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The Mississippi Watershed Management Organization's new headquarters on the river includes a green roof. Green roofs can capture stormwater, reducing the amount of water running off rooftops and into storm drains, which eventually reach the Mississippi River. The problem with stormwater is that it picks up things like trash, fertilizer, leaves and plants that contain pollutants, especially nutrients like phosphorus. Nutrients contribute to excess algae growth in lakes, which can harm water quality and hurt native ecosystems.
Tom Baker for MPR News
A new park in northeast Minneapolis will celebrate its grand opening on Saturday.
The park at 2522 Marshall St. NE in Minneapolis is designed to capture and treat all stormwater on site, keeping it out of the river. That's important because stormwater can contain pollutants that harm the river.
The issue has taken on new urgency because of climate change. Minnesota is seeing more precipitation overall. In addition, more of the rain is falling in big storm events, and climate scientists have linked the trends to increased greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. In response, cities and watershed management organizations have been implementing more so-called green infrastructure into the urban landscape to keep stormwater in place.
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Visitors to the Stormwater Park and Learning Center in northeast Minneapolis can arrive by canoe on this beach. The beach is also where the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization has installed a water outlet in case of a historic rain event. So far, no water has ever reached this point. Stormwater practices like the green roof, rain gardens and tree trenches are able to capture all the water coming off a 1.7-acre area that includes rooftops and a parking lot.
Tom Baker for MPR News
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The Mississippi Watershed Management Organization's new headquarters on the river includes a green roof. Green roofs can capture stormwater, reducing the amount of water running off rooftops and into storm drains, which eventually reach the Mississippi River. The problem with stormwater is that it picks up things like trash, fertilizer, leaves and plants that contain pollutants, especially nutrients like phosphorus. Nutrients contribute to excess algae growth in lakes, which can harm water quality and hurt native ecosystems.
Tom Baker for MPR News
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The front yard of the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization includes a giant cistern that can hold up to 4,000 gallons of water coming off the building's roof. The cistern can handle a 1-inch rain -- the Twin Cities typically gets a storm that big about six times a year. When the cistern fills, water can be let out into the tree trenches and rain gardens in the front yard. Staff can also let water out of the cistern during dry spells to make sure the plants and trees stay healthy.
Tom Baker for MPR News
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