The University of Minnesota, St. Anthony Falls Laboratory (SAFL), conducted a study that researched three distinct hydrodynamic phenomena that are produced by common recreational powerboats and that have the potential to impact the water column and lakebed: 1) bow and stern pressure waves, 2) transverse gravity waves, and 3) propeller wash (Figure 3). 

The study examines common boat designs, their ability to generate certain forces within the lake, and how deep into the water column these forces penetrate. SAFL researchers found that impacts to the lakebed are directly linked to how the boat is being used. Recreational boats have long produced damaging waves, but in recent years, the SAFL has recognized that the science has not kept pace with advances in boat technology. As powerboats continue to increase in size, horsepower, and new wake-enhancing technologies. This has led to concerns about the impacts of boating on the aquatic environment. In particular, the impacts of wakeboats operating in wakesurfing mode are a topic of intense public interest. 

The boats were tested under conditions typical of their usage (Figure 1). For the non-wakeboats (deck and bowrider), this was displacement mode (leisure cruise) and planing mode (cruising), and for the wakeboats, this was semi-displacement mode (surfing) and planing mode (cruising). The boats were driven directly over the measurement sensors (Figure 2) a total of five times for each operational condition to gather replicate data for statistical analysis.

 In 2025, 25 residential pollinator habitat projects were funded through the Lawns to Legumes Pollinator Pathways program, contributing over 17,000 sq ft of pollinator habitat to Anoka County residential areas! This program seeks to benefit at-risk pollinator species, such as the Monarch Butterfly and the Rusty Patched Bumble Bee, by increasing native plant resources in residential areas and raising awareness of pollinator conservation practices.

Eligible project practices include:
- Native pocket plantings
- Beneficial flowering tree and shrub plantings
- Pollinator-friendly lawns
- Pollinator meadows

Grant recipients can receive professional assistance with garden design, construction specifications, and maintenance. Interested landowners should review the cost-share program fact sheet. Ideal candidates will be committed to maintaining the project, as this program aims to demonstrate high-quality pollinator habitat projects. Complete this Google Form to request an application, or contact Jordi Johnson, Restoration Technician, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Grant funds are available for landowners interested in doing a wetland restoration project that benefits water quality. Common project types are ditch plugs to restore drained wetland areas or excavations that treat ditch water. The highest-ranking projects will be those that treat water that drains into local lakes and rivers. For more information, contact Jamie Schurbon, Watershed Projects Manager, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Activities to enhance habitat within 45 acres at Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park began this winter. The dense buckthorn that dominated the understory of the woodlands, wetland depressions, edges of Turtle Pond and the Mississippi River shoreline was cut and mowed. The Siberian elms invading prairie and turf areas were cut and removed, and several box elder trees were cut to create a canopy gap for greater diversity. Enhancement activities, including follow-up buckthorn and garlic control, a prescribed burn, native seeding, and turf-to-prairie conversion, will continue through 2030 with support from the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Funds.

For more information, contact Carrie Taylor, Restoration Ecologist, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Each year, ACD staff provide technical assistance for projects focused on ecological resources, surface water, groundwater, and soils throughout Anoka County. This work includes ecological projects such as habitat enhancement and critical-area plantings; surface-water projects such as lakeshore improvements, rain gardens, and swales; groundwater protection through well sealing and septic-system upgrades; and soil-related practices such as cover cropping. These projects help enhance habitat, protect water quality, and support healthy natural systems.

Assistance typically begins with a site consultation. This includes a conversation with the landowner, a review of maps and available information about the property, and a site visit to walk the property and discuss options. If a project moves forward, ACD can assist with planning and design, provide installation oversight, and offer guidance on long-term maintenance. These efforts are made possible through collaboration with landowners and partner organizations. The table below summarizes the technical assistance provided by ACD staff in 2025. 

If you have a conservation question or are interested in exploring options for your property, ACD staff are available to help! We look forward to continuing this work in 2026 and supporting positive environmental outcomes throughout Anoka County. For more information, contact Mitch Haustein, Stormwater & Shoreland Specialist, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

ACD wants to send out a huge thanks to the volunteers who spent a Saturday morning planting at Epiphany Ponds! ACD and the City of Coon Rapids are working together to reduce turf grass and expand native plantings at Epiphany Ponds Park. Volunteers planted native wildflowers and grasses to add to the seed mix. This is one of many plantings to create pollinator corridors in Anoka County.

