Why rivers flood
Community water supplies at risk. Sediment and pollutants washing downstream. Catastrophic floods right around the corner — A recent Star Tribune article reminds us of the growing threat high flows and erosion pose for the Minnesota River — and the toll that takes on our waters and communities. >>
Viruses, floods and an economic shoving match: All in a day's work on the farm
What does coronavirus have to do with the economic prospects of rural communities in 2020? In our endlessly entangled global market, it turns out that a public health crisis on the other side of the planet can have shockwaves felt here in Minnesota. We see this as yet another sign that it's time to shift our agricultural practices, for both the river and our farming communities. >>
You say potato, I say fiasco
Here's what one farmer's fight tells us about agriculture, public health and our state's exasperating approach to balancing priorities. >>
Report: One in eight Minnesotans drink groundwater with elevated nitrate
Drinking water for an estimated half a million Minnesotans is drawn from groundwater contaminated with elevated levels of nitrate, a toxic pollutant that is linked to cancer and is especially dangerous for infants, according to a recent Environmental Working Group analysis of federal and state test data. >>
Thank you, River Guardians!
Thank you, River Guardians! We deeply appreciate you advocating for clean water and sustainable and equitable development along the river this past year. >>
Another brutal year for MN farmers
Wet weather, a trade war, and low crop prices combined to deal a blow to Minnesota's rural communities in 2019.
Why is this Water Blog news? Because the same strategies that FMR supports to reduce river pollution from agricultural sources can also make farms more profitable and resilient long-term. >>
Gov. Tim Walz forms climate sub-cabinet
Minnesota is falling short of meeting its climate change goals. A new government initiative seeks to re-energize state efforts and build momentum toward a better future. >>
Lessons from the Dust Bowl: A cleaner Mississippi is rooted in a new farming paradigm
Our agricultural practices caused disastrous dust storms like this one in Kansas in 1935. Generations later, the way we farm has again led to grave challenges — unsafe drinking water and the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico. What can the Dust Bowl teach us about how to move forward? >>
Leading scientists to UN: Slash nitrogen waste — or else!
We're not the only region working to stem nitrogen pollution. Scientists are calling on the United Nations to focus on this serious issue worldwide. >>
