FMR featured in IQ's excellent river issue

FMR is frequently highlighted in the fall issue of Initiative Quarterly.

The Mighty Mississippi is a cultural icon, a defining characteristic of our communities and perhaps even our identities. So, why doesn't it float on our minds more often? The Initiative Foundation poses this essential question in their fall issue of IQ or Initiative Quarterly: "Mighty — Our River Resurgence."

Both the print and online versions of the magazine feature rich stories and luscious graphics that explore Minnesotans' connection to the river from multiple angles. FMR is frequently highlighted.

In "Mythississippi; Parting the waters of conventional water wisdom" writer Mike Mosedale brings to light popular misperceptions of the river's water quality with John Anfinson, chief resource officer for the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area Unit of the National Park Service (and an FMR Board member), and FMR Executive Director Whitney Clark. The river's waters appear to not only flow freely but are home to rebounding populations of walleye, eagles, otters and other wildlife. However, looks can be deceiving. In reality, the Mississippi is a highly controlled waterway. Yet while we can raise and lower water levels, we have few controls in place to protect its waters from their biggest threat: nonpoint source pollution from industrial agriculture and urban runoff.

Industrial agriculture's impact on the river is explored in Mosedale's "Destination Unknown; Humans pose the challenges - and solutions - clouding the future of the Mississippi and its tributaries." As many Mississippi Messages readers know, Lake Pepin is filling with excess sediment, carried by polluted waters from the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers. In this excellent overview article, FMR Watershed Program Director Trevor Russell, Ron Kroese of The McKnight Foundation, representatives of the Lake Pepin Alliance and the Land Stewardship Project, and conservation-minded farmer Dave Legvold help connect the dots between unhealthy agricultural practices and our troubled waters, while leaving ample room for hope.

"Sidewalk Slurry," by Martha Coventry explores the urban runoff problem in greater detail. After a brief synopsis of how our yards, roads and rooftops contribute pollution to our waters, three promising solutions are profiled: raingardens, reducing leaf and grass runoff with gutter sweeps and vacuum trucks, and FMR's Blue Star program which encourages communities to assess and improve their stormwater management policies and practices.

There's much more to learn in this special statewide issue of IQ — from riverfront redevelopment efforts throughout the state to the top five things to know about hunting aquatic invasive species. Enjoy them all at IQMag.org.