Education and Outreach Program Support

lower miSSISSIPPI river watershed MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION, farmington, mn, 2022

Background
The average Minnesotan’s daily activities can have a big impact on neighboring waters, but residents are often unaware of these effects. The Lower Mississippi River Watershed Management Organization (LMRWMO) manages water resources in southeast metro and needed additional support with education and outreach programs.

Strengths & Solutions
Young Environmental led efforts to engage the community with storm drain and impaired waters awareness and protection. As part of a Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) Watershed-Based Implementation Funding grant, we created branded materials for a variety of uses.

Keeping storm drains clean is one way the public can have a large, collective impact on water quality. Drains on every street lead directly to local water sources and sediment, leaves, and chemicals on the streets can easily be transported along with melting snow and rainwater. To help educate the public about this important connection, the LMRWMO initiated an outreach program. We developed stenciling kits for community volunteer groups to paint local storm drains with alerts, reminding citizens that they output directly to local waterways. Kits included door hangers, stencils for different areas of the watershed, laminated maps, and stenciling supplies.

We also created educational materials for impaired waters within the watershed, including the Mississippi River, Lake Augusta, and Thompson Lake. Our team created factsheets and digital content to help the public understand the impacts of fertilizer and chloride application, native plantings and raingardens, and picking up after their pets.

Project Impact
To meet the demographic needs for the watershed, we worked with a translator and community members to develop multi-lingual communication pieces. In addition to the educational materials, we provided measurable results to contribute to watershed reporting. By engaging the community in the protection of local waterways, the LMRWMO will reach water quality goals faster!

Education and Outreach, Graphic Design, Social Media