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This special episode of The Watershed Podcast celebrates 100 years of water quality testing on the Mississippi River and the communities who have fought to bring the river back to life. You’ll hear from Tim Terrill, Darrin Hoverson, Mike, Heidi & Kadence Becker, Lori Becker, Devin Brown, and Tanáǧidaŋ Tó Wíŋ, each sharing a personal connection to the river, from the headwaters in northern Minnesota to the Twin Cities. Their stories span stewardship, family traditions, boat‑building, environmental education, healing, cultural memory, and the deep Dakota relationship with Mni Sota Makoce. Together, they paint a picture of a river that is more than water: it’s a teacher, a relative, and a thread that ties generations together. Back in 1926, a study revealed severe pollution: only three fish were found in a 42-mile stretch of river between the Twin Cities and Hastings. The findings confirmed what residents already feared: the Mississippi was dead. But that study also sparked a century of collective action to restore and protect this vital waterway.    This year, a growing movement in the Twin Cities called Sacred Water Shared Future is honoring that legacy. Through community gatherings, storytelling, education, and conservation, the campaign celebrates the river’s central role in our region while acknowledging its deep history, sacredness, and resilience. The hope is simple and powerful: that 2026 inspires collaboration and shared action and helps set the stage for the next hundred years of healing for the river and all the life it supports.    You can learn more about Sacred Water Shared Future at Sacred Water Shared Future, where you’ll also find a full calendar of water‑focused events happening throughout the Twin Cities. The campaign is hosting opportunities for people to connect with the river in meaningful ways, from rafting trips and bike tours to seminars, workshops, concerts, logrolling, crating, and more. Each event offers a chance to celebrate the river, learn from it, and spend time with others who care about its future.  You can learn more about We Are Water MN at We Are Water MN - Minnesota Humanities Center Special thank you to Mumble Media, who conducted all the interviews with these community members. Thank you to our interviewees for this episode. We Are Water MN is a project of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota Humanities Center, in partnership with the Minnesota Historical Society; the Board of Water and Soil Resources; the Minnesota Departments of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources; and University of Minnesota Extension. We Are Water Minnesota is funded by the Clean Water Fund, part of the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment, which was created by the vote of the people in Minnesota on November 4th, 2008.     You can find We Are Water MN on Instagram and Facebook, where you can follow along for the latest updates! Music Credits: Little Water Dreams by Tom_Hoffmeyer from   Pixabay.

At the headwaters of the Mississippi, six storytellers share how Northern Minnesota’s waters have shaped their lives, their identities, and their sense of place. In this episode, you’ll hear from Connie Cox, Deane Johnson, Chi binesikwe (Karen E. Goulet), Steve Maanum, Emily Schilling, and Dakota & Amy Sather, each offering a different window into the landscapes, memories, and relationships that flow through Itasca. From ancient glacial history and enchanted bogs to water as ceremony, childhood adventures, dragonfly “water memories,” and the joy of learning to fish, these stories reveal the many ways water sustains, teaches, and connects us. The exhibit is being hosted by Itasca Biological Station and the Department of Natural Resources at the Lakeside Museum in Itasca State Park from now until August 10th, 2026. You can learn more about We Are Water MN at ⁠We Are Water MN - Minnesota Humanities Center⁠ Special thank you to Mumble Media, who conducted our interviews for Itasca State Park. Thank you to our interviewees for this episode. We are Water MN is a project of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota Humanities Center in partnership with the Minnesota Historical Society; the Board of Water and Soil Resources; the Minnesota Departments of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources; and University of Minnesota Extension. We Are Water Minnesota is funded by the Clean Water Fund, part of the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment, which was created by the vote of the people in Minnesota on November 4th, 2008.    You can find We Are Water MN on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠Facebook⁠, where you can follow along for the latest updates! Music Credits: Little Water Dreams by Thomas Hoffmeyer from Pixabay

