Events
Events Calendar
We work to create a fun and welcoming environment where people can come together, learn from each other, and make meaningful connections for the sake of clean water. Another way to stay in the loop about upcoming events is to subscribe to our digital newsletter.
Volunteer at Prairie Creek WMA: Engeseth-Rinde Unit (Day 1)
Come work with CRP, MN DNR, and RBNC's Outdoor Diversity Initiatives group to remove invasive species from the Engeseth-Rinde WMA in Nerstrand.
Volunteer at Prairie Creek WMA: Engeseth-Rinde Unit (Day 2)
Come work with CRP, MN DNR, and RBNC's Outdoor Diversity Initiatives group to remove invasive species from the Engeseth-Rinde WMA in Nerstrand.
Minnspired River Protectors
Join educators from Clean River Partners for hands-on fun in this family-friendly workshop and take home a booklet of conservation-related activities you can do with your family!
Volunteer at Mountains & Waters Alliance
Join us for a work day at a sustainable off-grid farm!
QUEERY Meetup: Prairie Ecology & Stewardship
Head out to the prairie to explore what makes this habitat so important to Minnesota.
Film Screening at Paradise Center for the Arts
Catch Agua Vivas de Faribault at Paradise Center for the Arts!
iNaturalist & Community Science
Learn how you can contribute to community science using iNaturalist! All you need is a smart device (phone, iPad) or a camera and you can help scientists track species in our community.
Film Screening at the Minnesota State Fair
Catch Agua Vivas de Faribault at the Minnesota State Fair!
QUEERY Meetup: Bumble Bee Survey & More
Meet the pollinators and creepy crawlies that inhabit our prairie and fields!
Watershed-Wide Cleanup
For over 15 years, we’ve brought together communities across the Cannon River Watershed to clean up area parks, rivers, and lakes at our largest annual volunteer event of the year.
We achieve this by partnering with local organizations and recruiting volunteers to remove litter from these areas, including items such as car seats, tires, lawn chairs, mattresses, food wrappers, clothing, and more.
Save the date. More information to come soon!
Please reach out if you’re interested in leading a cleanup site! Contact is listed below.
Questions?
Contact Lauren Borer (she/her), our
Community Engagement Manager
lauren@cleanriverpartners.org
(507) 200-1170
Fifteen Years of ‘Leaving It Better’ in Medford
For over a decade, Carla and Byron Brady have been at the forefront of the Cannon River Watershed-Wide Cleanup, sharing their passion for the river and encouraging countless community members to get involved. As site leaders for the Medford area, they’ve left a lasting mark on both the Straight River and its supporters. Their journey began in 2009, the inaugural year of the cleanup initiative, and after an incredible fifteen years, they’re ready to close this chapter in 2024.
Wear Your Support for the Watershed!
We're excited to offer another exclusive "Be a River Friendly Neighbor" t-shirt to celebrate the work being done in the Cannon River watershed. This slogan was part of our logo in 1997, encouraging everyone to take responsibility for protecting local waters.
When you purchase a t-shirt, you’re not just getting a great shirt—you’re helping us expand our impactful work. The artwork for this campaign was created by Ava McQuain, our Community-Based Work Study rockstar from Carleton College.
Rain Garden Workshop
Attend this FREE in-person class and learn about the benefits of rain gardens and how to plan and install your own.
Fish Passage Site Visit
Walk the site of a fish passage restoration project and see firsthand how removing barriers is transforming the river ecosystem.
Join Clean River Partners and Minnesota Master Naturalists for a guided walking tour of the fish passage project at Gorman Lake Park. CRP's Conservation Program Manager, Sophia Maruska, will walk through the goals of the dam and culvert modifications, explain how these changes will affect the river ecosystem over time, and highlight the wildlife management areas CRP has helped establish and restore along the Sakatah Trail.
Expect walking on trail and possibly uneven terrain near the dam site, with time for Q&A throughout.
More About the Cannon River Fish Passage Project
Fish passage is a simple idea. Fish need to move up and down a river to survive. Many species travel upstream to lay eggs in specific habitats with the right water depth, temperature, and gravel. When a dam blocks that path, fish cannot reach those spawning areas. Over time, populations shrink, diversity declines, and the river ecosystem weakens.
On the Cannon River, the Lower Sakatah Lake Dam and the Gorman Lake Dam have prevented native fish from reaching historic spawning grounds for generations. The impact does not stop with fish. Several native mussel species depend on fish to carry their young upstream. Mussels are natural water filters, improving water clarity and quality. When fish movement stops, mussels cannot repopulate upstream areas either. One barrier affects the entire food web.
Our fish passage project is about restoring that movement.
Working in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the engineering firm Bolton & Menk, and local governments and watershed partners, we are reimagining how these aging dams operate. Instead of tall concrete barriers that fish cannot cross, the new designs use carefully placed rock and boulder rapids. These rapids maintain upstream water levels while creating a gradual, natural pathway that fish can swim through.
This approach reconnects miles of river habitat. It gives native species the chance to return to stretches of river they have not reached in decades. It strengthens spawning success. It supports mussel recovery. And it helps restore the natural rhythm of the watershed.
Who This Is For
This event is open to the public and to community members interested in local watershed conservation.
Best if you’re able to walk moderate distances on uneven/natural terrain.
Children must be accompanied by adults.
What to Bring / Wear
Sturdy, closed-toe walking shoes
Weather-appropriate clothing (layers, rain gear if needed)
Water bottle
Sunscreen
Bug spray
Camera/binoculars
What We Provide
Guided tour led by CRP's Conservation Program Manager
Educational information on the fish passage project and wildlife management areas
Accessibility
No bathrooms
Taking place outdoors
Cost & Registration
This event is free and open to the public. Registration is encouraged. We’ll reach out to you via email with event logistics.
