If you live anywhere near the Twin Cities, you live in one of three major river watersheds; the Mississippi Headwaters, the Minnesota, and the St. Croix. A watershed is an area on the landscape that collects and then drains water to a common body of water, such as a river, lake, or wetland. These large river watersheds are made up of smaller watersheds with names you might also recognize, including the Rum River, Browns Creek, Vermillion River, Crow River and Minnehaha Creek.

Since watersheds act like funnels, collecting and directing runoff water, anything left loose or spread on the ground can find its way into our waterways. Sediment from eroding soil, nutrients from fertilizers, bacteria from pet and livestock waste, and toxics from pesticides and spilled chemicals are pollutants that can wash from watersheds and into waterways if we are not careful. This type of water pollution goes by several names, including stormwater pollution, runoff pollution, and nonpoint source pollution.

We can take action individually and together as communities to be "watershed wise" and prevent stormwater pollution. Good things are happening! Thanks to a partnership of the USDA Forest Service, Metro WaterShed Partners, the National Environmental Education and Training Foundation, and StormCenter Communications, information on how we can better protect our water resources are available on this website and on KARE-11 News broadcasts.

We hope that you enjoy this site and are able to use information you learn to better protect Minnesota's rivers, lakes and wetlands.