Events and trainings

Buckthorn Workshop

Join RPBCWD and the City of Eden Prairie on September 14th at Staring Lake Park for a Buckthorn Workshop. The first part of the workshop will take place inside the park building with a presentation about the benefits of controlling buckthorn, how to identify it, and an overview of control methods. We'll then move outside into nearby woods to practice your identification skills and control methods. Registration is limited to households located within Eden Prairie and/or the Riley Purgatory Bluff Creek Watershed District (find out if you live in the district here.)

September 14, 2023, 5:30pm - 6:30 pm, Staring Lake Park building.

Building Healthy Soil Workshop

Join entomologist and soil health evaluator, Dr. Ann Marie Journey, to learn about soil ecology in the urban environment. Find out what actions you can take to build healthier soils at home, support farmers using soil health practices to grow our food, and more.

This workshop is hosted by Ridgedale Library in partnership with the City of Minnetonka, Nine Mile Creek Watershed District, and Riley Purgatory Bluff Creek Watershed District.

September 28, 2023, 6:30pm - 8:00pm, Ridgedale Library.

Build Your Own Rainbarrel Workshop

Join the RPBCWD for a Build Your Own Rain Barrel workshop! Rain barrels help reduce the amount of runoff flowing across your property by capturing and storing rainwater from your roof, which can then be reused to water your garden or irrigate your lawn. This workshop will walk you through how to convert a retired oak wine barrel into a beautiful rain barrel of your very own.

October 3, 2023, 5:30pm - 7:00pm, RPBCWD Office

Cycle the Creek

Cycle the Creek is a yearly community bike ride along one of the three creeks that gives us our name. At stops along the way you’ll discover new things about the creek, the work the watershed district is undertaking to keep it clean, and what you can do to help.

October 7, 2023, 10:00am - 12:00pm, Riley Lake Park Pavilion.

Urban Soils: Challenges and Opportunities walkshop

What exactly is soil, and how does urban development impact it? Join Dr. Ann Marie Journey for a walk around Minnetonka’s Civic Center Park to see how soil varies between woodlands, wetlands and lawns. Along the way, you’ll learn ways to improve the soil in your yard.

This event is hosted by the City of Minnetonka in partnership with the Nine Mile Creek Watershed District and Riley Purgatory Bluff Creek Watershed District.
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October 7, 2023, 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm, Civic Center Park

smart salting training

Salt is an important and widely used public safety tool in winter maintenance. But it's possible to reduce salt use while still maintaining a high level of safety and service! This course will help you learn how to integrate science with practical winter maintenance while minimizing impacts on the environment through presentations and class exercises. The practices taught will help you save money, time, and the environment.

Smart Salting for Property Management: Oct 11th, 2023, 9:00am - 1:00pm. Online. Click here to register.

Smart Salting for Parking Lots & Sidewalks: Nov 1st, 2023, 8:00am - 1:00pm. RPBCWD Office. Click here to register.

photo contest

We want to see your best photographs that feature our lakes, streams, parks, wildlife, plants, recreation, or anything else outdoors that inspires you! The RPBCWD Photo Contest is held every other year, with winning photographs being featured in a hanging wall calendar for the following year. Photo entries are due September 30, 2023.