The Anoka Conservation District (ACD) recently installed a 70-foot lakeshore restoration project to mitigate active erosion at a property on the east side of Martin Lake in northern Anoka County. This section of property is heavily used by the family and was a priority to keep intact. The shoreline had receded/eroded back, with certain areas experiencing severe undercutting caused by wave action. These vulnerable sections could lead to additional property loss in the future and contribute to pollutant loading into Martin Lake, further degrading water quality. 

As designed, this project should stabilize the shoreline and allow new vegetation to become established from existing native sources. It is estimated that the project will prevent 1.3 pounds/year of phosphorous from entering the waterbody throughout the life of the project.

Coir logs are designed entirely of natural materials that are made to biodegrade into the soil overtime. The material is inexpensive, durable, and able to be shaped uniquely to the shoreline. Coir logs can be purchased in different densities, lengths, and diameters, depending on the erosion situation. Compared to other types of erosion control practices, coir logs are low in cost and can be installed by landowners without professional guidance. These practices are also easy to maintain because landowners can fix individual sections that may be damaged over time.

Coir logs protect against wave action and allow banks to stabilize while encouraging vegetation growth. Sections of coir logs are installed in a continuous line near the bank and secured into place using wooding stakes which will also naturally degrade. Aquatics plants are commonly planted into the coir log to provide more enhancement.

This project was funded by the landowner and the ACD cost-share program. ACD provided project administration, design services, and project installation. 

Martin Lake in Linwood Township has been classified as "impaired" since 2004, with an excess of phosphorus being a leading cause of its degradation. This particular water contaminant often comes from plant material and fertilizer, and it only takes a pound of phosphorus to create up to 500 pounds of algal growth in a lake. The subsequent two decades since 2004 have seen an array of water quality improvement projects implemented on Martin Lake's shores and in its waters. As a result, phosphorus levels have been inching closer and closer to Minnesota's water quality standard over the last few years, and a de-listing may be on the horizon if these trends persist.

Storm drains can be a significant source of leaves, grass clippings, and other pollutants to the lakes that they drain to. Luckily, Minnesota is home to the successful Adopt-a-Drain program which provides a way for people to select local drains to personally keep free of debris and protect local water sources. Up until this summer, the drains leading to Martin Lake had not been mapped and available for adoption on Adopt-a-Drain's website. 

As part of ACD's work to improve Martin Lake's water quality, we have remedied this and created a map and flyer to promote these drains to people who live in the neighborhoods along the lakeshore. Through sharing these resources with the lake association and local Facebook groups, 11 drains leading to the lake have now been adopted! Thanks to the people who have volunteered, less debris will be getting into the lake from the surrounding streets, which will help Martin Lake in its journey to getting de-listed in the future. We hope to see more people along the lake join the cause now that these drains are available for adoption!

If you're interested in supporting your local water bodies by adopting a drain, check out https://mn.adopt-a-drain.org/ to get started. 

We selected 11 native wildflower species, 2 native shrub species, and 2 native grass species for the garden that will thrive with the amount of natural sun and water that the spot gets. Adding wildflowers is a no-brainer to provide nectar for pollinators, but adding grasses sometimes gets overlooked in pollinator gardens. Native grasses provide homes for insects to overwinter in and add beautiful texture to a space! There are many great places to order native plants from in Minnesota; we used Minnesota Native Landscapes and Glacial Ridge Growers.

Since our garden is next to a sidewalk, it was lined with river rock to create a cleaner look and contain the mulch. 

In early fall, the plants arrived and were planted. By this time, the cardboard underneath had broken down enough that it was easy to rip gaps in it to dig holes for the plants. Autumn planting gives plants an edge for developing strong roots in their new home and is a great option if you miss the spring planting window. The plants were spaced about 1.5 feet apart to leave them with room to grow into their full-sized forms. The already-present mulch will help hold in water and continue to suppress weeds.

A thriving rain garden installed in Columbia Heights in 2018. With proper maintenance, native species planted in rain garden will fill the entire space within ~3 years.

Four rain gardens are being installed in a northern Anoka neighborhood as part of the City's 2022 Street Surface Improvement Project. Collectively, these gardens will capture nearly 10 acres' worth of stormwater runoff (over 700,000 gallons annually) which would otherwise drain untreated to the Rum River. Through this, sediment loading to the river will be reduced by 969 pounds/year, and total phosphorus loading will be reduced by 3 pounds/year.

Each garden will provide additional ecological benefits through the planting of a diverse range of native species, creating several hundred square feet of rich pollinator habitat within the Rum River corridor. 

Funding for project design was provided by the Metropolitan Conservation Districts Engineering and Technical Assistance Program, and funding for construction is provided by the City of Anoka and State Watershed-based Implementation Funding. 

