Scientists, researchers, policy-makers and others with a stake in the St. Croix River region came together today to share information about their work. Topics included brook trout, zebra mussels, climate change, phosphorus reduction, and lots more.
The annual St. Croix River Research Rendezvous has been organized by the St. Croix Watershed Research Station since 1989. It was hosted by Warner Nature Center in Marine on St. Croix, Minn., which provided a lovely setting for learning.
I took pages of notes which will inform a few in-depth posts soon. I also tweeted sporadically throughout the day and offer those below as a little taste for the presentations. It’s obviously lacking a lot of important context, so stay tuned for the full report!
Heading to Warner Nature Center in Marine on St. Croix for the St. Croix River Research Rendezvous. Excited to get my science fix.
— Greg Seitz (@gregseitz) October 16, 2012
Your antibacterial soap mixes with chlorine at wastewater treatment plant, creates toxic chemical compounds poisoning your lakes and rivers.
— Greg Seitz (@gregseitz) October 16, 2012
Judy Alghren, retired MPCA scientist, presenting about deformed frogs. My question is how frog with one leg lived long enough to be found.
— Greg Seitz (@gregseitz) October 16, 2012
(I got Judy’s last name wrong in my tweet, it is Judy Helgen, and you can buy her new book here: Peril in the Ponds: Deformed Frogs, Politics, and a Biologist’s Quest
Research on Sunrise River shows more, bigger mussels right below dam (warmer water, more food) but less diversity of species.
— Greg Seitz (@gregseitz) October 16, 2012
Park Service scientist presenting re: St. Croix National Riverway’s response to climate change: interesting because of north-south length.
— Greg Seitz (@gregseitz) October 16, 2012
“In a generation or two, there will be people who want to see a birch tree, fish for native brook trout.” Can NPS preserve that opportunity?
— Greg Seitz (@gregseitz) October 16, 2012
Yay, now we are talking trout! Notre Dame researcher presenting about study of climate change and native brook trout in Namekagon River.
— Greg Seitz (@gregseitz) October 16, 2012
I like this guy. Just showed pre-logging photo of Namekagon, “only one I could find.” What I was looking for unsuccessfully the other day.
— Greg Seitz (@gregseitz) October 16, 2012
Takeaway from talk about brook trout is: fishermen, when you exaggerate your catches, it might cause headaches for future scientists!
— Greg Seitz (@gregseitz) October 16, 2012
Next up, hot topic earlier this year: fish predation of zebra mussels.
— Greg Seitz (@gregseitz) October 16, 2012
SE Minnesota limestone groundwater systems flow through so quickly and directly that you can have corn cobs floating out of springs.
— Greg Seitz (@gregseitz) October 16, 2012
Sandstone systems of St. Croix region much slower flows, more contact between water and rock/sand and more constant water temperatures.
— Greg Seitz (@gregseitz) October 16, 2012
St. Croix water quality risking death by 1,000 cuts, demands healing by 1,000 sutures.
— Greg Seitz (@gregseitz) October 16, 2012
Washington County folks talking aboit prioritizing implementation of best practices to reduce runoff. No more “random acts of conservation.”
— Greg Seitz (@gregseitz) October 16, 2012
Just heard about 15 rain gardens built to improve Stillwater’s Lily Lake. Lot of talk about Lily water quality lately due to fatal amoeba.
— Greg Seitz (@gregseitz) October 16, 2012
Presentation by DNR re: Brown’s Creek Trail now. Shows historic stone bridge as interpretive opportunity. Wish agency would buy the thing.
— Greg Seitz (@gregseitz) October 16, 2012
A mediocre photo of the St. Croix I contributed to the river’s Wikipedia page years ago has been featured in two presentations today.
— Greg Seitz (@gregseitz) October 16, 2012
Warner Nature Center director says scientists are just kids who didn’t get the wonder squeezed out of them. (Does @onemanswonder agree?)
— Greg Seitz (@gregseitz) October 16, 2012
My flurry of tweets from the Research Rendezvous today apparently only cost me one follower. Thanks for bearing with me, loyal tweeps.
— Greg Seitz (@gregseitz) October 16, 2012