All Neighbors in Sartell, MN
Top Neighbors: The magic behind the mirrors
You will never have to pay to be listed as a top neighbor. Period. That important detail clarified, let's discuss how we arrive at two "top neighbors" for a given region:
Localism is a bustling collection of hyper-local communities, and the top neighbors should reflect those members who are most active. When ranking users in a given region, several factors are considered. To get your foot in the proverbial door, you need to have posted at least one "Localism" article or photo for the region.
The very best way to quickly rise to #1 is to post high-quality local content. Keeping a steady strem of incoming posts and photos will massively tilt the scales in your favor.
What doesn't count toward the top neighbor ranking? ActiveRain points and community sponsorships. The top neighbor spots will always go to the most active members in a region. We want to create a level playing field that encourages the growth of communities — talent and dedication are required to win the day.
The Sartell Dam is across the Mississippi River in Sartell, MN and generates hydroelectric power for the Sartell Paper Mill, owned and operated by Verso Paper. Started in 1907, and finished in 1911, the dam was originally built with wood planks, field stones and granite, as well as 25,000 barrels of concrete. Upon its completion in 1911, the dam created an elevated river level, and the back flowage became Little Rock Lake. The dam was rebuilt between 1960 and 1964, continuing to feed Little Rock Lake.
Little Rock Lake sits 5 miles to the northeast (of the St Cloud/Sartell Metro area) along US Highway 10, and is accessible from the Mississippi River through the Harris Channel (a smaller body of water between the river and lake) by passing under 2 bridges. Little Rock Lake is quite large at 1,310 acres, and has a maximum depth of 23 feet, although the level can be increased with the river flowage, resulting in flooding possibilities on the lake. Severe spring thaw and rains have caused some of these issues in the past. As a matter of fact, the paper company bought up property on Little Rock Lake decades ago, then sold it back to the owners retaining flowage rights.
Little Rock Lake is also fed by smaller rivers and streams at the north end, where wetlands are present. The Lake is a part of the Mississippi Goose Refuge, and has abundant waterfowl and fish, including the famous Minnesota Walleye and Black Crappie. Since Little Rock Lake is connected to the river it has all the fish species you find in the Mississippi River, including Channel Catfish and Dogfish. It is a great body of water and close to St. Cloud, wonderful for a quick ice fishing trip, or shore fishing under one of the bridges for an easy panfish dinner!
The Sartell Dam and Little Rock Lake are more than points of interest. They are a picture of the connection between the people of Minnesota and the natural environment we enjoy, and the ebb and flow of life lived near the water. The Dam and Paper Mill mean good jobs and a strong economy, plus clean energy! Without Sartell Dam, Little Rock Lake would not exist, except as a low meadow for grazing that would be very wet in the springtime. But, the river will rise, and flood insurance and sandbags come in handy those years. I have seen the water coming out of the dams floodgates horizontally, for days at a time during spring thaw. Homes built more recently employed more fill, resulting in higher elevations and raised septic systems, giving us better life through engineering :) There are many beautiful homes available on Harris Channel, Little Rock Lake and in Sartell, if you are interested in buying or selling a home in this area give me a call or check out my 
Minnesota ISD 748 is comprised of 4 schools for the preschool-12th grade students including:
The Sartell-St. Stephen School District has an excellent reputation. District 748 has a 9 out of 10 rating from 
Stearns County Mississippi River Park will be having their Mississippi River Fun Day again this year. With the multiple displays, the laser shoot, and the GPS treasure hunt the day is educational as well as a lot of fun!
Hands on instructions will be provided for a variety of outdoor activities including archery, canoeing, electrofishing and netting techniques, kayaking and they will also be teaching how to 
