| Please scroll down for other Mississippi River articles |
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| This photo of the Lower Landing in St. Paul shows how much the riverfront has changed since the mid-1800s, when steamboats where in their heyday. Photo courtesy of the Minnesota Historical Society. |
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| Posted from May 2008 issue |
Livin’ in a river town
How life has changed along the banks of the Mississippi since Minnesota statehood
Tim Spitzack
Editor
This month Minnesota will mark its 150th anniversary of statehood with several events showcasing significant people, places and events in our state’s history. Statehood Week is May 11 to 18. Of course, it’s impossible to celebrate our state without recognizing the Mississippi River, to which we owe much of our history. The banks of the river were home to our earliest inhabitants, and the river itself served as a passageway for a throng of immigrants who laid the foundation for what our city is today. Also, our state holds the honor of having the headwaters to one of the mightiest rivers in the world and its first port of navigation, and we are at the forefront of a movement to create the National Great River Park to preserve the river and its amenities for future generations. As we commemorate our statehood, it’s fitting to look back at the river and see how life on its banks has changed over the past 150 years.
‘It’s a-comin’! ’
It’s early afternoon in May 1858, and the high, warm sun is dancing on the Mississippi River. Suddenly, a cry pierces the commotion of the busy, burgeoning city of St. Paul: "It’s a comin’!" People rush to the lower landing and cock their heads downriver to see a steamboat chugging around the bend into St. Paul, belching soot-black smoke. Its whistle screeches and its passengers lean over the deck, wildly waving their arms at onlookers. On board are hundreds of European immigrants in search of the American Dream, a dream that has led them to St. Paul, the end-of-the-line for steamboat travel. Stepping off the ship and onto the muddy streets are family and friends of area residents, soon-to-be neighbors, and entrepreneurs eager to make their mark.
By the mid-1850s, tens of thousands of immigrants traveled to St. Paul on steamboats, according to "The Mississippi and the Making of a Nation, From the Louisiana Purchase to Today," by Stephen E. Ambrose. It was a time of progress and excitement for the growing city, which a decade earlier was not much more than a village of log homes.
Today, river travel in this region is dominated by pleasure boating and tow boats, which maneuver strings of barges around the river. One can sample the nostalgia of a sternwheel paddleboat by booking an excursion cruise on one of the three Padelford Riverboats, docked at Harriet Island in St. Paul, or on Magestic America’s American Queen, which offers cruises on both the upper and lower Mississippi River, with stops in St. Paul.
First port of navigation
The Mississippi River continues to be a vital avenue for moving goods from Minnesota to foreign markets, and shipping continues to be one of the most cost-effective transportation methods. For example, one gallon of fuel can move one ton of freight 576 miles on the river versus 413 miles by rail and 155 miles by truck, according to Dick Lambert, director of the Minnesota Department of Transportation, Ports and Waterways. Also, each barge can carry over 1,500 tons of freight, which is 15 times more than a rail car and 60 times more than a truck. Minnesota’s main exports are corn, soybeans and wheat.
One-hundred-and-fifty years ago the Mississippi was a much different river than it is today. Unaltered by man-made structures, it followed its natural course, which was anything but predictable. Oftentimes the flowing water created new islands, side channels and wetlands. In the spring it would swell from melting snow and heavy rains but by late summer would subside to reveal its many sandbars, which made navigation for commercial watercraft virtually impossible.
Today, the upper Mississippi River is harnessed by 29 locks and dams that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers operates between St. Paul and St. Louis. The Corps also dredges the river to maintain a nine-foot channel for navigation. No longer do river pilots have the same worry about destroying their craft from underwater brush and debris, or running aground on a sandbar as they did in the 1800s.
Living along the river can also sometimes mean living with the river. Although the St. Paul area hasn’t experienced significant flooding in recent years, it wasn’t too long ago that we felt the river’s fury. The last two major floods occurred in 1997 and 2001. During the latter flood, the river crested at 23.61 feet on May 1, resulting in over $1 million in damage in the St. Paul area alone. Then, as now, people kept an eye on the river during the high water months in spring and summer. Long-time West Side residents vividly recall how the river would infiltrate their neighborhood on the Flats, damaging their homes and property. Due to constant flooding, the city of St. Paul demolished most of the homes on the Flats in the 1960s.
