Rain gardens capture and clean stormwater runoff before it reaches local waterbodies. Finding the right place to put one, especially a curb-cut rain garden that collects water from the street, takes more than just finding an open spot in the yard.

Several factors influence whether a rain garden will work effectively: the size of the area draining to it, the property's use, available space, landscaping features, and yard slope. While these things are easy to see, some of the most important considerations are hidden underground. Utilities such as water, sewer, gas, and electric lines must have adequate soil cover, and rain gardens can't interfere with these requirements. Soil is another key factor. Sandy soil allows water to soak in easily, while silt and clay soils may require special construction or make a site unsuitable for infiltration. 

To explore where rain gardens can be most effective, the City of Fridley is partnering with ACD as part of a 2026 street reconstruction project. Properties in the project area with ideal conditions were identified, and those with interested landowners are now being evaluated for feasibility. Pairing rain garden installation with street reconstruction is a cost-effective way to manage stormwater in neighborhoods that currently lack treatment. With thoughtful planning above and below ground, curb-cut rain gardens can provide long-lasting benefits for both water quality and neighborhood beautification.

ACD has secured over $78,000 - including $71,000 in state Watershed-Based Implementation Funds and $7,100 in local matching funds from the City of Fridley - to revitalize aging rain gardens in the Coon Creek Watershed.

Many rain gardens are now beyond their original 10-year lifespan, yet still hold potential for managing urban stormwater runoff. This project will remove accumulated sediment, repair infrastructure, and improve plantings within up to 10 rain gardens. The work will increase the rain gardens' ability to capture and filter pollutants from stormwater runoff, thereby reducing phosphorus by an estimated 5.2 pounds annually for the next decade. 

You may have observed a major difference between this year and our last few growing seasons: plenty of precipitation. According to the DNR's Climatology Office, the amount of rain that's fallen from April through August 2024 has been nearly the most on record over a good share of Minnesota. Overall, this is good news for our forests – but all that near- historic rainfall has had additional impacts to trees. 

As shoots and leaves emerge in the spring, they're particularly susceptible to infection from fungal pathogens. Extremely wet weather during this timeframe promotes sporulation (formation of spores) of these microscopic fungi, and rain spreads the spores around. The end result is a slew of common leaf diseases that we've seen in 2024. 

Read the full article from the MNDNR or contact Becky Wozney, Wetland Specialist, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The Apex Pond enhancement project in the City of Fridley is complete! Project planning began in 2022 with surveying, testing soils for on site contaminants, and design development. Construction began in fall, 2023 and spreading native seed and securing erosion control blanket over the upper slopes surrounding the pond were the final elements needed to complete installation. Originally constructed in 1999 with a ponding depth of one foot for rate control of runoff, the enhanced pond is approximately six feet deep and provides water quality treatment for nearly 90 acres of residential neighborhoods. The increased ponding depth enables sediment and nutrients to settle and accumulate in the pond basin.

For more information contact Mitch Haustein, Stormwater and Shoreland Specialist, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Fall is a great time to manage buckthorn on your property. Common and glossy buckthorn are invasive woody shrubs which aggressively outcompete native plants, disrupting the habitat benefits they provide. Buckthorn chemically alters the soil, creating an inhospitable environment for other plants.
Buckthorn leaves stay green longer than most other Minnesota woodland trees and shrubs so you'll easily notice them in mid to late October.
Common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) can be found in upland forests. Look for the thorn, which can be found at the end of some branches. Glossy buckthorn (Frangula alnus) tends to grow in slightly wetter areas but can be found in a variety of habitats. There are no thorns. Look for the rust colored terminal bud.

New research from the University of MN suggests that buckthorn seeds do not persist in the soil for 6+ years as was previously thought. Their findings suggest that over 97% of seeds germinate in the first year. As you manage buckthorn, aim to prevent seed production on mature plants with mid-summer cutting and follow up with treatment of the small sprouts for the best results.

See ACD's buckthorn fact sheet for tips on identifying buckthorn, to learn about native look-alikes, and compare methods for controlling common and glossy buckthorn. For more information contact Logan Olson, Restoration Technician, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

BWSR awarded ACD $15,000 for the third phase of the Anoka Cooperative Weed Management Area. The Anoka CWMA formed in 2018 and consists of Anoka Conservation District, Anoka Parks, Cities, Watershed Districts, MN Department of Agriculture, and volunteers to coordinate invasive species control efforts in Anoka County. Anoka CWMA activities include mapping, monitoring, outreach, treatment on select populations, and provides some cost share assistance.