Winona County Soil & Water Conservation District

10/27/2026

10/19/2026

📢 Office Closure Notice

Our office will be closed Tuesday, October 20th through Thursday, October 22nd, as all staff will be attending professional training.

We will reopen on Friday, October 23rd with regular business hours.

10/12/2026

Our office is closed today in observance of Indigenous Peoples Day and Columbus Day. We will resume regular business hours tomorrow, 9/13.

10/09/2026

🧐 QUIZ: WHAT SWCD IS PICTURED AND WHEN WAS IT TAKEN? BONUS POINTS FOR THE ORIGINAL SWCD NAME AND CURRENT SWCD's NAME!

We look forward to celebrating 🎉 90 years of conservation stewardship with you at our 90th Annual Convention this Dec. 1 & 2 at the DoubleTree in Bloomington!
Until then, we'll be posting historic photos of Minnesota-focused conservation with QUIZ opportunities - like this one! The prize? 🏆 Bragging rights of course!

10/07/2026

📅 SWCD Supervisor Elections – November 3, 2026

Soil & Water Conservation District Supervisors play an important role in guiding local conservation efforts and helping set priorities for our district.

Not sure what an SWCD Supervisor does? Check out this short video to learn more about their role and responsibilities!

10/05/2026

✨Happy World Teachers' Day!✨

Today, we extend our heartfelt thanks to all the amazing teachers who inspire curiosity, care, and conservation in the next generation. Your classrooms are where the roots of stewardship begin to grow.

Thank you for being a vital connection between our work and the students who will one day carry it forward. We're especially grateful to the educators who welcome us into their classrooms and give us the opportunity to share the importance of conservation with their students.

Here's to the teachers who help us plant seeds of change, today and every day! 🍎

09/30/2026

The Spring 2027 Lawns to Legumes grant application is open! 🐝🎉

🌼 Lawns to Legumes is a Minnesota-wide program that awards reimbursement-based funding of up to $400 for creating pollinator habitat in your outdoor space with native plants.

🦋 Why plant for pollinators? Minnesota is home to over 500 native bee species, along with many butterflies, moths, and other pollinators. These creatures are essential to ecosystem health — but many have faced population declines. Lawns to Legumes helps reverse this trend by creating pollinator-friendly plantings across the state.

⏰ Apply by November 30 for a chance to receive a Spring 2027 grant. Learn more and apply at https://bluethumb.org/lawns-to-legumes/apply/

Lawns to Legumes is coordinated by the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources and Blue Thumb, the education program of Metro Blooms.

09/30/2026

Minnesota Department of Agriculture's AGRI Livestock Investment Grant is open for applications.
Apply by November 17, 2026 at https://www.mda.state.mn.us/business-dev-loans-grants/agri-livestock-investment-grant

09/30/2026

🍂 Fall is a great time to Adopt a Drain ! 🍁

As leaves begin to fall, they can quickly pile up around storm drains. Taking a few minutes to keep drains clear of leaves, grass clippings, and other debris helps prevent excess nutrients and pollutants from reaching Lake Winona and the Mississippi River.

💧 Ready to help? Visit adopt-a-drain.org, find an available drain near you, and sign up for free!

Photo: The Grier Family of Winona, Minnesota, joined the Adopt-A-Drain program and adopted the storm drain near their home. Pictured, left to right, are Tom, Savanna, Sofi and Julie Grier.

09/23/2026

🌧️ It’s Stormwater Awareness Week! 💧

Stormwater runoff flows over streets, sidewalks, lawns, and parking lots, picking up leaves, grass clippings, trash, fertilizer, and other pollutants along the way. Much of that water enters storm drains and flows directly to local waterways without being treated.

🎥 Check out this short video to learn more about stormwater and why keeping it clean matters: https://waterstothesea.org/BuiltWaterCycle/

✨Want to help locally? Adopt a Drain! ✨

Winona residents can volunteer to keep a nearby storm drain clear of leaves, trash, and other debris through the Adopt-a-Drain program. It’s a simple way to help protect Lake Winona and the Mississippi River.

👉 Visit adopt-a-drain.org, find an available drain on the map, and follow the steps to adopt it. After signing up, you’ll receive a welcome package from Winona County SWCD!

Small actions at the storm drain can make a difference downstream. 💧