Water quality
Swimming in the Mississippi—it sounds like a ludicrous idea to most people today, but when Minnesota was entering statehood, the river served as a cool sanctuary for residents looking to escape the hot summer sun. Swimming peaked in popularity between 1910 and 1915, when around 15,000 people came to Harriet Island to swim at the public beach and use the free bath house. However, as industry and population increased in the city, so did pollution in the river.
Today, the Mississippi is in poor health in terms of water quality, biological diversity and contaminated organisms, according to the Center for Global Environmental Education (CGEE) at Hamline University. The good news, says CGEE, is that the river is cleaner today than it has been in decades, but the bad news is that urban runoff continues to be a major problem. When the city paved over the prairies and marshlands in the floodplain, it destroyed the natural buffer to the river. Now, storm water rushes directly to the river, carrying with it fertilizers from our lawns, oil and gas spills, and other pollutants.
Recreation and preservation
During the year of statehood, the Mississippi River was undoubtedly viewed and respected differently than it is today. Early pioneers used it for transportation and commerce, as well as recreation. Now, we have so many bridges that span it that tens of thousands of people cross it daily without giving a thought to the life and movement it produces. Yet, Minnesota has proven that it recognizes the importance of this national treasure. In 1988, legislation was passed to establish the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (MNRAA), a 72-mile national park that surrounds the river in the Twin Cities metro area. Now, 20 years later, one of our legislators— Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D-MN)—is leading the charge to pass legislation that would direct the National Park Service to develop a long-term preservation strategy for the river and incorporate all or part of the Mississippi River corridor into the National Parks System.
St. Paul is also on board. In the mid-1980s, the city established the St. Paul Riverfront Corporation and began work to redefine its relationship to the river. It branded itself as Saint Paul on the Mississippi and created a framework to guide commercial development along its portion of the river corridor. This framework was defended vigorously during the condominium housing boom of the early 2000s, including against the much publicized Bridges of St. Paul project. Also forming in recent decades were environmental groups dedicated to protecting, preserving and enhancing the Mississippi River and its corridor, including Friends of the Mississippi River and Great River Greening.
Enjoy the river
The National Park Service has many resources at the Mississippi River Visitor Center, located in the Science Museum of Minnesota, 120 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul, on how to enjoy boating, fishing, birding, hiking, biking, camping and other activities within MNRRA. For more information, call 651-293-0200 or visit www.nps.gov/miss. |
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Great River Greening has enlisted the help of over 19,000 volunteers to plant more than 54,000 trees and shrubs in the Mississippi, Minnesota and St. Croix river valleys.
Photo courtesy of Great River Greening
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| Posted from April 2008 issue |
Earth Week: Celebrate Arbor Day by putting down roots
Tim Spitzack
Editor
Jane Klein puts her foot on the edge of a shovel and gently pushes it into the soft muddy earth on the Mississippi River bluff. She moves the shovel back and forth to form a V-shaped crevice and then lifts the shovel from the ground. She places a small oak sapling in the hole and then punctures the earth with the shovel about six inches from the tree and presses the dirt toward it, closing the hole around the tree and its roots. She pats some dirt over the top and looks on. One down; 2,000 to go.
Klein is a volunteer with St. Paul-based Great River Greening (GRG), a non-profit organization that relies on volunteers to restore natural areas and open spaces in the Twin Cities and the Mississippi, Minnesota and St. Croix river valleys. Since 1995, it has enlisted the help of more than 19,000 volunteers to work on projects, such as planting native trees, shrubs, wildflowers and grasses and the removal of exotic vegetation such as buckthorn, which chokes out natural species.
In 1994, the St. Paul Foundation provided a grant for the group’s first project, a community tree planting along both banks of the Mississippi from the High Bridge to Holman Field. Other early projects included planting trees in Harriet Island Regional Park and on the Xcel Energy High Bridge plant site. Another significant and ongoing project is the West Side Bluffs restoration. To date, volunteers have planted over 54,000 trees and shrubs and over 260 acres of prairie and savanna in the river valleys.
The work of GRG volunteers has a lasting social and ecological impact.
“We believe our work helps to maintain living and working rivers, creates green space, improves water quality and wildlife habitat, and preserves our natural heritage and sense of place,” said Robert Viking, GRG spokesman. “The value comes from the physical and emotional contribution urban forests make to a city. We believe healthy natural resources are an essential facet of a healthy community.”
Klein agrees that the work they do is meaningful in many ways.
