Welcoming Spring at RPBCWD

A snowy forest with trees reflecting in a calm, narrow stream.

Letter from the District

Spring in Minnesota always seems to keep us on our toes, but no matter the weather, we find ourselves spending more and more time outdoors. The 50 square miles of the Riley Purgatory Bluff Creek Watershed District is bursting with recreation potential across its 13 lakes, 3 creeks and 25 parks, and as you explore all that our watershed has to offer, we invite you to join us as we work to protect it for future generations to enjoy.

The Adopt-a-Drain program offers a simple way to help our lakes and creeks by removing leaves, trash, and other debris from storm drains that would otherwise flow freely into our waters. The District also offers Clean-up Kits to help you organize a trash clean up event for Earth Day. If you live along a lakeshore, consider joining our Adopt-a-Dock program to help monitor for invasive zebra mussels on your lake. If you'd like to learn more about native plants, invasive species, or turf grass maintenance, come join us at one of our free upcoming workshops. We even offer funds to help you get started on a native planting project through our grant program. However you'd like to get involved, we're here to help.

The District will soon begin drafting its Watershed Management Plan for the next 10 years, which will guide our goals, strategies, and activities from 2027-2036. Your input will help us chart the best path forward, so stay tuned for information on how to contribute to the planning process. In the meantime, if you have ideas for ways we can work together for clean water and a resilient community, please don't hesitate to reach out.

Sincerely,

Terry Jeffery
District Administrator

A field of wildflowers with pink and yellow blooms, green foliage, and trees in the background.

Stewardship Grant Applications Now Open

The Stewardship Grant is a cost-share program that offers financial support and resources for clean water projects to residents and organizations in the watershed district. Examples include natural shoreline restorations, habitat restorations, alternatives to standard lawns, and stormwater best management practices such as rain gardens or tree trenches. Homeowners can receive up to 75% of their project cost up to $5,000.

A vibrant rainbow arches over a calm lake, with the sunset sky reflected in the water.

2025 Photo Contest Now Open

We want to see your best photographs that feature our lakes, streams, parks, wildlife, plants, recreation, or anything else outdoors that inspires you! We're looking for photos of our watershed to feature in our 2026 wall calendar. $50 prize will be awarded to the winning cover photograph, and $20 prizes to the 12 monthly featured winning photographs. Submissions are due September 30th, 2025.

Three reports on Lake Ann and Lotus Lake with maps, water quality data, and aquatic plant info for 2024.

Lake and Creek Factsheets

Our 2024 Lake Factsheets are here! The factsheets are updated each year and summarize waterbody characteristics and water quality trends for our 13 lakes and 3 creeks.

A forest scene with several tree trunks and lush greenery covering the ground.

Woodland Invaders Workshop

Thursday, April 3rd at 5:30pm
This introductory workshop is for Eden Prairie and RPBCWD residents and will provide an overview on how to identify and manage buckthorn with information about other invasive species. The first part of the workshop will be a presentation inside the Round Lake park building. The second part of the workshop will occur outside, off-trail in nearby woods so you can practice identification skills and control methods.

A collage of colorful flowers: purple with a butterfly, yellow, pink, red spikes, and pale purple blossoms.

Native Plants and Pocket Prairies Workshop

Thursday, April 10th at 6:00pm
Add some pizzazz to your yard this summer! Native plants increase the beauty of your lawn by giving pops of color throughout the warm season and providing charm and character in the cold season, while improving the health of your soil, providing food and shelter for wildlife, and protecting lakes and rivers by absorbing stormwater runoff. In this workshop, learn practical ideas for how to add native plants to your yard including small pocket prairies and large native plantings.

Wildflowers and tall grasses by a lakeside with a boat at the dock.

Resilient Shorelines Workshop

Tuesday, June 17th at 6:00pm
This in-person workshop covers fundamentals that shoreline property owners need for protecting water quality near their home. Participants will first enjoy a 90 minute presentation given by Metro Blooms Design + Build staff, and then will have the opportunity to ask site specific questions and get expert advice. This workshop covers topics such as: shoreline site assessments, types of shoreline projects, plant selection tips, regulatory reminders, and more! Participants will also receive access to resources that will walk them through the planning stages of their own shoreline project!

Become an Adopt-a-Dock Volunteer

Adopt-a-Dock is a volunteer program where lake residents can help monitor zebra mussels in lake. Early detection of a new zebra mussel infestation or monitoring the abundance of an existing infestation helps management efforts.

A person using an uprooter tool to remove a plant from the ground in a grassy area.

Borrow a Buckthorn Puller

To assist with the control of invasive buckthorn within the watershed district, RPBCWD has two Uprooter tools available for loan with a $250 deposit. The deposit will be returned to you when you return the Uprooter in good condition. You may borrow the Uprooter for up to 10 days.

A rain gauge mounted on a wooden post, with water droplets and a blurred green background.

Become a CoCoRaHS Volunteer

The Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS) is a community-based network of more than 20,000 volunteers nationwide working together to measure and map precipitation. Volunteers take measurements of precipitation each time it rains or snows. These precipitation reports are then recorded online and used for water resource analysis.

STEM on Tap

STEM on Tap is a workshop series that connects STEM teachers of Grades 6 through 12 with practitioners, resources, and each other. Each workshop takes place at a brewery in the southwest metro and features a different STEM practitioner and topic. Workshops stand alone–attend one or attend them all!

Group of children in rain gear holding garden tools, standing on a street on a rainy day.

Education Mini Grants

Do you have an idea for a lesson plan or activity involving water resources? We offer Educator Grants to help cover the cost of the materials and support your ideas. Examples include snowshoes, macroinvertebrate sampling materials, water quality test strips, or bus fees to a local nature center. Grant awards up to $400 are available to teachers and informal educators.

May contain: garden, nature, outdoors, gardening, device, shovel, and tool

Action Grants

Want to start a clean water education campaign? Plant native flowers in your yard? Hold a community clean-up? Get up to $250 to help you make your project a reality. The catch? You can't do it alone! To get an Action Grant, find at least one other person outside your household to join your team. Want to install a free seed library? See if your neighbor has seeds to share. Those native plants? Invite friends over to help you plant them.

Eden Prairie Eco Expo

Celebrate the 4th annual Eco Expo with fun family activities and eco-friendly vendors.

Eden Prairie Arbor Day Celebration

Celebrate Arbor Day with a walk around Staring Lake, and other fun activities!

Letter from the District

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