Flute Reed Partnership Annual Meeting

Thursday, July 29, 2010, 7:00 pm
Hovland Town Hall

Seminar: Summer Turf Grass Maintenance
with Reduced Environmental Impacts

Tuesday, August 10th, 2010, 9:00 am - 3:30 pm
Mesabi Range Community and Technical College
Virginia, Minnesota

Get the brochure for more information and a registration form.

Lawn care professionals, landscape contractors, golf course superintendents, and anyone responsible for maintaining parks, cemeteries, public or school grounds will not want to miss this FREE one-day seminar (lunch is included).

Duluth Raingarden Workshops

Wednesday, August 11th, 2010

Get the brochure for more information and a registration form.

Who should attend? ANYONE interested in growing beautiful plants, and EVERYONE who is committed to the preservation of our streams and Lake Superior: homeowners, gardeners, landscape professionals, master gardeners and master naturalists.

Latest News:

High Temperatures Can Bring Harmful Algal Blooms

MPCA is again reminding people that some blue-green algae can harm pets, livestock and even people.

Blue-Green Algae Blooms Trigger Health Reminder
Avoiding Contact is the Safest Approach

Wisconsin DNR issued a reminder to folks to avoid swimming in areas blanketed with heavy growths of noxious blue-green algae which can have a paint slick or pea soup like appearance. People should note that such blooms can be a moving target, since wind and wave action can often make a bloom disappear or appear quickly.

For more information check the WI DNR and the state Department of Health Services websites.

2010 Northland Water Safety Workshop

Tuesday, June 1, 2010, 10 am to 3 pm

Lafayette Community Center, 3026 Minnesota Avenue, Duluth, MN 55802

Weather and water safety experts will sponsor a 5 hour conference on water safety in the Northland.

The conference is open to all, but pre-registration is required. Registration form and $15 fee for lunch and the conference must be received by May 25, 2010.

Rain Barrel and Compost Bin Truckload Sale!

Saturday, May 22, 2010
9 am to 3 pm
Lake Superior College Parking Lot

The Western Lake Superior Sanitary District and the Regional Stormwater Protection Team will host a rain barrel and compost bin sale on May 22, 2010 from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm in the Lake Superior College parking lot.

55 gallon SYSTERN rain barrels will be available for $50/unit (tax included, a $120 value!) The SYSTERN can be placed under any downspout to collect water for use in yards and gardens. The Earth Machine® compost bin will be sold for $40 (tax included, a $100 value).

VISA, MC, DISCOVER, & checks accepted, while supplies last. First come, first served.

Download the brochure. For more information please call (218) 722-0761 or visit www.wlssd.com.

Public meeting on new zoning regulations to be held May 18

The City of Duluth planning Division invites the public to a meeting to discuss the final section of the new zoning regulations, Module 4 of the Unified Development Chapter of the City of Duluth Legislative Code (UDC), on Tuesday, May 18, 2010, at 6:00 PM in Duluth City Hall, Room 303 (411 West First Street). The Clarion Associates team, which was hired to assist City Planning staff in drafting the new land use regulations, will make a presentation.

More information: Press release | City of Duluth website

Two new Technical Reports on Miller Creek describing work conducted as part of the TMDL study to determine the causes of the excessive temperatures in Miller Creek and the best ways of dealing with the problem.

Trout stocking under way in Duluth area

MN DNR trout stocking plans for the Duluth area for May 2010. They are stocked primarily for youth, but may be caught by any age angler.

Tischer Creek ­ 500 brown trout, 600 brook trout;  Chester Creek ­ 320 brook trout, 500 brown trout; Kingsbury Creek ­ 465 brook trout;Midway River ­ 500 brown trout;St. Louis River above Jay Cooke State Park ­ 1,000 brown trout; Twin Ponds (Buckingham Creek) ­ 400 rainbow trout 

Tree Planting Party at Lower Chester

Help plant 1000 White Pine, Red Pine, White Cedar trees!

Wednesday, May 12, 2010 at 8:00 am

Where: Lower Chester, across from the Burrito Union

Tony Ciardelli (CEO/Epicurean Cutting Surfaces Inc.), and his business partners are looking for conifer lovers (especially white pine) and Chester Park enthusiasts for a tree planting party. This is their company's 3rd annual conifer planting party.

Please bring a spade shovel, clothes you can get dirty and some water to drink.

Find out how Mike & Kate are doing as they hike the entire shoreline of Lake Superior advancing the causes of research, education and environmental conservation.

Full Circle Superior website

Take the Lake Superior Survey

Download the City of Superior's "Scoop the Poop" flyer.

You can learn more about why pet waste is an issue in our Understanding section.

Q. So what’s the problem with sweeping sand into the street. Aren’t streets dirty anyway?

A. Anything on Streets ends up in Creeks! Curbs, gutters and ditches lead to storm sewers. Storm sewers lead to streams and Lake Superior.

Duluth provides a number of neighborhood road sand collection sites every Spring. Check this brochure to find the location nearest you.

Or call (218) 730-4130 for help or more information.

(You can find this brochure and many more on our new Homeowner Stormwater Factsheets page.)

Friday March 19
10:00am to 3:00pm

WLSSD to Host Collection Event
for Unwanted Medication

Western Lake Superior Sanitary District
Household Hazardous Waste Facility
2626 Courtland St., Duluth, MN 55806

Download: Flyer | News Release.

The Minnesota Erosion Control Association held its 22nd Annual Erosion Control & Stormwater Management Conference & Trade Show! on March 11-12 in St. Cloud. Visit the MECA website to learn more about this organization and their upcoming events and to subscribe to their stormwater course email notification list.

Storm Water Seminar
Wednesday, February 10, 2010 from 10:00-3:00
at the ADSCO Companies office
Duluth, MN

Rainwater Harvesting Course

Offered through: Lake Superior College.

Tuesdays, 2/2/2010 - 2/16/2010, 6:00pm - 7:30pm

This course will explore the topic of rainwater collection and provide information on household systems that, when designed correctly, can positively impact stormwater runoff and dramatically reduce or eliminate water requirements from a well or municipal system. Topics include how to properly design, construct, install and maintain a rainwater or stormwater capture and re-use system, an introduction to hydrology and climate data, water/energy conservation, system components, supply and demand estimation, and system sizing and sanitation. The last class will include a tour of a whole house potable rainwater system and energy/water and "waste" conserving home.

Learn more

Winter Parking Lot and Sidewalk Maintenance Workshop
Wednesday, January 27, 2010 from 9:00-2:00
at the Hermantown City Offices
5105 Maple Grove Rd
Hermantown, MN

The workshop is free and lunch will be provided.

Then St Louis River Alliance held its 15th Annual
Environmental Stewardship and Annual Meeting last night.

Congratulations to all who were nominated and to
those who received this years Environmental Stewardship Awards.

The Autumn/Winter 2009 Stream-Line News is ready.

In this issue:

  - Shoring up the Amity
  - When it rains, it pours (into Amity Creek)
  - Muddy waters cleared at historic Graves Road wash-out site
  - Ron Weber - NE Conservationist Award
  - Great Lakes to get federal funding for protection and restoration