In this episode of The Watershed Podcast, we explore six powerful stories from community members living in the Capitol Region Watershed District in St. Paul. Andrew Montain, Ray Ruiz, Thia Xiong, Devin Brown, Tanáǧidaŋ Tó Wíŋ (Tara Perron), and Seitu Ken Jones share how water has shaped their lives, their identities, and their connections to place. From shoreline restoration and youth conservation work to competitive fishing, river journeys, Dakota homelands, and family history written in the Mississippi River, each story offers a different way of understanding what water means in this community. Together, they reveal water as a teacher, a refuge, a responsibility, and a relative. The exhibit is being hosted by Capitol Region Watershed District in St. Paul from April 23rd to June 14th, 2026. You can learn more about We Are Water MN at We Are Water MN - Minnesota Humanities Center Special thank you to Mumble Media, who conducted our interviews for Capitol Region Watershed District. Thank you to our interviewees for this episode. We are Water MN is a project of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota Humanities Center in partnership with the Minnesota Historical Society; the Board of Water and Soil Resources; the Minnesota Departments of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources; and University of Minnesota Extension. We are Water MN is funded with money from the Clean Water, Land, & Legacy Fund that was created with the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008. You can find We Are Water MN on Instagram and Facebook, where you can follow along for the latest updates! Music Credits: Calm Water Sound Meditation from Calm water sound meditation | Royalty-free Music - Pixabay

Thanks for listening to The Watershed, a podcast from We Are Water MN. In this episode, we’re joined by Sarah Holger, a woman who lives in the Zumbro River watershed and who has dedicated her career to getting kids connected to the outside world. Sarah dives into her past and shares about a magical swamp that has helped shape who she is today. The We Are Water MN exhibit will be hosted by Oxbow Park & Zollman Zoo in Byron from February 24th to April 20th, 2026. You can learn more about We Are Water MN at ⁠We Are Water MN - Minnesota Humanities Center⁠ Special thank you to Mumble Media, who conducted our interviews for Oxbow Park and Zollman Zoo. Thank you to Sarah Holger, our interviewee for this episode. We are Water MN is a project of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota Humanities Center in partnership with the Minnesota Historical Society; the Board of Water and Soil Resources; the Minnesota Departments of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources; and University of Minnesota Extension. We are Water MN is funded with money from the Clean Water, Land, & Legacy Fund that was created with the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008. You can find We Are Water MN on ⁠ Facebook and ⁠⁠Instagram where you can follow along for the latest updates! Music Credits: Calm Water Sound Meditation from ⁠https://pixabay.com/music/meditationspiritual-calm-water-sound-meditation-402559/

Thanks for listening to The Watershed, a podcast from We Are Water MN. In this episode, we’re joined by Brett Ostby, a biologist who works with endangered species, with a special focus on freshwater mussels. Brett explores how human activity has reshaped the way our rivers function, and what those changes mean for the wildlife that depends on them. The We Are Water MN exhibit will be hosted by Oxbow Park & Zollman Zoo in Byron from February 24th to April 20th, 2026. You can learn more about We Are Water MN at We Are Water MN - Minnesota Humanities Center Special thank you to Mumble Media, who conducted our interviews for Oxbow Park and Zollman Zoo. Thank you to Brett Ostby, our interviewee for this episode. We are Water MN is a project of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota Humanities Center in partnership with the Minnesota Historical Society; the Board of Water and Soil Resources; the Minnesota Departments of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources; and University of Minnesota Extension. We are Water MN is funded with money from the Clean Water, Land, & Legacy Fund that was created with the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008. You can find We Are Water MN on Facebook, Instagram, and, TikTok where you can follow along for the latest updates! Music Credits: Calm Water Sound Meditation from https://pixabay.com/music/meditationspiritual-calm-water-sound-meditation-402559/

Thank you for listening to The Watershed! This podcast is produced by We Are Water MN, a traveling exhibit and community engagement initiative. In 2026, the exhibit will visit five communities throughout the state of Minnesota: Byron (Oxbow Park & Zollman Zoo), St. Paul (Capitol Region Watershed District), Park Rapids (Itasca State Park), Little Falls (Great River Arts), and Blaine (Anoka County Library). Learn more about We Are Water MN at www.mnhum.org/water. We Are Water Minnesota is led by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota Humanities Center, in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Health, Agriculture, and Natural Resources, the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources, the Minnesota Historical Society, and the University of Minnesota Extension.  We Are Water Minnesota is funded by the Clean Water Land and Legacy Amendment fund, which was created by the vote of the people in Minnesota on November 4th, 2008.   You can find We Are Water MN on⁠ Facebook⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠, & TikTok, where you can follow along for the latest updates! Music: Calm Water Sound Meditation from Pixabay

