Month: July 2021

Minnesota is now in a Drought Warning, and current conditions are leading to some domestic out-of-water calls. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has guidance and resources that can help.

As of July 22, about half of Polk County is experiencing severe drought and the rest of the county is experiencing extreme drought. Most of Red Lake County is experiencing extreme drought. These conditions are affecting the groundwater supply in southern Red Lake and central Polk counties. Residents rely on this water for uses including irrigation for agriculture, municipal water supply and private (domestic) wells.

Increased groundwater use and the lack of groundwater recharge during the drought it difficult for the aquifer system to supply water to all groundwater users, leading to an increase in domestic out-of-water calls in this area.

Why is this happening?
Groundwater is stored and moves slowly underground through geologic formations of soil, sand and rock called aquifers. These aquifer layers range from a few feet to almost 100 feet thick. Most aquifers are naturally recharged by rainfall or other surface water that infiltrates into the ground.

Many domestic wells within this area pump groundwater from the shallow aquifers located within 100 feet of the ground surface. Wells used for irrigation and municipal water supplies often pump from deeper aquifers that can lower the water level of shallower aquifers, especially during a drought. Groundwater levels in some areas can decline during the irrigation season and cause problems for domestic wells near irrigation well sites, especially those with flowing domestic wells.

What can people do to avoid an out-of-water situation?

1. Encourage all family members to conserve water as much as possible. Water use impacts the well water level. For ideas about indoor and outdoor water conservation visit: DNR Water Conservation webpage and https://www.ready.gov/drought
2. Have an emergency plan for the family, bottled water handy, and the name and number of a licensed well driller.
3. Be aware of changes in the well, the water from the well and the area around the well. Changes in how often the pump runs, or in the smell or color of the water, can be signs of potential problems.

What if people go out of water?

1. Call a licensed well driller at the first sign of trouble. Many drillers are very busy during the drought, so they might not be able to visit right away.
2. If there is a high-volume water user nearby, contact that user and try to work out a solution together.
3. If you are unable to restore your water supply, contact the DNR’s well interference coordinator at 651-259-5034 or the DNR area hydrologist for Polk and Red Lake counties at 218-219-8585.

What does the DNR do if I cannot get water in my well?

The DNR encourages domestic well owners and high-capacity users to work together to solve problems collaboratively. If resolution cannot be reached privately, the DNR will conduct a fair and impartial investigation to determine the cause of the out-of-water. Because domestic water use is allocated the highest priority of the state’s water when supplies are limited, high-capacity well owners can be responsible to restore a water supply if they are found to have caused the problem.

Domestic well owners and municipal water suppliers that have problems obtaining water and believe the situation is due the operation of a high capacity well that pumps in excess of 10,000 gallons per day or one million gallons per year can submit a “Well Interference Complaint” to the DNR for investigation.

Before the DNR will investigate a well interference complaint, the well owner must have the well inspected by a licensed well driller to determine if the water supply problems are related to the condition of the domestic well.

More information on the well interference process is available at https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/waters/watermgmt_section/appropriations/interference.html

The DNR continues to closely monitor groundwater use and levels associated with the collective pumping of high-capacity wells and is working with all water users to protect our surface and groundwater resources while trying to minimize economic impacts.

The post DNR OFFERS GUIDANCE AND RESOURCES FOR POLK AND RED LAKE COUNTY RESIDENTS THAT ARE OUT-OF-WATER appeared first on KROX.

To the Crookston community and beyond:

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the love and support you have shown us over these last couple of months while Jackson undergoes cancer treatment for a second time for Hodgkins Lymphoma. After first finishing four cycles of chemo at Roger Maris Cancer Center in Fargo, we headed to Rochester where he just finished a week of intense chemo and has started the stem cell transplant at St. Mary’s Mayo Clinic Hospital.

Our family was blessed with a benefit dinner at the Crookston Inn in June and we can’t say enough about the generosity of the Inn, Laurie and Craig Stahlecker, Sue, Allison, Lisa, Rob, and the other Inn employees, plus the wonderful committee and volunteers that put it all together.

Nell DeBoer, Libby Boucher, Bob Magsam, Bobby Baird, Steve Krueger, Cole Ricard, Crookston Fire Department & Association plus Auxiliary, Crookston Rotary Club, Crookston Times, KROX, iNewz, Crookston-area businesses and residents, benefit donors and all the people who worked at the benefit, shared information about the benefit, donated items for the silent auction, our family and friends who attended, and to those who shared well wishes either at the benefit, in person before or after the benefit, through a card, through a donation, or out in the community, thank you! Your support has meant more to us than you could ever imagine!

