Scientists, government agency staff, land and water managers, interested citizens, and more filled Warner Nature Center’s large classroom on Tuesday for another symposium on St. Croix River science.
The day was reflective and bittersweet, as it would be the last such gathering in the space, with Warner closing its doors at the end of the week, and a lengthy closure ahead while the Manitou Fund devises its future.
Held every October since 1989, the St. Croix River Research Rendezvous is organized by the St. Croix Watershed Research Station, of the Science Museum of Minnesota. It lets people working in and studying the St. Croix River and its watershed share findings, ask questions, and discuss a wide range of subjects, from wildlife to water quality.
This year had that, as well as a series of retrospective presentations that looked back at the history of studying, managing, and protecting the St. Croix River, from people who were leaders in those efforts.
Here are a lot of tweets posted during the presentations. It may not be an ideal format for extended reading, but hopefully gives a flavor of the day.
First speaker is Jeremy Williamson of Polk County, talking about "Breaking the St. Croix into Bite-Size Pieces." Working on HUC-12 watershed scale to make real improvements in water quality.
— SCW Research Station (@scwrs_mn) October 22, 2019
Polk County evaluated the watersheds in its borders — which drain to the St. Croix — based on numerous criteria to figure out where the problems are and which ones have the greatest potential to improve water quality.
— SCW Research Station (@scwrs_mn) October 22, 2019
Many of these watersheds flow into the Apple River — which is the single largest contributor of phosphorus to Lake St. Croix. Work in Polk County has possibility to cause big benefits far downstream.
— SCW Research Station (@scwrs_mn) October 22, 2019
An audience member was curious about Horse Creek Farmer-Led Watershed Council. Here's more about that group's efforts: https://t.co/Te7oO7Rls0
— SCW Research Station (@scwrs_mn) October 22, 2019
15 local government units in MN on the lower river working to create a shared watershed management plan.
— SCW Research Station (@scwrs_mn) October 22, 2019
Here's the Lower St. Croix One Watershed One Plan website with info and chances to provide input: https://t.co/IKtYeZwZff
— SCW Research Station (@scwrs_mn) October 22, 2019
About 75% of phosphorus coming into Lake St. Croix comes from agriculture, but very little engagement in watershed planning. So Angie started calling farmers and asking how money from state for watershed management should best be used.
— SCW Research Station (@scwrs_mn) October 22, 2019
There's a right and wrong way to talk to a farmer. But there's also not a one-size-fits-all approach because every farm is different.
— SCW Research Station (@scwrs_mn) October 22, 2019
What are the barriers to implementing conservation practices? Market access, loss of cropland, high up front costs for long term return, high expenses, and not getting credit for positive work they are already doing.
— SCW Research Station (@scwrs_mn) October 22, 2019
Sent surveys to 1,000 farmers in Chisago and part of Pine County. Got 382 responses, a good rate.
— SCW Research Station (@scwrs_mn) October 22, 2019
Many diverse farms with row crops on rolling hills, and some woods scattered in.
— SCW Research Station (@scwrs_mn) October 22, 2019
The farmers said agricultural runoff is their biggest water quality concern. Most interested in improving soil health, planting cover crops, installing projects on their land, repairing gullies and ravines.
— SCW Research Station (@scwrs_mn) October 22, 2019
Two students from Edgewood High School is Madison, WI are now sharing their research in St. Croix State Park on non-native earthworms.
— SCW Research Station (@scwrs_mn) October 22, 2019
First project in 2018 was looking at soil conditions and earthworm population. Don't like sandy soil because it's too dry and irritates their skin.
— SCW Research Station (@scwrs_mn) October 22, 2019
In 2019, they looked at effect of controlled burns on worm populations. Anticipated a fire would reduce population for at least a couple years.
— SCW Research Station (@scwrs_mn) October 22, 2019
Their research could apply to where invasive Asian Jumping Worms could harm forests; managing invasive plants; and understanding soil and climate change.
— SCW Research Station (@scwrs_mn) October 22, 2019
Here's Joel Donna, a @MNMasterNat, and Mark Hove of @umncbs talking about native mussels, specifically the Wabash Pigtoe. Every mussel needs a host fish species to reproduce! pic.twitter.com/Dtq052a0ft
— SCW Research Station (@scwrs_mn) October 22, 2019
Hove: Mussels work day and night to improve water quality.
— SCW Research Station (@scwrs_mn) October 22, 2019
Partnership between U of MN and @MNMasterNat gave Hove the people power to do pigtoe research; and gave naturalists the chance to get scientific experience, including as co-authors on a research paper.
— SCW Research Station (@scwrs_mn) October 22, 2019
Through the project, they identified numerous new minnow host species for Wabash Pigtoe, which will help MN and Iowa DNRs manage the mussels, and will inform other work across the country.