The Watershed is a podcast of We Are Water MN. In this episode, we hear from former hosts & MN GreenCorps members; Megan Reich, Arden Sasak & Angela Hugunin. The We Are Water MN exhibit will be hosted in Henderson from August 14, through October 6, 2025. The exhibit will be on display at the Ney Nature Center. After Henderson, the exhibit will move to Bloomington at the MN Valley National Wildlife Refuge. You can learn more about We Are Water MN at www.mnhum.org/water. Special thanks to the MN GreenCorps program, the initiative that helps make this podcast possible.   You can find We Are Water MN on Facebook, and Instagram, follow along for the latest updates! This episode of The Watershed was produced by Sienna Ecker, and by We Are Water MN, which is led by the Minnesota Humanities Center in partnership with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency; the Minnesota Historical Society; the Board of Water and Soil Resources; the Minnesota Departments of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources; and University of Minnesota Extension. We are Water MN is funded in part with money from the Clean Water, Land, & Legacy Fund that was created with the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008 and by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Music credits: Gymnopedies 2, Jadie Grange, Gymnopedies 1 by Blue Dot Sessions (www.sessions.blue ).

The Watershed is a podcast of We Are Water MN. In this episode, we hear from outfitting guide, and activist Peta Barrett. The We Are Water MN exhibit will be hosted in Ely from April 24, through June 16, 2025. The main exhibit will be at the Ely Community Hub, while additional indoor exhibits will be on view at Ely Folk School. After Ely, the exhibit will move to Minneapolis (Downtown Improvement District), Henderson (Ney Nature Center), and Bloomington (MN Valley National Wildlife Refuge). You can learn more about We Are Water MN at www.mnhum.org/water. Learn more about Ely’s hosting of the exhibit, plus related events on the MPCA website. You can find more on Ely here. Special thanks to Peta Barrett, our interviewee for this episode.   You can find We Are Water MN on Facebook, and Instagram, follow along for the latest updates! This episode of The Watershed was produced by Sienna Ecker, and by We Are Water MN, which is led by the Minnesota Humanities Center in partnership with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency; the Minnesota Historical Society; the Board of Water and Soil Resources; the Minnesota Departments of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources; and University of Minnesota Extension. We are Water MN is funded in part with money from the Clean Water, Land, & Legacy Fund that was created with the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008 and by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Music credits: Gymnopedies 2, Jadie Grange, Gymnopedies 1 by Blue Dot Sessions (www.sessions.blue ).

The Watershed is a podcast of We Are Water MN. In this episode, we hear from scientist and activist Lisa Pugh. The We Are Water MN exhibit will be hosted in Ely from April 24, through June 16, 2025. The main exhibit will be at the Ely Community Hub, while additional indoor exhibits will be on view at Ely Folk School. After Ely, the exhibit will move to Minneapolis (Downtown Improvement District), Henderson (Ney Nature Center), and Bloomington (MN Valley National Wildlife Refuge). You can learn more about We Are Water MN at www.mnhum.org/water. Learn more about Ely’s hosting of the exhibit, plus related events on the MPCA website. You can find more on Ely here. Special thanks to Emma Needham, who conducted this interview, which was initially featured in Ely's hosting. Thank you to Lisa Pugh, our interviewee for this episode.   You can find We Are Water MN on Facebook, and Instagram, follow along for the latest updates! This episode of The Watershed was produced by Sienna Ecker, and by We Are Water MN, which is led by the Minnesota Humanities Center in partnership with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency; the Minnesota Historical Society; the Board of Water and Soil Resources; the Minnesota Departments of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources; and University of Minnesota Extension. We are Water MN is funded in part with money from the Clean Water, Land, & Legacy Fund that was created with the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008 and by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Music credits: Gymnopedies 2, Jadie Grange, Gymnopedies 1 by Blue Dot Sessions (www.sessions.blue ).

