and Lark Weller from National Park Service will present findings from the Mississippi State of the River Report, highlighting findings for the Washington County stretch of river in particular. Along with this presentation, Erik Anderson from the Washington Conservation District will present his annual State of the Lakes Report, with water monitoring data collected on more than 80 lakes in the county during 2012. The Washington County Department of Public Health and Environment convenes the Water Consortium to work on surface and groundwater issues that cross local governmental boundaries. The consortium is an ad hoc organization of representatives from watershed organizations, cities and townships, the Washington Conservation District, county departments, and state and regional natural resource agencies. Please join us on June 5, from 2 -4pm at the County Government Center in Stillwater. E -mail Stephanie Souter at tephanie .Souter @co.washington.mn.us for more information on the consortium. 2 r S TIA C7F THF; E St. Croix River Updates The U.S. EPA has now approved both the Lake St. Croix TMDL and the TMDL implementation plan. In total, the TMDL calls for a reduction in phosphorus loading to the river of 123 metric tons per year to limit the frequency of nuisance algal conditions and switch the lake from a planktic state, in which algae are free - floating in the water, to a more desirable benthic state, in which algae are bottom - dwelling. The TMDL Implementation Plan assigns Washington County a goal of reducing phosphorus runoff to Lake St. Croix by 15,728 Ibs /year. This will be accomplished by increasing conservation practices on riparian properties and agricultural lands, in addition to reducing stormwater runoff from urban and rural communities. This year's Protecting the St. Croix River Basin conference, April 8 in River Falls, will explore phosphorus reduction strategies and the emerging farmer -led councils in the St. Croix basin, as well as showcasing case studies of civic engagement for land stewardship and water quality. Keynote speakers will include Jim Gulliford, Executive Director of the Soil & Water Conservation Society, Ron Kroese, McKnight Foundation, Russ Rasmussen, WDNR, Gaylen Reetz, MPCA, Steve Woods, BSWR, and Tom Quinn, of the Wisconsin Farmers Union. Several sessions in the afternoon will cover topics of interest for Washington County cities and watersheds that drain to the St. Croix River. See flyer for more info. On Feb. 26, EMWREP helped to coordinate a second networking session for government, non - profit and community groups conducting water education in the Lower St. Croix Basin. At the meeting, hosted by the Phipps Center for the Arts, we discussed ways that our groups can collaborate to increase the effectiveness of education and outreach efforts to help meet the St. Croix TMDL goal and protect other water resources in the basin. Some of the themes that emerged from our discussion was the need to develop a unified message for everyone to use when talking to the public and the need for a critical analysis of who is doing what types of education where and for what audiences so that we can support one another's efforts and identify gaps where more work is needed. ` This summer, EMWREP will join forces with the MN DNR and St. Croix River Association to offer a fourth Workshop on the Water for local elected and appointed officials. Though details have not yet been set, the workshop will likely take place July 16, 17 or 19 during St. Croix River Awareness Week. Look for more information later this spring. 3 EMWREP Calendar of Events March 4, 7 -9pm Presentation for Afton Planning Commission March 6, 6 -8pm Presentation for Tii Gavo Homeowners Association Scandia Community Center March 9, 9 -11 am Aquatic Invasive Species Workshop - Scandia RSVP at http: / /tinyurl.com /AlSworkshop March 13, 1 -3pm Cover Crop Workshop - Scandia Community Center RSVP to Wendy Griffin at 651- 275 -1136 x.24 March 16 Forest Lake Home Show - Ice Arena April 8, 8am -4pm St. Croix Basin Protection Conference - River Falls April 11, 8am- 3:45pm Stormwater U: Site Analysis and Subwatershed Assessments www.regonline.com /Stormwaterti April 20, 9-1 lam Raingarden Workshop at Prairie Restorations in Scandia http://tinyuri.com/ScandiaRaingarden2Ol3 April 26, 8am -8pm WCD Tree and rain barrel handout - County Fairgrounds April 27, 8am -noon Tree and rain barrel order forms at ° , vwww.mrt April 27, 9am -noon Mahtomedi Rite of Spring - Community Education Center May 6, 2- 6:30pm Water Testing Clinic in Denmark Twp. May 7, 6- 7:30pm Raingarden Workshop at Community Thread in Stillwater http://tinyurl.com/StillwaterRaingarden20l3 May 8, 3 -7pm Water Testing Clinic in Scandia May 11, 10am -2pm Environmental Fair at St. Peter UCC in Stillwater May 18, 9am -6pm Minnesota Outdoor Youth Expo - Wild Wings in Hugo May 19, 9am -6pm www.mnoutdoorvotithexpo.com June 1, 11 am -4pm RWMWD WaterFest - Lake Phalen June 1, 11 am -3pm Explore Your Parks Day - Lake Elmo Regional Park 4 Spring Highlights Professional Training: Selecting Stormwater BMPs to Best Meet Site Needs April 11, 8am- 3:45pm at Cottage Grove City Hall This workshop will be the third in our Stormwater U series and will focus on how to conduct a site analysis to determine which BMPs are best for a project. Using case studies, workshop participants will learn how to analyze small and large development and redevelopment projects, including linear projects. Presenters will also explain how subwatershed analyses are conducted in order to identify best locations within a community for stormwater retrofits in order to meet water quality goals. This workshop is for engineers, designers, planners and consultants and is offered in collaboration with University of Minnesota Extension. See flyer for more info. u) April 20, 9 -11 am at Prairie Restorations in Scandia c May 7, 6- 7:30pm at Community Thread in Stillwater EMWREP will conduct Blue Thumb - Planting for Clean Water raingarden workshops this spring in Scandia and Stillwater. The workshops will cover the where, why and = how of residential raingardens and will also provide attendees with information about their local water resources. c� = Our community workshops are a good way to educate the public about nonpoint source water pollution, and they usually generate many cost -share projects for our watershed partners. More info on both workshops at vwww.BlueThumb.org. V a� H m May 6, 2- 6:30pm at Denmark Town Hall May 8, 3 -7pm at Scandia Community Center Washington Conservation District and the Department of Public Health and the Environment are holding two free well water testing clinics for county residents this May. Nitrates are the most common contaminant in Minnesota's groundwater and Washington County recommends that people with wells test their water annually for total coliform bacteria and nitrates. Samples will be analyzed on the spot. For questions about the free nitrates water testing clinics or how to take a sample, contact Wendy Griffin at 651- 275 -1136 x.24. Members of the East Metro Water Resource Education Program: Brown's Creek Watershed • Carnelian Marine - St. Croix Watershed Comfort Lake - Forest Lake Watershed • Cottage Grove Dellwood Forest Lake Lake Elmo 9 Middle St. Croix Watershed Ramsey - Washington Metro Watershed • Rice Creek Watershed Stillwater South Washington Watershed • Valley Branch Watershed • Willernie • Woodbury West Lakeland • Washington Conservation District Washington County Water Resource Education Program 5