Freshwater Society

	Programs of the Freshwater Society	The Minnesota Weatherguide Environment^TM Calendar
	2008 Water is Life Art Contest Now Available - PrintableEntry Form Now in its fourth year, the Freshwater Society's Art Contest has produced exceptional artwork that profoundly captured the theme, Water is Life. The scholarship winners' art from the past three years are featured on the back of the brochure. The Freshwater Society is again offering three $1,000.00 scholarships to high school students who find an artful way to express the importance and significance of water. Since 1968, the nonprofit Freshwater Society has committed itself to a scientific understanding and responsible safeguarding of fresh water as a natural resource. As part of a continuing effort to focus on the importance of protecting freshwater resources, the Society sponsors an annual contest that provides scholarships to Minnesota high school students who creatively and meaningfully express, through art, the relationship of water to life. Seventh Annual Road Salt Symposium February 5th, 2008, 8:30 am - 3:30 pm Crowne Plaza, Brooklyn Center, Minnesota Decrease Impacts of Winter Maintenance on the Environment and Infrastructure while Maintaining Safety Student Artists Recognized for Water is Life Creations 2007 Scholarship Recipients: Sishir Bommakanti, Luke Lieske, and Austen Loeffler Minnesota's student artists were honored by the Freshwater Society on May 9th during the Water is Life Art Contest Reception and Awards event at the Gray Freshwater Center on the shores of Lake Minnetonka. Students' artwork and accompanying statements supported the theme, Water is Life, portraying water's beauty and life-giving qualities, as well as the abuse and degradation it suffers. Elyse DeLaittre Creates Award-Winning Documentary on Freshwater The Freshwater Society Board of Directors will present Elyse DeLaittre with the Society's Water is Life Award at their 3pm February 19th board meeting. The award is given to citizens who demonstrate ideals, skills, or actions related to the Society's mission- to protect and rationally manage freshwater resources. NEW - LIVE Freshwater Weather Station See up-to-the-minute weather information collected on location at the Freshwater Society. Our live weather station tracks temperature, air pressure, rainfall, wind speed, wind direction and much, much more. This is a great resource for any Lake Minnetonka resident who lives by the weather. Students Create Expressions of Water 2006 Contest Winners: Phong Nguyen Austin High School State Scholarship Recipient Abram Perez Austin High School State Scholarship Recipient Kara Streeter Sibley East High School State Scholarship Recipient The 2006 Water is Life Art Contest encouraged more than 150 senior high school students from the state of Minnesota to express their views of water with art. The Freshwater Society sponsored the contest as part of an ongoing effort to educate youth of the importance of protecting and sustaining freshwater resources. The artwork, along with the accompanying artists' statements describing the Water is Life theme, were outstanding and very indicative of the impact freshwater education has had on youth. Regional competitions were held in Mankato, Rochester, and the Western Metropolitan area in early April. Six artists were chosen from each region to compete in the final competition. The Art Display and Award Reception took place at the Gray Freshwater Center on April 19th. Kim Carlson, NBC TV's Earthsmart Consumer, was the keynote speaker. She provided encouragement, motivation, and tips for all to help sustain our most important resource. Blyth Brookman, a member of the Society's Board of Directors, and Richard (Dick) G. Gray, Sr. DSc., the Society's Founder and a member of the Board of Directors, presented the awards to the semifinalists and scholarship winners. - Over 50,000 Minnesota high school students have been educated on the importance of freshwater resources through the Water is Life Art Contests. - Commissioner Sheryl Corrigan of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency called the art contest "an important tool to educate future generations and help increase the sustainability of Minnesota's waters." - Artwork from the 2005 art contest was displayed at the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and Rivernight 2005, featuring Governor Pawlenty and his Water Cabinet. The artwork was also featured at the Moving Waters exhibit at the Northrup King Building and in the skyway systems of Rochester. - Governor Pawlenty expressed his support for the Freshwater Society and it's Water is Life Art Contests, saying "this is a great tool to involve the state's youth in protecting our freshwater resources." __________________________________________ 5th Annual Road Salt Symposium April 2006 marked the 5th year the Freshwater Society and Fortin Consulting have convened an Annual Road Salt Symposium. The event invites those concerned about the impacts de-icers and de-icing techniques have on our freshwater resources and ecosystems. Speakers involved with the latest research to reduce impacts are also invited to share their current information, which always leads to interesting and valuable discussions. In the past five years, almost 800 people have listened to this critical information and, more importantly, have been given the tools and the knowledge to help protect our freshwater resources. Sheryl Corrigan, Commissioner of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, delivered the keynote address to an audience of 200 at the St. Cloud, Kelly Inn. Commissioner Corrigan commended the participants, which included transportation workers and managers, chemists, biologists, and conservation organizations, for their awareness of