A Green Campus for Northeast Middle School

You may have noticed the recent transformation of the Northeast Middle School parking lot that fronts on 29th Avenue in the Audubon neighborhood. Inspired by Edison High School's Green Campus, Minneapolis Public Schools, Northeast Middle School (NEMS) and the Audubon Neighborhood Association (ANA) have teamed up with Mississippi Watershed Management Organization (MWMO) to turn a large portion of the school's asphalt parking lot into a sustainably landscaped green space that will more effectively manage stormwater while also giving students a new curriculum resource. (Pictured at left: NEMS parking lot before the project).

Audubon Neighborhood Association applied for a planning grant from MWMO at the end of 2014 to create a water sustainability project that they could implement in collaboration with the school. Once a design was in place to remove 16,200 square feet of impermeable pavement and install a large raingarden, they applied for and received an action grant from MWMO.

The newly completed raingarden will clean stormwater run-off while also providing hands-on environmental learning opportunities for students. For more photos and information about this project, please click HERE. (Pictured at right: NEMS project just completed). 

Hydro-Illuminata Lights Up the River on October 1

Torches create pinpoints of light in the darkness. Dancers weave in spiraling lines down the banks of the Mississippi. Flaming boats trail glowing lines of molten light across the river. The water itself appears transformed into liquid fire. These dramatic images are the culmination of Hydro-Illuminata, a three-month long community conversation about water sustainability.

Join local sculptor James Brenner and the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization for a public water and fire spectacle on the banks of the Mississippi as small, fire-filled boats are cast adrift on the water, giving tangible form to a community conversation about water sustainability:

When: Saturday, October 1, 2016, 6:30 – 9:30 p.m.

Where: MWMO Stormwater Park, 2522 Marshall Street NE

What: Spectacular free public event that includes an iron pour performance, music, choreography and projections.

Who: Participants and partners include artist James Brenner, Mississippi Watershed Management Organization, Holland Neighborhood Improvement Association, Walker Art Center, Homewood Studios, Minnesota Waldorf School, City of Lakes Waldorf School, Rhythm of the Saints and members of the Macalester College Pipe Band.

For more information, visit www.hydroilluminata.com.

Master Water Stewards Program

The Mississippi Watershed Management Organization invites residents to join its 2016–2017 class of Master Water Stewards (MWS). The MWS program provides training and opportunities for residents to take action to protect and improve water quality and habitat.

Freshwater Society developed the MWS program in 2013 to equip citizens with the knowledge and skills to help improve water quality at the grassroots level. By December of 2016, the metro area will have 150 certified Master Water Stewards. The MWMO is one of many watershed organizations sponsoring MWS classes, and is offering them free-of-charge to eligible residents.

The next MWS session begins October 11, 2016 and runs through April 25, 2017. To learn more, visit masterwaterstewards.org or attend an upcoming information session at one of the following locations (all applicants welcome at any of the following sessions):

· Sept. 20, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. — Bang Brewing Company (St. Paul)

· Sept. 27, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. — City of Eagan Maintenance Facility

Master Water Stewards are certified by participating in a broad training curriculum led by experts in the fields of hydrology, stormwater management, water policy, community-based social marketing, and raingarden assessment and installation. They must complete a capstone project that captures rainfall and allows more water to soak into the ground, and lead a community outreach event. Stewards then become a point of knowledge and influence in their communities.

Master Water Stewards are now working for watershed districts and environmental nonprofits (including Freshwater Society), participating on city and local government boards, influencing policy, and improving the health of our waters.

The Next Generation of Stormwater Treatment & Regional Collaboration

What does rain that falls in another city have to do with the First Ward? Because the water cycle is a complex system that doesn't abide by lines on a map, rain that falls in St. Anthony Village becomes run-off that travels through Northeast Minneapolis and ends up in the Mississippi. Effectively managing that stormwater runoff is a multi-jurisdictional task, which is why St. Anthony Village, the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization (MWMO), and the City of Minneapolis have teamed up to create a stormwater treatment and research facility in a grassy corner of the Windom Park neighborhood. Council Member Reich, who is also the MWMO Board President, recently joined MWMO Executive Director Doug Snyder and St. Anthony Mayor Jerry Faust (pictured at right) at a ribbon-cutting for the project.

This $1.6 million project, which is being funded by MWMO, will capture and clean roughly 169 million gallons of stormwater runoff annually, significantly reducing pollution levels of the water entering the Mississippi River. At the same time, it will allow researchers to test new and emerging treatment technologies.

The scale of this project combined with it's cutting edge technology and the significant research opportunities it offers make it uniquely noteworthy. Visit http://mwmo.org/projects/st-anthony-regional-stormwater-treatment-research-system/ to learn more about the project and watch a video of how the treatment facility works.

