The Free Press, Mankato, MN

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May 14, 2012

Our View: River issues need to be addressed

The Free Press

— People living in the Minnesota River basin, particularly those in the region around Mankato, may not be aware they are increasingly under scrutiny and facing  criticism.

The attention is coming from those who have the Minnesota River's problems dumped on them -- literally.

The growing load of sediment -- dirt particles carrying a host of pollutants -- flows out of the Minnesota and into the Mississippi. A lot of that dirt is setting in Lake Pepin, filling the lake in at an historically fast pace.

The fact those living in the Lake Pepin area -- around Red Wing, not far from the Twin Cities -- want something done to stem the sediment isn't surprising.

But pressure on those of us living in the Minnesota River Basin to do something is also coming from those in the Twin Cities and at the state Capitol. That's because the metro area is looking at spending hundreds of millions of dollars to reduce runoff into the Mississippi River -- even though that pollution is minuscule compared to what the Minnesota River is sending into the Mississippi.

 That means there is a large, politically powerful force wondering why landowners in the Minnesota River Basin aren't being required to do more to slow the amount of water draining into the Minnesota to reduce erosion and sediment loads.

That's why it's so important that a fledgling citizen-led effort in the Le Sueur River Watershed is successful. The watershed -- along with the Blue Earth -- is one of the major contributors of sediment into the Minnesota.

The new group is holding a pot luck supper and discussion Wednesday, from 5:30-7 p.m. at the Red Jacket Park. They will create a steering committee and get ideas of what a citizen-led group could do to improve water quality.

If the group is successful in getting landowners and local governments to take significant, voluntary steps to reduce erosion -- things like reinforcing steep banks and slowing water that comes out of farm drainage systems -- it's less likely state and federal agencies will put in place strict requirements of their own.

Voluntary projects need money, of course. But there are many significant pots of money available through state, federal, local and private groups that could be tapped into. The key to getting funding is to have a committed group of citizens, landowners and local officials who have clear goals on what they want to accomplish and how they will do it.

That's where the citizen-led group can come in. If they can partner with counties, cities and state agencies to identify the best approaches, they will attract needed funding.

 If such locally based efforts are not successful, there is little doubt that state and federal agenices and lawmakers will force the issue and add regulations.

 

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