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  • Seth Greenwood, Nicollet County public works director, surveys Minnesota River bank erosion along Seven Mile Creek County Park. About 15 feet of bank were swept into the river during spring flooding. John Cross

    washing away

December 3, 2011

Special Report, Day 1: Studies pin farm drainage on river troubles

By Tim Krohn The Free Press

— Seth Greenwood has watched parts of Seven Mile Creek County Park between Mankato and St. Peter disappear.

  “The Minnesota River is eating the bank away,” said the Nicollet County public works director. “It’s really bad on that bend on the river. Five to 15 feet of bank has gone just this year.”

Much of that sediment will likely end up in the Mississippi River and settle to the bottom of Lake Pepin.  

While intense efforts to improve the Minnesota River have gone on for 20 years, now there is a major convergence of better data and mounting political pressure that is bringing to a head problems of suspended solids in the river.

The issue is creating growing friction between farmers and environmentalists and residents on Lake Pepin who are suffering from the Minnesota’s pollution.

The millions of tons of sediment getting into the river is emerging as the keystone issue facing the river basin. The impacts on the Mississippi, Lake Pepin and the river basin’s contribution to the Gulf “dead zone” are sweeping and the potential solutions expensive, controversial and complicated, considering the Minnesota watershed covers 16,000 square miles.



For the complete story, see the Sunday, Dec. 4, print edition of The Free Press or sign on to our e-edition.

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