Water
As we walk along its banks, it may be difficult to recognize how polluted our beautiful river is. But our entire Twin Cities stretch fails to meet federal water quality standards.
Pollutants reach our river in many ways. Fertilizer and soil leak from farm fields into ditches and streams that can connect to the river. Rain carries decomposing leaves, oil and trash from our yards and streets through storm drains to the river. And as snow melts, it brings excess road and sidewalk salt (aka chloride) to the river.
FMR's Water Program works with policymakers, researchers, farmers, fellow nonprofits and everyday metro residents (River Guardians) to address these and many other sources of pollution and protect the river's natural resources.
FMR's Water program works to shape legislative and administrative policy to protect our waters. We support the development of river-friendly agricultural systems through our partnership with the Forever Green Initiative, spearhead efforts to restrict the use of hazardous chemicals, advocate for improvements to water protection rules, and fight to defend the integrity of our state's bedrock environmental programs.
Too much sediment and pollutants from fertilizer are making their way from farm fields to the Mississippi River. Much of this is due to the dominance of corn and soybeans — crops that leave millions of acres of Minnesota's landscape bare and prone to runoff most of the year — along with farming incentives that don't prioritize water health or rural resilience. That's why we support investments in research and market development for innovative crops that keep the river cleaner and benefit farmers.
About 1.1 million Minnesotans rely on the river as their drinking water source, which is why we work to reduce pollution from agricultural, storm- and wastewater, and other sources. While our geographic focus is the metro Mississippi, we work with valued partners from across the state to address drinking water contamination in agricultural areas and for downstream neighbors.
Water updates
Become a River Guardian
Sign up and we'll email you when important river issues arise. We make it quick and easy to contact decision-makers. River Guardians are also invited to special social hours and other events about legislative and metro river corridor issues.