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!
Part One: Our History from 1990 - 1994
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!
Part Two: Our History from 1995 - 1999
Between 1995 and 1999, the Cannon River Watershed Partnership (CRWP) saw a lot of positive changes. We received a large grant from the LMCR, which helped us launch projects in three main areas: the Little Cannon River, Prairie Creek, and what former employees call the “three lakes basin,” which includes Fox, Circle, and Mazaska Lakes. Each of these areas had significant environmental problems, but there was a lot of community interest in making things better. One notable event was a big tire cleanup at Fox Lake, where volunteers worked together to remove around 500 tires from the water.
During this period, CRWP hosted the first Cannon River Summit, an event that brought together local citizens, agency staff, and elected officials. The summit focused on educating attendees about resources and funding available for protecting nature. At that same time, Dakota County was working on creating the Miesville Ravine Park Reserve, and a new organization called Friends of the Cannon River Wilderness Area was formed to help maintain and improve another park 30 miles down the road.
In the summer of 1997, CRWP began sharing important information about new sewer projects in Dundas and Welch, which were designed to stop raw sewage from entering the Cannon River. As community members faced issues with pollution from feedlots and land use, they increasingly turned to CRWP for support. During this time, CRWP introduced a new logo and launched a campaign called “Be a River Friendly Neighbor” to encourage everyone to take responsibility for protecting local waters.
In 1998, CRWP launched its first website, created by a student from Carleton College. A group of 14 landowners and experts came together to create a plan for protecting Spring Brook, a stream that is home to native brook trout. Researchers gathered at a conference to discuss pollution in the watershed, identifying sediment, excess nutrients, and bacteria as major problems.
Finally, in 1999, the Minnesota Legislature passed a law that provided funding for CRWP to help form a joint powers agreement among six counties in the region: Dakota, Goodhue, Le Sueur, Rice, Steele, and Waseca. The goal of this agreement was to create a land-use plan to help protect the area’s water resources.
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!