In a region of the country with so many lakes and rivers, it is no surprise that water quality and water use are critical issues. In addition to domestic uses, Wisconsin and Minnesota residents want clean water for recreation, wildlife habitat, and industry.Â
Water is used for cooking and drinking every day, and knowing that the source of that water is good and safe is important, though most people probably donât give it much thought.Â
Most rainwater and snowmelt in the region runs off buildings, parking lots, roads, highways, and farm fields into the hundreds of streams and rivers that eventually flow into the Mississippi River, the source of drinking water for much of the Twin Cities area.
The endeavor took more than pivoting scheduled talks and panels to Zoom. The Star Tribune worked to solicit and highlight reader-submitted content, given that many people have been looking for a little human connection during these days (and weeks and months) of social distancing. Campbell said that an earlier coloring competition had expected 75 entries but wound up inundated with more than 400. “We had the sense from these earlier reader engagement activities that people were hungry to actually participate and do something,” she said. From the amateur talent contest to the trivia show hosted by Star Tribune journalists Nicole Norfleet and Eric Roper, readers have been “game” for it all. (Quick disclosure: Roper was my editor back in our student journalism days, before he became a star.)
Listen: Does the Mississippi River really begin at Lake Itasca? Curious Minnesota podcast host Eric Roper digs into the science and history behind the Mighty Mississippi s headwaters.
By Eric Roper Text size Copy shortlink:
The source of the Mississippi was a consequential mystery after the Revolutionary War. It remains hotly debated in some circles today. Connie Cox, the lead interpretive naturalist at Itasca State Park, discusses the history and science behind this issue with Curious Minnesota podcast host Eric Roper.
Further reading:
Big snowfall forecast for southern Minnesota Sunday night 6 or more inches expected in the southwest; metro area will get less. March 13, 2021 5:31pm Text size Copy shortlink:
It s been an unseasonably warm couple of weeks, but don t put away the snowblower for the season just yet.
After another balmy day Sunday s high will be near 50 in the Twin Cities a winter storm is expected to dump upward of 6 inches of snow in parts of southern Minnesota starting late Sunday and early Monday. The storm could reach the southeastern portion of the Twin Cities, bringing more modest snow or slush accumulations.
The National Weather Service is forecasting that the heaviest snowfall will occur near the Iowa border in the southwestern corner of the state.
Why did Minneapolis tear down its biggest train station?
Minneapolis two train stations met very different fates in the 1970s. March 5, 2021 9:05am Related coverage
Studying abroad in Europe many years ago, Marcus Nielson took note of the central role train stations played in city design there. When he returned to Minneapolis, he realized something was missing. I always kind of wondered why Minneapolis didn t keep a lot of their train infrastructure, Nielson said.
He was aware of the Milwaukee Road Depot, a train station that has been restored downtown, but wanted to know why the city demolished its larger station, the Great Northern Depot. Nielson sought answers from Curious Minnesota, a Star Tribune community reporting project fueled by great reader questions.