“Having volunteered with Great River Greening for a few years now, it always brings a sense of community pride when I pass a project area that is flourishing,” she said. “Connecting to the river and the area we work around it teaches us the fragile balance of nature, and how we as a community can make a difference, one small project at a time.”
GRG is sponsoring a series of events during Earth Week called “A Million Shades of Green” to promote environmental stewardship. Events that take place from April 21 to 27 at the Como Park Zoo and Conservatory include the installation of a rain garden, an art show featuring the work of Kinji Akagawa, 2007 McKnight Distinguished Artist, a landscape photography show featuring the work of Layne Kennedy, and the Million Shades of Green Gala, held Friday, April 25. On April 19, it will host a children’s workshop on the development of oak seedlings and a reading of “A Million Acorns” by author Tom Frank. For more information and volunteer opportunities with Great River Greening, call 651-665-9500 or visit www.greatrivergreening.org.
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| Posted from March 2008 issue |
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| This sketch shows the Raspberry Island renovation plan. Featured in this project are a public restroom, a new parking lot, steps to the river, limestone seat walls, a rain garden and an illuminated walking path. The project is scheduled to be completed in late summer or early fall. |
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Island Dreams
Raspberry Island to become gem of Harriet Island Regional Park
Tim Spitzack
Editor
Seventy degrees. Cool evening breeze. Waves lapping at the shoreline.
If you’re like most Minnesotans in March, this image has you thinking of someplace tropical, but it’s not. This mental postcard is from a much closer locale, and is one you’ll be able to enjoy this summer if you visit the spiffed-up Raspberry Island in St. Paul.
About the time the frosting of ice on the Mississippi River has melted away and the first barge makes its way to its northern-most port, the city of St. Paul will begin putting the finishing touches on one of its latest park improvement projects. The timing couldn’t be better from the vantage point of St. Paul boosters, who are encouraging the city to put on a shine before it is cast into the national spotlight during the Republican National Convention in September.
Construction began last summer to turn this 3-acre island in Harriet Island Regional Park into a cultural gem that can be enjoyed by everyone from downtown office workers to weekend picnickers to concert-goers from around the region. By the end of this summer, you won’t be able to recognize the former drab piece of real estate, also known as Navy Island because it was once the site of a Naval training center. The center was short-lived and was demolished in 1965.
“Basically, it had been a parking lot for downtown office workers,” explained Don Ganje, project manager for St. Paul Parks and Recreation.
That changed in 2005 when the city received just over $5 million in state funds to improve the riprap on the island and renovate it into a park. Riprap is rock and other material placed around the shoreline to prevent water erosion.
“The riprap was falling apart. It was either do it now or lose the island,” said Ganje.
The transformation of the island has been gradual since 1985 when the city first planted trees and sod there and put in walking paths. Many are familiar with the island as the site of the Minnesota Boat Club, which has operated a rowing club there since 1870. In its heyday, the island was the site of regattas, formal balls, tennis matches and curling events. When the new Wabasha Street Bridge was completed in 2001, it included a staircase to the island, making it more easily accessible for downtown officer workers. The other most notable improvement was the addition of the Schubert Club Bandstand in 2002. This $1 million project was privately funded.
New amenities
With a newly designed parking lot and a new public restroom at the Minnesota Boat Club, the island will be more user-friendly, but its landscape design is what will make people take notice. The park will feature several amenities that will meld with the natural environment. Near the parking lot will be a lower terrace surrounded by permeable pavers and native plantings. Between the lower terrace and the bandshell will be an event lawn lined with limestone seat walls, and at the eastern edge are steps to the river. A red limestone walking path that can be illuminated for night use will circle the perimeter of the park.
The native plantings include 131 trees, 443 shrubs, 4,000 ornamental grasses, 1,400 wild flowers, 900 perennials and over 300 ferns. Also included in the park design are a rain garden and an aspen grove surrounded by a sedge meadow.
Ganje said this renovation project was part of the 1998 Harriet Island Master Plan and will be a unique asset to the regional park. He said it will be different than the rest of the park in that it will offer a more intimate setting than Harriet Island Park, which is more open and was designed for larger events.
Last summer, St. Paul Parks and Recreation hosted a few Music and Movies in the Park events on Raspberry Island. Those and similar events will continue once construction is finished. The island will also be available for private events for a fee. For more information, call 651-266-6400.
