Two years ago I took a big step towards adulthood and became a home renter. Along with having a house came the barrage of various bills, and among these bills was the City of Minneapolis Utility Bill. Every month I scanned my utility bill and the line ‘Stormwater Utility Fee’ always stood out because I didn’t understand this as a utility. Unlike the water bill, there was no meter reading for such a fee. Did I even have a choice about the stormwater associated with my property?
I eventually learned that part of my Stormwater Fees went to the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization (MWMO). Last month students from the University of Minnesota’s River Rangers group visited the MWMO to build our understanding of organization’s purpose, where our stormwater fee goes, and how our actions affect the health of the Mississippi River!
MWMO’s Stormwater Park and Learning Center (Photo by MWMO)
The MWMO is a special unit of local government that provides for the long-term management of water and natural resources over an area of land that drains into fifteen miles of the Mississippi River in the Twin Cities metro area. The MWMO works extremely hard to help residents of the watershed understand how their household, schools, offices, and other places of work and play are connected to the river. In Minneapolis, our storm drains run to the Mississippi River. This means our choices and behavior on the surface makes a huge difference! Part of the MWMO’s effort to increase public understanding of stormwater is their Stormwater Park and Learning Center. The outside of the building is an interpretive area showcasing landscaping choices and strategies that help mitigate stormwater runoff such as rain gardens, rain barrels, and semipermeable surface paving.
While we enjoyed learning about landscaping choices that support a healthier Mississippi River, most students at the University of Minnesota live in apartments, dorms, or rental units that don’t allow re-landscaping. Luckily, the MWMO had many more ideas about habits we can incorporate into our daily lives that support a healthier river! Inside the building they had resources on safer cleaning products and tips to save water. Many of the tips were simple behavior changes, that didn’t require purchasing anything materials.
• If you accidently drop ice cubes on the floor or have extra ice when you finish a drink, don’t throw them in the sink. Drop them in a houseplant instead!
• Collect the water you use while rinsing fruits and vegetables to water houseplants.
• Washing dark clothes in cold water will save water and energy, and help your clothes retain their color!
• Designate one glass or mug to use for the day, so there are less dishes to wash!
The MWMO also encouraged us as college students to think creatively about conservation and watershed management! Every year the MWMO gives out grant money for Stewardship Ideas. Anyone can apply for these funds, including community members. I found out that my neighborhood association received funds to install native plants and rain gardens at various homes. A local radio station received funds to start a Water Quality Public Service Announcement program. My roommate even worked to plan a rain garden in an architecture class that the MWMO sponsored.
Students learn about stormwater mitigation at the MWMO (Photo by M.Lee)
A visit to the MWMO, and other watershed management organizations like it around the country, is a great way to see where policy, education, and science-based management converge to face the challenges of an ultra-urban and diverse watershed. Have you visited your local watershed management organization? A quick visit or web search may reveal the great things your community members are already doing to protect the river!
-Maria Lee, 1 Mississippi Minnesota Outreach Assistant
