Quick Links
Calendar Events
Watershed Association Initiative (WAI)
WAI Citizen Training Workshops
Question of the Week?
Frequently Asked Questions?
Additional Water Resources
Citizen led lake, stream, and watershed groups throughout MCWD are frequently are holding events, meetings, and educational gatherings that benefit the whole community. Click on calendar links for event and group contact information.
May 2008 |
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
| 1 | 2 | 3 Living Green Expo State Fair Grounds |
||||
| 4 Living Green Expo State Fair Grounds |
5 | 7 | 9 | 10 | ||
| 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
16 | 17 |
| 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 WAI Workshop | 22 | 23 | 24 |
| 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
Citizen led groups are encouraged to post events here. To post your events on this calendar contact Leah Peterson (Subject Line: Calendar Event).
" Understanding and Influencing Local Governments for Water Protection"
WHO: Members of citizen-led lake and creek groups throughout the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District (MCWD)
DATE: Wednesday May 21
LOCATION: Eisenhower Community Center, Rm 215E, 1001 State Hwy 7, Hopkins, MN 55305
TIME: 6:00 – 8:30PM
Cost : $10.00 /per person – pay at the door
FREE for citizen-led lake, stream or watershed associations/committees/orgs with three or more members in attendance!
Registration Deadline: Tues, May 13
A light dinner will be provided.
TO Register: Download Workshop Flyer
Q: What I do if I see a failed Silt Fence?
First what is a silt fence?
- A silt fence prevents soil and particles from the construction site going into our wetlands, lakes and rivers
- When silt fences are not properly installed it can cause erosion problems, increase in sediment in waterbodies, and decrease oxygen levels.
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A: Who are you going to Call? Minnehaha Creek Watershed District and the City or Town where you noticed the problem. In order to determine the exact location we need the address and the city of the site. Permitting Department: 952-471-0590 ext 211 Also, call the permitting department if you know someone who is working with out a permit from MCWD |
Submit your question to be considered for "Question of the Week" to Leah Peterson (subject line: Question of the Week).
Frequently Asked Questions?
How can we raise money?
What is your MCWD Lake Grade?
Why form a lake, stream, or watershed group?
What are articles of incorporation and bylaws and why do we need them?
Who is monitoring my lake?
What are Minnesota’s water statutes and rules?
1. How can we raise some money?
MCWD Mini-grant
Goal: Assist newly forming lake, stream or watershed associations/groups with start-up costs for new associations. Established associations/groups may qualify for funds if working with the WAI to increase organizational capacity or support the development of a District-wide network of lake, stream, or watershed associations
Objectives:
- Help citizens form effective citizen-led associations/groups focused on protecting and improving local waters.
- Support water quality improvement projects organized by citizen-led associations/groups
Qualifications:
- All funds need to be spent according to the association’s/group’s mission and vision
- Must be waters within MCWD
- Citizen led effort, engaged in forming an association/group
- Citizen led group, working with Watershed Association Initiative (WAI)
- Associations/groups should be committed to working with the WAI towards:
*Please read detailed Grant Overview
- adopting articles of incorporation and bylaws
- Holding a charter/kick-off meeting/event
- creating a newsletter
- conducting visioning sessions
- drafting an Organizational Plan
- creating organized action plans
- enhancing activities, via capacity building and organizational development, of existing citizen-led groups
- the development of a network of watershed associations/groups throughout MCWD
Administrative or Seed Fund (up to $1000)
- Defined use of this fund: Associations/groups will receive a 1:1 match for memberships attained. This is an additional admin/seed supplement, to meet the mission of newly forming associations/groups, and to increase community outreach and involvement
- Eligibility: Associations/groups are eligible for the membership match dollars after the Charter/Kick Off meeting (or its equivalent) has been held and the association/group has started to garner memberships.
- DEADLINE: May 31, 2008
- APPLICATION PROCESS: Applications and electronic supporting documents are due to Leah Peterson via e-mail leahp@minnesotawaters.org
- EMAIL SUBJECT LINE: WAI Seed Fund Mini-Grant Application
- Download Application
Membership Match Fund ($500)
- Defined use of this fund: printing, postage, member/community outreach; association/group start-up costs; Charter or Kick-off meeting expenses; Newsletter, website or other communication medium development
- Eligibility: Associations/groups are eligible for admin dollars when the steering committee has: approved or adopted articles of incorporation and bylaws or obtained a fiscal agent; and have a plan in place for the Charter/Kick-off meeting (or its equivalent).
- DEADLINE: July 31, 2008
- APPLICATION PROCESS: Applications and electronic supporting documents are due to Leah Peterson via e-mail leahp@minnesotawaters.org
- EMAIL SUBJECT LINE: WAI Membership Match Fund Application
- Download Application
Grant Resources
DNR:
PCA:
Minnesota Waters Conservation Partnership :
Cynthia Krieg:
MN Council on Foundations: Grant seeking Resources
2. What is your MCWD lake grade?
Criteria for lake grades
Many factors determine the quality of water in lakes and rivers. In order to establish lake grades MCWD tests for three parameters Phosphorous, and Chlorophyll A, and Secchi Disk Reading dept.
