Friends of Northern Heights Neighborhood Park
According to the Olmsted County website, Decorah Edge is: "defined as the area in which the Decorah, Platteville, or Glenwood formation is the first encountered bedrock according to the 'Bedrock Geology: Steele, Dodge, Olmsted and Winona Counties' data plate produced by the Minnesota Geological Survey – University of Minnesota in 2004, as modified by field investigation or more precise mapping; and having a depth to bedrock of less than twenty-five feet according to the 'Depth to Bedrock: Steele, Dodge, Olmsted and Winona Counties' data plate produced by the Minnesota Geological Survey – University of Minnesota in 2004, as modified by field investigation, reliable well logs, or more precise mapping; and for which there are contiguous adjacent areas with the Cummingsville or higher formations as the first encountered bedrock."
If you like clean water...
Simply put:
It's a natural water filter for
Rochester's water supply.
It's important because it is a vital and substantial
resource for Rochester's safe drinking water.
Potential Risks to the Decorah Edge as identified by reliable sources and linked below:
Invasive Species
Invasive species are allowed to take root when soil erosion happens.
Soil Erosion
Soil erosion happens when disturbances to the ground: traffic & weather.
Water Shed
According to the Minnesota Environmental Partnership website, without a proper soil layer, the water shed is affected by increasing amounts of nitrates and other contaminants, changes the pH of the soil affecting native species.
Changing Weather Climate
According to a Scientific American article, "With climate models predicting the region will increasingly swing between droughts and heavy downpours, researchers say the situation threatens to deteriorate." Nitrates in exessive amounts are known to be particularily harmful to infants.
In The News:
Clean Drinking water can not be taken for granted, nor assumed.
Decorah Edge Features found in Northern Heights Park
The full map and more resources
can be found on the
Olmsted County Website
We are Friends of NH Park & stewards of the environment.
As residents of Rochester, we are all stewards of our cherished parks.
As residents of Northern Heights Neighborhood, we are doing our due diligence
to protect the natural beauty of our Neighborhood Park and it's role in the watershed.