Water Resources Center—MSU, Mankato (WRC)
http://mrbdc.mankato.msus.edu/

About the organization
Gather, interpret, and distribute data of environmental significance to help citizens enhance the quality of regional lakes, rivers, wetlands, and groundwater. We also manage the Minnesota River Basin Data Center, a clearinghouse for information and a source of training for resource professionals.

Respondent: Robert Finley, director

How important to you is the river or stream nearest your home, and why?
Rivers are the defining feature of the landscape in and around Mankato. The notorious bend in the Minnesota River lies within the city limits; the Blue Earth River enters the Minnesota River in Mankato; and the Le Sueur and Watonwan Rivers discharge into the Blue Earth just upstream from Mankato. These rivers have had a profound influence on the region in terms of settlement, industry, and development that cannot be overlooked.

How can citizens find out about the condition of the river nearest their homes or communities?
A wealth of information is available to those who are interested. Government agencies (local, state, and federal) and schools have knowledgeable employees as well as scores of publications. Web sites such as ours are a ready source of information. Perhaps overlooked are local people that have a long term, direct connection with the river that know a great deal more than we give them credit for.

What can homeowners do to make their land and property more river friendly? What can farmers do? Business owners?
This is a simple matter of acknowledging the consequences of our behavior and our land use practices. Most people understand water resource problems related to overfertilization, poor tillage practices, indiscriminate dumping, etc. These problems have been documented and discussed for decades. The real question is how do we get people to do the right thing?

What are the most important actions citizens can take to help clean up Minnesota's rivers?
Make a personal commitment to adopt and act upon a set of principles that protect rather than degrade rivers. At the very least, the consequences of our behavior should cause no additional harm. Some people may actually be able to take actions that improve conditions. Their actions should be publicized and modeled by the rest of us.

River policymakers must address diverse and often competing elements such as the environment, commerce, flood control, recreation, and land use—but from your point of view, what overarching values should guide how we use, treat, and manage rivers?
Adopting the attitude that we are caretakers rather than owners, managers, or users of our rivers would be a huge step in the right direction. This implies an obligation to honor and protect what we've inherited, and to pass it along to those who follow in at least as good a condition as we found it.

How can we manage the conflict of private land use and the best management practices for our rivers?
We may someday recognize that our current system of using public funds to pay private landowners to adopt practices that protect public resources (rivers) isn't getting the job done. If we believe that more is needed, then the result will be further restrictions on the use of private land.

How important is the development of a land-use plan in the watersheds that feed our rivers? Do you have a land-use plan?
Land-use plans are very important and are used extensively throughout the state to guide decisions affecting land and water resources. They provide a good means for setting priorities and focusing resources. Unfortunately, these plans are difficult to implement, so they should not be seen as a sufficient method for protecting water resources.

What programs are available—and are more needed—to educate and inform citizens, river users, river property owners, and policymakers about river issues?
More programs will likely lead to more confusion. Maybe we should concentrate on strengthening those we already have—and we have a lot of them. We definitely need to find new ways to translate information into action.