In 2019 MLR began receiving reports that large wakes were creating conflicts among different lake users, eroding shoreline, and creating other problems. During the pandemic lake based recreation increased dramatically as did the sale of watercraft. Industry data shows that consumers gravitated to the ends of the boat spectrum. Sales of large, powerful watercraft like… Read more »
Most citizens believe that the MN DNR has the responsibility to protect and manage our public waters, and they would be right. But what most do not understand is that while the MN DNR has the authority and responsibility, lake associations do most of the planning and actual work, and pay the majority of the… Read more »
The 2021 Minnesota Lakes and Rivers “Water Connects Us All™” Annual Meeting was held December 1st, 2021 via online technology. Executive Director Jeff Forester gave a detailed report on our accomplishments together over the last year, including millions of dollars in funding for AIS research, Stop Starry efforts, and lake association plant management grants. In… Read more »
Lloyd Thyen’s grandparents originally purchased 100’ of lakeshore on Lawrence Lake in Cass County in the 1940’s with a vertical log cabin on site. Some believe it to have been the oldest structure on Lawrence Lake. Eventually the cabin had to be torn down and the family used the ice house as the cabin until… Read more »
Connecting with new shoreline owners as they are starting to make decisions about how to develop their lots is critical to protecting water quality. Including Lake Steward in the Land Use Permit Application is a huge step in accomplishing this. This is the first time that any Local Government Unit has included specific shoreline management… Read more »
As lake leaders you know that the threats to our lakes, and MN’s lake heritage, are mounting. In 2020 the MPCA, after extensive testing, listed 56% of Minnesota’s lakes as impaired. This year they added another 305 water bodies to the list. Agricultural runoff, industrial pollution, salt from our roads, phosphorus from lakeshore management, are… Read more »
Jeff Forester, Executive Director of MN Lakes and Rivers Advocates welcomed about 75 Lake Association leaders to the virtual meeting. His opening presentation focused on a Civic based strategy to vertically integrate lake and river advocacy in MN. Lake and rivers are a key resource for local communities, providing quality of life, property tax base,… Read more »
Inspiring Shoreline Stewardship and Community Action Lake Steward supports lake associations to improve water quality, increase visibility, and boost membership efforts. Now available statewide, the program has succeeded where other efforts have failed by using a simple, personal quiz to get lakeshore owners interested in learning about the relationship between their land and the water.… Read more »
The Important Ecosystem Services of “Weeds” by Dr. Lorin Hatch, Widseth One definition of a weed I’ve heard is that it is a plant out of place, which is really a human judgement. For example, some people like dandelions on their lawns, some don’t. Let’s turn that idea to the lakeshore, specifically the rooted plants that… Read more »
Soil health is defined as the “ability of soil to function as a vital living ecosystem”. Sounds simple enough, but our entire food system has been built around looking at soil as a storage medium for chemical nutrients. Having researched organic (the true meaning of organic originated as recognizing the living, biological component of soil)… Read more »