We continue to ask for healing prayers and positive thoughts for Jackson during his recovery period and hope we can make it home to Crookston very soon.

Sincerely,

The Bengtson/Seibel family

The post BENGSTON/SEIBEL FAMILY THANKS THE COMMUNITY appeared first on KROX.

The National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch for Northern Minnesota until 1:00 a.m. Saturday, July 24. 

The counties include Polk, Red Lake, Pennington, Norman, Mahnomen, Lake of the Woods, Clearwater, Beltrami, Becker, Cass, Cook, Hubbard, Itasca, and St. Louis counties.

A watch means conditions are right for a severe thunderstorm. 

Stay tuned to KROX if any severe weather comes our way.

The post A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR NORTHERN MINNESOTA THROUGH SATURDAY AT 1:00 AM appeared first on KROX.

Polk County Environmental Services is asking Pesticide Users to dispose of their waste weed killers/herbicides, fungicides, insecticides and other pesticides.  The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) sponsors opportunities to properly dispose of unwanted pesticides from farms, businesses or homes.  Minnesota pesticide users can bring their water pesticides to these events and dispose of up to 300 pounds free of charge.  For amounts greater than 300 pounds, call MDA at 612-214-6843. 

Waste Pesticides ONLY – NO paint, NO fuels, NO crop oils, NO rinsates, NO recycling

CROOKSTON – Aug 4, 2021 from 9am-11am at CHS Ag Services, 3035 Hwy 75 S, Crookston

TRF – Aug 4, 2021 from 2pm-4pm at CHS Ag Services, 624 3^rd St W, TRF

WARREN – Aug 5, 2021 from 9am-11am at CHS Ag Services, 420 S Main, Warren

The post POLK COUNTY ENVRIONMENTAL SERVICES ASKING PESTICIDE USERS TO PROPERLY DISPOSE OF WASTE PESTICIDES appeared first on KROX.

Ox Cart Days summer festival in Crookston has gained national attention from Hershey’s in Pennsylvania following the announcement of their upcoming Community S’mores event and custom fire tables built by high school students in Travis Oliver’s Industrial Technology classes. Hershey’s reached out to Oliver after seeing the story in the Crookston Times and said the tables project was a “great assignment for the kids” and thought it was a “perfect event for the festival.”

Subsequent conversations were had with the festival committee and Hershey’s confirmed they’ll be coming to Crookston with a camera crew to do a story and cover the s’mores event. They’re also planning to bring Hershey’s chocolate.

The idea for the event and fire tables came from a festival planning meeting where committee member Libby Boucher mentioned a 2019 Hershey’s s’mores commercial in which the famous chocolate company wanted to lend a hand in helping neighbors get to know each other better so they arrived with fire tables and fire pits for people to make s’mores together. Boucher hoped to recreate the commercial with festival guests and the committee pitched the fire tables idea to Oliver. He and his students then designed and created the one-of-a-kind tables with maintenance-free tops, stainless fire troughs, custom controls, welded frame, and propane tank housing.

The Community S’mores event is slated for Friday, August 20 starting at 5 p.m. on Ash Street near the Downtown Square. Participants will be able to roast marshmallows on the custom-built fire tables and pair it with Hershey’s chocolate and graham crackers to make s’mores with family, friends, and neighbors.

More information about the event and the festival can be found at www.crookstonoxcartdays.com

The post HERSHEY’S COMPANY TO COME TO CROOKSTON DURING OX CART DAYS S’MORES EVENT appeared first on KROX.

At the request of the Minnesota State Patrol, the Minnesota Department of Transportation has closed Highway 32 between Pennington County Road 7 and County Road 3 beginning at 11:00 a.m. today, July 23. The eight-mile stretch of roadway will remain closed until further notice.

The area has become extremely congested with people, campsites, and many cars parked near the roadway. As a result, it is becoming increasingly difficult to ensure the safety of protestors and the traveling public. People in the area along Highway 32 will be permitted to leave the site, and residents of the area will be allowed access to their homes.

The Minnesota State Patrol and local law enforcement will be onsite to enforce the road closure. Motorists are encouraged to use County Road 17 as a detour. MnDOT and the State Patrol remain in close contact with Red Lake Nation tribal leadership, local law enforcement, and other partners to evaluate the situation and determine when the road closure will be lifted.

Additional questions should be directed to the Minnesota State Patrol.

The post HIGHWAY 32 NEAR THIEF RIVER FALLS IS CLOSED TO TO PROTESTS appeared first on KROX.