Project manager succeeds Hanson who joins MN BWSR — May 6, 2022 — A familiar face will lead Mower Soil & Water Conservation District after its manager Justin Hanson joins a state agency’s leadership team. Cody Fox, project manager for Mower SWCD and Cedar River Watershed District, will become on Monday the district manager for Mower SWCD after being…

Local jury determines Blooming Prairie man accidentally fell off Austin bridge but some suspected foul play — By Tim Ruzek, Cedar River Watershed District After waking up on a Friday morning, Chris Nockelby grabbed his fishing pole and walked a few blocks to the Cedar River below Austin’s downtown dam. Upon arrival, however, Nockelby’s plans for a relaxing day of fishing on June 26, 1903, changed quickly…

April 7 event offered by Mower County, Univ. of Minnesota — Austin, Minn. — April 4, 2022 – Rural homeowners in Mower County are encouraged to learn more about their septic tanks and drinking-water wells at a free workshop next week in Austin. Mower County Environmental Services is offering a “Septic System Care and Maintenance & Domestic Wells” workshop from 6…

City, CRWD also urge residents to help protect streams — March 22, 2022 — Returning to the streets of Austin this week is a water-quality initiative started a year ago by the city to clean its 150 miles of roadways more quickly from winter’s salt and sand. Part of an effort to better protect the Cedar River State Water Trail…

Local manufacturer led 1891–1892 festivals before moving away, leaving city uninspired to continue major event — Two toboggan slides kept busy in February 1891 as people of all ages waited for their turn to glide down to the frozen Cedar River as brass bands performed near downtown Austin. “Many a visitor took his first toboggan ride,” the Mower County Transcript wrote Feb. 11, 1891.

SWCD offers service for month of March for well water samples — Feb. 28, 2022 — Mower County residents who get their drinking water from a well can have a sample tested for nitrates at no charge during the month of March. Starting Tuesday through March 31, the Mower Soil & Water Conservation District staff will accept samples of well water for…

Nearly 1 square mile now enrolled in permanent prairie, wetlands — Feb. 24, 2022 — Native prairie and restored wetlands soon will permanently cover nearly 1 square mile of former cropland in Mower County after another successful year of enrolling acres into the MN CREP program. Since 2017, Mower Soil & Water Conservation District now has led the enrollment of 613…

Land Stewardship Project, Mower SWCD, Jovaag family offering March 2 workshop at Riverland Community College — Article written by Land Stewardship Project All farmers interested in diving deeper into no-till and roller crimping are encouraged to participate in this Land Stewardship Project (LSP)/Mower County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) workshop. Register online by March 1 at https://bit.ly/LSPNoTillRollerCrimp2022 …

Mower issues 128 permits for new systems in 2021 for initiative — AUSTIN, Minn. — Feb. 15, 2022 — Mower County experienced another busy year for installing septic systems as part of a countywide initiative launched two years ago to better protect local waterways and underground drinking water sources. In 2021, Mower County Environmental Services issued 128 permits for new subsurface sewage…