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| Posted from February 2008 issue |
| Betty McCollum (left) toured the Mississippi National River and Recreation area this fall with Park Superintendent Paul Labovitz and Mississippi River Fund Executive Director Katie Nyberg. |
River lovers have a friend in Rep. Betty McCollum
Congresswoman Betty McCollum champions legislation to preserve the Mississippi River
Tim Spitzack
Editor
Of all the rivers in the United States, the Mississippi River is arguably the most significant and most worthy of being called a national river. At 2,350 miles, it is the third largest watershed in the world and has long served the nation as an important source of recreation, transportation and commerce. Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D-MN) recognizes its importance and believes the Mississippi River is a national treasure that must be preserved and protected.
McCollum is a strong proponent of the Mississippi River and has worked for the past few years on legislation to attract federal funds and resources to the river and its corridor. In September 2006 she introduced the Mississippi River Trail Study Act in an effort to establish a national or scenic trail along the Mississippi River from the headwaters in Northern Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico.
“I introduced this legislation during the last session of Congress, the 109th, which ran from 2005 to 2006,” said McCollum. “My colleagues in the House of Representatives were very supportive and the bill passed the House unanimously. Unfortunately, that victory came just two months before the 109th Congress adjourned, so the Senate was unable to pass a companion bill in time.”
Undeterred, McCollum introduced new legislation last year—the Mississippi River Special Resource Study Act.
“The Mississippi River is a living American treasure and we should be acting now to preserve its natural, cultural and economic value for future generations,” said McCollum. “No study on the preservation of the entire river corridor has ever been conducted. I introduced the Mississippi River Special Resource Study Act to get that effort underway.”
As is often the case, this Act has been rolled into a broader package of legislation, the America’s Historical and Natural Legacy Study Act, which passed by an overwhelming majority in the U.S. House of Representatives in December by 326-79 votes. This Act would authorize a study to determine preservation and land use needs within the Mississippi River corridor and other natural spaces across the country. It would also direct the National Park Service to develop a long-term preservation strategy for the Mississippi River and incorporate all or part of the Mississippi River corridor into the U.S. National Parks System.
“This is a major new step toward ensuring that the Mississippi River remains as accessible, environmentally healthy, and vital for our economy tomorrow as it is today,” said McCollum. “This bill directs the National Park Service to conduct a comprehensive study on how to preserve the river’s natural treasures, coordinate public and private amenities along the river, and recognize its historical significance. The study will lay out a federal framework that can bring together everyone with an interest in protecting and enhancing the river.”
Supporters say passage of this Act, which is now under review by the U.S. Senate and its Energy and Natural Resources committee, will help preserve the river’s natural resources, support tourism and recognize the historical and cultural amenities of the river. Opponents say that it is ill-timed, given the maintenance backlog on existing National Park lands and facilities, and some fear that it is a way for the federal government to wrest control of private land.
McCollum is hopeful that the Senate will act on companion legislation this session.
The bill passed the house by a margin of more than four to one, so there’s clearly a lot of support among a diverse range of lawmakers,” she said. “The Mississippi River is a priority for me in Congress because St. Paul and Minneapolis simply would not exist without it. It is America’s greatest waterway, the source of so much economic prosperity, history, recreation and natural wonder for communities from the Twin Cities to New Orleans. We have the responsibility to make sure that future generations can benefit from it and appreciate it as much as we do. To do that, we need new attention and focus on preservation from the federal level, and my legislation is a step in that direction.” |
| Posted from January 2008 issue |
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| Ice floes on the Mississippi River in late November at North Mississippi River Regional Park. |
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3 ways to enjoy the Mississippi during the 3 coldest months of the year
Tim Spitzack
Editor
Sub-freezing temperatures have a unique way of transforming the Mighty Mississippi. It begins in late fall when the slow moving water around the grassy riverbanks and backwater pools starts to crystallize into thin sheets of ice. With a current that is ever pushing its way toward the Gulf of Mexico, these sheets can turn into large ice floes that crash and heave upon each other, creating an other-worldly frozen landscape. By January, winter finally grips the river in its clutch and buries it beneath a thick sheet of ice and snow.
For many, winter is a time to surrender outdoor recreation, yet opportunities abound and there are still a number of ways to enjoy the river and its history and culture—both indoors and out. Here are three suggestions to try during the next few months.
