tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53277457730873539602024-03-12T20:24:24.711-05:00CleanUpTheRiver.comUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger172125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5327745773087353960.post-4006065963432919082011-07-01T00:03:00.003-05:002011-07-01T13:31:55.332-05:00About this site<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LMg7cfh1BoU/Tg4RTwUYDwI/AAAAAAAADhQ/iXdGx1HLfPQ/s1600/Julie+and+Mike+Small+10-19-08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="109px" i$="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LMg7cfh1BoU/Tg4RTwUYDwI/AAAAAAAADhQ/iXdGx1HLfPQ/s200/Julie+and+Mike+Small+10-19-08.jpg" width="200px" /></a>My wife and I have been involved in a number of river clean-up efforts, first in the 90’s, and starting again around 2007. We created CleanUpTheRiver.com to document our experiences, and to share some of the things we learned along the way.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">In the early fall of 2009, I scaled-back the physical work I had been doing on the river following surgery to repair some torn muscles. At that time, I started placing more of my conservation focus on writing and photography, creating a new site at <a href="http://footprintsandphotographs.com/">http://FootprintsAndPhotographs.com/</a>. My logic was simple: <strong><em>Conservation begins with appreciation.</em></strong> So I use "Footprints" as a place to share wildlife and landscape photography.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Another blog serves as a gallery for photos unrelated to conservation: <a href="http://akindeye.com/">http://AKindEye.com/</a>. We decided on that name because in addition to street-candid, travel and other photography, I'm going to use this site to document worthwhile human service projects… the kind of efforts that are having a positive impact, but might not get the attention as they deserve. I hope to document two or three people or projects a year at this site, so if you hear of someone doing something really important, <a href="mailto:Mike@AKindEye.com">please get in touch with me</a>. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong>This URL is available.</strong> If your non-profit group or company has an interest in owning the “CleanUpTheRiver” URL, again, please feel free to <a href="mailto:Mike@AKindEye.com">drop me an email</a>. I’m going to hold on to it until I find an organization that will do something smart and meaningful with it. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Until then, this site stays up as an archive to our river restoration adventures... and as proof that <em>"Anyone, on any given day, has the power to improve a place."</em></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>MikeUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5327745773087353960.post-4542348595729493302010-12-28T17:37:00.007-06:002010-12-28T21:36:24.309-06:00A picture-perfect finish to 2010<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_d78kMI56hd4/TRpdt8NhALI/AAAAAAAADCE/yCX-ih82jFs/s1600/0179%2BSpreading%2Bhis%2Bwings%2B%2528close-up%2529.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 471px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 318px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555856134153240754" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_d78kMI56hd4/TRpdt8NhALI/AAAAAAAADCE/yCX-ih82jFs/s400/0179%2BSpreading%2Bhis%2Bwings%2B%2528close-up%2529.jpg" /></a>The experience was nearly a year ago (January 16), but I remember it well. A good friend and fellow conservationist called to invite me over. His name is Curt Oien (you’ve seen me write of him here before), and his home overlooks a stretch of the Crow River near St. Michael, as well as a vast meadow and woods that belong to the <a href="http://www.threeriversparks.org/parks/crow-hassan-park.aspx">Crow-Hassan Park Reserve</a>, a parcel of the Three Rivers Park District.<br /><br /><div><div>Curt had seen a number of Trumpeter Swans, recently, exercising in open water just down the hill, and he wanted to share them. (Truth is, it was a harsh winter, and Curt had been helping the birds survive with pails of delicious corn.) They were familiar enough with his presence that, barring any scares from passing snowmobiles, he could sit nearby for hours, feeding them. </div><br /><div>So, I joined Curt on a trip down to the river. If I recall correctly, it was very cold that day (around ten degrees), but the wind was mercifully quiet. And sure enough, the collection of Trumpeters was there. I watched Curt hand-feed the group, and I crawled around on the ice near shore to find the most advantageous position to shoot pictures. Among many other shots I took that day was the photo you see above; I have recently been notified that this picture is the winner in the wildlife category of a photography contest sponsored by the ten-county <a href="http://www.crowriver.org/">Crow River Organization of Water</a>. (Click on the photo above to see a larger version.)</div><br /><div>As this shot was taken, I was on my knees near the riverbank, shooting across and down-stream toward the birds. The gentle haze is steam rising from the open water into the crisp winter air. And those puffs in the background are not clouds, but ice chunks on the opposing bank, covered by the light snow which had fallen the night before.</div><br /><div><a href="http://www.crowriver.org/2010_photo_contest.htm">Click here to see all of the award-winning photographs</a>, including <a href="http://www.crowriver.org/photos10/HM---Wildlife---Curt-Oien---Wright-County.jpg">a shot that earned Curt an honorable mention</a> (any other day, his shot could have easily beaten mine!). </div><br /><div>This is the second year our work has been recognized by this group; last year, the winning shot was an injured deer, <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_d78kMI56hd4/S0KaAopcVRI/AAAAAAAAB9M/uVrXWsEZ9qU/s1600-h/Cooling+Off+in+the+Crow+River+(c)+small.jpg">"Cooling Off in the Crow River."</a></div><br /><div>In the coming months, I'll take a more casual approach to updating CleanUpTheRiver.com, as I focus on a couple of other projects and wait for the spring clean-up season. So Happy New Year, and here’s hoping your 2011 is prosperous… and picturesque. Stay connected via my other site, <a href="http://footprintsandphotographs.com/">http://footprintsandphotographs.com/</a>. </div><div></div><div>Mike</div><br /><div>© 2010 Mike Anderson, St. Michael, MN. All rights reserved.</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5327745773087353960.post-22591852374571353592010-12-20T18:36:00.000-06:002010-12-20T18:36:00.490-06:00The original river clean-up continuesWhile I was out last week, <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6BG5NH20101217">this story from Reuters </a>explained that G.E. must do more to clean-up the Hudson River in New York. Interesting, because this is one of the issues that gave voice to the environmental movement back in the 70s... and work remains to be done.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6BG5NH20101217">Click hear to read the Reuters article.</a><br /><br /><a href="mailto:Mike@CleanUpTheRiver.com">Mike</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5327745773087353960.post-88603319758595612982010-12-12T07:49:00.002-06:002010-12-12T07:53:09.730-06:00A nice letter to getThis past week, I received a letter informing me that one of my submissions has won the 2010 C.R.O.W. photography competition, in the wildlife category. I'm not sure which picture it was just yet, but will share it here when the winning shots are posted at the C.R.O.W. website. <br /><br />The Crow River Organization of Water is a joint powers board composed of counties which share the watershed.<br /><br />MikeUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5327745773087353960.post-68473539280843788502010-12-09T00:05:00.000-06:002010-12-09T09:27:08.184-06:00Vote by today or tomorrow for the Friendship TourIf you haven’t voted yet, consider spending a couple of minutes to advocate for the Minnesota River – Lake Pepin Friendship Tour. The project is one of three finalists being considered in an effort to preserve Lake Pepin, and can benefit from a considerable grant from the Bush Foundation if chosen. For more information, and to cast your vote, visit this link: <a href="http://www.incommons.org/CollaborationChallenge">http://www.incommons.org/CollaborationChallenge</a><br /><br />Thanks!<br /><br /><a href="mailto:Mike@CSScenter.com">Mike</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5327745773087353960.post-90696949990555260742010-11-30T21:16:00.003-06:002010-11-30T21:26:25.293-06:00Vote for the Minnesota River's "C.U.R.E."Recently, I've written about the perils facing Lake Pepin in this space. Seeking to alter the future of sedimentation in the lake, the group has created a contest to inspire upstream collaboration.<br /><br />C.U.R.E., or "Clean Up The River Environment," is a group whose name is similar to my blog, but which is an independent, non-profit group serving the Minnesota River and southwest Minnesota. Their offices are in Montevideo, Minnesota, but because the importance of their work flows downstream, their efforts serve us all. The reason I point-out that they are not a part of CleanUpTheRiver.com is that I would encourage you to vote for their project in the Lake Pepin contest. C.U.R.E. is among three finalists that are still in the running.<br /><br />To see details of their efforts, click here: <a href="http://www.incommons.org/en-us/node/842">http://www.incommons.org/en-us/node/842</a><br /><br />To vote, click here: <a href="http://www.incommons.org/en-us/CollaborationChallenge">http://www.incommons.org/en-us/CollaborationChallenge</a><br /><br />Care for your waters... with the convenience of a point-and-click for C.U.R.E.!<br /><br />MikeUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5327745773087353960.post-20236651345922886762010-11-16T20:58:00.002-06:002010-11-16T21:03:56.712-06:00Today, I'm not taking drinking water for grantedOver the past few weeks, Julie and I have been doing a bit of homework… preparing for a trip we’re taking to the Dominican Republic. We’ve never been there, so everything is a lesson. We’ve learned about Hepatitis A and B vaccinations (ouch) and updating tetanus shots in advance of our trip, and taking regiment of pills to prevent against malaria.<br /><br />Also, we’re learning about the hazards of drinking water in tropical locations. Americans are not accustomed to the less treated waters that are considered potable by foreign standards; people who live in those countries have built-up a resistance to the bacteria and micro-organisms that exist in their water supplies… we have not.<br /><br />That doesn’t just mean, “Don’t drink the water.” It means you cannot brush your teeth from the tap, you cannot put just any ice cubes in your drink, you cannot consume salad greens, fruits or vegetables that have been rinsed in tap water…<br /><br />It means you can't take one drop of water for granted. Because that could be the drop that is tainted. It's not scary, so much... as it is an important lesson.<br /><br />As a matter of coincidence, I came across <a href="http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/15/clean-water-at-no-cost-just-add-carbon-credits/?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=ab1">a story in the opinion section of the New York Times</a> that spoke of the challenges of obtaining water in third world countries. It offers a solution, too, in the form of a Swedish company that has created a system to make otherwise dangerous water supplies safer to consume… as well as a means to fund and profit from providing those systems to people who cannot afford to pay. <a href="http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/15/clean-water-at-no-cost-just-add-carbon-credits/?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=ab1">(Click here to read the story.)</a><br /><br />I loved this idea. It gives me a degree of success to shoot for in my personal projects.<br /><br />Mike<br /><br />© 2010 Mike Anderson, St. Michael, MN. All rights reserved.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5327745773087353960.post-54794795051005963552010-11-03T20:38:00.003-05:002010-11-03T20:44:51.820-05:00A great story about Lake PepinLake Pepin is the largest lake on the upper Mississippi River, and it's in danger of vanishing due to the sediment that is literally filling it in.<br /><br />Greg Vandegrift from KARE 11 television did a great story on the issue for a recent KARE 11 Extra feature. <a href="http://www.kare11.com/news/investigative/extras/extra_article.aspx?storyid=879106&catid=26">To read the text version of the story, click here.</a> To see the video, just launch below.<br /><br />Mike<br /><br /><object id="flashObj" width="486" height="412" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,47,0"><param name="movie" value="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="flashVars" value="videoId=652356241001&playerID=35036491001&playerKey=AQ%2E%2E,AAAACC6OgzE%2E,L0bTvfk9n161rxAUbRKUHVmDGRBSHx-N&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" /><param name="base" value="http://admin.brightcove.com" /><param name="seamlesstabbing" value="false" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="swLiveConnect" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashVars="videoId=652356241001&playerID=35036491001&playerKey=AQ%2E%2E,AAAACC6OgzE%2E,L0bTvfk9n161rxAUbRKUHVmDGRBSHx-N&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" width="486" height="412" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" swLiveConnect="true" allowScriptAccess="always" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5327745773087353960.post-831977271946275132010-10-29T21:05:00.000-05:002010-10-29T21:06:26.709-05:00I'll try to make this my last rant about the Deepwater Horizon spill...And then I will try get back to focusing on conservation issues related to more actionable issues of more local nature. But this set of notes is a reminder of just how complex this situation has been for everyone, and that it is far from over.<br /><br /><strong>Should people not directly impacted by the oil be compensated for oil spill?</strong> <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/24/business/24claim.html?_r=2&th&emc=th">This story from the New York Times</a> explains why Florida businesses are seeking compensation for the drop in tourism caused by the Deepwater Horizon spill. I don’t have enough knowledge to offer an opinion on this. But it’s another example of how complex this clean-up process has been and will be. <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/24/business/24claim.html?_r=2&th&emc=th">Click here to see the story.</a><br /><br /><strong>Researchers find more missing oil.</strong> <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-10-25-oilresearch25_ST_N.htm?csp=34news&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+usatoday-NewsTopStories+%28News+-+Top+Stories%29&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher">A recent story from USA Today</a> explains that two different research teams have discovered oil on the floor and in the sediment not far from the site of the Deepwater Horizon explosion and spill of 2010. <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-10-25-oilresearch25_ST_N.htm?csp=34news&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+usatoday-NewsTopStories+%28News+-+Top+Stories%29&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher">For details, click here.</a> Again, evidence that the solution will never be as easy as avoiding the problem in the first place.<br /><br /><strong>And here is an early indication that prevention was entirely possible.</strong> <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/29/us/29spill.html?nl=&emc=a2">Another New York Times story this week s</a>uggests that the recipe for the concrete used in the well, initially, was flawed. Of course, this will be discussed and denied over the coming months, including probably the usual congressional hearings which expose much but solve little. <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/29/us/29spill.html?nl=&emc=a2">Click here to see that story. </a><br /><br />© 2010 Mike D. Anderson. All rights reserved.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5327745773087353960.post-80322201475290532472010-10-20T21:19:00.001-05:002010-10-21T11:33:10.992-05:00Looking back at the gaff in the Gulf<strong>It’s been a half-year since the Deepwater Horizon exploded,</strong> with tragic loss of life and immense consequences for the residents of the Gulf of Mexico and its coastlines, both human and wildlife. <a href="http://www.startribune.com/business/105333688.html?page=1&c=y">This story from today’s Minneapolis Star Tribune</a> took a look back at the incident, and considers the ongoing environmental impact. <a href="http://www.startribune.com/business/105333688.html?page=1&c=y">Click here to see the story.</a><br /><br /><strong><em>Less </em>than six months later, the ban on deep water drilling is lifted.</strong> The White House has put new restrictions and rules in place, but there is no longer a moratorium on deep water exploration or drilling; <a href="http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/12/white-house-to-lift-ban-on-deep-water-drilling/?emc=na">see this story from the New York Times</a> (last week) for details. I cannot fully understand why the practice is safer now than when things flew utterly out of control six months ago (they must be some darn good new rules), but I hope they know what they’re doing. <a href="http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/12/white-house-to-lift-ban-on-deep-water-drilling/?emc=na">Click here to see the NY Times story.</a><br /><br /><strong>New tools to help contain future disasters.</strong> <a href="http://www.sfexaminer.com/breaking/industry-official-once-ready-new-oil-containment-system-could-be-in-use-weeks-after-disaster-105357153.html">Another story—this one from the Associated Press via the San Francisco Examiner</a>—explains that industry experts have developed a new method of containing similar deep water oil spills in the future. Actually, rather than a “new” method, perhaps I should refer to it as simply, “a method.” After all, there was no “Plan B” when the BP well started spilling. But instead of sounding too cynical, I’ll just say I’m glad they’re (finally) thinking about this sort of thing. <a href="http://www.sfexaminer.com/breaking/industry-official-once-ready-new-oil-containment-system-could-be-in-use-weeks-after-disaster-105357153.html">Click here to read the SF Examiner story.</a><br /><br />© 2010 Mike D. Anderson. All rights reserved.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5327745773087353960.post-52784833381718359212010-10-07T19:47:00.014-05:002010-10-09T23:44:06.876-05:00Man vs. Wild: Wild winsThe first Saturday in October was not just bright and sunny; it was <em>spectacular,</em> as it followed a long stretch of cloudiness and heavy rains which had flooded many parts of Minnesota. So I was not surprised to see the water running high and fast when my wife dropped me off at Riverside Park in Hanover. (Specifically, <a href="http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?cb_00065=on&cb_00060=on&format=gif_default&period=10&site_no=05280000">the USGS gage in Rockford</a>—a few miles upstream—indicated the channel had risen about four feet in the past week.) I put-in with my solo canoe at around 3:15, and expected to call Julie from our pre-arranged pick-up site near Berning’s Mill by around 5:00 p.m.<br /><br />As the crow flies, there are only about 2 ½ miles between the starting and ending points, but as the Crow River turns, it transforms this voyage into one of roughly five miles. I wanted to take my time, though, as my goal for the day was to capture some of the brilliant colors that autumn paints on the Crow River valley, and work on a photo project related to bio-diversity.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_d78kMI56hd4/TK5qz8GWzMI/AAAAAAAACSM/ZrA6CoVKWVs/s1600/Flooded+Crow+10-2-10.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525471233368837314" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 202px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 143px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_d78kMI56hd4/TK5qz8GWzMI/AAAAAAAACSM/ZrA6CoVKWVs/s320/Flooded+Crow+10-2-10.jpg" border="0" /></a>Within a thousand feet of my launch point on the left bank, I thought I saw something move along a driftwood log on the opposite side of the river. I docked myself against a low-hanging branch for a few moments, hoping to study the opposite bank with my zoom lens and identify the creature that caught my eye. I only knew that it was small and brownish, well camouflaged in the shoreline foliage; it could have been anything from a duck to a muskrat (or a figment of my imagination). Several minutes went by without the critter showing itself, so I decided to move in for a closer look.<br /><br />Canoeing across a river is not as simple as it might sound. One must consider the trajectory of the vehicle, much the way a jet pilot adjusts for the weather systems in his flight path; the plane is not just moving through the air, it is flying through a body of air that is, itself, moving. Likewise, you cannot simply paddle a canoe across the river from point A to point B; one must consider the water’s current and aim for a destination somewhere upstream, knowing the flow of the river will push you back to place you really wanted to go. That is especially true when the water is swift and high, as it was on this day.<br /><br />I studied the opposing shoreline, and decided I would aim for a tree limb that was hanging out into the water perhaps thirty feet. If I could grab that branch with my left hand, it would put me in a great position to scan the area where I had seen the movement, leaving my right hand free to shoot some photographs when the animal came out of hiding. At least, that was the plan.<br /><br />As I paddled into the current, I was reminded just how much energy is released when weight meets gravity. The volume of water I was moving through represented remarkable tonnage, and it created unstoppable momentum… something I would learn first-hand in the next few seconds.<br /><br />I miscalculated the speed at which the river would draft me toward the tree limb I was aiming for; arriving sooner than planned, my boat was slammed into the up-stream side of the limb, instead of allowing me to grab it from behind. <em>That put me between a tree that would not move, and the hydraulic power of a river that would not stop.</em><br /><br />I cannot explain this paradoxical sense, but the next few seconds seemed to unfold both instantaneously and in slow motion. With my canoe broadside to the current, the tree limb placed <em>downward pressure on the left side</em> of the boat, just as the surging river was <em>lifting up on the right side</em>… not unlike a one-two-punch. The gunwale (rim) of the canoe was pushed beneath the surface, and I was thrown into the water. Simultaneously, as the pressure of my weight was taken off the canoe, the river threw it into the air is if it were a plaything. (I still have the image frozen in my mind… of my body in mid-air just before it hit the water, and the boat suspended over my head, waiting to follow me in.)<br /><br />The impact of the water hurt in more ways than one. For one thing, this was the first time I had ever unintentionally rolled a canoe or kayak. (I had done so on purpose—so I would know what to expect if it ever happened—which turned out to serve me well on this day.) More dramatic was the sensation of going from overheated and sweating, instantly, to very, very cold. I was dressed for a cool fall day: hiking shoes over sweat socks, cargo pants, a long-sleeved knit shirt, a fleece jacket, and over that, my personal floatation device. But except for the PFD, these layers of protection became a hindrance the instant I hit the water, slowing my movements as they became saturated with cold water. In this part of the country, autumn rains can be very cold… more like a preview of winter ice and snow than the leftovers of a summer thunderstorm. And that cold rain is what gave rise to the river I was now fighting.<br /><br />Even before I made it back to the surface for my first breath, a dozen thoughts zipped through my mind. I remembered the conversation Julie and I had just before she dropped me off; I had taken my cell phone out, wrapped it in a plastic bag, and then replaced it in my right-side cargo pocket. <em>“I hope you’re as careful with yourself out there as you are mindful of your equipment,”</em> she said. I muttered something about how expensive replacing it would be, and that I need to protect this stuff with my life. She replied, “Well, if anything ever happens, remember to <em>save yourself first, and then save the stuff.”<br /></em><br />Now, I was under water in a very cold river, fighting the anchor of a D-SLR camera around my neck, and pockets loaded with the usual stuff, along with a handheld GPS device… and my cell phone. I thought about emptying my pockets and ditching the camera, just as Julie had recommended. But there was no time, as I was too busy competing with the current and fighting my way to the surface.<br /><br />Suddenly, a slide-show began playing-back in my head: I was picturing the last images of the shoreline I had seen, just before hitting the water. I was remembering, <em>vividly,</em> the lay of the land… and now, I was using those memories to create a strategy of how I’d get out of this mess. <em>There was a fallen tree about twenty yards downstream from where I went in, and another about ten yards beyond. If I hadn’t been pulled too far from shore, there was a good chance I could grab one of those limbs, and gradually make my way toward the riverbank.</em> I remember calmly thinking, <em>“That’s a solid plan… that’s what I’m going to do.”</em> I had it all figured out within the first few seconds I spent under water.<br /><br />My soaked clothing slowed my ascent, causing my first gasp for air to begin prematurely. So I had to choke down some river water as I started kicking and slapping my way toward the still-mostly-submerged canoe. It was not my intent to recover the boat, but instead, <em>to let the boat recover me. </em>The water was too deep and fast for someone of my size to “right” it in midstream, especially in this kind of current. So, I thought, I would attempt to “wrong” the canoe, clearing it of water by flipping it completely up-side-down, and turning the canoe into a bubble that would keep me afloat for as long as I could hold on to it. It took three attempts, but my plan worked.<br /><br />I was perhaps thirty feet from shore, and maybe twelve feet from the downed tree that I had hoped to grab. Holding on to the canoe with my right hand, and half-swimming with my left, I tried to work with the current and put myself in a position to grab the longest branch as I floated by it. The swimming was slow… as I was still wearing hiking shoes, my joints were aching from the cold, and I was towing an overturned canoe. There was a lot of self-talk going on during these minutes: “Boy, I better get out of this, or my dad is going to be really irritated” (my father was a Navy man; he wouldn’t want me getting beat by a bunch of water). “I bet my camera’s shot.” “I’m glad I’m wearing a PFD today or this would be a lot harder.” “I bet my cell phone is shot.” “By the way, how am I going to call Julie and tell her it’s time to come pick me up?”<br /><br />I could not see where I was going, because I was swimming both toward shore and into the current (it was the only way to stay above water). Still using the pictures of the shoreline in my head, I had an idea when to throw my hand out and grab at a tree I could not see coming. You cannot imagine the relief I felt when, right on cue, I threw my hand up just in time for the branch to hit my hand. I grabbed it tightly… and the force of the current flipped my body (and the canoe) into a single-file line behind the half-sunken tree, much like a flag unfurls and whips into its form when hit by a gust of wind.<br /><br />I was still twenty feet from shore. But it was at that moment that I realized… I was a very lucky man.<br /><br />I rested there for a few moments: The past few minutes had been utterly exhausting. I would use my clutch of the tree as an opportunity to rest, catch my breath, and plan the final stage of my self-rescue. The ache in my feet and ribs reminded me, though, that while the risk of drowning had passed, the threat of hyperthermia had not. So I began to work my way toward shore, tugging myself along the branch, then grabbing forward and repeating the process.<br /><br />When I got within three or four feet from the water’s edge, my feet finally hit ground; it was not solid, but the mud felt quite satisfying beneath my feet, given how far they were from land over the past several minutes. I pulled the canoe up toward shore and righted it, tied it to a tree stump, and then unclipped the paddle and threw it up the bank. (I had tethered my paddle to a crossbar in the canoe, something paddlers often do to prepare for just this kind of mishap.) Then, still standing in about a foot of water, I began tilting the boat side-to-side until all of the water had been emptied from the craft. Finally, I walked up the bank, and set myself down on the grass.<br /><br />I was safe. But the experience was far from over. I tried to look at the thermometer that is clipped to my life vest to see how cold the water had been, but my vision felt blurred. At first, I attributed that blurriness to having my eyes open under such cold water… but as I brought my hands up to rub my eyes, it occurred to me that my bifocals had been washed from my face, probably when I first hit the water. As near as I could tell, the mercury indicated a water temperature in the low 50’s or upper 40’s, cool enough to drain the heat from a man’s body very quickly. (Cold water soaks the heat out of you much faster than air of similar temperature.)<br /><br />My glasses were not the only thing missing: One of my favorite fitted caps had washed away, as well as the folding handsaw I use to clear debris when it’s caught in a logjam. Ironically, my camera was still hanging around my neck, with water dripping from the lens. Ruined, too, was the plastic-wrapped cell phone in my pocket. I had not protected it well enough to spend ten or twenty minutes underwater. The only equipment that had survived the ordeal was my waterproof GPS device, the boat… and me.<br /><br />Sitting on a riverbank on the Crow-Hassan Preserve, I was miles from a road and even further from a phone. But I was in a remarkably good frame of mind. The outcome of my crash could have been quite different, and I knew it. After resting a few minutes, I decided the shortest way back to warmth was the same route I had originally planned: I rung the water from my clothes as best I could, and put the canoe back in the water for the trip home. My original landing site was near a bridge over the Crow… where I could flag down a car and call Julie as planned. If I started hiking from here, it would be a long trek, and too much time would pass before I could call Julie. But if I paddled with strength and consistency, I could both make it to the meeting site within an hour or so, and be kept warm by the workout of rowing… all while I avoided causing any unnecessary worry.<br /><br />It was a God-given, beautiful day on the Crow River. The Ash trees were golden, and the Maples bursting with orange and red. With a camera no longer working, I was not bothered with the distraction of taking pictures; instead, I captured images in my minds’ eye. I studied the power of the floodwater beneath my canoe, holding a renewed respect for its strength and trickery.<br /><br />As the sun fell lower in the sky and shadows replaced light, my fingers and earlobes began to burn from the chill. By the time I arrived near Berning’s Mill, my whole body was quaking… and I did not even pause between exiting the canoe and pulling it up the twenty-foot incline to the road. I was sure that hard work would be the only way to make the shivering subside. It didn’t.<br /><br />There is a gun club not far from the landing site, and a few dozen men had gathered there to talk-over their exploits for this day, the season opener for duck hunting. I walked over, was invited in, and offered a cell phone so I could call Julie. Then I was invited to soak-up the warmth of the lodge and to join-in their conversations of adventure. But Julie would be here soon, so I made my way back to the canoe landing within a few minutes.<br /><br />That evening, there was time for hindsight. Every muscle on the right side of my body was aching from the day's workout. I had nasty scrapes on my right forearm, and bruises on my left forearm and rib cage. My left thumbnail was smashed pretty good, but it did not fall off as I thought it might. It was an expensive day. I lost a Nikon D-SLR camera with a 300 mm zoom lens, a cell phone, a cap, my saw, and a pair of glasses. Lost, also, was my perfect record of never having unintentionally tipped a canoe, kayak, or any other watercraft, for that matter. But my mood was lifted by focusing on what I did not lose.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_d78kMI56hd4/TK5q0O9yhAI/AAAAAAAACSU/3qJX7Ez-l3I/s1600/Crow+River+level+at+Rockford+10-2-10.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525471238433178626" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 221px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 198px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_d78kMI56hd4/TK5q0O9yhAI/AAAAAAAACSU/3qJX7Ez-l3I/s320/Crow+River+level+at+Rockford+10-2-10.gif" border="0" /></a>The USGS river gage later revealed that my hours on the Crow River that day coincided with the crest of the biggest fall flood in decades. That having been said, I was able to handle the river.<br /><br />But only after the river had handled me.<br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">.</span><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">.</span> <span style="color:#ffffff;"><br /></span>© 2010 Mike D. Anderson. All rights reserved.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5327745773087353960.post-73411518414311272672010-09-01T20:53:00.009-05:002010-09-01T23:54:21.134-05:00The modest new addition to the fleet<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_d78kMI56hd4/TH8EBCq7qaI/AAAAAAAACQs/I1mZrIJp1jo/s1600/IMG_2171.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512128884868098466" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_d78kMI56hd4/TH8EBCq7qaI/AAAAAAAACQs/I1mZrIJp1jo/s200/IMG_2171.JPG" border="0" /></a> Okay, so I'm a little jazzed. It won't be until this weekend that I get to launch the new (old) canoe. (See details in the posting below.) But to savor the event, tonight I threw it onto the truck, fashioned some tie-downs for transporting the boat, and got it ready to go.<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_d78kMI56hd4/TH8EBnZQXzI/AAAAAAAACQ0/lHWSMddW1cs/s1600/IMG_2174.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512128894726070066" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_d78kMI56hd4/TH8EBnZQXzI/AAAAAAAACQ0/lHWSMddW1cs/s200/IMG_2174.JPG" border="0" /></a> Here's what the new craft looks like in transit (pictured above), and with the canvas skirt that will be used to keep my gear protected from the elements, in the event I take any longer trips in inclement weather (left).<br /><br /><br /><p></p><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p>Crow River: This Saturday, you are mine.<br /><br /><br /></p><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_d78kMI56hd4/TH8EBnZQXzI/AAAAAAAACQ0/lHWSMddW1cs/s1600/IMG_2174.JPG"></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5327745773087353960.post-12727722817623810832010-08-31T21:08:00.005-05:002010-09-01T16:57:55.645-05:00Reducing, renewing, recycling some gearA while back, I decided to sell the two kayaks. I found the Pelican 10’ a bit small, at least when spending more than a few hours in it. The Mad River 12’ was more comfortable, but either it had growth heavier or my elbows have growth weaker; it was becoming difficult for me to lift it to the roof of the X-Terra. My goal was to use the sale proceeds to find a solo canoe, bigger than the 10’ kayak, but lighter than the double-hulled 12’ hybrid kayak. Turns out that everything sold a little quicker than I thought it might, including the Thule kayak racks on the roof of the truck. <br /><br />Here is happiness: The Pelican went to a first-time kayak owner out of southern Minnesota, and the Mad River went to the younger of a father-and-son team who paddle the North Shore of Lake Superior. (Let the enjoyment continue.)<br /><br />All of that equipment has been replaced by a used Old Town Discovery solo canoe; an 11’9” boat that was manufactured in 2003. Like the goods I sold, I found this craft through Craig’s List. It was owned by a gentleman who works part-time for a new company called <a href="http://www.cwoutfitting.com/">Clear Waters Outfitting Company</a>. While he was selling the canoe “private party,” the store had allowed him to display it in their warehouse. (They were smart to let him do this; I did not know about their shop until after meeting Todd, the gentleman I bought the Discovery from. I'll do business with them in the future, as they have <a href="http://www.cwoutfitting.com/">a great store in Clearwater, MN</a>.) It has abundant scratches on the hull, but more to illustrate the boats character than to indicate any serious damage. (The owner of a an old canoe that is unmarked by contact with logs and rocks has cheated himself and his boat from the privilege of a fast romp down the river.) It features a hand-made canvas cover, to protect packs and equipment from the elements on longer trips.<br /><br />As far as transporting the boat is concerned, I gave my daughter a few bucks for an old set of Yakima cross-bars, and bought the appropriate mounts to make them work on my truck. Having already registered the boat in my name, I hope to float it for the first time this weekend.<br /><br />Also last week, I pulled out an old Minolta X-700 35 millimeter camera (yes, film) that we've owned since the late eighties, and took it to a local camera shop to be reconditioned. Turns out that by the time the camera was moved through the shop, a small tear had developed in the shutter fabric… one that would only grow as used over time. Graciously, it was the shop’s decision to offer me a trade: They gave me a fully-reconditioned version of the same old camera to replace the one that had been damaged. Since I already have a number of lenses for the unit, it was an offer I couldn’t refuse. So on an upcoming river trip—or as I see critters far-off in the meadow behind our house—I’ll shoot some prints in traditional 35 mm film. (This re-purposed camera will allow me to try-out a used tele-photo lens I picked up more than a year ago!)<br /><br />With all of this new (or used) outfitting, I must now get more aggressive about finding time on the river, as the paddling season is fast dwindling here in Minnesota.<br /><br />© 2010 Mike D. Anderson. All rights reserved.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5327745773087353960.post-6673673699618389842010-08-24T20:33:00.001-05:002010-08-24T20:33:00.794-05:00Headlines from shorelines all over<span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>Grand concerns for the Grand Canyon</strong><br /></span>I saw a couple of reports today regarding the health and future well-being of Grand Canyon National Park. One came from <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/environment/2010-08-24-grand-canyon_N.htm">USA Today (click here to read that version)</a>, and another came from <a href="http://summitcountyvoice.com/2010/08/23/report-grand-canyon-threatened-by-low-flows/">Summit County Citizens Voice, a website within the affected area (click to link)</a>.<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Seafood from the Gulf</span></strong><br />In the aftermath of the biggest environmental calamity in history, fishermen and shrimpers are pulling the first harvest of seafood from the Gulf of Mexico since the BP oil spill. A story in USA Today today poses the simple question: Will it be safe for consumption? (<a href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-08-23-shriming-season-gulf-mexico_N.htm">Click here to read the USA today story.</a>) I, for one, am among the thousands of people who hope Gulf seafood gets the green light; the people in this region have been through enough! But from the crude oil to the chemicals used to disperse the mess, there is good reason to do some testing, as well as tasting. (I hope the lesson that greater care and oversight are required in deep water drilling has been learned by everyone involved… and I hope the speedy recovery in the Gulf continues.)<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Getting bigger before getting it right?</span></strong><br />I read an article in the Wall Street Journal today about the expansion of crude oil pipelines and delivery systems for a company called Enbridge. (<a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20100824-707501.html">Click here to read the WSJ.com story.</a>) The pipeline runs from Tioga, North Dakota or Cromer, Manitoba. The story didn’t just catch my eye because I was born and raised in North Dakota. It caught my eye because the name Enbridge sounded very familiar. While most of the world was fixated on the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico this summer, Enbridge was involved in another spill catastrophe involving the Kalamazoo River in Michigan. The spill began on July 25th, according to this <a href="http://michiganmessenger.com/40610/timeline-of-the-enbridge-oil-spill">timeline from the Michigan Messenger</a>. According to an AP report, the company had been warned about problems related to their pipeline network, including the line involved with the spill. (<a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38504100/ns/us_news-environment/">Click here to see the version of the story run by MS-NBC.</a>)<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Staying on top of water quality issues, with direct access to the EPA</span></strong><br />I first learned about the Enbridge spill because the EPA sent me an email. Not that I’m all that important… but I had signed-up for newsletter notifications from the agency <a href="http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/Press%20Releases%20-%20Water!OpenView">by visiting this page on their website</a>. If you’re interested in this kind of thing, don’t take it from me. Get it directly from the Environmental Protection Agency by email. (<a href="http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/Press%20Releases%20-%20Water!OpenView">Click here to sign up.</a>)<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Fracking is freaking some folks out</span></strong><br />The practice of extracting natural gas from deep shale beds by using water and chemicals to fracture the rock has been getting a lot of attention, lately. The technique, known as “fracking,” is the subject of a recent HBO documentary, suggesting that the practice can compromise water supplies in adjacent lands. Fracking was also the focus of a story today in USA Today. <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/environment/2010-08-23-fracking-natural-gas_N.htm?csp=34news">(Click here to read the story.)</a> Or, to see the trailer for the HBO feature film, see below.<br /><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/BtpSgqUZ3oA?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/BtpSgqUZ3oA?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />If you have a water-quality story to share--especially of the "good news" variety--<a href="mailto:Mike@CleanUpTheRiver.com">drop me an email,</a> okay?<br /><br /><a href="mailto:Mike@CleanUpTheRiver.com">Mike Anderson</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5327745773087353960.post-58753767317628889102010-08-23T23:31:00.003-05:002010-08-24T15:55:56.724-05:00Our conservation efforts turn a cornerIf one is truly passionate about spending time on the water—whether in recreation or in various conservation efforts—there can never be enough time navigating, renewing, and <em>being renewed by,</em> our rivers, streams or lakes. That is certainly the case where I am concerned; over the past couple of years, a blend of personal responsibilities, workplace demands and physical challenges (the kind that come with age) have greatly reduced the time I can spend on the water. I’m still cleaning up trash and debris when I get the chance to float a river, but not in the tonnage I did a few short years ago. I’ve been thinking about that a lot. And a while back, it occurred to me that there are ways I can advance matters of stewardship more effectively in the future.<br /><br />With that in mind, I’m going to adjust this blog to focus less on my direct activities with river clean-up, and use it to focus more on sharing the ideas and accomplishments of others. Whether a Boy Scout troop removing trash from a riverside road here in St. Michael, or a dam removal on the Penobscot in Maine, I’ll pass along stories I find from all over, in the hope that this site becomes an idea resource to anyone who’s inclined to improve the rivers, streams and lakes that are dear to them. In shifting to this approach, I will be allowed more time for what is next.<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Footprints and Photographs</span></strong><br />There is a classic phrase used in the conservation community to encourage the careful use of parks, trails, and waterways: <em>“Leave only footprints, and take only pictures.”</em> I love that quote, because it frames, concisely, such a true and simple solution to many of the problems facing our natural places and their wildlife inhabitants.<br /><br />Shortly after starting the river blog back in 2007, I was hit with a couple of epiphanies. The first was that CleanUpTheRiver.com was preaching to the choir; it is a blog most likely to be read by people who are already sold on the idea of stewardship.<br /><br />Another important understanding occurred to me: <em>Conservation begins with appreciation.</em> If someone takes the time to see and experience the outdoors, they just naturally become more inclined to protect those places.<br /><br />With <a href="http://footprintsandphotographs.com/"><em>FootprintsAndPhotographs.com</em></a>, I hope to help folks see, experience, and appreciate the outdoors. The past few years have been a great opportunity to learn a little about natural photography, which is a nice compliment to the kind of writing I like to do. By sharing some photos and narratives from the places I've had the chance to visit and absorb, perhaps I can remind people how good we have it... and foster greater appreciation for the outdoors.<br /><br />I plan to remain engaged in hands-on river clean-up. But the accomplishments I’m seeing from around the U.S. (and the world) are much more impressive than my own. So it makes more sense for this blog to focus on those kinds of inspirational issues and ideas. At this writing, I have sold our pair of kayaks, and am shopping for a solo canoe that might serve as a better platform for writing and photography in the wild (Julie and I still have the tandem Old Town canoe for when she wants to ride along). And I’m taking my camera to some off-water hiking and biking trails, too.<br /><br />I have a head-start on the new blog, as I began posting entries in January of this year; I did not want to make the new site known, however, as I wanted to make sure I was happy with its contents before I shared it with others. While far from perfect, some stories and pictures are ready for you now, and I invite you to stop by for a visit, at <a href="http://footprintsandphotographs.com/">http://FootprintsAndPhotographs.com/</a>.<br /><br />© 2010 Mike D. Anderson. All rights reserved.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5327745773087353960.post-37463959466713750802010-07-09T21:05:00.005-05:002010-07-14T21:56:28.265-05:00Introducing (and draining) Pelican Lake<iframe height="300" marginheight="0" src="http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=45.228239,-93.744793&spn=0.03627,0.051498&z=13&output=embed" frameborder="0" width="300" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no"></iframe><br /><small><a style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; COLOR: #0000ff" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=45.228239,-93.744793&spn=0.03627,0.051498&z=13&source=embed">View Larger Map</a></small><br /><br />A couple of weeks ago, I dropped my kayak into a body of water that has been known, for a relatively short while, as Pelican Lake. This is not the famous lake by the same name that is in the Brainerd Lakes area… nor is it the one found near Barnsville in the west central part of our state. This Pelican Lake is a small body of water about four miles west of our home in St. Michael.<br /><br />I had heard about the odd origins and even more peculiar destiny of Pelican Lake from various neighbors and acquaintances since we move here last year. Rumor held that the Department of Natural Resources was threatening to partially drain the lake, and sending the water into a wetland on the edge of town (coincidentally, an area right behind our home). From there, it would trickle into the Crow River via Regal Creek.<br /><br />As with any land management issue, this idea had a polarizing effect. Hunters were in favor of the plan, as the land now covered by Pelican Lake would be more fowl-friendly and bring in more ducks and geese. On the other side, fishermen were opposed to the idea, because low water would almost assuredly result in the winterkill of the bass, crappie, pike and sunfish that call the lake home.<br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">.<br /></span>A couple of people had asked my position on the matter, but found myself unable to respond... as I did not have the facts that might validate an opinion. Recently, however, I had a conversation with someone who did have the facts, and learned a little more about this complex situation.<br /><br />Pelican Lake was nothing more than a seasonal slough as recently as the 1960s. It would be mildly flooded by the spring melt, but sustain hay and other crops through most of the summer. Then, in the late 60s or early 70s, something changed. Nobody knows whether it was because of inappropriate ditching, maybe a shift in the way area farmers were draining their fields, or if perhaps a department of transportation project significantly altered one or more canals in the area… but for one reason or another, the spring flood did not recede as far as they once did. And over the years, what was once a slough became deeper and deeper, even drowning some farm equipment that had been stored on the lands there. Eventually, the place became a lake—literally. Pelican Lake, at this writing, has a couple of spots as deep as twelve feet, although the prevailing depths in the central areas of the lake range from five to nine feet.<br /><br />That explains the origin of the lake. Now… here is its destiny, at least as I understand it.<br /><br />The area is a designated waterfowl preserve, with the Litchfield Watershed Management District, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources each participating in its management. However, primary management responsibility rests with the DNR-Wildlife, and the parcel is managed for wildlife, not fish. (<a href="http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/areas/fisheries/montrose/pelican_lake_info.html">See details at the DNR website by clicking here</a>.) Thus, whether the lake should be drawn down has never really been a matter for debate; the endgame was apparently known all along, so there is essentially no room or reason for debate on the matter.<br /><br />As for me--for what it might be worth-- I’m in favor of seeing the land be placed in its original condition, before humans started messing with it. If that means un-doing the water table that has been artificially set, so be it (and that sounds like what they’re going to do). That is perhaps not likely to be a popular attitude, but it is mine.<br /><br />© 2010 Mike D. Anderson. All rights reserved.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5327745773087353960.post-56758252111257240412010-06-21T17:32:00.003-05:002010-07-09T22:58:04.539-05:00Debris on Pelican Lake<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_d78kMI56hd4/TDeFYRZ_tsI/AAAAAAAACN4/F516TEhn5mc/s1600/Farm+Machinery+-+sm.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 275px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 166px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492004922637399746" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_d78kMI56hd4/TDeFYRZ_tsI/AAAAAAAACN4/F516TEhn5mc/s320/Farm+Machinery+-+sm.jpg" /></a>Last evening, I had the pleasure of a kayak trip on Pelican Lake, just west of our home in St. Michael. I reclaimed perhaps 18 pounds of various trash (I cannot be completely accurate as I did not have my scale along). And I saw hundreds of pounds of additional debris that I could not reclaim from the vantage point of a kayak. There were a number of items that appeared to be one type of farm equipment or another.<br /><br /><div><p><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_d78kMI56hd4/TDeFYtToS3I/AAAAAAAACOA/QbFlIb2Nzm0/s1600/Elec+Motor+-+sm.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 275px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 180px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492004930126891890" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_d78kMI56hd4/TDeFYtToS3I/AAAAAAAACOA/QbFlIb2Nzm0/s320/Elec+Motor+-+sm.jpg" /></a>Recently, I have learned these items were likely not discarded by someone as pollution. On the contrary, it is likely these items were borrowed by a spring flood -- and never returned -- as a temporary rise became a semi-permanent body of water that became known as Pelican Lake. (But I’ll offer more on that story later.)</p><p>© 2010 Mike D. Anderson. All rights reserved.</p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5327745773087353960.post-37622857415394360952010-06-06T20:04:00.007-05:002010-06-29T20:40:26.544-05:00A renewed commitment to MN Adopt-A-RiverIn a recent email exchange with Paul and Eva at the Minnesota DNR, I continued by participation in the Adopt-A-River program. Specifically, I will maintain the two stretches of northern St. Croix River clean-up. But instead of re-filing on my stretch of Mississippi River, I have added an "at large" commitment of additional river conservation. That's because of <a href="http://cleanuptheriver.blogspot.com/2009/05/look-at-mprb-map-to-cleaner-waters.html">the commitment of Tim Brown at Minneapolis Parks and Recreation</a> to make sure work on our 9-mile section of north metro Mississippi is completed as a part of the MPRB's redevelopment effort... and because of Julie's and my relocation to St. Michael, Minnesota last year. I'll have greater access to the Crow River, the Sauk River and other creeks than I will the old section of the Ol' Miss.<br /><br />Staying on top of this blog--and the next project I'd like to be working on--has been just out of reach but seldom out of mind over this past winter and spring. Work requirements have been stronger than ever in response to the recession and its' aftermath. And Julie and I have been rennovating our unfinished basement, a job that was more intense than I expected. Every moment of "free time" has gone to placing sheetrock, tile, and stone. We have suffered innumerable slivers, I have sanded-off my fingerprints while cutting stone for the fireplaced, and lifted more tonnage in home improvement supplies than anyone should be expected to carry without being employed by The Home Depot. But alas, the heavy work is done (on this, our final major home improvement project, period).<br /><br />Today, I can say with confidence that anything left will wait. My rivers and wetlands are overdue, and I will now set my focus on giving them the attention they deserve.<br /><br />Overdue, too, is the enjoyment and renewal I absorb from them.<br /><br />© Mike D. Anderson, St. Michael, MN. All rights reserved.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5327745773087353960.post-55234383752537008782010-05-01T09:07:00.004-05:002010-05-01T09:11:37.621-05:00From Earth Day to May Day<em><span style="color:#cc6600;">(Or perhaps, “Mayday!”)</span><br /></em><br />For people who invest their time, creativity and effort in conservation, the recent (and continuing) oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is very difficult to watch. (For those who have not seen enough, I offer an Associated Press video below, <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2010/04/30/DI2010043001390.html">which I found at the Washington Post</a>.) The event began as a human tragedy, of course, including the loss of many human lives in a still-unexplained explosion and fire (the leading assumption is that drilling ruptured a pocket of flammable gas much earlier than anticipated). We shouldn’t forget that for many families, there will be an empty chair at the dinner table tonight. Those families deserve our prayers.<br /><br />To overstate the obvious, the scope of this environmental tragedy is also immense. (Perspective is available <a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/1446902@N22/">through these Washington Post photos</a>.)<br /><br />On the high seas, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayday_(distress_signal)">“Mayday” is known the world over as a signal of distress</a>. Until now, I have not written about the BP oil spill. But on May first, as the consequences wash ashore along the coastline of the Gulf near the mouth of the Mississippi River, May Day seemed both an appropriate time and term for it. Each of the three rivers I’ve personally focused on over the past few years are part of the Mississippi watershed. But rather than be discouraged, I think it’s a good time to realize the waterways need more help than ever.<br /><br />The next time I stop for gas, I will remind myself that the price we’re paying for petroleum is far higher than its price per gallon.<br /><br />The AP video is available immediately below.<br /><br />© Mike D. Anderson, St. Michael, MN. All rights reserved.<br /><iframe marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" src="http://specials.washingtonpost.com/mv/embed/?title=Oil%20spill%20reaches%20mouth%20of%20Mississippi%20River&stillURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Fwp-dyn%2Fcontent%2Fphoto%2F2010%2F04%2F30%2FPH2010043000898.jpg&flvURL=%2Fmedia%2F2010%2F04302010-4v&width=480&height=270&autoStart=false&clickThru=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Fwp-dyn%2Fcontent%2Fvideo%2F2010%2F04%2F30%2FVI2010043000885.html" frameborder="0" width="480" scrolling="no" height="270"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5327745773087353960.post-21084090472952177652010-04-22T14:28:00.005-05:002010-04-22T15:11:17.902-05:00Happy 40th Birthday, Earth Day<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_d78kMI56hd4/S9CtG7ezvnI/AAAAAAAACII/kFj49YFC4hQ/s1600/apollo08_earthrise1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463056682558144114" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 187px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_d78kMI56hd4/S9CtG7ezvnI/AAAAAAAACII/kFj49YFC4hQ/s200/apollo08_earthrise1.jpg" border="0" /></a>One of the most amazing rewards to come from the Apollo space program was, simply, perspective. For ages, humanity had looked skyward and seen distant images of the sun, moon and stars. We could not have known (until modern science intervened) how massive those objects really were.<br /><br /><div><div>Inversely, until distant photographs of the Earth were taken—from the perspective of Apollo 8, while in lunar orbit—few of us realized how small our little globe really was.</div><br /><div>In the spring following our first moon landing (specifically, on April 22, 1970), <a href="http://www.epa.gov/40th/">Earth Day was born</a>. A few months later, the Environmental Protection Agency was formally established. And since that first Earth Day, momentum has grown for the idea that natural resources and places must be actively protected and cared for.</div><br /><div>Earth Day was established because the behaviors of a few can hold consequences for many. In 1970, those consequences were bad, and the few were villains. In 2010, it is my hope—no, my belief—that more and more people accept the need for behavioral change, and that the consequences will be good.</div><br /><div>Happy 40th Birthday, Earth Day.</div><div><br />© Mike D. Anderson, St. Michael, MN. All rights reserved. </div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5327745773087353960.post-54749611906174271922010-04-08T19:48:00.001-05:002010-04-08T19:50:03.508-05:00Joining the iLCWRecently, the demands of work have limited my chances to think about this blog. Thankfully, it is a season when little is to be done in the way of hands-on river clean-up, as most of the waterways are swollen with the runoff of the spring thaw. At best, I would be collecting thoughts from various news reports on matters of conservation, as I have done often over the winter months.<br /><br />That said, I have been making slow but steady progress on a companion blog, one composed of brief pictorial and written essays about the amazing places I have been fortunate enough to visit, whether by kayak, canoe, or on foot. As a part of that project, I have been studying independently (when time allows) to improve my photography skills. By that, I don’t mean just learning how to run a camera… but thinking about how to be a good observer and student of the natural landscapes and wildlife within my reach. This process led me to an organization known as the International League of Conservation Photographers, a group which boasts some of the finest natural photojournalists on the planet. My current photo skills do not provide for participation in that elite group. (Think National Geographic, Audubon, Discovery Channel, etc.) But discovery of that organization has led me to another, somewhat related peer group: The International League of Conservation Writers.<br /><br />The iLCW is a young organization, founded only this year. But its interests are parallel enough to my own that I applied to join, and was recently accepted as an associate member. Recently, my addition—along with two other writers from Canada and the United Kingdom—were announced <a href="http://blog.ilcwriters.org/2010/04/06/meet-members-mike-anderson-kate-harris-diogo-verissimo.aspx">in this brief release at the iLCW website</a>. <br /><br />I have been writing professionally, in one way or another, for somewhere north of thirty years, now. (You might not know it by my skills in grammar or punctuation, but I hope color and character are an adequate substitute for my shortfalls in English composition.) Most often, my writing has had something to do with advertising copy, media production, or more recently, research, consumer behavior, and related marketing matters. But writing is not only something I am paid to do; it is something I enjoy doing; more so over the past several years, as my life has been given the compliment of numerous outdoor experiences, and a new appreciation for the same.<br /><br />You may never have heard of the International League of Conservation Writers, and perhaps you will never consider it a high-profile group. But I’m really looking forward to benefiting from—and contributing to—a group of like-minded people, who share the goal of helping others appreciate…<br /><br /><em>Life.</em><br /><br />© 2010 Mike D. Anderson, St. Michael, MN. All rights reserved.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5327745773087353960.post-32239669095501319382010-03-08T20:35:00.003-06:002010-04-08T19:51:02.485-05:00An eyewitness account of global warming, from Will StegerI belong to a LinkedIn group that is sponsored by the University of Minnesota’s <a href="http://environment.umn.edu/">Institute on the Environment</a>. Recently they invited Will Steger, the famed Arctic and Antarctic explorer, to share insights he has gained through four decades of travel across the world’s ice caps.<br /><br />I wasn't able to attend the original presentation, but a link to the recorded version is available online. The introduction and core presentation take about 37 minutes. You’ll be glad you took the time, when you <a href="https://umconnect.umn.edu/p91884165/">click here to see the presentation</a>.<br /><br />© 2010 Mike D. Anderson, St. Michael, MN. All rights reserved.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5327745773087353960.post-17173020734499133722010-03-08T20:09:00.005-06:002010-04-08T19:51:29.367-05:00If you're close to water, you might find some of these stories interesting<a href="http://frontlineconservation.blogspot.com/2010/03/conservation-agent-littering-arrests.html#comment-form">If you’re ever cleaned-up a dump site, this blog will bring a smile to your face.</a> It explains how some conservation officers in Missouri tracked-down some dumpers with a little basic detective work.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.startribune.com/local/north/86734662.html?elr=KArks7PYDiaK7DUoaK7D_V_eDc87DUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUU">Closer to home, the amazing prospect of water shortages in the land of lakes.</a> This story from the Minneapolis Star Tribune explains how suburbs could over-tap ground water supplies in the not-so-distant future, and force more cities to drink from the Mississippi.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.startribune.com/local/86465077.html?elr=KArks:DCiU1OiP:DiiUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUU">A question of cost-efficiency and compliance in Minnesota’s DNR set-aside program. </a>In another story from the Star Tribune, questions are raised with regard to the amount spent on conservation easements and whether greater monitoring is in order.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.americanrivers.org/newsroom/press-releases/2010/ar-selected-2010-orvis-conservation-grantee-3-3-2010.html">A generous contribution to a big-name river group.</a> A catalog company called “Orvis” plans to donate up to $120,000 to American Rivers, which intends to focus on two specific rivers as benefactors of the gift.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.news-journalonline.com/news/local/west-volusia/2010/03/06/rising-property-values-tax-wildlife-preserves-future.html">Family compensated for devoting land to conservation. </a>A Florida program provides aid toward private conservation efforts, but might not be enough to protect the land from development, due to property tax rates.<br /><br />Some of these stories illustrate just how much money changes hands in the name of conservation, stewardship, or environmental protection. I’m not sure why it’s so expensive to say, “clean-up after yourself,” and “don’t wreck the place, other people will need it when you’re long gone.”<br /><br />© 2010 Mike D. Anderson, St. Michael, MN. All rights reserved.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5327745773087353960.post-21923796923850035132010-03-02T20:39:00.003-06:002010-04-08T19:51:53.181-05:00One step forward and two steps back<strong>Forward: Vermont story update.</strong> In the middle of February, I wrote a posting that mentioned a nuclear power plant in Vermont that was leaking tritium. Since that time, the state senate has voted to not renew the plant's operating permit when its current license expires in 2012. <a id="z8tw" title="See this update from the February 26 edition of the New York Times." href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/27/us/27nuke.html?th&emc=th" goog_docs_charindex="316">See this update from the February 26 edition of the New York Times.</a><br /><br /><strong>Back: The Supreme Court gives us a tough Act to follow.</strong> <a id="pjdc" title="Also from the New York Times (2/28/10 issue) comes this story" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/01/us/01water.html" goog_docs_charindex="432">Also from the New York Times (2/28/10 issue) comes this story</a>about how recent decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court have severely weakened regulators ability to enforce the Clean Water Act of 1972. (The story is part of the impressive <a id="pc2t" title="'Go" href="http://projects.nytimes.com/toxic-waters" goog_docs_charindex="668">"Toxic Waters" series from the NY Times</a>, which I highly recommend.)<br /><br />It is hard to assume this situation is anything but political; <strong>arguments center on the meaning of the word "navigable"</strong> as it relates to whether a waterway can be regulated. It has always been my understanding of the Act that "navigable waters" mean any waterway which can be navigated by any watercraft, based on that waterway's annual high-water mark. In other words, if the river, stream or connected lake can be navigated during the high waters typically associated with a spring thaw, it is protected. But now, the spirit of the law has apparently been neutered. (I guess it depends on what the meaning of the word "is" is.")<br /><br />Here's hoping the legislature can bring clarity to the meaning of the law, before the courts and their interests are allowed to irreparably "muddy the water." For more about the Clean Water Act, and how it was fought for, I highly recommend a book called <a id="zn1c" title="The Riverkeepers" href="http://www.amazon.com/RIVERKEEPERS-Activists-Fight-Reclaim-Environment/dp/068484625X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1228774476&sr=1-1" goog_docs_charindex="1619">The Riverkeepers</a>, as explained in <a id="h_c3" title="an article I wrote back in December, 2008" href="http://cleanuptheriver.blogspot.com/search?q=Riverkeeper" goog_docs_charindex="1655">an article I wrote back in December, 2008</a>. Or, <a href="http://www.epa.gov/lawsregs/laws/cwa.html">visit the EPA website by clicking here</a>.<br /><br />Perhaps all of this is further support that when it comes to conservation, many things are beyond our control; those things within our reach must be addressed.<br /><br />© 2010 Mike D. Anderson, St. Michael, MN. All rights reserved.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5327745773087353960.post-1864345799854395102010-02-19T21:48:00.000-06:002010-02-19T21:50:02.049-06:00In the past month, some folks are making history (in a good way)<strong>One of the Pacific’s great waterways goes natural.</strong> I’ve been spending the off-season watching various sources for news about various conservation projects. One of the biggest—in history—might be this week’s story about the Klamath River, which is shared by Oregon and California. Interested parties have agreed to a $1.5 billion restoration project, which involves the removal of four dams, with the goal of restoring Salmon habitat. There was a lot of coverage, but <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/19/us/19klamath.html?th&emc=th">I liked this story from the New York Times</a> for its factual manner. Many of the other releases were from various groups claiming credit for the pact. The fact is, when something like this is accomplished, lots of people deserve credit. Another perspective is <a href="http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/ap/oregons-klamath-basin-deal-helps-farmers-and-fish-84722007.html">offered by the San Francisco Examiner</a>.<br /><br /><strong>How about an international win-win for British Columbia and Montana.</strong> The Flathead River Basin will be without mining as the future unfolds, due to an agreement between provincial, state and federal governments. This story is now probably more than a week old, but you can <a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5iCpV9k4uuNts5UHgxwQgzbklinSw">read more about it in this summary from Google</a>.<br /><br /><strong>Closer to home, I discovered a new site this week. Introducing the Lake Pepin Legacy Alliance…</strong> a group created last year with the goal of slowing the deterioration of this amazing water body on the upper Mississippi River. (The deterioration has to do with the deposit of sediment and fertilizing agents in the lake.) <a href="http://www.lakepepinlegacyalliance.org/">Their web site is interesting, but it is also useful</a>, loaded with the kind of information that helps people understand both <a href="http://www.lakepepinlegacyalliance.org/science.html">the science</a> that impact water quality, as well as <a href="http://www.lakepepinlegacyalliance.org/law.html">the laws</a> which are intended to prevent the erosion of that water quality. Nice to meet you, LPLA.<br /><br />© 2010 Mike D. Anderson, St. Michael, MN. All rights reserved.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0