Recently, I have seen some pushback from folks who say that asking the general public to recycle, conserve water, reduce their carbon footprint, etc. is inconsequential compared to commercial impacts and thus misguided. The consensus that corporations and governments have an outsized influence on these environmental impacts and private citizens contributions to the problem don't matter. Here are two articles in the Scientific American or The Atlantic, that discuss this issue in more detail.

Though I don't disagree that commercial/agricultural uses oftentimes outweigh residential uses (e.g. pesticide and fertilizer application); I also believe that if enough people adopt enough measures we can make a difference in a twofold manner. One, we will be more aware of how corporations operate and through purchasing power and/or legislation create changes that benefit the resource. Check out this awesome resource developed by USGS and learn more about water use in your local area. 

Indoors look for:

• Glass block or concrete patch in an exterior step.
• Wells are often housed in a small room in the basement, many times under exterior concrete steps.
• Pipe sticking up out of the floor in your basement, or a concrete patch in the floor where the well was located. 

• Low spot or sunken area in the ground.
• Metal, wood, or concrete cover or manhole.
• Areas that stay wet can be caused by an unsealed flowing well.
• An old shed or well house, or an old pump.
• Dug wells typically appear as a ring anywhere from 1 foot or several feet in diameter, made of concrete, tile, bricks, or rocks.
• Pipes above, at, or below the surface may indicate a well.

The Anoka Conservation District (ACD) is seeking volunteers to adopt-a-drain. A storm drain, that is. But not just any drain – we're looking for volunteers to adopt drains that directly discharge into Linwood, Fawn, Coon, or Martin Lakes. ACD will be partnering with local lake associations to help with promotion and outreach. Adopt-a-drain is also available elsewhere in Anoka County and the state. Homeowners who adopt-a-drain will clean sand, leaves and other debris away from the drain periodically to help keep the lake clean.

Adopt-a-drain is a roaring program in many communities but is just getting started around these lakes as a collaboration between the Sunrise River Watershed Management Organization and ACD. Volunteer to Adopt-a-drain at https://mn.adopt-a-drain.org/.

For more information about the adopt-a-drain program, contact Logan Olson at 763-434-2030 ext. 180 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Salt (chloride) is toxic to freshwater plants and animals, threatens our Minnesota fishing economy and heritage, and causes expensive damage to bridges and other infrastructure. To date, 54 lakes and streams in Minnesota are impaired by chloride and nearly 40% of shallow monitoring wells in the Twin Cities area have chloride concentrations that exceed the water quality standard. 

This interactive workshop is specifically designed for local decision-makers such as city councilmembers and county commissioners and will provide action steps and recommended policy changes to reduce salt pollution in our communities without impacting public safety. Co-hosted by the Lower St. Croix Watershed Partnership with Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Lake Superior Coastal Program, and We are Water Minnesota. Funding comes from the Clean Water Fund and Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund.

Register here: MPCA Smart Salting for Community Leaders Workshop Tickets, Thu, Mar 9, 2023 at 11:00 AM | Eventbrite
The learning environment for this class is an interactive online format. Instructors will teach class online in real-time. Participants will interact with instructors and other participants through live chats, polls, and class discussion using the WebEx platform. We require attendees to actively participate in the online interactive class in addition to completing a survey after attending.
Can't attend? Check out this Low Salt – No Salt Toolkit for local government.

This summer has been very dry. As a result, many cities around the metro have implemented watering bans or restrictions. Watering daily during drought conditions puts further strain on water supplies than the drought is already causing. Watering allowance during restrictions (e.g. odd or even days only) should be thought of as the MAXIMUM you should water, not the minimum. If your grass is green and lush, consider shutting your sprinklers down for a day or two. Selectively water areas of your yard that may be sunnier or drier where the grass browns more readily, but consider skipping areas that stay green longer. In times like these, it becomes even more important that we share our limited water resources responsibly.

Use these additional tips to conserve water this summer:

1. Use sprinklers efficiently. Align sprinklers to avoid irrigating roads, sidewalks, and driveways. Install a rain sensor on automated irrigation systems.
2. Water deeply and less frequently rather than daily. The only exception to this is when you start seeds which require moisture for germination. When plants are watered less frequently they grow deeper roots and become healthier plants.
3. Water in the morning. Watering in the morning prevents water loss from evaporation and also prevents possible fungal problems if plants remain wet in the cooler night.
4. Mulch your garden beds with wood chips, leaves and unsprayed straw. Mulching around the plants in your garden will help conserve soil moisture.
5. Add organic matter. Adding a layer of compost to your beds every season will increase the water holding capacity of your soil.
6. Install a rain barrel. Harvest water from rooftops during rainstorms and use that water to water gardens.