Records show wild rice was common around the turn of the 20th century, but poor water quality caused die-offs in the 1980s. Today, it's making a big return on the river.

Over the past 40 years, the amount of Manoomin has decreased by about 50%, wild rice technician at Trout Lake Station Sagen Quale said. Manoomin is Ojibwe for wild rice and translates to “good berry.” ...