The Cedar River Watershed District is celebrating the second annual Waterways Awareness & Appreciation Month this June at the Austin Public Library.

Poster-size prints of historic and recent images taken within the Cedar River watershed in the Austin area are on display in the back-center area of Library, along with a table of free informational handouts about the CRWD, its “Adopt-A-River” cleanup program and more. Newly updated Cedar River State Water Trail brochures created by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources also are available to anyone who visits that area.

This year’s celebration will include five free, public events covering a variety of topics related to the Cedar River Watershed District and enjoying the outdoors. Each of the five events will be offered in the library’s large meeting room.

The movie “Can You Canoe?” by The Okee Dokee Brothers, a Grammy award-winning Americana folk duo out of Minneapolis, will be shown at 1 p.m. Saturday. The 40-minute film is supplemental to the duo’s award-winning CD “Can You Canoe?” and celebrates canoeing, camping and enjoying nature.

CRWD Resource Specialist Justin Hanson will give a presentation on the future of East Side Lake from noon to 1 p.m. Tuesday, June 17. Hanson will discuss the nearly $2.1 million project to improve the Dobbins Creek Watershed, which flows into Austin’s East Side Lake.

Public Works Director Steven Lang will give a flooding presentation starting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 19, to update residents on the city’s flood mitigation efforts.

Tim Ruzek, public outreach coordinator for the CRWD, will give a photo presentation of dozens of historic images from the watershed dating back to the late 1800s from noon to 1p.m. Tuesday, June 24.

Photographer Nate Howard will present his photos and stories from his years taking pictures along the Cedar River and other local waterways starting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 26.

—Austin Daily Herald