Tool For MN Lake Health Information
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has created a new online tool, called the Watershed Health Assessment Framework for Lakes (WHAF for...
DNR Shoreland Classifications
Minnesota’s shoreland rules apply only to lakes and rivers assigned a shoreland classification by the Minnesota DNR. The shoreland classification determines what...
EPA How’s My Waterway
An updated version of the How’s My Waterway (HMW) application, developed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), was released in June 2020. HMW...
Understanding Water Quality Analysis Data Results
Water quality monitoring and the resulting data may appear complex to lake property owners. The science is solid but includes many components...
UMN LakeBrowser
UMN LakeBrowser
The Minnesota LakeBrowser is an online interactive lake water clarity/quality tool with Landsat-derived classifications of lake clarity of...
What Is The Trophic State Index (TSI)?
Trophic (pronounced TROH-fik) means “of or relating to nutrition.” The Trophic State Index (TSI) is a classification system designed to “rate” individual lakes,...
Water Quality Analysis Reports
There is a good Case For Water Quality Monitoring. Many Coalitions of Lake Associations (COLAs) sponsor lake water quality monitoring programs. ...
The Case For Water Quality Monitoring
Water quality monitoring and the resulting data may appear complex to lake property owners. The science is solid but includes many components...
Shoreline Management And Development
You may hear the terms general development lake, recreational development lake and natural environment lake used in terms of shoreline development, but...
Steps To Write A Lake Management Plan
Forward by Ben Underhill, Minnesota South West Conservation District (SWCD)
When writing a management plan you are focusing on...
12 Ways To Protect Your Lake:
Healthy lakes are like Mom, puppies and apple pie – we all love and adore them.So, of course, your lake deserves TLC....
Endocrine disruptors in lakes are becoming an emerging concern
Over the past few years, studies of Minnesota’s waters have found a variety of unregulated chemicals -- such as pharmaceuticals, fragrances, fire...
Our Lakeshore/Groundwater Connection Videos
These animated videos about lakeshore restoration and stewardship werecreated in collaboration with the Anoka County Water Resource OutreachCollaborative and several local Lake...
Lakeshore Owners Loving Their Lakes To Death- Darren Newville, EOT SWCD
By Darren Newville, District Manager EOT SWCD
I get it, we want our lake homes or cabins larger enough...
Landscaping And Shoreland Restoration
Principles
Shorelands are naturally full of a rich diversity of life:
plants, animals, and microorganisms, including humans. As we understand...
Landscape And Climate Change
Climate
change affects BWSR's ability to fulfill its mission, which is to improve and
protect Minnesota's water and soil resources by working in partnership...
Antibiotics are accumulating in Minn. lakes, posing health risk
Dan Gunderson
Moorhead, Minn.
Antibiotics
used in medicine are accumulating in the bottom of Minnesota lakes.
Total Phosphorus
Phosphorus is a
nutrient important for plant growth. In most lakes, phosphorus is the
limiting nutrient, which means that everything that plants and algae...
Why Does Our Lake Continue To Get More Weeds
Why Does Our Lake Continue
To Get More Weeds?
OTC COLA recently published a
Water Quality Analysis Ranking Report of...
Water Quality Distorted by Zebra Mussels
Water
Quality Distorted by Zebra Mussels
Recent studies have confirmed
that if your lake has zebra mussels you cannot compare your...