Farmington, Minnesota is a small city in the midst of farmland with high groundwater and chalky soils. The Prairie Waterway was conceived by the city forester as a device to modify the landscape to accommodate much-needed development. It was also seen as an opportunity to provide the city with a park where native species of trees, shrubs, grasses, sedges and forbs could be planted. The waterway is composed of a year-round stream and wetlands augmented by storm water runoff from the development. A serpentine configuration for the stream and ponds encourages gentle movement of water to an established, naturally occurring river. Within the new wetlands and ponds the gentle slope of the banks and the plantings, selected for their ability to treat impurities, assure that the water is clean and clear when it enters the river. As Project Designer at Balmori Associates