the negative impacts of road salt and other de-icing chemicals. She also applauded the Freshwater Society and other sponsors for their work in bringing this issue to the forefront for transportation workers, environmental groups, and others involved in snow and ice management. "These are the groups that have the ability to help protect Minnesota's waters from these pollutants. They are concerned and they will make a difference," stated Commissioner Corrigan. Currently four waterways in the state of Minnesota are impaired as a direct result of contamination of chlorides from road salt and other de-icing chemicals. This number is expected to increase as development and loss of wetland ecosystems increases. Following Commissioner Corrigan's, State of Our Waters, keynote address, Dr. Tom Langen from Clarkson University in Potsdam, NY, shared ground-breaking research on long-term consequences of winter road management practices to water quality at high-altitude lakes within the Adirondack state. Dr. Sujay Kaushal from the University of Maryland presented his research on the increased salinization of fresh water in the United States. A presentation from Kimm Crawford, PE, gave a detailed account of the chlorides entering and leaving Olmsted County and the effects the chlorides have on freshwater ecosystems. Ed Mattheison updated the audience on Shingle Creek, located in a Minneapolis suburb, which was the first waterway to appear on the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's impaired waters or TMDL list. Bret Hodne, Superintendent of West Des Moines Public Works Department, spoke about the current trend to anti-icing, instead of de-icing. This method is more efficient, requiring fewer employee hours and less use of de-icing chemicals. Mark Devries, Superintendent of McHentry County Division of Transportation, Woodstock, IL, complimented Hodne's presentation with a talk about blending de-icing chemicals, describing the most effective and safest techniques for the environment. This year's Road Salt Symposium featured a concurrent session for Parking Lot and Sidewalk Maintenance, a certification program provided by a grant from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. This program is designed to enable the commercial snow and ice managers, building owners, as well as homeowners, with the tools to effectively control snow and ice, while maintaining safety and protecting fresh water and freshwater ecosystems. The Freshwater Society also awarded several individuals and organizations with Environmental Leadership Awards. Transportation workers from the City of Edina, City of Prior Lake, Ridgedale Parking Lot Management, and Minnesota Department of Transportation Golden Valley were all awarded with Environmental Achievement Awards. Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's Timothy Larson and Andrew Ronchak were also given awards for helping to put this issue to the forefront of the MPCA's agenda. An Environmental Leadership Award was also given to Mark Dillig from Minnesota Department of Transportation's Anoka/Spring Lake Park's Office for his independent efforts to limit use of de-icing materials at several sites, without compromising safety. Donald Brauer, PE, Executive Director of the Freshwater Society, was also recognized and awarded for his support and guidance of this program over the past five years. Please contact Jeanne Prok at Jeanne@freshwater.org if you would like more information on this program. __________________________________________ Lake Minnetonka's Future on TPT 17 The Freshwater Society recently partnered with Twin Cities Public Television to launch a video series focusing on the critical issues facing local freshwater resources. The series, titled "Lake Minnetonka's Future," will air throughout 2004 and 2005 on TPT 17. Visit our programming information pages to learn more: Nutrient Loading in Lake Minnetonka Zebra Mussels and Lake Minnetonka __________________________________________ Visit the Freshwater Society's Animated Classroom A program initiative of the Freshwater Society. The Animated Classroom illustrates important concepts related to the protection and rational management of freshwater. __________________________________________ Grant Helps Students Help Their Watershed The talents of fifth grade students from Jefferson School and seventh-graders from Faribault Middle School have been enlisted to monitor the river health in Southeast Minnesota. Teachers from the two schools joined forces with the River Bend Nature Center and Cannon River Watershed Partnerships to apply for a grant to fund a stream-monitoring project. The Freshwater Society awarded the partners $3,000 which will pay for equipment, materials, transportation and staff time to work with the students. Almost 350 students participated in training to be river monitors at River Bend Nature Center. Once training was completed, once weekly several students were brought to the nature center to monitor the Straight River. "This is really a pilot project that is a partnership between River Bend, our two classes from the public schools and the Cannon River Watershed Partnerships" said Deb Scheil, who besides being an elementary teacher supportive of hands-on science learning, is president of the River Bend Nature Center Board of Directors. The fantastic thing about the project in Scheil's view is that students will be taking real data on water quality that will help with the overall efforts of the Cannon River Watershed Partnership to monitor different stretches of the Straight and Cannon rivers. Science is best learned in the field, and this allows students to have their data be useful in a long-term project.	The Minnesota Weatherguide Environment^TM Calendar

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