Water

Water shortages and problems around Minnesota — and the country — have many wondering what is the true cost of clean and reliable water. This reporting is supported in part by The Water Main, a project of American Public Media.

Beach closed? Blame it on the rain
Several beaches around the Twin Cities metro are closed because bacterial contamination poses a health risk for swimmers.
Photos: Immigrant kids jump into Minnesota's outdoor summer culture
A Minnesota summer camp is helping connect city kids and children of refugees to the state's outdoor summer culture, often for the first time. It's also altering perceptions about who enjoys the outdoors.
A fisherman's hope for balance between urban development and natural conservation
Minneapolis has proposed plans to develop the Mississippi riverfront with affordable housing, innovation hubs and a large outdoor amphitheater. Nicholas Hammer, a northside resident who's continuing a family tradition of fishing the Mississippi, hopes it can be done while protecting the beauty in and around the river.
On hot days, thrill-seekers flock to Stearns County's Quarry Park
The Travel Channel named Quarry Park to its list of top 10 swimming holes in the United States in 2016. The park is also popular in the summer for hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing, scuba diving and geocaching.
Upstream landowners see hope in Red River diversion delay
For people living upstream of Fargo-Moorhead, flood control for those cities has a personal cost, and they are holding onto hope that the latest legal twist will save their land.
Eyes under the water: Volunteers help Great Lakes scientists find invasives below
For years, researchers have been amassing hundreds of underwater videos of lake bottoms as they gather data from the depths. Now, they've asked volunteers to watch those videos and help them identify invasive species that appear in them.
Outside in MN: Make the most of the outdoors this summer
Want to get outside with your family this summer, but not sure where to start? We've got your back with our new app: Outside in MN.
Minnesota's most interesting lakes
It's Water Month at MPR and we're talking about Minnesota's most interesting lakes. Some have odd features or surprising names, like Lake Wakanda. And many face threats to their health and quality.
As algae blooms spread, more Minn. lakes get chemical treatment
To combat the aquatic scourge of harmful algae blooms, lake managers are increasingly turning to aluminum sulfate. The chemical blankets the sediment, keeping the lake's phosphorus levels in check.