XX-Sking
Cross country skiing is a sport that both the novice and expert can enjoy, and is an exhilarating way to experience the river valley. A glide through the forest on a bright winter day, sheltered from the elements by birch, pine, spruce, oak and maple trees, is sure to reinvigorate your heart and spirit. As you pass the scenic vistas of the frozen river, you’ll surely pity those who are home-bound and tethered to their TVs.
Excellent ski trails are offered nearby at Battle Creek Park, Spring Lake Park Reserve and Fort Snelling State Park. All are within the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (MNRAA) and offer groomed trails. Skiers over age 16 must have a ski pass, available for $5 a day or $15 for the season from the Department of Natural Resources. For more information, call 651-296-6157 or visit http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/licenses/skipass/index.html. Ski rental is available for $20 a day at REI, 750 W American Blvd., Bloomington.
Battle Creek Park – The entrance to the park, which has nearly five miles of groomed trails, is on Highway 61 at Lower Afton Road in St. Paul. This park also offers night skiing on over two miles of lighted trails until 9 p.m. daily. The lighted trail portion is accessible on the West Side of the park on Winthrop Street. For more information, call Ramsey County Parks at 651-748-2500, or visit www.co.ramsey.mn.us/parks/trails.htm.
Spring Lake Park Reserve – This park, located two miles north of Highway 55 on County Road 42 near Hastings, features 4 miles of groomed trails, part of which takes you through a beautiful evergreen forest of ponderosa, jack, red, and white pines. For more information, call the Dakota County Trail Hotline at 651-438-4636.
Fort Snelling State Park – This state park is located at the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers and offers 18 miles of groomed trails. There is a daily entrance fee of $7, or an annual pass for $25. The park entrance is at Highway 5 and Post Road in St. Paul. For more information, call 612-725-2724.
Interpretive Centers
If you haven’t yet visited the Mississippi River Gallery at the Science Museum of Minnesota, do so this winter. At the gallery you can tour an authentic towboat and test your skills as a riverboat pilot, learn about the creatures that fly above and swim below the river, and much more. The gallery is part of the Science Museum and requires a ticket. Admission is $17.50 for adults and $13 for children and seniors. The Science Museum of Minnesota is located at 120 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul.
If you’re ready to venture a little farther from home, visit the Carl W. Kroening Interpretive Center, located at the North Mississippi River Regional Park in Minneapolis. This interpretive center and nature preserve offers exhibits on the Mississippi River and its impact on the surrounding community. It has interesting displays on logging and river pollution, and interpretive programs are held year-round. In January, you can participate in a new moon hike and a winter survival day. The hike is held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 5 and costs $4. The winter survival day is held from 1 to 3 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 26. The fee is $5 for this course, which teaches participants such winter survival skills as shelter and fire building and dressing for the weather. Reservations are required. Center hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and noon to 5 on Sunday. The park is located within MNRAA at 4900 Mississippi Court. Take I-94 west to the 49th and 54th Street exit. For more information, call 763-694-7693.
A great read on a cold night
If you’re looking for a great read on these cold winter nights, pick up a copy of Clarence Jonk’s “River Journey,” published by the Minnesota Historical Society (Borealis Press). As you read the conclusion of this Minnesotan’s ill-planned adventure down the Mississippi River, you’ll be happy you’re nestled inside the warmth and security of your own home.
Jonk had high dreams of living cheaply and carefree by building a boat and floating it down the length of the Mississippi River. However, his boat construction skills were lacking, as was his planning, and he ended up getting iced-in near LaCrosse, Wisc. His book is a humorous tale that will strike a chord with anyone who has ever dreamed about their own river voyage, and is a classic example of how one man tried to tackle the river and lost, but was better off for the experience. “River Journey” is available for $14.95 at http://shop.mnhs.org/browsemhspress.cfm, the Minnesota History Center bookstore, 345 W. Kellogg Blvd, St. Paul, local libraries and other retail locations. |
| Posted from November 2007 issue |
| This illustration shows what the 50-acre Xcel Energy site will look like following construction of its new natural gas plant. The existing coal-burning plant will be demolished by the end of 2009. |
Energizing the Riverfront
50 acres of riverfront land may be converted to a new park, athletic fields or housing.