The six project sites were selected from amongst 34 homeowner who expressed interest. Sites were chosen based on degree of erosion, benefit to the lake, and other factors. Funding was from a Watershed Based Implementation Funding grant to the Anoka Conservation District with matching funds from the Upper Rum River Watershed Management Organization and landowners.

White crab spider with its prey

We have all noticed spiders in our homes or when we are out for a walk. Most of the time, we view them as gross or something to fear. Instead of instantly thinking of spiders as pests that we want to kill or remove from the home, we should try to gain a better understanding of the important role these creatures play within the ecosystem.

Minnesota is home to 519 different species of spiders, including a species of 'jumping spider' that has only been found in Anoka County. 7 of the spider species found in the state are poisonous, but a spider bite resulting in death hasn't been recorded in the United States for decades. Less than 0.5% of spider bites lead to major medical complications.

The main benefit that spiders provide is that they eat a massive amount of insects, consuming on average between 400 and 800 million tons of bugs globally every year. Not only do spiders eat common pests like mosquitos and flies, they also act as a natural insecticide, eating many insects that are known for destroying crops or gardens.

To learn more about why spiders are important, please visit our friends at the Three Rivers Park District: https://www.threeriversparks.org/blog/myths-and-facts-spiders

ACD is going to start taking tree orders in mid-October for an end of April pick up. The trees and shrubs are sold as bare root seedlings or transplants ranging from 12" to 18" in height. They may be purchased in bundles of ten for $20 or twenty-five for $40, not including tax. Native prairie seed and tree aides are also available.

You do not need to be an Anoka County Resident to order. 

Call 763-434-2030 x 100 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to request an emailed notification when the sale starts. 

The Rum River in Isanti County

When allowed to wander freely, rivers flowing throughout a gently sloped landscape form a snakelike meandering path. This occurs as the fastest moving waters erode banks along the outer bends, and slower moving waters deposit sediment along the inner bends. Over many years, these processes cause the meanders to curve more intensely, causing the river to eventually loop back onto itself and cut a straight path through the narrow slice of land that remains. Now disconnected from the river, the C-shaped meander scar is called an oxbow.

To watch these processes in action, check out this video: Why Do Rivers Curve?

A quick glance at aerial imagery reveals numerous oxbow wetlands alongside the Rum River. They are rich in plant and animal life, serving as a "nursery" for fish, invertebrates, and amphibians in their early life stages while providing habitat for countless migratory bird species. These oxbows also improve water quality and reduce flooding by capturing water and the contaminants it carries following large storm events.

To learn more about the importance of oxbow wetlands and their utility in water resource management, read the Nature Conservancy's article on the topic here: What is an Oxbow? 

Cedar tree revetments are a cost-effective bioengineering practice that can be used to stabilize actively eroding riverbanks. ACD staff in partnership with the Conservation Corps of Minnesota (CCM) installed a cedar tree revetment in Rum South Regional Park in the City of Anoka in July 2022. 

Erosion at the site was dominated by bank undercutting-- the beginning stage of a more serious issue. Excessive erosion along riverbanks threatens property, contributes sediment and nutrients to the receiving water body, and eliminates wildlife habitat. 

Installation of the 550-foot revetment and live bare-root plants will slow or stop the erosion and reduce the likelihood of a much larger and more expensive project being needed in the future. Cedar brush was also installed to provide additional soft armoring. Not only do revetments help protect against erosion, they also provide excellent habitat.

Pollution reduction from this project is estimated to prevent 24.75 tons of sediment and 21.03 pounds of phosphorus from entering the Rum River annually!

Funding for this project was provided by the Conservation Partners Legacy and a CCM crew labor grant funded by the Clean Water, Land, and Legacy Amendment. ACD provided project management and construction oversight throughout the process.  

Property owners at the Linwood Lake Association annual picnic took home native plants to try in their shoreline landscaping. The plants of 12 species were chosen for their beauty, as well as for providing shoreline stability & habitat.

"Try it, and you'll like it. The first one's free." A free trial can be just what's needed to break through to new customers. At the 2021 & 2022 Linwood Lake Improvement Association annual picnics, the Anoka Conservation District distributed nearly 200 native shoreline plants to be planted all around the lake at 25+ different properties.

Native plants can mean "weeds" to some folks. Or just out of the comfort zone. But the right plant in the right place is beautiful and effective. On shorelines there are a variety of native plants that are the perfect choice– beautiful, strong, and well-adapted to the wet. Good habitat too. They're key to a stable shore and healthy lake.

Thanks to Minnesota Native Landscapes, Inc. who provided the giveaway plants this year. ACD offers technical help and grants for those wanting to do a larger shore stabilization or buffer project.