Riley Purgatory Bluff Creek Watershed District

08/28/2026

Worried you missed the window to plant a new native garden this year? Don't fret - fall is actually a great time to plant! The cooler air temperatures are less stressful for new transplants, but the soil is still warm, creating ideal conditions for the plant to focus on root growth. This results in resilient plants that have a big head-start in the spring compared to if you wait until then to plant.

If you're an RPBCWD resident, you can still get up to $500 towards a fall native planting project with our mini-cost share program: rpbcwd.org/mini-cost-share 🍂

Fall might be Minnesota’s most underrated season for planting native perennials. While we think of gardening during spring, there are…

08/27/2026

Aquatic plants play an essential role in the health of a lake's ecosystem. They help reduce shoreline erosion, support aquatic life, maintain clean water, and more! Removing these plants in large quantities can have negative effects on water quality and lake health. Any removal of aquatic plants requires a permit from the DNR. Learn more about aquatic plants at rpbcwd.org/aquatic-plants.

08/18/2026

We look forward to welcoming Jessica Loftus to our Board of Managers! A resident of Deephaven, Loftus brings over 15 years of experience in city management, including terms as the City Administrator for the cities of Tonka Bay and Orono. Loftus' first meeting of her term on the RPBCWD board will be at the August regular meeting of the Board of Managers tonight at 7:00pm. Welcome, Manager Loftus!

Hennepin County has appointed Jessica Loftus to fill a seat on the Riley Purgatory Bluff Creek Watershed District (RPBCWD) Board of Managers. Loftus…

08/14/2026

Thanks for highlighting our lakes, Eden Prairie Local News! We're proud of the work the district and our partners have done to improve the water quality of Riley, Rice Marsh and Hyland lakes.

Lake Riley, Rice Marsh Lake and Hyland Lake are poised to leave Minnesota’s impaired waters list after years of work to improve water quality.

08/13/2026

We want to hear about your Homeowners Association!

RPBCWD is developing an HOA Stormwater Management Education program! A workshop this fall will cover common stormwater best management practices, maintenance requirements, and the role HOAs can play in protecting clean water.

To help this program reach as many HOAs as we can, we are asking for submissions from you. Head to this link to tell us about your HOA and how we can reach you: https://www.rpbcwd.org/hoa-stormwater-management

08/11/2026

Here at the District, we know that good water quality is a community effort. This August is National Water Quality Month, and we want to highlight some of the ways that we can keep our water clean this month and all year long! Here are five ideas for actions you can take to promote good water quality.

💧𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐭. Using a 12-ounce mug of salt is enough salt for 250 square feet of pavement. Applying less salt means more money in your pocket and less pollution in our waterways.
💧𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬. With their long roots, native plants help more stormwater soak into the ground. This helps reduce flooding and the amount of nutrients going to our waterbodies.
💧𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐚 𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐥. Rain barrels collect excess stormwater that can be reused for your lawn, garden, or indoor plants.
💧𝐂𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧. Water in storm drains flows directly to our waterways, along with any debris in it. Consider adopting a storm drain and, until November 30th, winning cool prizes doing it! Check out rpbcwd.org/the-grate-drain-race for more info.
💧𝐋𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭 𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐫 𝐮𝐬𝐞. Excess nutrients from fertilizers get washed away during storm events. These nutrients promote algae blooms which can harm water quality. Limiting fertilizer use to only what you need can help prevent these blooms.

08/04/2026

Our summer newsletter is here! Catch up with what we've been up to and learn how you can get involved by subscribing to our newsletter: rpbcwd.org/newsletter

Riley, Rice Marsh, and Hyland lakes removed from impaired waters listRPBCWD is excited to announce the delistings of Riley, Rice Marsh, and Hyland lakes from the impaired waters list! The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) maintains an impaired waters list as required by the federal Clean Wat...

07/31/2026

Starting tomorrow August 1st, we are going head-to-head with Nine Mile Creek Watershed District in the Grate Drain Race! You can participate by adopting and cleaning any storm drain in our District between August 1st and November 30th.

We are giving away prizes for best drain name, as well as holding raffles for new drains adopted and cleanings reported (so if you have drains already adopted, you can still compete!). Learn more about storm drains and the competition at rpbcwd.org/the-grate-drain-race or visit mn.adopt-a-drain.org/ to adopt a drain today!