— SCW Research Station (@scwrs_mn) October 22, 2019
Hove says working with citizen scientists provided invaluable new perspectives, helping him think about his research in new ways.
— SCW Research Station (@scwrs_mn) October 22, 2019
Here's @MNMasterNat Joel Donna swimming in the St. Croix while searching for Wabash Pigtoe this summer! pic.twitter.com/9dEpKqmBEM
— SCW Research Station (@scwrs_mn) October 22, 2019
Julie Galonska, superintendent of the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, kicks off our series of retrospective presentations about advocacy, management, biology, and water quality along the St. Croix River.
— SCW Research Station (@scwrs_mn) October 22, 2019
Galonska: NSP and Izaak Walton League worked together in 1940s to defeat US Army Corps of Engineers proposal to build two dams on the St. Croix, which would have inundated 75 miles of the upper river. Avoided fate of many other rivers.
— SCW Research Station (@scwrs_mn) October 22, 2019
Here's Randy Ferrin talking about the St. Croix Basin Water Resources Planning Team. "The St. Croix is the drain in the bathtub for 8,000 square miles." The basin team was formed in 1993 to coordinate multiple agencies and stakeholders to protect the river. pic.twitter.com/bJF9TZQPAr
— SCW Research Station (@scwrs_mn) October 22, 2019
Judy Helgen, retired from the MN Pollution Control Agency, kicks off the afternoon reviewing some of the MN environmental catastrophes of the past and how they were addressed — with an eye on present threats.
— SCW Research Station (@scwrs_mn) October 22, 2019
Mike Davis of MN DNR talking about mussel restoration. He got started as a commercial fisherman on the Mississippi, and was inspired by surveys of mussels on the St. Croix.
— SCW Research Station (@scwrs_mn) October 22, 2019
Davis: Mussels are some of the best anglers in the world.
— SCW Research Station (@scwrs_mn) October 22, 2019
Minnesota was the first "Dead Zone" on the Mississippi River, when sewage discharge, mussel harvesting, other actions in the early 20th century eliminated almost all life. Now the Dead Zone is in the Gulf of Mexico.
— SCW Research Station (@scwrs_mn) October 22, 2019
Since 1999, DNR has surveyed mussels at almost 4,000 sites in MN streams, in every major watershed, and established 16 long-term monitoring sites.
— SCW Research Station (@scwrs_mn) October 22, 2019
Davis: Five species of mussels use freshwater drum as a host fish, which is still listed as a "rough fish" by the state, lots of people throw them on the bank when caught. Might be full of juvenile mussels!
— SCW Research Station (@scwrs_mn) October 22, 2019
Our very own director emeritus, Dr. Dan Engstrom, is now providing a retrospective of research on the Upper Mississippi River system, which he says includes the St. Croix. Two excellent similar and very different water bodies.
— SCW Research Station (@scwrs_mn) October 22, 2019
Engstrom: Lake Pepin and St. Croix both uniquely record history of rivers in sediments. That "mud" has revealed answers about nutrients, sedimentation, antibiotics, triclosan, an "endless" list of stories that can be told.
— SCW Research Station (@scwrs_mn) October 22, 2019
Kent Johnson of the Met Council is now talking about the monitoring work done to take regular samples and other measurements of water quality in Lake St. Croix over the past several years.
— SCW Research Station (@scwrs_mn) October 22, 2019
Johnson: Monitoring has shown baseline levels of phosphorus, algae, etc. It also helps show if we're making improvements. Not seeing clear trends yet, but possible improvements showing up as wastewater treatment plants and others make changes.
— SCW Research Station (@scwrs_mn) October 22, 2019
Research Station director Jim Almendinger is up now to talk about models! These tools attempt to simulate the many little interactions between variables in a watershed, lake, or river.
— SCW Research Station (@scwrs_mn) October 22, 2019
Almendinger: Models show that fall cover crops on corn-soybean fields would give the St. Croix the biggest benefit for water quality.
— SCW Research Station (@scwrs_mn) October 22, 2019
Richard Kiesling of the USGS is talking about how harmful algae blooms in Lake St. Croix are connected to nutrient loading.
— SCW Research Station (@scwrs_mn) October 22, 2019
Kiesling: USGS has launched a new three-year study on Lake St. Croix to understand links between water quality and algae blooms and toxin production.
— SCW Research Station (@scwrs_mn) October 22, 2019
Ron Lawrenz, founding director of our Research Station, and retired director of Warner Nature Center, is telling the story of generosity and serendipity that led to the creation of the station in the late 1980s and 1990s.
— SCW Research Station (@scwrs_mn) October 22, 2019
Vikki Getchel, director of Warner: Last fiscal year saw 17,253 visitors, with 7 full-time and 4 part-time staff and 122 of "the most passionate volunteers I have ever met."
— SCW Research Station (@scwrs_mn) October 22, 2019