Share the River Nordeast - Free Canoe Rides & Ice Cream, July 13

Mississippi Watershed Management Organization (MWMO)is hosting an evening of community, canoeing and ice cream on Wednesday, July 15, 5 - 8 p.m. at Stormwater Park and Learning Center, 2511 Marshall Avenue NE. Stop by for a free introductory canoe ride on the Mississippi River, then grab some free ice cream and check out the other exhibits indoors and outdoors at Stormwater Park and Learning Center.

This family-friendly event is great for kids and adults of all ages (participants must weigh at least 30 pounds). In addition to learning to paddle on the river, participants will also have opportunities to learn about the Mississippi River's history, water quality, plants, animals and more. Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/492672967607694/ for more information.

Help Keep Our Waterways Clean

With our lakes, creeks, waterfalls and the Mississippi River, we pride ourselves on Minneapolis’ natural waters.

A big part of protecting our waterways is right on our streets. Leaves, dirt, garbage and anything that gets left on the street can wash down storm drains and go untreated into our lakes and the river.

When it rains, stormwater carries grass clippings, leaves, cigarette butts, pesticides, fertilizers, antifreeze, paint, gasoline, motor oil and animal waste directly into Minneapolis lakes, creeks and the Mississippi River.

Sign up for the Minneapolis Adopt a Drain program, and commit to clearing leaves and trash from it regularly.
Never put anything down a storm drain. It’s for rain and melting snow only.Be a champion and spread the word with your neighbors.

Learn more or sign up by calling 311 or going to www.minneapolismn.gov/AdoptaDrain.

Council Member's Message

Environmental matters have been front and center on my Council schedule recently. I was pleased to attend Governor Dayton's Water Summit on February 27 and participate in this important discussion about the challenges we face in protecting and improving our water resources. This topic is central for me in a very local context, both as Chair of the City's Transportation and Public Works committee and as Board Chair of the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization (MWMO), but it's important in a larger, statewide context as well, so I appreciated this opportunity to learn more. I would encourage others interested in this topic to visit the online forum component of the Summit at http://watersummit.ideascale.com/ to explore the topics discussed, make suggestions and ask questions.

The Ward One office also sponsored a recent community forum on the topic of recycling and the waste stream in conjunction with Eureka Recycling. We had a fascinating discussion with our panelists and a very engaged audience that highlighted ways in which our recycling processes could stimulate job growth. See more information about the forum below and on the Ward One website.

Lastly, I will be representing the City of Minneapolis and the Minneapolis Clean Energy Partnership at the 2016 Climate Leadership Conference in Seattle this month. This is a global conference that addresses issues of climate, sustainability and energy in terms of both policy and business solutions. I look forward to reporting back what I learn.

Council Member's Message

As we learn more and more about the truly frightening deficiencies of Flint, Michigan's municipal water supply, many have inquired about the security and safety of our own water supply. The topic is a particular concern of mine as well, given my dual roles as Chair of Transportation & Public Works and as Board Chair of the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization (MWMO).

Minneapolis' drinking water comes from the Mississippi River. We also provide water to seven suburban municipalities, MSP International Airport and Fort Snelling State Park. We invest significant resources to ensure its safety and quality, including testing it hundreds of times a day both in the treatment plants and the distribution system. In addition, we monitor our river source for levels of chloride due to salt in storm water runoff; these levels have been consistently low.

The issues in Flint arose because the water they were pumping from the Flint River was so corrosive that it leached lead from water pipes. In Minneapolis we take specific steps to ensure that our water is lead-free. Since the 1990s, the City has controlled the pH of the drinking water so that it's non-corrosive. We also add a corrosion inhibitor that is designed to form a thin scale inside pipes and fixtures to act as a barrier between the metal and the water we drink. The City also monitors lead concentrations from residential locations. The sampling pool draws from single family structures with lead service lines, lead pipes or copper pipes soldered with lead. Our 2015 sample results were all below the lead action level of 15 parts per billion. For more information about water and lead, click HERE.

The fact that Minneapolis' Water Works does an outstanding job, however, isn't cause for complacency. New technologies and infrastructure, improved processes for mitigating storm water run off, and continuing partnerships with organizations like Mississippi Watershed Management Organization, must continue to be sought and fostered to ensure that our municipal water remains safe for all.

Mississippi River Green Team Youth Employment Opportunities

The Mississippi River Green Team is an employment and conservation program for Minneapolis youth between 14-17 years old made possible through a partnership between the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization and the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board. This program offers an opportunity for Northeast youth to have a mentored job experience, learn about environmental careers and acquire new skills. For more information and to apply for the Green Team, visit http://mwmo.org/mississippirivergreenteam.html

Council Member's Message

One of the boards I was appointed to when I first assumed office in 2010 was the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization (MWMO). I have been deeply involved in the work of this outstanding organization and proud to serve as its board chair since 2013.

