State’s financial aid up to 50% cost-share open until Sept. 15 — Aug. 29, 2023 — Farmers have an opportunity to apply by mid-September for state cost-share assistance to help them buy soil-health equipment or retrofit their current machinery. Mower Soil & Water Conservation District is seeking interested farmers in Mower County for the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) program that offers…

Public event Tuesday shows artist renderings, potential costs — Aug. 23, 2023 — Creating a series of five whitewater drops to replace the Cedar River State Water Trail’s downtown Austin dam could cost an estimated $10 million but would be a viable project, according to a feasibility study. Members of the local Austin Whitewater on the Cedar committee released…

Public-private partnership creates canoe-kayak landing on Cedar — July 19, 2023 — Over the years, numerous paddlers have flocked to a sandy area below Ramsey Dam to launch a canoe or kayak for a float on the Cedar River to downtown Austin. Staying dry while launching watercraft, however, could be tricky due to river flow and an immediate…

Mower County, DNR agree on closure of Cedar River crossing — July 12, 2023 — Safety concerns recently led officials to close the abandoned railroad bridge indefinitely for public use over the Cedar River at Ramsey Mill Pond. Relocated in 1911 to its present-day site, the bridge has deteriorating, wooden planks that include some planks with large holes. …

River’s 32 miles in neighboring Mitchell now state water trail — OSAGE, Iowa — June 29, 2023 — Gathered along the Cedar River on Thursday north of Osage, officials from Iowa and Minnesota celebrated the official designation of 32 miles of water trail through Mitchell County. With the designation by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, the Cedar River now has…

Mower SWCD, Parks & Rec planting native grasses, flowers at Austin’s Todd Park — June 15, 2023 — Grassy areas along the trout stream in Austin’s Todd Park should turn brown in the coming weeks but there’s no reason for concern. Nearly 5 acres overall of mostly lawn grass are getting sprayed by herbicide this week to kill the vegetation in preparation for seeding…

CRWD seeks images — old and new — of local watershed — AUSTIN, Minn. — April 27, 2023 — Historic, beautiful, recreational, artsy, fishy — they’re just some of the adjectives for the thousands of photos submitted by the public since 2017 for the Cedar Scenes social-media project. On May 1, the seventh annual Cedar Scenes will start a 22-week run on…

Mostly water-covered area would add 22.5 acres to state WMA — April 26, 2023 Much of Ramsey Mill Pond’s lake-shaped area north of Austin likely will become publicly owned by this summer as the state moves to acquire nearly 23 acres mostly covered by water. On Tuesday, the Mower County Board unanimously approved a plan for the Minnesota Department of Natural…

84 Mower residents re-enrolled for second round of funding — April 25, 2023 — Another application round has opened for the state’s Lawns to Legumes grant program focused on helping homeowners start a “pocket prairie” of pollinator-friendly, native plants. Those who applied unsuccessfully for a Lawns to Legumes grant on Aug. 22 or later will have their application automatically rolled…