Rice Creek Watershed District

09/10/2026

Last chance to register! Great for kids and families 😁

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...

09/08/2026

Congrats to our staff that were selected to present at the 2026 MN Water Resources Conference! 👏

The conference brings together researchers, practitioners, and water resource professionals from across the state to share cutting-edge science, engineering solutions, management insights, and practical approaches to manage water resources.

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...