How Does Climate Change Impact the Mississippi River?

Article by Becky Fillinger, photos provided

Dr. Alex Roth

Climate change has serious impacts for the Mississippi River. Friends of the Mississippi River (FMR) has been at the forefront of protecting and restoring our precious river. We talked to Dr. Alex Roth, Conservation Director, and Colleen O’ Connor Toberman, Land Use and Planning Director, to find out what a changing climate means for the river, efforts to stem the damage, and most importantly, 30 ways in which you can participate. Check out the annual fundraiser in September, and on November 5th be sure to vote YES for the environment trust fund or Lottery Amendment!

Q:  What does a changing climate mean for the Mississippi River?  

A:  It’s difficult to think of any aspect of the Mississippi River that isn’t harmed or impacted by climate change. 

Some changes are better known, such as intense rains, increased flooding and dramatic droughts. And, of course, we’re seeing temperatures tick upward, stressing riverfront communities, particularly those with fewer natural areas or shade, as well as wildlife. 

However, many climate change-related challenges are harder to visualize and involve extensive systems or critical infrastructure. 

Let’s zoom in on the Mill City or central riverfront area for a moment.

After an intense rain, we see St. Anthony Falls swell and roil. But below the riverbed, there’s what’s known as a “cutoff wall.” The Army Corps of Engineers built this underwater concrete wall just upstream of St. Anthony Falls in the 1870s to essentially hold up the falls and keep the riverbed from collapsing.

But it hasn’t been inspected in decades. If it fails, the outcome could be catastrophic. Without the wall, upstream water levels could drop too low to supply crucial drinking water supply intakes that serve Minneapolis, St. Paul and several suburbs. The water supply for 1 million Twin Cities residents, hospitals, schools and even fire hydrants could dry up within a few days.

We all saw the river overwhelm the Rapidan Dam this summer, leading to a partial collapse. Our dramatically increased river flow clearly makes it even more important to inspect and address this cutoff wall. 

Thankfully, legislators agreed with FMR and our advocates or River Guardians, and funded a study of the wall’s condition that is currently underway.  

Also, I should note that increased river flow is due not only to more intense rains from climate change but also to too much water running into the river — from our streets, storm drains, and especially farm fields, particularly those planted with row crops like corn and soybeans and that don’t have any cover crops on them. At FMR, we work to reduce the amount of excess river flow and pollution flowing into the river from such runoff pollution. 

But back to our Mill City area… If we look at one of our most popular local riverfront habitat restoration projects:

Climate change has also made us rethink our approach to many of our restoration projects, including our roughly 10-acre project on the north half of Nicollet Island. Now, all of our tree and shrub planting efforts include climate-adapted species - those predicted to do well under our future climate conditions. These species, including American Sycamore, Catalpa, bitternut hickory, and others, are already expanding their ranges north through Minnesota and will help make our forests more diverse and resilient in the face of climate change, and will ensure that our tree canopy is maintained, especially as other species contract their ranges northward.

We also recognize that as the effects of climate change progress, it’s important to have corridors of high-quality habitat, not only for the local benefits those connected sites provide but also to allow the movement of wildlife and plant species. FMR’s focus on the restoration of riverfront parkland in Minneapolis, including at Sheridan Memorial, Ole Olson, BF Nelson, Nicollet Island, and the Mississippi River Gorge Regional Parks, is an effort to do just that. We’ve also partnered with MPRB and local neighborhood organizations to create volunteer-centric management plans for James Rice (2021), Bassett’s Creek (2022) and Father Hennepin Bluffs Parks (2024) to help empower volunteers and communities to restore and maintain their own local natural areas.

All FMR climate change articles are available here: https://fmr.org/climate-change.

Q:  Is FMR working with local and state leaders on mitigation strategies to reduce the harm to the river from an increasingly hotter city and state? 

A:  Absolutely. FMR works with leaders and decision-makers at all levels - from community groups to state and federal legislators - to mitigate harm to the river from climate change. 

Returning to our local examples… 

Earlier, we mentioned the cutoff wall behind St. Anthony Falls as well as the problem of increased water flow and runoff pollution overall, especially from farm fields. FMR is working with various agencies, like the Army Corps of Engineers to address the wall and preserve our drinking water. To reduce agricultural runoff pollution, we’re working with the Forever Green Initiative at the University of Minnesota amongst others to support “continuous living cover” that helps to reduce runoff water pollution by keeping roots in the soil year-round. 

Colleen O’ Connor TobermanFor both of these issues, we work with state and even federal legislators, not to mention all the FMR River Guardians, our advocates. These are everyday people who care about the river and have signed up to advocate with FMR to contact our representatives when we need their help the most. 

Now, back to the tree planting at Nicollet Island. FMR conservation staff have worked with the NPS, the DNR and the Army Corps to encourage the use of climate-resilient trees. We keep climate change front of mind whenever we plan a restoration project (and we have about 40 restoration sites in the Twin Cities metro!). 

