Rice Creek Watershed District

08/27/2026

This pollinator garden in Shoreview was a past grant project with Rice Creek Watershed District.

The garden includes both native and non native plants, showing that you can have a mix of plants and still create a space that benefits pollinators and water quality.

The rain garden also captures stormwater from the nearby parking lot, helping slow down and filter runoff before it reaches our waterways.

08/27/2026

Class is currently full but there is a waitlist you can sign up for! We hope to bring more workshops like this to the library soon, stay tuned.

Thank you for the huge interest in this art workshop that highlights the importance of pollinators, native plants, and our water! 🐝 💧

Join us for a new art workshop at Northtown Library in Blaine! Link to register in comments, spots are limited.

Water & Pollinator Mosaic Workshop Series

Join us for an in person four-part mosaic art series that will explore the connection between native pollinators, plants, and local water systems!

After a guided nature walk to observe pollinators and plant species up close, participants will receive hands-on instruction to create their own mosaic artwork inspired by pollinator species and the systems in nature they support. No experience necessary- all instruction provided!

Please commit to all four dates in this series:

Thursday, September 10 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM
Thursday, September 17 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM
Thursday, September 24 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM
Thursday, October 1 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM

08/26/2026

We’re excited to announce that one of our grant projects was Lower St. Croix Watershed Partnership’s 2026 Natural Shoreline Award Winner!

Along with the City of Mahtomedi and Washington Conservation District (WCD), we’ve been working to reduce stormwater runoff, restore native habitat along the Lost Lake shoreline, and improve the health of community woodlands.

We’ll be working with everyone on more outreach and education opportunities out there as well. Stay tuned! 😁

Read more about it here! https://www.lsc1w1p.org/wildwood-park

08/25/2026

We can help reduce algae blooms at the city and county level by keeping more nutrients and sediment out of our waterways.

This means reducing erosion from construction sites, increasing street sweeping in areas with heavy tree cover, and replacing lawns and turf grass with native plants that absorb and filter stormwater.

We can also reduce stormwater runoff by using rain gardens, permeable surfaces, and other green infrastructure. Together, these actions can improve water quality, reduce nutrient pollution, and help prevent harmful algae blooms.

Video from MN Lakes and Rivers Advocates - MLR

Did you know the slime on the outside of a fish is an important pro...

08/18/2026

Join us for a new art workshop at Northtown Library in Blaine! Link to register in comments, spots are limited.

Water & Pollinator Mosaic Workshop Series

Join us for an in person four-part mosaic art series that will explore the connection between native pollinators, plants, and local water systems!

After a guided nature walk to observe pollinators and plant species up close, participants will receive hands-on instruction to create their own mosaic artwork inspired by pollinator species and the systems in nature they support. No experience necessary- all instruction provided!

Please commit to all four dates in this series:

Thursday, September 10 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM
Thursday, September 17 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM
Thursday, September 24 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM
Thursday, October 1 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM

08/14/2026

Thinking of redoing your driveway soon? Try permeable pavement and/or pavers! This type of driveway can help reduce stormwater runoff and protect your local lakes from stormwater pollution. We can help fund this work too! Contact us today to learn about our Water Quality Grants, link in comments.

The different types of permeable concrete for driveways include pervious concrete, permeable interlocking concrete pavers (PICP), and concrete grid pavers. These systems are designed to improve water drainage, reduce surface damage, and survive Minnesota’s freeze-thaw conditions.

08/12/2026

Mounds View City Hall has a new addition, a rain garden filled with native plants! We held a community workshop this spring with the city and Blue Thumb - Planting for Clean Water, where we helped plant this garden and learned how to care for them.

One native plant that has purple flowers, Blazing Star (Liatris aspera) are blooming already! This plant is known for attracting monarch butterflies because of the nectar it provides them.

This rain garden not only provides pollinator habitat and food, it captures stormwater runoff from the parking lot. The garden captures, slows down, soaks in, and treats the stormwater before it flows into pipes where it would end up in our nearby lakes.

Round of applause to City of Mounds View, MN for going above and beyond with their rain garden by putting in native plants and educational signage! 👏

08/11/2026

Did you miss the August workshop?? No worries, there's another one in September!

Join us for a fun, family-friendly art workshop at Moore Lake Park in Fridley on Saturday, Sept 17th at 6PM to 8PM, with local artist Jessica Turtle.

You will create your own frog, toad, or polliwog to become part of a traveling community art installation celebrating our local aquatic ecosystems! Your artwork will be featured in the exhibition and returned to you when the tour concludes.
No art experience is needed. With templates and a variety of art materials available, this workshop is perfect for all ages and skill levels.

Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. Please register each family member who will be creating an amphibian.

Spots are limited, so sign up today!

The frogs and toads are calling! Dive into their vibrant world of frogs, toads and polliwogs, with local artist Jessica Turtle in this choose-your-own-adventure art workshop to help create a piece to be displayed as part of an upcoming community art installation . Participants will use colorful visu...

08/02/2026

You might be noticing some intense algal blooms in our lakes and rivers, especially bright green and even blueish ones. These are blue green algae blooms which can be toxic to humans and pets.

Why are blooms happening more often?

Over many years, our land and environment have changed. We’ve developed and continue to develop more natural land, we've changed how water moves through the landscape. Wetlands have been drained, streams straightened and altered, shorelines have been armoured with rocks and retaining walls, and prairies have been replaced with roads, houses/rooftops, parking lots, and commercial buildings.

This means rain is NOT soaking into the ground and being used by plants. Instead, rain becomes stormwater, which runs quickly across these developed landscapes, carrying lots of phosphorus, nitrogen, sediment, and other nutrients into lakes and streams. This nutrient-rich runoff creates the conditions that allow algal blooms to grow exponentially.

Warmer water, hotter weather, and periods of drought can make blooms larger, last longer, and increase the chance they will produce toxins.

08/01/2026

Do you know if you live in the Rice Creek Watershed District??

We cover approx. 185 square miles of land that spans parts of Anoka, Ramsey, Washington, and Hennepin counties and includes all or portions of more than 30 cities and townships.

Use our Address Checker tool to see if your home/property/business is located within the Rice Creek Watershed. If you live in the watershed, you could be subject to District permits and rules if you plan to build or develop on your property.

Knowing if you live in the watershed will also help you find out about work we're doing in your area that helps improve water quality, reduce flooding, and manage water resources.

Try the Address Checker today, link in comments.