Tim Spitzack, editor
The towering smoke stack of Xcel Energy’s High Bridge plant on the east bank of the Mississippi River in St. Paul has long stood as a navigational beacon for river users and as a symbol of how industry has changed the landscape of the river. But times change and so will the landscape when Xcel completes construction of its new natural gas facility to replace the existing coal-burning plant. As a result, Xcel is finding itself with 50 acres of prime riverfront property that will no longer be needed to house its former facility and the massive amounts of coal that were used to feed it.
This property could be the newest addition to the Great River Park (GRP) being developed in St. Paul. GRP is an initiative of the St. Paul Riverfront Corporation that seeks to create an interconnected series of public parks and natural spaces along the Mississippi River. Xcel recently approached the Riverfront Corp. for ideas on what to do with the land, and of course they were more than happy to oblige.
“We’re very pleased and happy to help them through the process,” said Tim Griffin, director of the Design Center of the St. Paul Riverfront Corporation. “We’re very pleased that they’re getting the vision of the Great River Park.”
Proposed uses
Griffin directed a team of urban designers and a group of advisors to develop three potential uses for the land. Those options include converting the land to a natural park, athletic fields or a mixed-use housing/commercial development. Xcel is also exploring the option of selling the land to a developer. The new plant is expected to open in May, 2008, with the former plant being demolished by the end of 2009. Construction could begin on one of the three proposals by the summer of 2010.
Ron Brevig, High Bridge Plant manager, was instrumental in engaging the Riverfront Corporation to develop the proposed uses and for taking those plans to the public.
“The Riverfront Corporation did a great job,” he said. “We took the three conceptual ideas to the Fort Road Federation for their reaction. The next step is that I can take that (the three proposals and public feedback) internally to Xcel, but there are no definitive end-uses identified right now.” Brevig added that he will be involved in that internal decision making process.
Ed Johnson, director of the Fort Road Federation, the district council for the neighborhood surrounding the Xcel site, said his group is pleased with the communication it has received from Xcel but that it does have reservations with some of the proposed uses.
“There are a lot of concerns with how traffic will be dealt with if there is a huge soccer stadium there or more housing,” said Johnson, who added that his group favors the low-impact proposals, such as a creating a natural park or an off-leash dog area.
Natural gas plant
Not only will Xcel’s new facility be more aesthetically pleasing, it will be more productive and environmentally friendly as well. Electricity output will be increased by at least 270 megawatts, or enough to serve about 300,000 homes. Environmental groups, such as St. Paul-based Friends of the Mississippi River, applaud the conversion of the plant for its effect on air quality. According to Xcel, emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter will be reduced by 90 percent and mercury emissions will be completely eliminated.
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| Posted from October 2007 issue |
New event at Harriet Island celebrates the Mississippi River through the arts
Gathering at the River-Crepuscule 2007 held October 13 at Harriet Island Regional Park
Tim Spitzack, editor
Celebrating the Mississippi River through the arts is the impetus behind a new celebration, held from 2 to 5 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 13 at Harriet Island Regional Park. This free event—Gathering at the River-Crepuscule 2007 (pronounced krép-uh-skewl)—allows participants to take part in interactive art activities and learn about the Mississippi River and good stewardship practices. It is sponsored by ArtStart, East Side Arts Council, Teatro del Pueblo and musician/composer Douglas R. Ewart.
According to Carol Sirrine, executive director of ArtStart, the goal of the event is to celebrate our community’s connection to the Mississippi River through the arts and to promote stewardship. It is patterned after a tradition that began in Minneapolis in 1997 by Ewart, the founder and artistic director of Crepuscule, a Latin term meaning "happening at twilight," or a happening at the twilight of the seasons. Ewart has organized similar celebrations in Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit and Paris, France. This is the first time it is being held in St. Paul.
The three-hour event begins with an opening pageant led by Ewart to honor residents who have made a significant contribution to their community at a grassroots level. It then unfolds into art-making activities that are based on river themes that promote clean water, awareness of the river and using recycled materials. Special activities include mask making, puppetry, ship building, raku pottery firing and instrument construction. The event will also feature interactive performances with dance, drama and music groups. All events take place in and around the pavilion at Harriet Island.
"The river has been so important to many cultures. It is always an adventure and a changing canvas. It connects all of our lives in very significant ways," said Sirrine. "The Crepuscule is really a 3-hour interactive composition that has a beginning, a middle, where the art takes place, and a closing. It is a place to explore your own creativity and be part of the larger community."
At the conclusion, participants are invited to perform in a closing ceremony in which individuals showcase their artwork or performance piece and join hands in a circle, pledging to take action to be a better steward of the river and the environment.
