The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency recently released an analysis of the water quality of rivers, lakes and streams across the state. While the Blue Earth River in southwestern Minnesota has improved, scientists are still seeing the effects of the June 2024 Rapidan Dam failure on the river’s water quality.

MPR News senior reporter Hannah Yang has been covering the impacts of the dam failure, which released more than a century’s worth of sediment buildup into the Blue Earth River. She joined Minnesota Now to share what she’s learned, as a part of a regular check-in with reporters in Greater Minnesota.