Updates and Articles

It’s time to put our waters on a low-salt diet

Just 1 teaspoon of salt is enough to permanently pollute 5 gallons of water. Chloride. (salt) pollution to Minnesota’s waters has made headlines for all the wrong reasons, and it's time for all of us to do our part. Here are some short term and long term long-term solutions to ponder and this winter approaches. >>

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Road salt truck
Help us identify the river views we need to protect

Upper Mississippi River from Pine Bend SNA

Now through spring 2018, the 25 metro-area cities and towns in our local national park, the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, are working to identify scenic river views worth protecting. Once each city has determined its list, they must work to protect these views according to new state rules that protect the metro river corridor. Let's help our cities compile the best list possible!

Check out the views submitted so far, and then tell us about yours or help by contributing a needed photo. >>

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Thank you FMR river volunteers — all 3,401 of you!

Year after year we are blown away by the hardworking, enthusiastic volunteers we are so lucky to work with. The river thanks you and so do we! Join us for a look back at the best photos from our 2017 stewardship events. >>

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Mississippi River volunteers!
Shovels in the ground for three new river destinations

Three new destinations are beginning to take shape along the river north of St. Anthony Falls in Minneapolis, each with something different to offer. Coming up: a reclaimed island (image above), a destination riverfront restaurant, and one fully featured playground.  >>

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Illustration of Halls Island to-be
A shocking, long-awaited outing — The 2017 volunteer trout survey

“It’s been three years of cancellations with high water in the river and getting rained out," said volunteer Tom Ziegler with a smile. "They [FMR] dangle this carrot when we do the buckthorn removal across the road, that if we did that job, we would get to do this event.”

Well, 2017 was finally the year. >>

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Neighboring suburbs helped dry up White Bear Lake

As reported by the Star Tribune, new state agency findings are helping us understand the relationship between unsustainable groundwater use and White Bear Lake, one of many lakes known for "shrinking" in Minnesota.

Combined with a recent related ruling, we hope the new report will push us towards real progress to protect the Land of 10,000 Lakes' vital water resources. >>

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State studies confirm: 40 percent of MN lakes and rivers are polluted

In the land of 10,000 lakes, about 40 percent of Minnesota’s waters fail to meet basic health standards according to a pair of new state water quality reports — with our namesake river, the Minnesota, among the most polluted. >>

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Lake Pepin along the Mississippi River, impaired for excess nutrients
Our thoughts on the proposed new Riverview Corridor line

Ever wondered why you can take a train from the Mall of America to Minneapolis and Minneapolis to St. Paul, but not from St. Paul to the mall? The missing piece of this transit triangle just met an important milestone in it's planning process. Here's what we love — and what we don't — about the plans so far.

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Riverview Transit Corridor
A big new prairie is on the way!

It's not every day that FMR ecologists get to convert 180 acres of soybean and farm fields back to native prairie. Sure, we return park lawns and buckthorn thickets to prairie every year, but individual project sites rarely crack the 100-acre mark.

So we're especially excited about beginning the large-scale transformation at the William H. Houlton Conservation Area in Elk River. Check out some photos from the first steps of creating this much-needed pollinator and wildlife habitat at the confluence of the Elk and Mississippi rivers! 

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The farm field at the William H Houlton Conservation Area about to be turned into prairie

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Upcoming Events

Saturday, September 27, 2025 - 10:30am to 1:00pm OR 2:30pm to 5:00pm
Magnolia Blossom Paddle Boat, St. Paul
Wednesday, October 1, 2025 - 5:00pm to 7:00pm
Grey Cloud Dunes Scientific and Natural Area, Cottage Grove
Saturday, October 4, 2025 - 9:00am to 12:00pm
Pine Bend Bluffs Natural Area at the Flint Hills Resources property, Inver Grove Heights

Our River Campaign:
It all starts here

At the heart of this new campaign is the vision of a healthy Mississippi River.