"We’re going to bring to the circle artists from each culture, including Native American, African American, Asian and Latino," said Sirrine.
ArtStart was founded in 1988 to promote environmentalism through the arts. One way it accomplishes this is through an educational curriculum called River Eco Journey that it being offered in two St. Paul elementary schools. For more information on the event, contact Cindy Smith at 651-698-2787 or cindy@artstart.org, or visit www.artstart.org.
About the founder
Ewart, a native of Kingston, Jamacia, has held a deep fascination with art for most of his life. By the time he was six, he was cobbling together materials he found in his backyard to make things, such as scooters and kites. At 10, he was designing musical instruments out of tin cans, wood and other recycled materials. It was then that he found a piece of bamboo and turned it into a flute, thus beginning his association with making totem flutes and highly decorated percussion instruments that are made out of used objects, such as crutches, oars and skis.
Ewart is a past president of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM) and instructor in the AACM School of Music. Now he works as a lecturer and workshop director and musician.
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| Posted from September 2007 issue |
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Is Your Drinking Water Safe?
St. Paul and surrounding suburbs get most of their drinking water from the Mississippi River. But is it safe? New water quality report provides the answer.
Tim Spitzack, Editor
It’s late August and you’ve just spent the day hiking or biking the trail that meanders its way along the St. Paul riverfront. It’s an unusually warm summer day, with temps in the lower 90s and high humidity, and you’re thirsty; really thirsty. It’s been half an hour since you squeezed the last drops of water from your water bottle into your parched mouth and you long for more. You smack your lips in a failed effort to moisten your palette and your mind suddenly becomes obsessed with finding more water.
Given this situation, would you dare venture to the bank of the Mississippi River, dip in your bottle and take a long drink of water? It’s not likely (or advisable), given the amount of contaminants that pollute the river on a daily basis, everything from oil, gas and pestiside/herbicide runoff to industrial waste and garbage that makes its way into the river through storm drains. However, when you turn on your tap and fill your cup, it is essentially the Mississippi River that you are pouring into it.
St. Paul and the surrounding suburbs get as much as 90 percent of their drinking water from the river. Granted, the water has been treated, but do you know how safe it really is?
According to the Center for Global Environmental Education at Hamline University, the Mississippi River is in poor health, in terms of water quality, biological diversity and contaminated organisms in the river. It’s a problem that not only affects residents in the St. Paul area, but throughout the entire Mississippi River Valley as well. The center says 18 million people get their drinking water from the Mississippi River and its tributaries.
So how do we know our water is safe? Just ask the folks at St. Paul Regional Water Utility. They’re responsible for monitoring the water as it makes its way from the Mississippi River, through a system of lakes, a treatment plant and then into our homes.
The water utility has a team of scientists that continually analyze the water for harmful contaminants and work to make sure it’s safe and relatively soft and taste- and odor-free. All of these tests meet state and federal regulations.
According to Jim Bode, water quality supervisor with the utility, St. Paul’s water quality is very good and improving, thanks to new technology. The water utility is responsible for the water in St. Paul and many surrounding communities, including West St. Paul and Mendota Heights.
"It’s really, really good right now," he said of the treated water. "Within the past year we have put in some new filters in our plant to filter out particulate matter and taste and odor. We’ve had very few complaints this year."
According to the water utility’s 2007 Water Quality Report, which was released this summer, all regulated substances were well below the levels allowed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). These substances include radium, coliform bacterica, nitrates, fluoride, chlorine and sodium. Bode said he doesn’t believe St. Paul Water has ever been cited for exceeding these levels. Although the water does contain traces of carcinogens, such as Trihalomethanes, they are far below EPA levels, and Bode said it is impossible to remove them completely. The report is available at http://www.stpaul.gov/depts/water/CCR.pdf, or by calling 651-266-6350.
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| Posted from August 2007 issue |
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Tales of turtles and taggers
Volunteer river stewards help with the first-ever turtle count, drain stenciling
Tim Spitzack, editor
Over the summer employees from the Patagonia store on Grand Avenue in St. Paul have been playing hooky once a week. On bright, sunny days, they’ve been slipping out of the store and into canoes to paddle around the Mississippi River. And their manager is fine with that.
