A century ago, the Mississippi River was in crisis.
In 1926, the first comprehensive water quality survey of the river found an ecosystem on the brink of collapse. Decades of rapid industrialization and population growth had turned the river into what many described as an open sewer. Untreated sewage, industrial waste, sawdust from mills, and waste from meatpacking plants flowed directly into the water. Lock and dam construction slowed the river's flow, trapping pollution and creating floating mats of sewage and the smell of methane gas. Oxygen levels were so low that aquatic life could barely survive, and scientists conducting the 1926 survey found only a handful of living fish in the river.
Today, that same river tells a very different story.
The Mississippi now supports a thriving ecosystem that includes more than 120 species of fish, along with eagles, beavers, otters, great blue herons, and countless other species. The river is a source of recreation, economic activity and cultural connection for communities across Minnesota. This remarkable transformation is the result of generations of investment, innovation, and stewardship — from the construction of the region's first wastewater treatment facilities in the 1930s to the creation of modern water quality standards, monitoring programs, and pollution prevention efforts. The Mississippi's recovery is one of the great environmental comeback stories in Minnesota history.
Glenn Skuta, watershed division director at the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), described the river’s recovery as transformational. “The Mississippi River’s recovery from being a nearly dead river is like the bald eagle coming back from the brink of extinction,” he said. “When we made changes to the chemicals and products we use, the way we treat the land, and what we allow to be discharged into the river, we gave the river and the many forms of life that depend on it the chance to not just survive but to thrive.”
Learn more at Eco Experience
Later this summer, the story of this recovery will be on display at Eco Experience, one of the most visited buildings at the Minnesota State Fair. Fairgoers will have an opportunity to experience the progress of the Mississippi River firsthand, stepping into an immersive underwater experience that showcases the life that’s returned to the Mississippi.
The MPCA is creating a water-focused exhibit that will celebrate 100 years since the landmark 1926 survey and highlight the progress that has followed. Through interactive displays, visitors will be invited to celebrate the river's recovery and learn about river science, history, and stories, and the ongoing work that needs to be done to protect and improve the river for future generations.
“We are creating a space for fairgoers to celebrate the recovery of the river, the return of fish and wildlife to the river corridor, and the restoration of the river to its rightful place at the center of life in our state,” said Jana Larson, MPCA program administrator of environmental education and outreach, who is part of the team developing the exhibit. “We have so many great river towns in Minnesota, and people go to the river to walk, run, and paddle in a way that would have been unthinkable 100 years ago. And there’s more work to do. By creating a space to honor the river, we hope to inspire people to take action to protect the river for generations to come.”
The new exhibit components include an immersive sculpture that takes people underwater in Lake Itasca, the headwaters of the Mississippi; an interactive map detailing water quality in the river from its headwaters to the state line; puppets representing several animals that call the river home and serve as indicators that the river has made a comeback; a story scroll "crankie" that tells the story of the river's recovery over the last 100 years; and a listening station featuring an audio story of Tara Perron, an Ojibwe and Dakota woman whose family has lived along the Mississippi River for many generations.
The Eco Experience exhibit is part of a larger initiative dedicated to the health of the Mississippi River. The Sacred Water Shared Future campaign was launched by a coalition of organizations in the Twin Cities to celebrate a century of progress and inspire continued action to care for the river. Sacred Water Shared Future honors the Mississippi River’s deep cultural significance, including Indigenous perspectives that recognize the river as sacred and emphasize our shared responsibility to protect it. Events celebrating this milestone in the river’s history will continue throughout 2026.
“Our connection to the river is deep, but this history of ecological degradation and recovery is not well known by Twin Cities residents,” said Casandra Champion, Metropolitan Council principal environmental scientist and project manager for the Sacred Water Shared Future campaign. “Some people think the river is dirtier now than it has ever been, but that is not true. Sacred Water Shared Future shares this story as an inspiration to the region to embrace our commitment to the Mississippi River and the next 100 years of restoration and protection work.”
While the exhibit celebrates how far the river has come, it also looks ahead. New challenges, including stormwater runoff, PFAS, microplastics, and climate change, remind us that river restoration is not a finished project. Protecting the Mississippi River for the next 100 years requires continued commitment from all of us.
Visitors to Eco Experience will leave with a better understanding of how their everyday choices affect water quality and what they can do to help protect Minnesota's lakes, rivers, and streams for generations to come.
Learn more about the Mississippi River and help us celebrate the 20th anniversary of Eco Experience at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds, beginning Aug. 27. This 12-day exhibition will feature hands-on activities, demonstrations, and resources to help Minnesotans lead a more sustainable life.