Vermillion River Watershed Joint Powers Organization

07/29/2026

Funding opportunity alert! The Vermillion River Watershed Stewardship Grant helps organizations with projects that benefit our waters and engage people in the process. If you're with a civic group, religious congregation, nonprofit, school, library, or any other groups we missed, you're eligible. We still have funding available for 2026, so don't miss this opportunity. Link in the top comment.

07/28/2026

The whole Vermillion River Watershed is now under "Abnormally Dry" or "Moderate Drought" conditions. The river flow gages back that up. It's becoming all too familiar. Cut back on water use wherever you can.



https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/data/png/current/current_mn_cat.png

07/15/2026

💧Irrigation Water Sampling - Get your irrigation water tested for nitrate for free in 2026!

Collect roughly 16 ounces of irrigation water at any time. Please drop off samples at:

River Country Co-op
15460 180th St. E., Hastings

Samples can be dropped off at any time, either with staff or an after-hours drop box. Please ensure containers contain your name, mailing address, email address and phone number to provide results. Containers will not be returned.

Samples will be analyzed, and results will be privately mailed or emailed to you with more information on your results and how to credit your irrigation water for nitrate from local experts.

Crediting irrigation water for nitrate can save significant costs by reducing fertilizer use. For example, a farmer with 20 mg/L of nitrate can save $18/acre when applying 8 inches of water during the growing season.

For more information - www.dakotacountymn.gov/residents/land-water/agriculture.

07/10/2026

A Clean Water Fund-supported partnership among the Vermillion River Watershed Joint Powers Organization, City of Lakeville, MN - Government and Dakota County Government removed nearly 10,000 pounds of invasive carp and goldfish from East Lake. The effort is helping to improve water quality in the nutrient-impaired lake.
Link to July BWSR Snapshots newsletter article: https://buff.ly/l4erq9P

07/08/2026

07/08/2026

🎆 We hope you had an amazing holiday weekend! Now let's help keep the celebration going by giving our waterways a little love. 🌊💙

After the fun is over, fireworks debris, food wrappers, and other litter can be left behind—and when it rains, that trash can find its way into our rivers, lakes, and streams.

Before you head home, take a few extra minutes to pick up your area. Every piece of litter you remove helps protect wildlife, keeps our waterways cleaner, and preserves the natural places we all enjoy. 🌿🐟

Thank you for doing your part to keep our communities clean and beautiful! 🙌✨

07/08/2026

This summer, let's do our part to prevent harmful algal blooms! Lawn clippings are packed with phosphorus, algae's favorite snack. Turn your lawn care into lake care and make sure to keep your clippings and other yard waste away from the street and out of storm drains or waterways. Together, we can help reduce algae in Minnesota lakes!

07/08/2026

Don't dump - instead, sweep up, rake up, and pick up around your storm drains! If you adopt your drain, you can track your impact and see how big of a difference it makes for our streams and lakes.

Adopt-a-Drain MN

Storm drains along your street connect directly to local lakes, rivers and streams. There’s no magic filter on those underground pipes, which means dumping chemicals, called an illicit discharge, can easily pollute our waters. Make sure you’re doing your part to properly dispose of chemicals the correct way.
Remember, only rain down the storm drain.

07/07/2026

UPDATE: Our website is back online! Thanks for your patience.

Our website is currently inaccessible, with the message "Connection Timed Out" appearing. We're working with our maintenance team to address the issue. We apologize for this situation - we are available by phone and email for questions or concerns. Thank you for your patience.