For more information contact Carrie Taylor, Restoration Ecologist, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Sharing some joy from Hayes Elementary School - Message from teacher Cara Claggett: "Both gardens are beautiful with huge and happy plants that loved all the rain this summer. It was SO fun to watch the kids notice them as they returned this week. They are very proud to have had a part in developing the thriving gardens that have lots of butterfly and bee visitors." 

Thanks to Jordi for all her work preparing the site, planting with students, and helping Cara with maintenance this summer!

The Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), a non-native insect, is spreading in central and east Minnesota and is already affecting ash trees in the Rum River counties. EAB kills ash trees, and there is no natural defense against it. As ash trees decline, there is growing concern about the long-term loss of forest cover and changes to woodland productivity.

The sooner you begin planning for EAB in your woods, the more options you have.

We invite you to attend the EAB Action Webinar on Thursday, February 19, 2026, from 10:00–11:30 AM. During this session, you will hear from University of Minnesota Extension forestry specialist Eli Sagor and a local SWCD specialist about:

• What EAB is and how it affects ash trees
• Management options for woodlands with ash
• Local technical and financial assistance is available to landowners

This webinar will be most relevant for woodland owners and other land stewards who want to keep their woods healthy and productive.

The session is intended for landowners in Aitkin, Crow Wing, Morrison, Mille Lacs, Kanabec, Benton, Isanti, Chisago, Sherburne, and Anoka counties. 

👉 To register, click the link or scan the QR code on the flyer below. Questions or registration support: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

We hope you'll join us to learn what steps you can take now to plan ahead for Emerald Ash Borer.

Sincerely,

Rum River Watershed Partnership (RRWP)
in partnership with local Soil & Water Conservation Districts

ACD, in collaboration with the City of Princeton, completed a 300-foot riverbank stabilization in the city's popular Riebe Park. The project offers benefits to water quality, habitat, and new recreational opportunities. This segment of the Rum River had a severely eroding shoreline because of the erosive forces generated by the convergence of the main stem and the West Branches. 

The project involved grading the slope, installing root wads, constructing small rock weirs, and planting native vegetation. The floodplain bench on the new shoreline offers a "pressure relief valve" for floodwaters while also making the riverbank more walkable. The new habitat features are designed to protect the bank while also creating areas in the river that attract game fish. Funding for this project is provided by the City of Princeton and the Outdoor Heritage Fund under the Clean Water, Land, and Legacy Amendment.

Before the project, the riverbank was severely eroding and offered no meaningful habitat or public access. Post-project features a stable riverbank, in-stream habitat, and walkable terrain. Note: Tree planting to reforest the riverbank had not yet occurred at the time of these photos. For more information, contact Jamie Schurbon, Watershed Project Manager, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Sloneker family protected 58.5 acres of their land around Cedar Creek through the BWSR's Reinvest in Minnesota (RIM) program. Under the RIM program, the land remains privately owned but is protected by a conservation easement. Land protection along creeks and rivers improves water quality, reduces flood risk, and creates essential wildlife habitat corridors. For more information contact Carrie Taylor, Restoration Ecologist, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

The best time of year to prune most trees in Minnesota is winter. Wounds can heal while pests and diseases are at their winter standstill. It's also a good time to see the tree's form for attractive pruning. If you don't have trees (who couldn't use a few more?), ACD's annual tree sale is open. Trees are now being ordered and will be picked up in the spring. All are seedlings, available in bundles of 10 for $24-30 or bundles of 25 for $46-58. Prairie seed is also available. Please order early for the best selection; we intend to sell out of everything. Order online at www.AnokaSWCD.org. For more information contact Kathy Berkness, Office Administrator, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Each year, the Anoka County Parks Department uses prescribed burns to manage ~200 acres of prairie and savanna habitats. Fire is a natural part of these ecosystems; it removes accumulated plant material, releases beneficial nutrients, fights the encroachment of woody plants, and helps control invasive species. Through these processes, fire boosts the native plant community and increases diversity. Prescribed burns are often paired with other management techniques such as mowing, applying selective herbicides, and supplemental seeding. 

Powerline corridors like this need to remain clear of woody vegetation, providing an opportunity for active prairie management in its place. This restoration also involved treating smooth brome (an aggressive invasive grass) before burning. Visit the U.S. Forest Service webpage to learn more about prescribed burns or contact Carrie Taylor, Restoration Ecologist, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

ACD staff and volunteers planted 120 new trees on Kings Island in Anoka, Minnesota. After more than 420 ash trees were removed due to Emerald Ash Borer infestation, this reforestation effort aims to restore a diverse, resilient forest. Species planted include hackberry, basswood, river birch, tulip poplar, sycamore, northern pecan, and more.