35 Years of Clean River Partners
This year marks Clean River Partners' 35th anniversary. Our mission has been clear since the beginning: to protect and enhance the waters of the Cannon River Watershed.
We continue this important work by connecting, supporting, and providing opportunities for residents, farmers, and landowners to directly experience the land and water of the Cannon River Watershed while making conscious choices that support it.
We couldn’t (and wouldn’t want to) do this work without you. In honor of this milestone, we invite you to read about our journey, from our founding to where we are today. We’ll be releasing five years of history each month of this year!
Our History: 1990 - 1994
Cannon River Watershed Partnership logo
Between 1990 and 1994, the Cannon River Watershed Partnership (our name until 2021) was off to an exciting start! Founded by Molly Woehrlin in the spring of 1990, with the help of partners like The Nature Conservancy, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, and the Board of Water and Soil Resources, our mission was clear: to protect and enhance the waters of the Cannon River Watershed.
We began with just a part-time Executive Director, but it didn’t take long for our team to grow to three dedicated staff members. They worked hard to connect with the community through public meetings, gather input, and create a solid long-term watershed plan. Thanks to generous support from the McKnight Foundation and the Legislative Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCMR)*, we focused on developing leadership and providing incentives to encourage the best management practices among our community.
*Note: Formerly known as the Legislative Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCMR), the Commission was re-organized into the LCCMR in 2006 with the addition of members of the public to provide citizen input more directly in the decision-making process.
CRWP co-sponsored a kayak trip down the Cannon River with Red Wing Environmental Learning Center. Molly Woehrlin is on the right with a group of kayakers. June 1992.
During these early years, our board included county commissioners from six different counties in our watershed (Dakota, Goodhue, Le Sueur, Rice, Steele, and Waseca) along with representatives from Soil and Water Conservation Districts. This diverse group was fantastic for building partnerships with government agencies, although managing such a large team certainly had challenges!
One of the highlights of this period was the launch of our Adopt-A-River program. It encouraged residents to take pride in keeping their designated stretches of the river and shorelines clean and safe while also monitoring for issues like erosion and dump sites. This initiative embodied our vision of fostering local action, ownership, and stewardship.
In June 1992, we cleaned up 100 miles on the Cannon from the source to the mouth, involving over 100 volunteers in 20 different organizations. All in all, these early years set an excellent foundation for CRWP’s efforts in conservation and community engagement!
Join us in celebrating 35 years of Clean River Partners!
In honor of this milestone, we invite you to make a bonus gift of $35 to help us continue our mission and make an even bigger impact together!