The employees are part of a team that is conducting the first-ever turtle count survey within the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (MNRRA), a 72-mile stretch of river in the Twin Cities metropolitan area that is managed by the National Park Service. The project, which concludes in September, is funded and staffed by the St. Paul Patagonia store, with the Mississippi River Fund (MRF) as the fiscal agent. MRF is a non-profit organization that funds river projects for the Park Service.
Patagonia, a store that sells sportswear and travel gear, has a long history of working with grassroots environmental organizations across the country, and each store has its own grant program to assist with local environmental projects. The St. Paul store has been open nearly two years and has already committed $14,000 to local environmental groups and projects, including Friends of the Mississippi River, Friends of the Boundary Waters, Minnesotans for Responsible Recreation and the St. Paul Parks and Recreation department. All 15 employees of the St. Paul store are helping with the turtle survey, volunteering 320 hours, valued at nearly $3,900.
"It was exactly the right fit for us," said store manager Ellen Grady when discussing the project. "A lot of us use the river for our own recreation, so this is a chance to do a shift on the river. It’s just been dynamite. Everyone on staff will get to go out three to four times this summer."
Grady said Patagonia is supporting the program through its internship program, which is different from its grant funding. Under this program, Patagonia gives its employees up to two months paid leave to work on environmental projects.
Turtle ID
On their day trips, Patagonia volunteers are on the look-out for the six species of turtles that live in MNRAA, including the threatened Blanding’s turtle, a classic-looking turtle with a large, rounded and speckled shell. The turtle is threatened due to the elimination of wetlands for urban and suburban development. The other turtles include snapping, map, spiny soft-shell, painted and wood turtles.
Their job is relatively simple and fun, if one enjoys being on the river in a canoe. Two teams of two go out weekly and spend the better part of the day canoeing along each bank of the river of a designated area collecting data, which is given to the Park Service. The Park Service provided training in turtle identification and river safety.
Store employee Kate Rowe went on one of the first trips in June. She and three others spent the day paddling around the Coon Rapids Dam area.
"We saw 70 turtles on the first trip and a lot of other wildlife, like bald eagles and herons," she said. "The majority of the turtles were spiny soft-shelled turtles.
"It’s been a really great experience," she added. "We are all very lucky to get out there and work as a team, and to work on the environment in our community."
Why count turtles?
According to Katie Nyberg, executive director of the MRF, the survey is being done at the request of the Park Service to get an inventory of what turtle species are in MNRRA.
"This has been on the Park Service radar for a few years, but it’s difficult to get funding for these projects," said Nyberg. "They don’t know as much as they want to about the inventory of the park. The Mississippi River Fund provides a link to help local businesses support the National Park Service. We’re thrilled about this partnership with Patagonia."
This is the first of what Nyberg expects to be an annual effort of using private companies to help collect data within MNRRA for the Park Service.
Drain stenciling helps protect water quality
If you see a group of people on your street corner this summer with cans of spray paint, don’t be alarmed. They’re not graffiti "taggers," but rather a group of volunteers who are helping raise awareness about water pollution in the Mississippi River. They are assisting with a program that is organized by Friends of the Mississippi River (FMR), taking place through October. It’s not a glamorous job but it is an example of what one person can do to help protect the river. Volunteers paint the message "Please Don’t Pollute - Drains to River" next to storm drains, and distribute educational materials to neighborhood homes and businesses. This year, FMR is looking for groups of 15 or more to band together to stencil about 2,400 drains and distribute 8,000 door hangers to homes in St. Paul. FMR has sponsored drain stenciling for several years and provides supplies and training.
Accoridng to Sara Muchowski with FMR, the project helps raise awareness that the stormwater that enters drains goes directly into the Mississippi River and does not get cleaned or treated by a waste-water treatment plant. She said St. Paul and surrounding suburbs get as much as 90 percent of their drinking water from the river. The major pollutants going down the storm drains include trash, cigarette butts, leaves, grass clippings, fertilizer, oil and pet waste. She suggests these simple tips to eliminate the problem:
• Don’t litter.
• Compost or bag leaves and grass clippings.
• Pick up pet waste.
• Use zero-phosphorus fertilizer, and sweep spilled fertilizer off of paved surfaces.
• Wash your car on the lawn or at a carwash, not in your driveway or on the street.
• Dispose of paint and other household hazardous wastes properly.
For more information, contact Sara Muchowski at 651-222-2193, ext. 23, smuchowski@fmr.org.
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