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NEWSLETTER / MARCH 2023
 Photo of the Month: A great blue heron in flight near the Northeast Minneapolis heron rookery on March 28, 2023. The return of the herons to their rookery (i.e., colony) is one of many signs of spring along the Mississippi River.
Table of Contents
Plant Sales, Cleanups, and Workshops: Mark Your Calendars for an Earth-Friendly Spring
 The first day of spring has already passed — although you could be forgiven for not noticing, with snow and freezing temperatures still lingering stubbornly.
For the early birds out there, we’ve assembled our annual list of plant sales, Earth Day cleanups and yard care workshops, as well as a few other resources to help you to start planning an Earth-friendly spring.
Learn More >
Redirect Your Gutter Downspouts to Protect Rivers and Lakes (and Your Foundation)
 Gutter downspouts pointed too close to the house can cause water intrusion into basements as well as erosion.
Our homes generate a lot of stormwater runoff. In our watershed, a medium-sized house with a 1,500-square-foot roof will generate approximately 31,000 gallons of runoff in a typical year.
Redirecting your gutter downspouts to vegetated spaces is one of the simplest and least expensive ways you can help protect water quality at home. By helping stormwater soak into the ground, you can reduce the amount of runoff carrying pollutants into stormdrains that discharge into rivers, lakes, and wetlands.
The trick is to aim your downspouts in the right spots. In our latest blog post, we cover the basics of home hydrology and offer tips for improving your drainage in ways that protect the environment as well as your house.
Learn More >
MWMO Awards Action Grants for Nicollet Island, CW Lofts Projects
 A pair of new MWMO Action Grant awards will fund habitat restoration on Nicollet Island and a green infrastructure project in a habitat-poor Northeast Minneapolis neighborhood.
A $17,543 grant to Friends of the Riverfront will fund a new phase of restoration work at Nicollet Island, where a coalition of neighborhood, nonprofit, and government partners has been working together since 2017 to remove invasive species and add native plantings.
This phase of the project includes an equity component, with Friends of the Mississippi River planning volunteer events focused on reaching diverse and local communities.
Meanwhile, a $50,000 grant to the Southeast Como Improvement Association (SECIA) will fund installation of a raingarden and pollinator lawns at CW Lofts, a residential condominium property in Mid-City Industrial Neighborhood of Minneapolis.
SECIA and CW Lofts are working together to implement a sustainable master plan for the property — one of a handful of green spaces in a heavily industrial part of the city.
Learn More >
Towerside District Stormwater System Wins Engineering Award
 Staff from the MWMO and Barr Engineering at the Feb. 24 ACEC/MN awards ceremony.
The American Council of Engineering Companies of Minnesota (ACEC/MN) recognized the Towerside District Stormwater System with a Grand Award at a Feb. 24 ceremony.
Staff from the MWMO and Barr Engineering — who designed the system —accepted the award for the groundbreaking project, which captures, cleans, and reuses stormwater runoff from four private properties whose owners agreed to manage their stormwater jointly.
The project has proven to be a resounding success, thanks in large part to the coalition of public and private partners who spent many years planning and implementing the system.
In a blog post from 2021, we explored the challenges of building and maintaining the system, as well as some of the key individuals who made it happen. We also created a video tour of the system for those who aren’t familiar with it.
Learn More >
2023 Adopt-a-Drain Challenge Begins
 MWMO Community Outreach Specialist Mary Yang (center) with the Anoka County 2022 Adopt-a-Drain Challenge winners.
Spring is a great time to join the Adopt-a-Drain program. In addition to keeping trash and sediment out of the Mississippi River, tending to your stormdrain this time of year might help prevent localized flooding.
The 2023 Anoka County Community Adopt-a-Drain Challenge has begun for several north metro communities. Last year, Columbia Heights beat out Andover, Blaine and Fridley for a second year in a row in a friendly competition that resulted in 115 new drain adoptions, 689 cleanups, 37 new adopters and more than 3,000 pounds of debris removed.
Statewide, nearly 20,000 stormdrains have been adopted and more than 565,000 pounds of debris have been removed so far, thanks to the Adopt-a-Drain program.
Even if you don’t live in Anoka County, you can still challenge yourself to make a difference for water quality by removing leaves, trash, and debris from stormdrains in your neighborhood. Let the challenge begin!
Learn More >
Upcoming Events
Art to Change the World Workshop
 MWMO Community Grant recipient Art to Change the World is hosting a “We Are What We Drink” workshop on April 5, exploring the issues of pollution in the Mississippi River and their connection to our daily lives.
Participants will have a chance to check out the “Mississippi Pearl,” an interactive piece of art formed from found items like trash and driftwood. The event will take place from 6 p.m.–8 p.m. at the MWMO and is intended for ages 8 and up.
Register >
Staff Updates
MWMO Bids Farewell to Isabel Seibert
Last week, we said goodbye to Administrative and Operations Specialist Isabel Seibert, who left the MWMO to begin a new position at her previous employer, Organic Lawns by LUNSETH.
Isabel joined the MWMO’s staff in October 2021 and began managing the MWMO’s day-to-day operations at a time when logistics were often tricky due to shifting hybrid work schedules and staffing changes. She did a great job all-around and will be missed!
Former intern Madison DelCastillo has been hired as a temporary, part-time administrative and operations assistant to take over some of Isabel's tasks in the short term.
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Grant Application Deadlines
Community Grants — Friday, April 21, 2023
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