Lower Minnesota River Watershed District

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Lower Minnesota River Watershed District

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The LMRWD works together with our communities to protect, improve, and educate about our valuable water resources as well as provide recreational opportunities and commercial barge navigation.

05/19/2026

The May Board Meeting of the Lower Minnesota River Watershed District (LMRWD) will be held at the Eden Prairie Library on Wednesday, May 20, from 6:00-8:00 pm.

The meeting will include an update on the Area 3 Bank Stabilization Project in Eden Prairie, MN, a large-scale construction project to stabilize rapidly eroding riverbank along a steep slope.

All LMRWD Board meetings are open to the public. We welcome our partners to join us and learn about collaborative solutions. Board meeting details are available on the LMRWD website: https://lowermnriverwd.org/meetings.

04/16/2026

Come and say hi to our Citizen Advisory Committee this weekend - they will be exhibiting at the Eden Prairie Eco Expo from 10am to 5pm on Saturday April 18.
Celebrate Earth Day by exploring ways to live your best eco-friendly life! 🌍

04/09/2026

This week, our Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) hosted a mixer event to convene stakeholders from neighboring watershed districts, local government units, partner organizations, and the general public. We had a great turnout and are thrilled with the new connections made to support resource management and build momentum around improving the Minnesota River. Participants discussed issues and brainstormed new ideas for broader collaboration. Input from the meeting will help our CAC advise the Board, bring issues and opportunities into the watershed management planning process, and grow their network around key concerns and actions.

The Lower Minnesota River Watershed District is actively recruiting new CAC members and looking to expand its impact. We are welcoming new partners to consider submitting an application and joining us at future meetings to continue this important work. If you are interested, we hope you will consider your next steps to get involved: bit.ly/4tEVl84

Thanks to everyone who joined us. If you missed out, you are always welcome at the next meeting! Learn more at: lowermnriverwd.org.

03/26/2026

If you love puzzles and learning about natural resources, you need to check out this Savage Fen Puzzle Kickstarter! 🌱🧩

Kade Gouge is a nature-lover and senior product designer at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design who recently launched a Kickstarter to fund his Puzzling Ecosystems Savage Fen Puzzle. At the heart of the project is one question: What if a puzzle could do more than entertain...What if it could help us understand the natural world through play?

The Savage Fen is a calcareous fen wetland located in Savage, MN, and is home to some of the rarest species in the state. However, it’s become endangered due to the introduction of invasive species and human activity.

In this puzzle, your mission is to restore the Savage Fen. The puzzle is more than just a fun game-it's also a learning opportunity. Users will learn as they play, by identifying native and invasive species, eliminating the invasive species with a special puzzle piece, and rewilding the fen with native plant pieces. Adjusting the puzzle with the correct actions will reveal what the fen looks like in its natural glory. This unique component makes the puzzle a wonderful education and outreach opportunity for gamers of all ages.

To make the Savage Fen puzzle a reality, Kade's Kickstarter needs support to go from concept to first production run. Running through April 21, 2026, the project needs to raise $5,000 to become a reality. Just a few days in, the traction is there - but we need our partners to get involved and check out this great design project. Learn more about the puzzle and how to get involved at: bit.ly/3Q2HhX7

We can't wait to see these puzzles in real life!

02/26/2026

The Minnesota River was recently profiled in the Eden Prairie Local News, highlighting the long labor of love for local advocates. After decades of efforts, plans for a possible Minnesota River Commission may soon get a boost with state legislation as early as this year's legislative session. Read the full story at: bit.ly/4tHNPtE

We'd love to hear what you think! If this story inspires you to get more involved, please join us at an upcoming Board of Managers meeting, held the third Wednesday of each month at the Carver County Government Center. Learn more at: bit.ly/3Mk0d2t

You can also get involved through our Citizen Advisory Committee, where community members engage in critical watershed and outreach activities. Learn more at: bit.ly/4kNSCpx

02/23/2026

The Minnesota River was recently profiled in the Minnesota Star Tribune, highlighting the need for leadership and action. The opinion piece by Patrick Belmont shares how, like many issues in our country, even straightforward solutions with broad agreement can be difficult to implement. The piece features key data from years of research, showing that sediment in the Minnesota River is coming not just from eroding farm fields but from the erosion of tall banks and bluffs as drainage systems change.

Read the full story and learn more at: https://bit.ly/4rZI498

02/19/2026

The face of the Lower Minnesota River Watershed District (LMRWD) Board of Managers is changing as the watershed district says farewell to Theresa Kuplic and welcomes new managers from Scott and Carver counties. The Board of Managers continues to make seamless progress on its important work in water and natural resources management.

