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April 2025
 On the edge of the prairie, a wetland provides solace and inspiration
Brent Olson’s life is deeply connected to the land he calls home. He grew up on a 1,000-acre farm on the edge of the prairie in Big Stone County, where his family has lived for generations. He still lives in the house his great-grandparents built in the 1880s. This deep connection to place shapes not only his work as a farmer, journalist, and county commissioner, but also his passions.
An essential part of that connection is his commitment to preserving 240 acres of wetland on the farm, which he credits as a source of inspiration for his writing. He has built a shack on the edge of the wetland that serves as his writing studio.
“I treasure this place,” he said. “I look out my window and see cattails and ducks and muskrats. It is a place of vast peace to me.”
 Brent Olson
For Olson, this land holds memories of time spent with his family — hunting with his son, canoeing with his daughter, and now sharing that relationship with the land with his grandchildren. These experiences have shaped his belief in conservation, emphasizing the importance of preserving this landscape for future generations.
Olson shared his story as a part of We Are Water MN, a traveling exhibit and community engagement initiative that explores Minnesotans’ relationship with water. Big Stone Arts Council will host the exhibit this spring.
Visit the We Are Water exhibit
The We Are Water Exhibit in presents local stories and explores Minnesotans' connection to water. The exhibit runs through April 21 at Ortonville High School. Admission is free. The exhibit is supported by the Clean Water Fund in partnership with the MPCA.
Steps to help prevent fish kills
As the weather warms, the soils thaw, residents tend to their lawns, and farmers start spreading manure, the threat of fish kills returns. Fish kills are impacted by disease; changes in water quality, levels, or temperatures; weather; and external sources, such as runoff. Here are some tips:
- Utilize best management practices when applying manure and chemicals to fields.
- Plant trees and deep-rooted native plants along shorelines to reduce runoff.
- Avoid applying lawn chemicals before it rains, and keep septic systems operating properly.
- Connect with neighbors to protect water quality. Runoff may also impact wells used for drinking water.
If you see multiple dead fish in a lake or river, or runoff or a spill entering waters, call the Minnesota Duty Officer at 800-422-0798. Calls are answered 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. If there is an immediate threat to life or property, call 911 first.
 MPCA helps retailers and anglers upgrade fishing tackle
Going lead-free benefits wildlife and human health
Loons hold a prominent place in Minnesota culture. The state bird appears on the state seal, in massive sculptures across the state, and even as sports team mascots (remember Twinkie the Loon?).
Fishing also holds a prominent place in Minnesota culture, as anybody who’s whiled away an afternoon on a bass boat can attest.
To make sure one of those Minnesota icons doesn’t harm the other, the MPCA is promoting the spread of lead-free fishing tackle to reduce the number of loon deaths from lead weights, sinkers, and jigs.
 A truck tows an ice house off Upper Red Lake at the end of the walleye season in February 2025.
As winters in Minnesota get warmer, the lake ice season is shrinking
Less lake ice has implications for recreation, the environment, and fish and wildlife
We might have had another sufficiently cold winter in Minnesota to support some ice fishing and pond hockey — certainly a colder winter than the one before — but climate experts point out that winters in Minnesota are still warming at a rapid and accelerating pace. That carries big implications not just for Minnesotans’ winter pastimes, but also for their health, the environment, and for the state’s economy.
Many of those implications can be seen in the ice that covers Minnesota’s 10,000 lakes every winter.
As a climate change research scientist with the MPCA, Carl Stenoien analyzes data on how long Minnesota lakes stay frozen. That dataset now goes back to 1895 when somebody recorded 137 days of ice duration on Lake Sagatagan.
 MPCA seeks public input as it begins process to update feedlot rule
The MPCA is beginning the rulemaking process to improve the state’s feedlot rule. Since the last major rule revision in 2000, agricultural practices, regulatory strategies, and technology have evolved. There is also an improved understanding of the source and extent of pollution to ground water and surface waters.
To receive updates specifically about this rulemaking process, check your GovDelivery subscriptions. Look for the "Rulemaking" category and check the box for "Rulemaking: Animal Feedlots."
Informational meetings are anticipated to take place in June and July this year. Meeting locations and times will be publicized later this spring on the MPCA website.
Attorney General Ellison forms task force on future of Minnesota’s water
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced March 31 that he is forming a new Advisory Task Force on the Future of Minnesota’s Water. He is soliciting applications to serve on the Task Force through the State of Minnesota Open Appointments process. The deadline for applying is April 30, 2025. The Task Force will begin its work in June 2025.
Recent news releases
MPCA recognizes wastewater treatment facilities for operational excellence
The MPCA recognized 235 wastewater facilities for outstanding operations in 2024. To receive this recognition, facilities must demonstrate consistent compliance with monitoring, operations, and maintenance requirements; submit accurate, on-time reports to the MPCA; and employ staff certified by the MPCA in wastewater operations.
Kroschel Township and First State Tire Disposal, Inc. fined for stormwater violations
Kroschel Township and First State Tire Disposal, Inc. began improvements to old 370th Avenue Town Road West near Sandstone, Minnesota, in May 2021, and failed to obtain a construction stormwater permit until June 2023, according to an MPCA investigation. The regulated parties were fined a combined $47,555 for these violations.
American Crystal Sugar fined for wastewater violations
American Crystal Sugar Company in Moorhead, Minnesota, failed to collect fecal samples on two occasions, according to an MPCA investigation. The company was fined $16,000.
 Volunteer to be a water monitor
Water clarity is an important indicator of lake and stream health. At least twice a month during the summer, volunteers measure water clarity using a Secchi disk or tube at designated locations on lakes or streams. Click the button to learn more!
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