In the news

Information: We no longer update this page on a regular basis. We do provide links to some websites where you can get stormwater news. If you have newsworthy items, please send them to Paula Kalinosky at the MPCA.

This page contains news items, excerpts from recent articles, brief summaries of case studies, and more. If you are aware of a newsworthy event in the stormwater world, send us an email. We promise to give it a look.

Caution: Reference herein to any specific commercial products, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.

Links to websites with stormwater and related news and information

• Mississippi Watershed Management Organization Newsletters
• Capitol Region Watershed District News
• Ramsey-Washington Watershed District News
• City Buzz - City Buzz is the semi-annual newsletter of the Minneapolis-St. Paul Metropolitan Area Urban Long-Term Ecological Research Program (MSP LTER).

Old stuff

• Posted 7/23/21: The Mississippi Watershed Management Organization announced it has awarded four new grants for projects designed to protect and improve water quality and habitat. These green infrastructure projects will provide multiple environmental benefits. Read here for more information.
• Posted 7/19/21: Highland Bridge Redevelopment Updates - Get regular updates on the Ford Assembly Plant redevelopment project in St. Paul. This is one of the largest land tracts being redevelopment in the Twin Cities and includes numerous stormwater management features.
• Posted 1/23/2019: Upgraded Snow-Fighting Equipment Helps Fridley Reduce Water Pollution - This month, the City of Fridley began deploying a fleet of upgraded snow plow trucks that will do a better job of keeping ice off the roads while also reducing water pollution.
• Posted 12/3/2018: NEW! Industrial Stormwater online training. Need to learn more about industrial stormwater? Use this online training course to learn the basics of industrial stormwater permit requirements.
• Posted 7/18/18: National Municipal Stormwater and Green Infrastructure Awards Program. The Water Environment Federation is now accepting applications for the 2018 Municipal Stormwater and Green Infrastructure Awards Program. Phase I and Phase II municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) permit holders are invited to submit a nomination.
• Posted 7/17/18: Announcing the 2018 Campus RainWorks Challenge! - The Campus RainWorks Challenge seeks to engage with undergraduate and graduate students to foster a dialogue about stormwater management and showcase the environmental, economic, and social benefits of green infrastructure practices. The Campus RainWorks Challenge is open to institutions of higher education across the United States and its territories. College students form interdisciplinary teams with the support and guidance of a faculty sponsor. Teams must meet all of the eligibility requirements in the 2018 Campus RainWorks Challenge Brief.
• Exploring the High-Tech Stormwater Reuse System at Westminster Presbyterian Church - "In January, after six years of planning and building, Westminster (Presbyterian Church) opened the doors to its new $48 million, 49,000-square-foot addition along the Nicollet Mall. It is a case study in environmental leadership."
• Neighbors trade in their old alley for one that's new and permeable
• Research Council tackles stormwater concerns - A 1.5 million dollar Clean Water Land & Legacy Amendment award, leveraged with funds from watersheds and cities, will advance applied research that delves into questions about efficient, effective urban runoff treatments. The 20-member Minnesota Stormwater Research Council is behind the effort. Link here for more information.
• Towerside District Stormwater in Minneapolis is a new model of green infrastructure practices. Watch the YouTube video for more information.
• The City of Deerwood Minnesota received a Community Partnership Award from the MN Pollution Control Agency at the Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation District Convention in December, 2016. The award was for a stormwater retrofit project between the City of Deerwood, Serpent Lake Association and Summer Place Association and Crow Wing County.
• Minneapolis' new 4.2 acre public park and green space adjacent to the U.S. Bank Stadium is covered in more than 20,000 square feet of permeable material.
• St. Paul's West Side Flats proposed stormwater management system is highlighted in the Minneapolis Star Tribune, October 13, 2016. The site is a 40 acre brownfield site and the proposed plan is to treat stormwater as a valuable resource to be captured, naturally cleaned and filtered, and reused for aboveground amenities such as green space and water features.
• The Minnesota Minimal Impact Design Standards (MIDS) project is highlighted in the fall edition of Land and Water publication