Chlorophyll: is a green pigment in plants that transforms light energy into chemical energy in photosynthesis
Phosphorous: Key nutrient influencing plant growth in lakes. Soluble reactive phosphorus (PO4-3) is the amount of phosphorus in solution that is available to plants.
Secchi Disk Reading in Meters: The Secchi disk is a 20 cm (8 inch) diameter weighted metal plate with alternating quadrants painted black and white that is used to estimate water clarity (light penetration).
3. Why form a lake, stream, or watershed group?
Groups throughout Minnesota, commonly known as river, lake or watershed associations, have heeded the challenge head-on, mobilizing and taking action for lake and stream protection today. It’s a simple solution: locally-led citizen stewardship for Minnesota’s most prized natural resources, our lakes and streams.
Why Do Groups Form?
River, lake or watershed groups often form around a particular concern for water or shoreline protection. The initial discussion concerning the need for a group generally requires a few meetings and a couple principal leaders, spurring interest and sustaining follow-thru.
And once a group is formed, there is no equivalent for the extraordinary watershed stewardship and protection which ensues. Regardless of scope or specific focus, river groups, lake associations and other local water conservation organizations are the backbone of water resource protection throughout Minnesota. And in today’s climate of budget limitations and increasing shoreline development, locally-led groups who know and use the resource are perfectly poised to address these challenges, leading the charge for lake and river protection into the next generation.
What are the basic steps of forming a non-profit, citizen-led group?
There are various stages of development you group will experience while forming a lake, stream or watershed group. What stages you choose to complete will be determined largely by your goals as an organization and whether your group wants to be recognized as “official” by your municipality, the state, the IRS, etc.
To be recognized by the State of Minnesota as an official nonprofit and to qualify for many grants, you should incorporate with the Secretary of State’s office – a relatively easy process.
Read more at: Minnesota Council of Nonprofits and Minnesota Waters
4. What are articles of incorporation and bylaws and why do we need them?
The articles of incorporation set up the basic terms of your lake, stream or watershed group, such as its purpose and board of directors. The bylaws are the rules the organization adopts by which to govern itself. The articles serve like the organization’s declaration of independence and the bylaws are like its constitution and laws.
We are just a small group of neighbors, do we need bylaws?
No. Bylaws are not required but can help define your citizen-led organization and its governance structure. If questions arise down the road, bylaws can help future volunteers and board members determine the actions that must occur. The majority of the citizen-led lake, stream and watershed groups throughout MCWD have bylaws.
Why should I incorporate my organization?
Benefits to incorporating include the ability to purchase property, accept donations, enter into contracts, and dissolve when appropriate. Incorporating also provides limited protection to the governing body of the organization, as long as no wrong-doing by the board has occurred, they cannot be held liable. Many grants that your lake, stream or watershed group will want to apply for require that you are incorporated with the Secretary of State.
Read more at: MN Council of Nonprofits
5. Who monitors my lake?
Citizens are critical participants in water resource management. The Watershed Association Initiative promotes a strong and vital community-based constituency empowered to measure the health of our lakes and rivers and to implement a purposeful “data to information to action” pathway. Citizen-based monitoring training enhance and expand the ability of volunteer citizen groups to collect water quality data that will be useful for local water management and/or state water quality assessment. See Minnesota Waters for more information.
For more information on how you and your lake, stream or watershed group can start monitoring your local waters or connect with those who are already monitoring, see below:
Minnehaha Creek Watershed District Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board CAMPS Program Citizen-Assisted Lake Monitoring Program
Three River Park District
- Carly Krey Lake
- Christmas Lake
- Church Lake
- Dutch lake
- East Auburn Lake
- Gleason Lake
- Hadley Lake
- Holy Name Lake
- Katrina Lake
- Kreatz Lake
- Langdon Lake
- Long Lake
- Louise Lake
- Lundsten Lake
- Lake Minnetonka
- Minnewashta Lake
- Mooney Lake
- Mud Lake
- Parley Lake
- Pierson Lake
- Schutz Lake
- Snyder Lake
- Turbid Lake
- Virginia Lake
- Wasserman Lake
- Wolsfield
- Brownie Lake
- Lake Calhoun
- Cedar Lake
- Diamond Lake
- Grass Lake
- Lake Harriet
- Lake Hiawatha
- Lake of the Isles
- Lake Nokomis
- Powderhorn Lake
- St. Joes Lake
- Twin Lake
- Tamarack Lake
- Auburn Lake
- Zumbra Lake
- Lake Minnetonka
.MPCA Surface Water Monitoring Information:
Met Council:
DNR LakefinderLinks on how to set up citizen monitoring programs
MPCA
Met Council
Minnesota Waters-Citizen Monitoring Program
6.What are Minnesota’s water statutes and rules?
DNR
Division of Waters
Water Information and Publications:
Stewardship in your backyard:
PCA:
MN Board of Water and Soil Resources:
Met Council Waters
Minnesota Waters
1000 Friends of MN
Clean Water Action
Ducks Unlimited
U of MN Water Resources Center:
U of MN Extension Service: