 |
| St. Paul riverfront, where Little Mekong's stormwater joins the Mississippi |
Rivers connect us
From the Mekong
to the Mississippi
Rivers wash
our worries
and hold
our dreams
While we hold
their future…
 |
| Storm drain in Little Mekong |
Without our stormwater system of street drains and underground tunnels, rainstorms would flood urban areas. But when it rains, most of St. Paul's stormwater travels, untreated, to the Mississippi River. Along the way it picks up litter and pollutants that end up in the river -- harming wildlife and affecting usability of the water for fishing and swimming. This is why it is so important to keep streets, sidewalks, and storm drains clean.
But the new street construction along University Avenue actually helps clean the stormwater and reduce the amount of it so that big storms don't overwhelm our stormwater system. Tree trenches along the street use the stormwater to water the street trees, soak into the ground, and filter out some pollutants, but some of the water and pollutants still flow to the Mississippi, so it is still important to keep the water clean.
River-Wash project collaborator, Friends of the Mississippi River, provided these links that let you know more and how you can help.
- State of the River Report, Stewardship Guide, and Policy Guide
- Landscape for the River
- Storm Drain Stenciling
- Service-learning and volunteer resources