The Watershed is a podcast of We Are Water MN. In this episode, we hear from community member Nancy Hernesmaa. The We Are Water MN exhibit will be hosted in Ely from April 24, through June 16, 2025. The main exhibit will be at the Ely Community Hub, while additional indoor exhibits will be on view at Ely Folk School. After Ely, the exhibit will move to Minneapolis (Downtown Improvement District), Henderson (Ney Nature Center), and Bloomington (MN Valley National Wildlife Refuge). You can learn more about We Are Water MN at www.mnhum.org/water. Learn more about Ely’s hosting of the exhibit, plus related events on the MPCA website. You can find more on Ely here. Special thanks to Emma Needham, who conducted this interview, which was initially featured in Ely's hosting. Thank you to Nancy Hernesmaa, our interviewees for this episode.   You can find We Are Water MN on Facebook, and Instagram, follow along for the latest updates! This episode of The Watershed was produced by Sienna Ecker, and by We Are Water MN, which is led by the Minnesota Humanities Center in partnership with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency; the Minnesota Historical Society; the Board of Water and Soil Resources; the Minnesota Departments of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources; and University of Minnesota Extension. We are Water MN is funded in part with money from the Clean Water, Land, & Legacy Fund that was created with the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008 and by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Music credits: Gymnopedies 2, Jadie Grange, Gymnopedies 1 by Blue Dot Sessions (www.sessions.blue ).

The Watershed is a podcast of We Are Water MN. In this episode, we hear from community members Jason Frank and Neva Foster. The We Are Water MN exhibit will be hosted in Big Stone County from March 15 through April 21, 2025. The main exhibit will be at the Alley Cat, while additional indoor exhibits will be on view at Ortonville Public Schools. After Big Stone County, the exhibit will move to Ely (Ely Folk School), Minneapolis (Downtown Improvement District), Henderson (Ney Nature Center), and Bloomington (MN Valley National Wildlife Refuge). You can learn more about We Are Water MN at www.mnhum.org/water. Learn more about Big Stone County’s hosting of the exhibit, plus related events on the MPCA website. You can find more on Big Stone County here. Special thanks to Chandra Colvin, who conducted this interview, which was initially featured in Big Stone Arts Council’s hosting. Thank you to Jason Frank and Neva Foster, our interviewees for this episode.   You can find We Are Water MN on Facebook,and Instagram, follow along for the latest updates! This episode of The Watershed was produced by Sienna Ecker, and by We Are Water MN, which is led by the Minnesota Humanities Center in partnership with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency; the Minnesota Historical Society; the Board of Water and Soil Resources; the Minnesota Departments of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources; and University of Minnesota Extension. We are Water MN is funded in part with money from the Clean Water, Land, & Legacy Fund that was created with the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008 and by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Music credits: Gymnopedies 2, Jadie Grange, Gymnopedies 1 by Blue Dot Sessions (www.sessions.blue ).

The Watershed is a podcast of We Are Water MN. In this episode, we hear from community storyteller Judy Beckman. The We Are Water MN exhibit will be hosted in Big Stone County from March 15 through April 21, 2025. The main exhibit will be at the Alley Cat, while additional indoor exhibits will be on view at Ortonville Public Schools. After Big Stone County, the exhibit will move to Ely (Ely Folk School), Minneapolis (Downtown Improvement District), Henderson (Ney Nature Center), and Bloomington (MN Valley National Wildlife Refuge). You can learn more about We Are Water MN at www.mnhum.org/water. Learn more about Big Stone County’s hosting of the exhibit, plus related events on the MPCA website. You can find more on Big Stone County here. Special thanks to Chandra Colvin, who conducted this interview, which was initially featured in Big Stone Arts Council’s hosting. Thank you to Judy Beckman, our interviewee for this episode.   You can find We Are Water MN on Facebook,and Instagram, follow along for the latest updates! This episode of The Watershed was produced by Sienna Ecker, and by We Are Water MN, which is led by the Minnesota Humanities Center in partnership with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency; the Minnesota Historical Society; the Board of Water and Soil Resources; the Minnesota Departments of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources; and University of Minnesota Extension. We are Water MN is funded in part with money from the Clean Water, Land, & Legacy Fund that was created with the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008 and by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Music credits: Gymnopedies 2, Jadie Grange, Gymnopedies 1 by Blue Dot Sessions (www.sessions.blue ).