• On June 23, 2016, the Metropolitan Council announced the grant recipients for stormwater projects. Projects that were funded include a stormwater capture and reuse system in Chanhassen, a harvest and reuse project at the Eden Prairie fire station, a reuse irrigation project in the City of Hugo, a rainwater reuse system at the Minneapolis Westminister church, green infrastructure elements at the new Midway Soccer redevelopment site and rain gardens in the Harrison neighborhood of North Minneapolis.
• This is how St. Paul wants to put its stormwater to good use. An article published in the St. Paul Pioneer Press that addresses how St. Paul officials hope to address stormwater at the site of the former Ford plant.
• The City of Shoreview completed the largest pervious concrete public street project in North American history. See the story on the City's website.
• Stormwater Project will protect Roseville's Lake McCarrons, published in the Star Tribune on November 13 highlights several projects that are capturing, filtering and reusing rainwater.
• Recently released report by the Minnesota Local Technical Assistance Program, Pavements Could Improve Safety, Benefit Environment
• Kare 11 News has a great story on the Stormwater Park located in Minneapolis, which is home to the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization.
• One-of-a-kind Stormwater Park Protects Mississippi Watershed Minnesota Public Radio has a great story on the stormwater practices at the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization's office in Minneapolis.
• Floating Treatment Wetlands Show Promise as Pond Retrofits, published in the Water Environment Federation Stormwater Report on September 3, 2015. There are approximately 10 Floating Islands projects in Minnesota.
• Minnesota Public Radio aired a story on July 27 on green infrastructure. Minnesota rain gardens go bit to fight pollution, reuse water. The Argenta Hills development in Inver Grove Heights and other green infrastructure projects are highlighted in this story.
• The Argenta Hills development, in Inver Grove Heights is the national winner for the 2015 American Council of Engineering Companies Award for Engineering Excellence. Emmons & Olivier Resources, Inc. designed the zero stormwater discharge site.
• The Minnesota Environmental Initiative presented an award to the Master Water Stewards for their work in environmental education. Master Water Stewards address urban runoff and engage community members to be part of the solution. The program is a partnership between the Freshwater Society and participating watershed districts.
• Trees, emerald ash borer (EAB), and urban tree diversity
  • The City of Minneapolis has developed a plan to address impacts from the emerald ash borer. Two important goals of this effort are the gradual replacement of all ash trees on Minneapolis property over the course of several years and replacement with a more diverse tree assemblage. This has both short term and long term advantages. In the short term, the gradual replacement will minimize negative impacts of tree loss to water quality. In the long term, a diverse urban forest will be more resistant to infestations such as EAB and Dutch Elm Disease. See the next bullet for more on diversity. For a quick overview of the Minneapolis effort, see their fact sheet.
  • Peter MacDonagh, who worked with us on updates to the manual, including the section on Trees, authored two articles on the importance of urban tree diversity. In addition to aesthetics, a diverse urban forest is more resistant to infestations such as the EAB and Dutch Elm Disease. Read the articles here [1],[2].
  • For more information on the importance of trees for stormwater management, water quality, and other benefits, see [3].
• 5 Eyewitness News has a story on the inside look at the new ballpark and features the water reuse project. Go to Eyewitness News for more information
• Minnesota Public Radio's Climate Adaption Series features a stormwater component. Stormwater program managers such as Christ Kleist in Duluth, Liz Stout in Minnetonka and Lois Eberhart in Minneapolis are featured in the story. For more information, go to Minnesota Public Radio
• The Mississippi Watershed Management Organization (MWMO) received an Environmental Impact ReScape award in October, 2014 from Minnesota Brownfields. The MWMO facility is a 1.26 acre site located on the east bank of the Mississippi River. The site was remediated by removing 18,000 tons of debris fill. The cleanup and development created a recreational space with integrated stormwater management that includes vegetated swales, permeable pavers, infiltration basins, a green roof, rainwater gardens and rainwater reuse.
• Stormwater reuse at the Lowertown Ballpark