FMR Updates

The real costs of pumping up White Bear Lake

by Trevor Russell

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February 4, 2016

Recently the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources released a much-anticipated report detailing cost estimates for pumping water from the Mississippi River to refill or "augment" shrinking White Bear Lake. The potential price tag?: $107 million, plus up to $4.1 million in annual operating costs. Given this, along with previous analyses casting doubt on such a system's potential effectiveness, FMR opposes any further state investment in such direct augmentation efforts.

Dayton's water quality summit a go. Help set the agenda!

by Trevor Russell

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January 17, 2016

Mid-January, Governor Dayton announced that his administration will host the Governor's Water Summit in St. Paul on Saturday, Feb. 27th. FMR and our conservation partners are working with the administration to help shape the summit and provide a much-needed focus on ideas that can help address agricultural water pollution, the largest source of pollution to the Mississippi River. Summit registration has closed, but you can still play a role and help set its agenda by taking the Governor's Clean Water Summit Survey.

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January 14, 2016

Friends of the Mississippi River is excited to announce key staff changes in the new year. As we grow and take on new work, we're adapting our staffing to better address the huge range of activities in the works for 2016.

FMR's new communications manager and volunteer coordinator

N/NE Minneapolis riverfront regional park continues to grow

by Alicia Uzarek

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January 11, 2016

Good news: The Minneapolis park board now owns over half the land needed to bring continuous riverfront parks and trails to the banks of the Mississippi River in north and northeast Minneapolis. FMR is continuing to advocate for and support the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board’s acquisition work while also investigating ways to work with north Minneapolis residents to increase and strengthen their local riverfront access.

A little more green, please — for our waters and our riverfront communities. (Aerial view, from the north, above Saint Anthony Falls.) Courtesy City of Minneapolis

Oh, deer. Whitetails and Minnesota's future forests

by Alex Roth

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January 11, 2016

Perhaps drinking from the river or bounding through blufflands, deer are a welcome sight on any oudoor excursion. From an ecological perspective, however, an overabundance of deer are creating problems. It turns out many uncommon native plants are especially tasty. But invasive species such as buckthorn and garlic mustard? Not so much. Compounded by earthworms and climate change, our treasured whitetails may play a large role in the future of our forests.

Unfortunately, deer don't enjoy munching on invasive plant species.

New report highlights major flaws in state's agricultural water quality certification program

by Trevor Russell

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December 14, 2015

New visitor center is centerpiece of Fort Snelling’s 2020 vision

by Irene Jones

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December 9, 2015

As Fort Snelling approaches it’s bicentennial in 2020, the Minnesota Historical Society is gearing up for exciting changes to the site, including a new visitor center, improved trails and wayfinding, less surface parking, and a renewed focus on the historical significance of this special place perched high above the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers.