Everyone who enjoys Minnesota’s lakes and rivers has a role to play in preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS). It’s not hard to understand why aquatic invaders like zebra mussels, spiny water flea, and curlyleaf pondweed are harmful to our waters. If you live on or recreate on an infested waterbody, you may… Read more »
By Sami Selter, Associate Executive Director, MN Lakes & Rivers The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Roundtable is where the state agency reports on progress for key projects and programs and facilitates discussions among leaders in Minnesota’s natural resources fields. Minnesota Lakes and Rivers (MLR) has represented lake groups at this event for years,… Read more »
This past summer, with funding from the Minneapolis Foundation, MLR piloted an urban version of the Lake Steward program, reimagining city curbs as shorelines and exploring how residents can help protect urban waterways through everyday actions. The initiative encouraged both homeowners and renters to take simple, positive steps to protect our lakes—planting native gardens, picking… Read more »
Hello neighbors, If you’ve noticed murky water, algae blooms, or fewer fish in your lake or pond, you’re not alone. These issues are often caused by fertilizer runoff and low oxygen levels—but the good news is, we now have a natural, effective solution that starts right at our shorelines. Let’s dive into the plan to… Read more »
In late August of 2015 the invasive algae, Starry Stonewort (Nitellopsis obtusa) was confirmed in Lake Koronis at the Highway 55 public boat access. It was the first time that this Aquatic Invasive Species was confirmed in Minnesota. Starry stonewort is a stringy algae that can grow from two to twenty-five feet deep, can overwhelm… Read more »
by Robyn Dwight, Upper Red lake Association Up at Lake of the Woods, straddling the Minnesota-Canadian border, concerned local residents have spent over a decade looking for sustainable solutions to a human waste problem that occurs every winter because of leftovers of human activity. More recently, advocates from Upper Red Lake and Mille Lacs Lake… Read more »
MLR uses Civic Organizing strategies to address the gap between citizens and government Minnesota Lakes and Rivers first applied the Civic Organizing framework as a strategy to advance the public good policy positions during the 2022 election cycle. Much of our time is spent working at the State Capitol, attending hearings, providing testimony, participating in… Read more »
Water management is highly political, but MLR has always been completely non-partisan. What I mean by highly political is that protecting water is the work of citizens. The alphabet soup of agencies, MN DNR, SWCDs, WDs are simply not equipped nor do they have the budget to take the actions required to protect pristine waters… Read more »
By Jeff Forester, Executive Director, Minnesota Lakes and Rivers Advocates Last year the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, MPCA released a list of impaired waters; 56% of Minnesota’s surface waters are impaired to the point that the water quality limits fishing and swimming. There was a silver lining in this dark cloud, however, North Center andRead 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 »