Episode 278: Floods and Floodplains - Helping Minnesota's Water

For many people, their connection to fish isn't through research, it's through fishing! For our final episode of the month we talk to Trey Fails from Dreaded Outdoors on creating a welcoming culture in fishing and outdoor recreation.

  How many fish is too many fish? Or- wait- how many fishes is too many fishes? Find out in this episode with Dr. Kassandra Ford, the Bell Museum's Curator of Fishes and Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota!  We get to the bottom of mysteries like when to say fish vs fishes, does the Bell Museum have a secret fish library, and whether or not fish actually exist.    

We are halfway through the Big Year of Rivers and what species is more closely connected to our rivers than the many native species of fishes in Minnesota! In this episode Ellen and Brandon sit down with Jenna Nelson, a freshwater ecologist with Three Rivers, to hear all about fish surveys in the park district. 

What is Minnesota doing for its rivers and floodplains? Andrea Fish, from the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources talks to us about how soil and water quality are connected, the work they do with watershed districts to benefit rivers and farmers, and how you can help water health in your area.   

Join us as we float down the Mississippi and talk to American Rivers. American Rivers is an organization dedicated to protecting waterways. One of their scientists, Eileen Shader, talks with us about why floodplains are so important, both for nature, and for reducing the impacts of flooding in communities around the river.  

What does it take to survive a flood? Brandon and Ellen explore the living things that thrive in a floodplain habitat. From climbing snakes to the fastest growing tree in the United States, floodplains are full of living things that have unique adaptations to live in this important but threatened habitat. 

Our final episode this month goes fully into the vernal pool weeds! Brandon and Ellen bring out their favorite stars of this ecosystem. We talk fairy shrimp, fishing spiders, caddisflies, water boatmen, and backswimmers. For creatures so small, this episode is PACKED with interesting information! 

In our second episode we sit down with Dr. Mark Hanson to hear about his research on vernal pools during his career with the Minnesota DNR. We zoom out a bit from vernal pools themselves and learn about their impact on what's around them. From bears to ducklings, these innocuous pools play an important role in the lives of many woodland organisms. This leads us to discuss how forest management impacts the pools and what people can do to keep them safe and healthy.  

Time to get your feet wet in the world of vernal pools! This month's topic zooms in on these often overlooked, but crucially important ecosystems. In our first episode we meet with Dr. Darold Batzer, a professor of entomology at the University of Georgia. Dr. Batzer studies the ecology and environmental biology of wetland invertebrates, and gives us an introduction to vernal pools: Who lives in them, what they are, and why they matter.   

Jade Ryerson, historian with the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, wanders with us through time and she shares stories of women who have connected to the Mississippi River in the past and how that impacts us today. From Dakota women involved with diplomacy, to a court case about slavery that helped escalate tensions leading to the Civil War, to a lamplighter who helped Minneapolis and St. Paul commerce develop, women have had deep connections and impacts on the Mississippi River near us.