Because of that leadership vacuum, lawmakers should follow state agencies’ lead and move quickly to adopt an even broader measure to safeguard the waterways so crucial to the state’s economy and quality of life.

Source: startribune.com

The post Star Tribune editorial: ‘Protecting Minnesota waters from triclosan’ appeared first on State of the River.

Starting this June, don’t look for antibacterial soap in state government bathrooms.

State agencies have been ordered to stop buying products that contain triclosan, a microbe-killing chemical used in everything from plastics to cosmetics to dish soap — but which converts to an environmental toxin after it goes down the drain.

Source: startribune.com

The post Star Tribune: ‘Minnesota government won’t buy antibacterial products’ appeared first on State of the River.

Levels of triclosan, the active ingredient in household products ranging from soap to cosmetics have increased in rivers and ponds as people have used more of it over the past several decades, according to a study made public Tuesday, Jan. 22, and published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology.

Source: twincities.com

The post Pioneer Press: ‘University of Minnesota study: Antibacterial soap ingredient builds up in state’s waters’ appeared first on State of the River.

Increasing amounts of triclosan, a common antibacterial agent used in soaps and other products, has been detected in Minnesota lakes, according to the results of a new University of Minnesota study.

Source: publicradio.org

The post MPR: ‘Triclosan pollutes Minnesota lakes, U of M study finds’ appeared first on State of the River.

The post University of Minnesota Extention “From Shore to Shore” newsletter appeared first on State of the River.

The Mississippi River is alive again here as it flows through the Twin Cities metropolitan area. Once again, this urban river runs clear and its waters are a world-class fishery for walleye, sauger and small and largemouth bass.

Its revival is mostly the result of regulations imposed under the federal Clean Water Act – enacted 40 years ago. That’s the conclusion of The State of the River Report released (Sept. 27) by the Friends of the Mississippi River and the National Park Service.

Source: EWG.com

The post Environmental Working Group: ‘Regulation Works’ appeared first on State of the River.

Ask Lark Weller, a community planner with the National Park Service’s Mississippi National River and Recreation area, the most common question she gets about the Mississippi River and her answer is quick. “Is it safe to swim in the river?” Trevor Russell, watershed program director with Friends of the Mississippi River chimes in with another one, “Is it safe to eat fish from the river?” After struggling for years with how to answer these and other questions posed by the public, the National Park Service and Friends of the Mississippi finally decided to collaborate on a recently released report titled State of the River: Water Quality and River Health in the Metro Mississippi River.

Source: eastmetrowater.areavoices.com

The post East Metro Water: ‘Our Stretch of the Mississippi River: Good, Bad and Ugly’ appeared first on State of the River.

The good news: The Mississippi River is home to more fish, bald eagles and mussels than in recent history. The bad news: The river is being inundated with more bacteria, phosphates and sediment.

That’s according to the State of the River Report compiled by Friends of the Mississippi River and the National Park Service and funded by the McKnight Foundation, Minnehaha Creek Watershed District and Capitol Region Watershed District.

The report looks at 13 key indicators about the river’s health and water quality, from a Minnesota perspective, but also looks at implications as far south as the Gulf of Mexico.

Source: swjournal.com

The post Southwest Journal: ‘Report says Mississippi River improving, but still faces tough issues’ appeared first on State of the River.

…Central Minnesotans should pay attention to a new report released late last month called “State of the River.” It focuses on the 72 miles of Mississippi winding through the Twin Cities, but still offers important and relevant insights about what this area can do to protect the river amid challenges involving everything from agriculture to urban development.

Leaders of the Friends of the Mississippi River and the National Park Service’s Mississippi National River and Recreation Area put together the report with the help of dozens of experts. As a Your Turn published Sunday from them noted, the report focused on key indicators of the river’s health — things such as flow rates, wildlife abundance, sediment content and contaminants.

Source: sctimes.com

The post Op-Ed: ‘Take away lessons from Mississippi River report’ appeared first on State of the River.

Asian carp jumps on the Illinois River near Utica, Ill.
Photo: Ramin Rahimian, Star Tribune

The Star Tribune editorial board writes:

Just as a landmark report has documented a dramatically healthier upper Mississippi River, congressional inaction on Asian carp is threatening to undermine this progress, jeopardizing not only the Mississippi but the well-being of the beloved lakes and rivers in its vast Minnesota watershed.

Invasive Asian carp, a family of four pugnacious-looking fish, have consistently migrated up the Mississippi faster than policymakers have moved to stop them. Halting their progress in Minnesota is especially important, according to the new report from the National Park Service and Friends of the Mississippi River advocacy group. While the report concluded that the river is recovering from decades of neglect — the result of the federal Clean Water Act and concerted public policy — the piscine invasion remains a critical concern.

Source: StarTribune.com

The post Op-Ed: ‘Close the lock, stop the carp’ appeared first on State of the River.