MN DNR adds about 1,250 clams to three Mower sites in Sept. — Austin, Minn. — Sept. 23, 2022 — Standing in the Cedar River, Madeline Pletta was about to start walking upstream to drop native clams in the water when she spotted an old friend. Pletta, a state mussels propagation biologist, spotted a black sandshell mussel on the bed of the Cedar…

Al Kean served 27 years with MN Board of Water & Soil Resources — While starting to plan and build large berms that temporarily capture large amounts of stormwater, the Cedar River Watershed District leaned greatly on Al Kean. For 27 years, Kean served as the chief engineer for the Minnesota Board of Water & Soil Resources (BWSR), a state agency, and worked on…

Gabe Brown to discuss regenerative ag Friday at Cotter farm — Sept. 13, 2022 — Leaders in the regenerative agriculture movement will speak at a free field day Friday on a farm just outside of Austin as part of ongoing efforts to raise awareness for soil-health practices. Gabe Brown, an internationally known soil-health speaker, will join Austin Township farmer Tom Cotter…

Steamboat brought thousands of people over nearly a decade upstream to picnic grounds known as Columbia Park — Tied up at a dock below the end of North Main Street, the Belle of Austin steamboat offered an escape from the city during the 1890s. With its upstream trips, the Belle made three-mile excursions on the Cedar River (two miles with today’s river formation) to the Columbia Park picnic…

Grant focused on preparing for extreme weather, climate change — By Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Austin, Minn. — Aug. 16, 2022 — The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) announced today a $78,000 grant to the Cedar River Watershed District to better understand how to prepare its infrastructure for extreme weather caused by climate change. The watershed district will use the…

CRWD, Austin Parks & Rec improve shoreline site for paddlers to float to and from Cedar River State Water Trail — AUSTIN, Minn. —July 29, 2022 — Paddlers seeking another option for access along the Cedar River State Water Trail now have a rock-surface landing for canoes and kayaks in an Austin park. Within the city’s Wildwood Park, rock now covers a clearing along a Wolf Creek streambank that had been…

Partnership creates launch for canoes, kayaks that connects to Cedar River State Water Trail — AUSTIN, Minn. — July 19, 2022 — For years, locals have paddled the meandering route of Turtle Creek on Austin’s west side to enjoy the stream in the city and use it as a connection to the Cedar River State Water Trail. Easy access for launching a canoe or kayak…

USDA-NRCS, SWCD gather feedback from annual meeting — May 27, 2022 — Determining priority areas for conservation funding in Mower, Dodge, Freeborn and Steele counties is the focus of a meeting next month that will bring those communities together for the first time. Members of the public in those four counties are wanted to serve on the Local…

Free, community event June 8 to offer array of activities — June 2, 2022 — Free swimming, canoeing, kayaking, face painting, music, dance performances and much more are planned next week for the return of Austin’s 4th Avenue Fest. This family friendly, annual event is a celebration of arts, culture and healthy living and functions as the community’s summer kickoff. Activities…