The mission of the MWMO is to lead and foster stewardship of the Mississippi watershed with actions that encourage civic ownership and responsibility and through measures that achieve diverse and functional ecosystems. That mission aligns closely with the priorities of the First Ward, given that we share a border with the river and are part of the watershed. As an added bonus, MWMO's beautiful new headquarters is also located in Ward 1 on the banks of the river. The organization has been nominated for two 2014 ReScape Awards, for community impact and environmental impact, for its transformation of a polluted 1-acre site into an education center, offices, demonstration landscape and pedestrian connection to the Mississippi. You can visit the Minnesota Brownfields website to learn more about the ReScape finalists:http://mnbrownfields.org/rescape-award-finalists-announced-2014/

One of the important ways MWMO fulfills its mission is through funding and implementing projects that have a demonstrable impact on water quality. On a large scale, that work can be seen at the Edison High School parking lot, which was completely reconstructed in 2013 with state-of-the-art Best Management Practices so that it can now capture stormwater before it enters the storm sewers and ultimately the Mississippi. The second phase of this project is currently underway at the Edison athletic field, where MWMO is installing stormwater recapture and re-use infrastructure that will ultimately ensure that no stormwater leaves the site.

Other locations in Northeast where MWMO's work can be seen include the Sentyrz parking lot and the grounds of the Grace Center. In addition, MWMO has been monitoring stormwater at a site in the Windom Park neighborhood for a number of years to investigate the quantity and quality of stormwater as it enters Minneapolis from St. Anthony Village and eventually travels to the river near the University of Minnesota. For those wanting more information, MWMO's annual water monitoring report is available at http://mwmo.org/Annual%20Monitoring%20Report%202013.pdf. This project will provide the MWMO an opportunity to test new technologies to remove and manage pollutants before they enter the Mississippi River. The MWMO is also working with the City of Minneapolis in the Northeast area to model how rain water and snow melt moves through the storm pipe system in order to identify and prioritize projects to improve the function of the system. The results of this work could lead to the creation of sub-watershed districts. 

I, my fellow board members and the MWMO staff are pleased to announce that, as part of a larger organizational restructuring of staffing and programs, the organization's Stewardship Fund Grants Program has recently been revised to more closely align with our goals. We felt it was essential that these grants have stronger community connections and that they offer an opportunity for the MWMO to strengthen its relationships with community organizations and entities. Projects can still be done on private property, but the applicant will need to be a non-profit organization, officially recognized neighborhood group, business or professional association, school or local unit of government.

More information about the Stewardship Fund Grants, as well as eligibility guidelines and the application process are available on the MWMO website at www.mwmo.org.  You can also always feel free to contact my office at 612-673-2201 or kevin.reich@minneapolismn.gov with any questions.

Fall Street Sweeping Begins Monday, October 20

Minneapolis is known for its sparkling waterways and we want to keep it that way. That’s why protecting and enhancing our environment is one of the City’s top priorities. Street sweeping is one way we work to protect our environment because it keeps leaves and debris from clogging our storm drains and polluting our lakes and rivers. It also helps keep our neighborhoods clean and livable.

Minneapolis streets are swept completely curb to curb once in the spring and once in the fall. This fall’s sweep will begin Monday, October 20. Streets will be posted at least 24 hours in advance. Parking on posted streets is prohibited 7 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. 

For more information and to access the Street Look Up tool for advance notice, visit http://www.minneapolismn.gov/publicworks/streetsweeping/ which will be routinely updated. Messages about parking restrictions are also available in multiple languages at this link.

Residents should not push leaves, grass clippings, or other debris into City streets – it’s bad for our waterways, can cause safety hazards, and is against the law. Anything that goes down a storm drain flows directly into our lakes and river, and decomposing plant material in the water encourages the growth of harmful aquatic plants and algae.

MWMO Launches Launches Phase II

In 2012 the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization (MWMO) opened their new headquarters on the banks of the Mississippi in the Marshall Terrace neighborhood. The facility was constructed with sustainable materials and incorporates such features as a cistern to capture roof water runoff and a geothermal heating system.

Phase II of the project was launched this year and focuses on the grounds surrounding the building. Stormwater swales, stepping stones and filtration basins will be established in the area between the headquarters and the river, opening up a public space to access the Mississippi while seeing active examples of stormwater management best practices. For more information about Phase II, visit www.mwmo.org.

Mississippi River Green Team Documentary

The Mississippi River Green Team was created through a partnership between Mississippi Watershed Management Organization (MWMO) and Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board (MRPB). Youth crews spend a summer learning how to identify invasive species, prevent erosion, establish raingardens and prairie plantings, undertake projects to improve the water quality of our river and watershed., and assist in scientific studies. Being on the Green Team offers students the opportunity to have a mentored job experience, learn about environmental careers and acquire new skills. Watch a newly released documentary by John Akre that shows students from North and Northeast Minneapolis, including Edison students, in action on the Mississippi River Green Team.