Our Water: Campaign for Clean Water

What Happens on Land Impacts Our Water

The loss of natural lands has direct consequences for our water. Increased sedimentation, nutrient runoff and flooding all contribute to water degradation in our lakes, rivers and groundwater. Wetlands, prairies and forests all play a critical role in keeping our water clean by providing a natural filtration system. In order to protect our water, we must protect and restore the lands through which it flows.

How TNC Is Helping

Driven by science, our conservation teams are targeting their efforts toward improving water quality in the Mississippi River, working with the agriculture industry to reduce its impact on water, restoring long-lost vegetation that improves prairie streams and planting millions of trees in northern Minnesota to protect the tributaries of Lake Superior.

Mississippi River Headwaters Area

The Upper Mississippi is—at this moment— mostly healthy, but by the time this iconic river reaches the Twin Cities, its water no longer meets river life and recreation standards. The threats facing our Mississippi are the same threats that have degraded the Minnesota River, along with many other waters across southern Minnesota where it is unsafe to swim or eat the fish. Further, conversion of natural lands into roads, farms and other land-use changes also impact groundwater, as well as the river and its tributaries.

To protect the area's remaining clean waters and protect the drinking water source for more than 2.5 million Minnesotans, we're working to protect and restore key areas within the river's headwaters area for the benefit of people and nature.

Learn more about our work in the Headwaters.

Healthy Agricultural Practices

We are proud of our region's thriving agriculture economy and our place in supporting agriculture advancements throughout the industry. Unfortunately, polluted runoff to lakes and rivers has increased markedly in recent years due to growing urban and agricultural development. To protect our water from runoff and sediment overload, we’re working with agricultural producers and industry experts to solve our water issues by sharing practices that increase soil health, improve nutrient management and protect water.

By utilizing better soil health, nutrient stewardship and edge-of-field practices, TNC and our agricultural and community partners can have a transformational impact on water, the climate and the economy. At the farm level, these practices will boost productivity and profitability. 

Protecting Lake Superior

In one of the fastest-warming corners of the country, our crews are busy planting millions of trees in a race against climate change. As our forests age out and our climate warms, we arrive at a defining moment for northeastern Minnesota. Much of our northern forests lack diversity, both in species and age, which leaves them vulnerable if we don’t help them along. Additionally, the North Shore's fine and fragile soils are at increased risk of erosion as the area loses the trees it needs to stabilize those soils. Without big forests to shade the streams and rivers, and protect water quality, the waters that brook trout and other fish species rely on for habitat could soon become too warm to support them.

In addition to providing shade and helping brook trout through habitat improvements, the trees we are planting are also helping to maintain healthy water quality in Lake Superior. The diverse mix of species we are planting will help build future forests that are beautiful, productive and resilient.

Grass for Water 

In addition to protecting some of the best native prairie landscapes left, The Nature Conservancy works with partners to ensure efficiency across the landscape. We're helping practitioners build genetic diversity into their restorations, helping to bring fire back to the prairie and supporting ranchers and others who maintain the health of these grasslands.

The Business Case for Conservation

By following the science, we’re able to identify the most impactful areas in which to prioritize conservation work. By following the economic models, we’re able to demonstrate the monetary value of protecting our waters now while we still can.

Not only does this approach to protecting water save us money in the long-term, it also provides us with tangible economic and quality-of-life benefits in the near-term.

Case Study: The Economics of Acting Now in the Mississippi River Headwaters Area

Our scientists have pinpointed the 200,000 acres in the Mississippi’s 13-million-acre headwaters area that are most critical to securing the river’s clean waters. By working to protect and restore these critical areas, we would enjoy the following benefits between 2020 and 2050:

It is possible to save our water, protect our way of life and secure clean water for current and future generations. But in order to achieve this goal, we must act now and we must work together.