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Water

Water shortages and problems around Minnesota — and the country — have many wondering what is the true cost of clean and reliable water. This reporting is supported in part by The Water Main, a project of American Public Media.

What would removing Twin Cities locks and dams mean for the Mississippi River?

What would removing Twin Cities locks and dams mean for the Mississippi River?

Some environmental groups think removing the locks and dams would help restore the ecological health of the river and create new recreational opportunities, but many questions remain. Several studies aim to provide answers.
by Kirsti Marohn

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Minnesota’s list of polluted waters grows, but some lakes, rivers reflect 'modest progress'

Minnesota’s list of polluted waters grows, but some lakes, rivers reflect 'modest progress'

The state’s water bodies face a variety of pollution issues, including mercury from coal-fired power plants and industry, sulfate that can harm wild rice and “forever chemicals” that accumulate in fish. But some lakes, rivers and streams have logged improvements.
by Kirsti Marohn

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Mille Lacs walleye return to same ‘hot spots’ to spawn, protections could be key to their success

Mille Lacs walleye return to same ‘hot spots’ to spawn, protections could be key to their success

The central Minnesota lake’s walleye population has declined in recent decades, and researchers have tried to figure out why. The latest study suggests protecting certain places in the lake where walleyes prefer to reproduce could boost their success.
by Kirsti Marohn

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Could clay halt toxic algae blooms? Minnesota researchers aim to find out

Could clay halt toxic algae blooms? Minnesota researchers aim to find out

Clay is widely used as a treatment method in other countries, but it hasn’t gotten much attention in the U.S. Researchers from the University of Minnesota and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are proposing to test its use in Minneapolis stormwater ponds with a history of algal blooms.
by Kirsti Marohn

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Environmental cleanup of St. Louis River nears completion

Environmental cleanup of St. Louis River nears completion

The St. Louis River where it flows into Lake Superior was heavily polluted for decades by a legacy of historic industrial pollution. Now Minnesota is on the cusp of completing the river’s environmental transformation.
by Dan Kraker

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Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness marks 50 years with familiar challenges

Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness marks 50 years with familiar challenges

The challenges of 1976 facing what became Friends of the Boundary Waters Area Wilderness are similar to those faced by the group today after Congress overturned a federal ban on mining near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
by Cathy Wurzer and Gracie Stockton

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Senate votes 50-49 to overturn mining ban near Boundary Waters

Senate votes 50-49 to overturn mining ban near Boundary Waters

The vote clears the path for Twin Metals to reapply to open an underground copper mine near Ely, just outside the wilderness area. Conservation groups argue mining in the region poses an unacceptable pollution threat.
by Dan Kraker

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