While I mentioned climate resiliency, this also relates to mitigation: Healthy waters need healthier ecosystems on riverbanks and surrounding lands to absorb more water and pollution. Of course, forests and prairies—in both urban and rural spaces—are essential for not only wildlife stressed by climate change but can also help combat the heat island effect in urban areas and provide respite and shade for community members. 

Zooming back out for a moment, I want to note that in addition to our local and state level work, FMR has been working with Representative Betty McCollum, the National Wildlife Federation, the Mississippi River Network and dozens of other endorsing organizations, to pass a federal Mississippi River Restoration & Resilience Initiative.

This initiative would provide substantial funding for natural infrastructure, flood protection, habitat restoration and climate change mitigation in Mississippi River communities all along the river’s 10-state run, potentially funding work to reduce runoff pollution and restore habitat from Itaska to the Gulf of Mexico.

Q:  Talk to us about the work FMR does in the area of climate change and justice.

A:  Well, just about any work someone or an organization does to address climate change is inherently justice-related, since the people who will feel the impact of climate change the most are under-resourced communities. If Minnesota does not address its agricultural runoff, we will continue to push the costs of not only increased water flow but increased nitrate pollution and the health risks associated with it on downstream neighbors, especially impacting downstream communities that don’t have the extra money to address them.

Take the federal initiative I just mentioned, the federal Mississippi River Restoration & Resilience Initiative, we’re advocating that it set aside a significant percentage of resources specifically for underserved communities and tribes to address these issues.  

Now, back to the local level… In Minneapolis, wealthier areas have historically had the best access or have been the closest to natural areas. As temperatures increase, access to parks and natural areas matters even more, since they can both buffer and provide respite from increasing temperatures. At FMR we invest many resources, both in terms of land use planning and habitat restoration, to restore or even create natural areas in areas that have traditionally been industrialized, such as North and Northeast Minneapolis.

We have had a lot to say about climate change and justice – please see these additional resources:

- https://fmr.org/updates/conservation/climate-change-climate-justice-and-fmrs-land-conservation-program
- https://fmr.org/updates/land-use-planning/climate-change-climate-justice-and-fmrs-land-use-planning-program
- https://fmr.org/updates/water-legislative/climate-change-climate-justice-and-fmrs-water-program
- https://fmr.org/updates/stewardship-education/how-our-volunteer-and-education-programs-work-climate-change

Please also see FMR’s position on Mpls 2040.

Q:  The Held v. Montana case from 2023 has significant implications for climate litigation and environmental policy. The Montana court ruled in favor of the young plaintiffs, finding that the state’s actions and laws violated their constitutional right to a “clean and healthful environment.” Although not binding on other states, do you think we’ll see similar actions here in Minnesota?

A:  We were excited about that case as well. (See https://fmr.org/updates/water-legislative-land-use-planning-stewardship-education/reflections-recent-youth-climate/esi) On a related note, we’ve also been encouraged by cases that grant personhood to rivers, although there’s yet to be one of those in the US. 

We certainly don’t have a crystal ball, but we can definitely say we are encouraged by this up-and-coming generation of environmental leaders. FMR operates an Environmental Stewardship Institute for high schoolers, and we’re regularly blown away by their passion and dedication. Our money is on the youth.

Q:  Is FMR a member of the State’s Interagency Climate Adaptation Team? Do you advise it or the Governor’s Climate Change Subcabinet?

A:  All of the official advisors and team members are with state departments or government agencies, such as the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, the Pollution Control Agency and the Department of Natural Resources. But we have worked with many of these agencies and we were particularly pleased to see the Walz administration - including not only the Department of Agriculture but the Pollution Control Agency - highlight the importance of natural and working lands, including continuous living cover crops, as part of their climate solution.

Q:  What can we do as citizens do to preserve the health of the Mississippi River? 

A:  There are many ways to get involved! 

We maintain a healthy list of 30 ways to help the river at fmr.org/30-ways. We picked “30” in honor of our organization’s 30th anniversary last year. And the tips include a wide range of activities, including ways to get involved with FMR as an advocate, so you can weigh in on issues like the cutoff wall, or volunteer, like at Nicollet Island and other nearby restoration sites, parks and natural areas.

Of course, we also recommend becoming a paid member of FMR if you have the means to do so. And if you’re able to join us at our annual fall fundraiser Thursday, September 26th at the Nicollet Island Pavilion, be sure to RSVP. We’d love to see you out on the river!  

And this November 5th, don’t forget to vote “yes” and check the box for the environment trust fund or Lottery Amendment! Many critical FMR and other projects depend on lottery dollars, and it’s up to Minnesota’s voters whether to renew that environmental trust fund this fall.