Search
The Shell Rock River begins at Albert Lea Lake in Freeborn County in south-central Minnesota, a few miles from the Iowa border. It flows 113 miles into Iowa, where it enters the Cedar River. In Minnesota, the Shell Rock drains 246 square miles (160,000 acres), all in Freeborn County.
The MPCA’s Smart Salting program helps cut down on chloride pollution by training snowplow drivers and municipalities to use less salt on the roadways.
Owners/operators of construction activity must complete several steps before completing a permit application and beginning construction. These steps also help owners/operators determine their eligibility for coverage under the general permit.
Minnesota has revised state water quality standards to incorporate a tiered aquatic life use (TALU) framework for rivers and streams.
The Zumbro River Watershed covers more than 900,000 acres and reaches parts of six counties in southeast Minnesota (Olmsted, Dodge, Steele, Rice, Goodhue, and Wabasha). Rochester, one of Minnesota's largest cities, is located in the southeast quadrant of the watershed.
Studies of Minnesota’s waters show that contaminants of emerging concern are widespread in the state’s lakes and rivers.
The Duluth Urban Area Watershed is a focused geographic area designed to recognize the complexity and challenges in an urban center with a water-rich environment. It is defined by a series of small watersheds that are portions of three major watersheds.
Minnesota samples a network of shallow monitoring wells designed to provide early detection of contamination in the groundwater.
Lake of the Woods is a big lake with a big problem caused by one of nature’s smallest organisms: algae. Scientists from the MPCA and the Science Museum are working together to understand why.
Find out whether your feedlot needs to register, to get an environmental review, or apply for a permit.
Learn what a brownfield is, how it can negatively affect communities, and resources for cleaning one up.
Facilities in specific industries that store materials, waste, or equipment outdoors are subject to industrial stormwater regulations administered by the MPCA.
Chrome-plating facility in St. Louis Park is the alleged source of pollution in local lakes.
The MPCA has released the draft 2025 Minnesota Nutrient Reduction Strategy for public review and comment.
In 2009, a federal court ruled that NPDES permits were required for all biological and chemical pesticide applications that leave a residue in water when applications are made in, over, or near waters of the United States.
How to prepare recycling for the curb
The Upper Iowa River is a 156-mile-long tributary of the Mississippi River that rises in Mower County in southeastern Minnesota near the Iowa border. It then flows south through three Iowa counties before flowing into the Mississippi. It drains nearly 641,000 acres (1,005 square miles).
In Minnesota, backyard burning is illegal for most homeowners. Change disposal habits to protect human health and reduce pollution.
During the 2023 legislative session, Minnesota invested over $100 million to fund grant programs that support investment in climate resilience. Each initiative supports MPCA’s implementation of Minnesota’s Climate Action Framework.
Initial screening information for a contaminant of emerging concern, beta-sitosterol.