Curly-leaf Pondweed Treatment Update

Limnopro Aquatic Science chemically treated curly-leaf pondweed on April 24. The blue areas indicate the spots that we requested from the DNR for treatment, and the red areas indicate what was approved and what was treated. You can see that we requested much more area than what was approved.

Lawns to Legumes: Your Yard Can BEE the Change

The Lawns to Legumes program offers a combination of workshops, coaching, planting guides and cost-share funding (individual support grants) for installing pollinator-friendly native plantings in residential lawns. Go to the MN Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) site to learn more: https://bwsr.state.mn.us/l2l

Lake Level Update

The river stage has crested at St. Martin and is beginning to drop. The SRCL elevation has also peaked and will slowly start to decline, unless we experience another significant precipitation event.

For those planning to put their docks in the water, the level is currently at its peak. Keep an eye on updates in case of any changes.

View the current status here: https://srcl.org/water-level-horseshoe

ROCORI Area Expo April 20

In Tune Marine will have a dock on display at the ROCORI Area Expo on 04/20/2024 at the Richmond Hockey arena.

Message from MN COLA president Joe Schneider

“We have met the enemy and he is us” Commentary by Joe Shneider

 It’s a paradox.

 Waterfront property owners are generally very aware of AIS and how it can change the lakes and rivers that we love. And we fight every year to stop the spread and contain the damage so that we can keep our water quality strong. We fight against the other boaters who are doing this to our lakes and river.

 Yet, year by year, decade by decade, we degrade those same waters by our own actions. We clear the view from our houses to the water’s edge. We lay down lawns where there was natural vegetation. We put riprap on the banks to keep the waves from destroying our property. We’ve transitioned from seasonal use of our waterfront property to permanent residences. We break larger lots into many; with each lot making further changes to the shore.

Every one of those actions reduces the amount of natural shoreline that protects the quality of the water… naturally. As cartoonist Walt Kelly coined for Earth Day in 1970: “We have met the enemy and he is us”

 MN COLA is proud to be a part of the Natural Shorelines Partnership with MN Lakes and Rivers Advocates, the MN DNR, UMN-Extension, BWSR, Freshwater, County SWCD’s, various Watershed Districts, and others to raise the awareness of the loss of natural shorelines, and to support actions to retain and reclaim nature’s designs to protect the quality of the water.

 Here are a few resources to help you:

 Minnesota DNR’s Natural Shorelines website

 Shoreland Programs:

• Minnesota Lakes and Rivers Lake Steward Program

• Stearns County Shoreline/Streambank Erosion Control & Restoration

• Gull Chain of Lakes Association Lake Steward Program

• Itasca Waters Shoreland Advisors program

• Deer Lake Association Shoreland Initiative

 Let's be good stewards of our public waters and work with your shoreline neighbors to do the same. Your children and grandchildren will thank you!

 Joe Shneider
Minnesota Coalition of Lake Associations

Minnesota’s Vanishing Natural Shorelines: A Loss that Contributes to Degraded Lake Quality

The Natural Shoreline Partnership’s Statement of Purpose (click to open) was formulated out of discussions with non-profit organizational leaders and government (state and local) natural resource professionals concerned about the continuing loss of shoreline vegetation, which helps protect clean water, habitat, lakeshore character, and recreation.

Minnesota Natural Shoreline Partnership:

Anne Sawyer (UMN-Extension)*, Chris Pence (BWSR), Dan Petrik (DNR), Dan Shaw (BWSR), Greg Berg (Stearns County SWCD), Jeff Forester (Minnesota Lakes and Rivers Advocates), Jeff Hrubes (BWSR), Jennifer Shillcox (DNR), Joe Shneider (MN COLA), John Linc Stine (Freshwater Society)*, Kris Meyer (Freshwater Society), Kristin Carlson (DNR), Paul Radomski (DNR), Steve Kloiber (DNR), Tom Nelson (Itasca County SWCD), Wade Johnson (DNR), Jason Moeckel (DNR), Nick Neuman (Stearns County Environmental Services), Becky Rice (Blue Thumb), Beth Carreno (Comfort Lake-Forest Lake Watershed District), Annie Knight (NWLT), Elizabeth Mboutchom (NWLT), Nicole Ward (DNR).

* - past member

Response from the DNR about the Cold Spring Dam

In the fall of 2023, the SRCLA Board began a discussion with stakeholders about potentially changing the Cold Spring Dam. Consecutive years of flooding and drought conditions caused the Board to approach the MN DNR, who owns the dam, to see if there were options to modify the dam. The other stakeholders involved were Senator Howe, Representative Demuth, Commissioner Bertram, and representatives from the Soil and Water Conservation District and the Watershed District. After fact finding and other discussions, this letter was the MN DNR's response. The SRCLA will continue discussions where appropriate and will continue to monitor the options.

In addition, find a great article “What can (and should) I do about fluctuating water levels on my property?” from the DNR.

2023 Water Quality Report

The 2023 Water Quality Report is now available. This is the product of a partnership with the Sauk River Watershed District, which we have been doing since the early 80s. The data shows a trend of improving water quality over the years. In addition, we started measuring temperature and dissolved oxygen at various depths for the first time!