State of the River Report

State of the River Report
Is it safe to swim in the Mississippi River in the Twin Cities?
by sue rich
July 1, 2023
As an organization focused on the river’s health, we get asked this all the time. Read more
Bare feet standing on the sand along the shores of the Mississippi River in the Twin Cities.
'State of the River Report' release a hit
by Trevor Russell
October 19, 2016

FMR and our local unit of the National Park Service released the updated State of the River Report to acclaim in late September. Heralded for its approachable and engaging style, the report highlights the status and trends of 14 key indicators of river health. It was warmly received by the media, with quality coverage from local and some national news outlets.

Now, State of the River authors Trevor Russell and Lark Weller are hitting the road to present report findings to stakeholder groups across the state. And to help readers make use of the report, we’ve created three companion guides for residents, teachers and policymakers to take the most important actions to support a healthier Mississippi River. 

Read more
State of the River Report 2016 media attention
'State of the River' along the Minneapolis River Gorge
September 29, 2016

The "State of the River Report" presentation is coming to south Minneapolis! Join FMR Water Program Director Trevor Russell to learn about the health of the Twin Cities stretch of the Mississippi River. 

Read more
State of the River Report 2016
'State of the River Report' Launch + Presentation
July 7, 2016

How is the health of the Mississippi River? Can I safely swim in it? Is water pollution improving? Can I eat the fish I catch? What can we do about Asian carp? Do I need to be concerned about bacteria in the river? How are bald eagles faring?

At FMR we hear questions like these all the time. That's why we've partnered with the National Park Service's Mississippi National River & Recreation Area unit (MNRRA) to update "State of the River Report," first released in 2012, for a current look at the river.

Join us for the highly anticipated release of the updated "State of the River Report" at the Science Museum of Minnesota, Thursday, September 22! (Tickets are free but capacity is limited.)

Read more

Upcoming Events

Join us at the annual river gorge Earth Day cleanup
Saturday, April 20 - 9:30 AM to Noon
West River Parkway and 36th Street/44th Street, Minneapolis
Apply to be a 2024 ESI mentor for the summer
Applications due Friday, May 3 by 5 p.m.
Virtual and in-person
Pull garlic mustard at Hampton Woods Wildlife Management Area [FULL]
Wednesday, May 8, 2024 - 1:00pm to 3:00pm
Hampton Woods Wildlife Management Area

See all Upcoming Events