The Watershed is a podcast of We Are Water MN. In this episode, we hear from Brent Olson, a writer, former farmer and county commissioner. The We Are Water MN exhibit will be hosted in Big Stone County from March 15 through April 21, 2025. The main exhibit will be at the Alley Cat, while additional indoor exhibits will be on view at Ortonville Public Schools. After Big Stone County, the exhibit will move to Ely (Ely Folk School), Minneapolis (Downtown Improvement District), Henderson (Ney Nature Center), and Bloomington (MN Valley National Wildlife Refuge). You can learn more about We Are Water MN at www.mnhum.org/water. Learn more about Big Stone County’s hosting of the exhibit, plus related events on the MPCA website. You can find more of Brent’s story here. Special thanks to Chandra Colvin, who conducted this interview, which was initially featured in Big Stone Arts Council’s hosting. Thank you to Brent Olson, our interviewee for this episode. If you are curious about becoming a citizen scientist… CoCoRaHS MNGage, Check out the Climate Office’s website ! Conservation Reserve Program   You can find We Are Water MN on Facebook,and Instagram, follow along for the latest updates! This episode of The Watershed was produced by Sienna Ecker, and by We Are Water MN, which is led by the Minnesota Humanities Center in partnership with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency; the Minnesota Historical Society; the Board of Water and Soil Resources; the Minnesota Departments of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources; and University of Minnesota Extension. We are Water MN is funded in part with money from the Clean Water, Land, & Legacy Fund that was created with the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008 and by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Music credits: Gymnopedies 2 by Blue Dot Sessions (www.sessions.blue ).

Thank you for listening to The Watershed! This podcast is produced by We Are Water MN, a traveling exhibit and community engagement initiative. In 2025, the exhibit will visit five communities throughout the state of Minnesota: Ortonville (Big Stone Arts Council), Ely (Ely Folk School), Minneapolis (Safe & Vibrant Downtown, Downtown Improvement District), Henderson (Ney Nature Center), and Bloomington (Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge). Learn more about We Are Water MN at www.mnhum.org/water. We Are Water MN is led by the Minnesota Humanities Center in partnership with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency; the Minnesota Historical Society; the Board of Water and Soil Resources; the Minnesota Departments of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources; and University of Minnesota Extension. We are Water MN is funded in part with money from the Clean Water, Land, & Legacy Fund that was created with the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008 and by the National Endowment for the Humanities. You can find We Are Water MN on Facebook & Instagram , where you can follow along for the latest updates! Music: Dust Digger & Hedgehog Wallace, Blue Dot Sessions

Thanks for listening to The Watershed, a podcast of We Are Water MN. In this episode, we hear from Jeffrey Harper, water resources manager for the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe's division of resource management. Harper shares community concerns surround PFAS, including background on these substances, stories, and his team's efforts to address them. The We Are Water MN exhibit will be hosted by Leech Lake Tribal College at their Bezhigoogahbow Library in Cass Lake from August 15 through October 6, 2024. From there, it will move to the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community. You can learn more about We Are Water MN at www.mnhum.org/water. This episode of the Watershed was produced by Angela Hugunin, and by We Are Water MN, which is led by the Minnesota Humanities Center in partnership with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency; the Minnesota Historical Society; the Board of Water and Soil Resources; the Minnesota Departments of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources; and University of Minnesota Extension. We are Water MN is funded in part with money from the Clean Water, Land, & Legacy Fund that was created with the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008 and by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Special thanks to Emma Needham, who conducted our interviews for Leech Lake Tribal College. Thank you to Jeffrey Harper, our interviewee for this episode. You can find We Are Water MN on Facebook (⁠https://www.facebook.com/wearewatermn/⁠), Instagram (⁠https://www.instagram.com/wearewatermn/⁠), and Twitter (⁠https://twitter.com/wearewatermn⁠). Follow along for the latest updates! Organizations and resources mentioned in this episode: · Leech Lake Division of Resource Management: https://www.llojibwe.org/drm/ · Minnesota’s PFAS blueprint: https://www.pca.state.mn.us/air-water-land-climate/minnesotas-pfas-blueprint · PFAS information from the Minnesota Department of Health: https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/hazardous/topics/pfcs.html · PFAS and health: https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/hazardous/topics/pfashealth.html · Interactive map with PFAS testing of MN’s drinking water: https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/water/pfasmap.html · Fish consumption guidance: https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/fish/index.html Music credits: These Times and Slate Tracker by Blue Dot Sessions (⁠www.sessions.blue⁠).