🌿 Manager Theresa Kuplic ends her service as a Board Manager: The LMRWD thanks Manager Theresa Kuplic for her service as she ends her term of service, effective March 1, 2026. She served on the Board of Managers from November 2022 through February 2026 representing Dakota County. Manager Kuplic began her work with the LMRWD as a member of the Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) before transitioning to work with the Board of Managers. At the time of her resignation, she was the longest-serving Manager, and her leadership has played a central role in shaping District programs, governance standards, and community engagement. Dakota County has been formally notified of the vacancy and asked to post the public notice for the appointment process. The Board of Managers recognized Manager Kuplic for her service at the February 18, 2025 Board meeting and shared appreciation for her unique talents.

🌿 Carter McNew was initially appointed to the Board of Managers to represent Scott County in September 2025. At the February 18 Board meeting, he was officially appointed to serve a three-year term through 2029.

🌿 Kyle Bakkum was appointed to the Board of Managers by the Carver County Board of Commissioners and sworn into office at the November 2025, Board meeting to begin his term of service. At the February 18 Board meeting, Manager Bakkum was appointed to serve as Secretary of the Board.

Read the full story to learn more about the managers and transitions at: bit.ly/4atpUXC

02/04/2026

The Lower Minnesota River Watershed District (LMRWD) is hosting a free, in-person training on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, on the basics of Minnesota Data Practices and Open Meeting Law. The Data Practices Office (DPO) will provide an overview of the basics of the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act, including what constitutes government data, how data is classified, who has data practices responsibilities, and how to respond to data requests.

DPO will also highlight what you need to know about the Open Meeting Law, such as when the law applies, requirements for meeting remotely, and what situations allow you to close a meeting. Additionally, the team will answer any questions you have about these laws and how they apply to the work you do.

Food will be provided for attendees. Join us for this great opportunity to learn, and stay for the regularly scheduled LMRWD Board of Managers meeting, beginning at 7pm.

💧 Hosted by: The LMRWD and the Data Practices Office, Minnesota Department of Administration. Presented by Taya Moxley-Goldsmith (Director) and Casey Carmody (Assistant Director)

💧 Who should attend? The training is open to the Lower Minnesota River Watershed District (LMRWD) meeting participants (Board of Managers, Citizen Advisory Committee, Technical Advisory Committee, staff, and consultants). We also invite other stakeholders and local government partners to join us. All you need is an interest in improving data and meeting best practices for compliance with Minnesota law.

💧 Register Today: Please RSVP for the event at: https://tinyurl.com/4u6pke93

💧 Learn more about the department and data practices at: https://mn.gov/admin/data-practices/

01/30/2026

The Lower Minnesota River Watershed District (LMRWD) Board of Managers issued a proclamation for Winter Salt Week, a week dedicated to raising awareness around salt reduction solutions. ❄️

Communities across the watershed recognize the need to remove ice to maintain safe and accessible roads, sidewalks, and parking areas during winter months; however, salt applied on pavement inevitably enters nearby water and soil—where it can pose long-term risks to ecosystems, drinking water sources, and soil health.

Winter Salt Week is recognized during January 26-30, 2026, to raise awareness around salt reduction strategies. Winter Salt Week invites us to recognize the use and impacts of salt, also known as chloride, and find ways to reduce our reliance on it.

Visit our website to find ways to get involved and learn from our mascot Salty Dawg: https://lowermnriverwd.org/news/winter-salt-week-proclamation

01/06/2026

The Lower Minnesota River Watershed District (LMRWD) is overseeing construction of the Area 3 Bank Stabilization Project, a large-scale project in Eden Prairie, MN. The project will stabilize 1,200 feet of actively eroding riverbank on the outside bend of the Minnesota River, stabilizing the meander bend to prevent further migration and erosion downstream. The area has very steep slopes, which creates stability concerns – both for residents at the top of the bluff and for the potential impact of sedimentation in the event of a failure.

Construction is ongoing through substantial completion in late February 2026 with final completion in May. Follow our website for weekly construction updates and stay up to date on project progress: https://lowermnriverwd.org/news.

Once constructed, the project will reduce a significant amount of erosion and the risk to bluff properties. Project success will be measured by quantifying the total amount of sediment lost to date and comparing it to the amount of sediment stabilized by the project.

Address

112 E. 5th Street
Chaska, MN
55318

Website

https://lowermnriverwd.org/

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