Questions? Contact
Sophia Maruska, Conservation Program Manager
(507) 200-0247
We’re so grateful for our event supporters! (listed below)
The Cannon River Fish Passage Project is fully funded by the DNR through the Get Out MORE initiative.
QUEERY Meetup: Kayaking
Join instructors from the Outdoor Recreation School (ORS) to learn the fundamental of paddling!
Water Savers Storytime (Hora del cuento para los protectores de agua)
Join Clean River Partners and Northfield Public Library for a bilingual Spanish/English storytime all about water conservation!
Acompañe a Clean Rivers Partners y la Northfield Public Library para una hora del cuento bilingüe en inglés y español, ¡todo sobre la conservación del agua!
Big Woods Ecosystem Hike
Minnesota’s Big Woods is a unique forest full of many different plants and animals. Join us on a hike at Nerstrand Big Woods State Park to discover what makes it special and how it has changed with time.
iNaturalist & Community Science
Learn how you can contribute to community science using iNaturalist! All you need is a smart device (phone, iPad) or a camera and you can help scientists track species in our community.
QUEERY Meetup: Pond Study
Ever wonder creatures you can find in our local ponds, lakes, and streams? Spend the afternoon dipping in the pond searching for aquatic macroinvertebrates!
QUEERY Meetup: Archery
Join us and the instructors from the Outdoor Recreation School (ORS) to learn fundamental skills of archery and the elements of safety.
Cannon River Fish Passage Public Information Meeting
Project partners invite the public to learn about the dam modification and culvert replacement projects happening on the Cannon River.
Volunteer at the Cannon River Wilderness Area
Join us for a volunteer event at the Cannon River Wilderness Area.
Dwarf Trout Lily Hike
Come along on a naturalist led hike to see spring ephemeral wildflowers including the rare Dwarf Trout Lily at Nerstrand Big Woods State Park.
Rain Barrel Workshop
Learn how to get started with a rain barrel at our FREE workshop during Northfield Earth Day!
Volunteer at St. Olaf Natural Lands
Join us for a volunteer event at St. Olaf Natural Lands.
QUEERY Meetup: Land Walk and Archive Tour
Join us as we visit a local cultural center to learn about Dakota land stewardship. In addition to exploring the exhibits, we will also go on a special land walk and a behind-the-scenes archive tour.
QUEERY Meetup: Maple Syruping
Join Clean River Partners and the Minnesota DNR to learn about the process, from tapping trees to boiling sap!
Rain Garden Workshop
Attend this FREE in-person class and learn about the benefits of rain gardens and how to plan and install your own.
QUEERY Meetup: Kicksledding
Join Clean River Partners and Three Rivers Park District for an afternoon of wintertime fun!
Downstream Environmental Film Festival - Owatonna Screening
Clean River Partners invites you to join us for the 9th annual Downstream Environmental Film Festival, a celebration of art, storytelling, and environmental action.
Downstream Environmental Film Festival - Faribault Screening
Clean River Partners invites you to join us for the 9th annual Downstream Environmental Film Festival, a celebration of art, storytelling, and environmental action.
Downstream Environmental Film Festival - Cannon Falls Screening
Clean River Partners invites you to join us for the 9th annual Downstream Environmental Film Festival, a celebration of art, storytelling, and environmental action.
Downstream Environmental Film Festival - Northfield Screening, Night Two
Clean River Partners invites you to join us for the 9th annual Downstream Environmental Film Festival, a celebration of art, storytelling, and environmental action.
Downstream Environmental Film Festival - Northfield Screening, Night One
Clean River Partners invites you to join us for the 9th annual Downstream Environmental Film Festival, a celebration of art, storytelling, and environmental action.
QUEERY Meetup: Botany Field Trip
Tired of grey winter days? Join us for an afternoon in the tropics! Together, we'll explore a botanical conservatory and learn about the queerness of plants.
Northfield Stormwater Poster Contest Recognition Ceremony
We are thrilled to announce the Fall 2025 Northfield Stormwater Poster contest winners! Join us in celebrating these students and their efforts to raise awareness about stormwater pollution prevention.
Water Savers Storytime (Hora del cuento para los protectores de agua)
Join Clean River Partners and Northfield Public Library for a bilingual Spanish/English storytime all about water conservation!
Acompañe a Clean Rivers Partners y la Biblioteca Pública de Northfield para una hora del cuento bilingüe en inglés y español, ¡todo sobre la conservación del agua!
QUEERY Meetup: Snowshoeing
Join us for an afternoon of snowshoeing with the Minnesota DNR! We'll meet at a local state park and enjoy the winter scenery. Snowshoes will be provided. If there isn't enough snow, we will go on a guided tree identification hike instead.
Trivia Night at The Ole Store!
Clean River Partners and The Ole Store are teaming up for a fun and engaging trivia night designed to bring the community together in support of clean water initiatives.
Volunteer at the Carleton Arboretum
Join Clean River Partners and the Carleton College Cowling Arboretum to protect young trees from winter deer browse.
QUEERY Meetup: Geocaching
Join Clean River Partners and Three Rivers Park District for an afternoon of geocaching! Together, we'll tackle an outdoor treasure hunt using GPS devices.
Pollinator Rain Garden Workshop
Attend this class and learn about the benefits of rain gardens and how to plan and install your own. You'll learn where to put your rain garden, how to choose the right plants, and what cost-share programs exist to help you pay for the project.
QUEERY Meetup: Birding
Join us for a morning of birding with local nature photographer and birder extraordinaire, Gerry Hoekstra! Together, we'll learn how to use binoculars and identify common Minnesota residents. Binoculars and field guides provided.