Minnesota Coalition of Lake Associations

Integrating genetic and herbicide studies to improve watermilfoil management outcomes
2025-03-26 13:00 - 14:00 (America/Chicago)
Managers increasingly recognize that Eurasian watermilfoil (including hybrids with native northern watermilfoil) is genetically diverse, and that strains can differ in their growth, spread, impacts, and herbicide response. A practical challenge for Eurasian watermilfoil management is developing methods that predict how a specific watermilfoil population will respond to a proposed control tactic. Our overall goal is to develop genetic tests that can assist managers in decision making.
In this presentation, we will illustrate how we are combining genetic survey and monitoring of invasive watermilfoil populations with field and laboratory studies of herbicide response to inform management. In the short term, we have developed an online interface for managers to find information on the geographic distribution and herbicide response of watermilfoil strains (MilfoilMapper). A longer-term goal of this research is to identify the specific genes involved in traits (e.g., herbicide response) to develop rapid genetic assays to inform management decisions. We will illustrate our approach to identifying genes involved in herbicide response, and present results for fluridone resistance in two strains.
Register here for the event.

MN COLA March Membership Meeting
2025-03-18 09:00 - 11:00
The March quarterly Membership meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 18th at 9-11 AM CT. This will be a really interesting meeting covering the new boat operator’s license, the (now) very busy legislative session in St. Paul, things you may not understand about beavers, and a few other topics along the way.
The 2025 boating season brings a few new rules and new requirements for boaters. We are pleased to have Lieutenant Eric Sullivan, the DNR’s Marine Unit Supervisor, as our first speaker. He will outline the new mandatory education and boat operator’s license, and provide the latest information on who is impacted and what they will need to do.
MN COLA is pleased to have played a role in getting this legislation passed to increase safety on the water and to help more boaters understand how to manage conflicts over the use of the water resources.

Beavers! You might be thinking about them as a nuisance species because of the property damage they can cause, but these aquatic animals can be a very positive force for the environment as “nature’s engineers”. An expert on beavers is right here in Minnesota working at the U of M.
Emily Fairfax is an Assistant Professor of Geography in the Department of Geography, Environment, and Society at the University of Minnesota, and is also affiliated with the Saint Anthony Falls Laboratory. Beavers are gaining popularity around the world as a partner in climate change adaptation and mitigation work. But how do we balance human, ecological, hydrological, and economic considerations when we work with beavers?

Jeff Forester of MN Lakes and Rivers Advocates will be on hand to provide us with an update on the 2025 Legislative session. You can be assured Jeff will have fascinating insights on the Governor’s proposed 50% cut to the AIS Prevention Aid and other topics affecting our public waters.

And there will be more topics to hear about at the meeting!
As usual, the meeting will be held via Zoom and registration is required. Register anytime before the meeting. The Zoom link for the meeting itself will be provided following registration. You will also receive an email from Zoom with the meeting link and more details.
As always, everyone welcome to attend, so feel free to forward this meeting information.

Itasca Waters 2025 “Practical Water Wisdom” - Lakeshore Development and Natural Shoreline Protection to Preserve Biotic Health
2025-03-06 12:00 - 13:00
Itasca Waters puts on a virtual learning series (think one-hour webinar) every first Thursday of the month at noon CT. Mark your calendars now and register for these sessions. Registration is required for each session. Check out the Practical Water Wisdom page for more details and registration links.
Here are the next three upcoming topics:

March 6, – Lakeshore Development and Natural Shoreline Protection to Preserve Biotic Health
April 3 – Beaver Dams, Ponds, and Effects
May 1 – Climate Change Effects on Fisheries

This series is presented by Itasca Waters with the support from Minnesota Sea Grant, Itasca Soil and Water Conservation District, Itasca Coalition of Lake Associations, KAXE/KBXE, Rapids Radio and Grand Rapids Herald Review.

Itasca Waters 2025 “Practical Water Wisdom” - Invasive Freshwater Jellyfish
2025-02-06 12:00 - 13:00
Itasca Waters puts on a virtual learning series (think one-hour webinar) every first Thursday of the month at noon CT. Mark your calendars now and register for these sessions. Registration is required for each session. Check out the Practical Water Wisdom page for more details and registration links.
Here are the next four upcoming topics:

February 6 – Invasive Freshwater Jellyfish – Why Are They Increasing So Fast and What Do They Do in Lakes?
March 6, – Lakeshore Development and Natural Shoreline Protection to Preserve Biotic Health
April 3 – Beaver Dams, Ponds, and Effects
May 1 – Climate Change Effects on Fisheries

This series is presented by Itasca Waters with the support from Minnesota Sea Grant, Itasca Soil and Water Conservation District, Itasca Coalition of Lake Associations, KAXE/KBXE, Rapids Radio and Grand Rapids Herald Review.

MN Lake Management Society Symposium – February 4
2025-02-04 08:30 - 15:45
The recently formed Minnesota Lake Management Society symposium is on February 4, 2025, from 8:30 am – 3:45 pm at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chaska, MN.
The 2025 symposium will focus on “Getting to the Bottom of Internal Phosphorus Loading”. It will be a day of expert presentations on internal phosphorus loading diagnosis, evaluating management options, predicting and assessing outcomes, and an overview of regulatory and funding considerations.
The day will include case studies, panel discussions, and plenty of time for networking. Here is a link to the program agenda.
The cost is $70 for adults and $35 for students. Registration is required.

MSU offers Introduction to Lakes Online - starts January 21
2025-01-21 08:00 - 2025-03-25 17:00
Registration for the award-winning Michigan State University Extension Introduction to Lakes Online course is now open! Our own Jim Kutzner took this on-line course 3 years ago and thought it was highly valuable and completely relevant to Minnesota Lakes.
This introductory six-week online course kicks off January 21 and is designed for anyone interested in inland lakes including concerned residents, decision makers, local leaders, and lakefront property owners. Course instructors include faculty from MSU Extension and state agency personnel.
Course topics include lake ecology, watershed management, shoreline protection, aquatic plants, Michigan water law, and community engagement. These six topics are explored online through video lectures, interactive activities, and discussion forums. Additional resources are also provided for those looking to dive deeper into a topic. Participants communicate with each other and instructors through lively discussion forums and biweekly Ask-an-Expert webinars which include guests from organizations such as the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy.
Registration is open now through January 28, 2025, at 5 pm ET. The cost of the course is $115 per person.

MN COLA Membership Meeting - December 10th
2024-12-10 09:00 - 11:00
This will be a great meeting!
In the first part of our meeting we will talk about kids and why we should be focusing on them. We often direct our efforts toward adults as we work to improve some lake problem, but we know that engaging kids in issues that impact the environment is a winning ticket. Once kids learn about something they push their parents and grandparents to change their behaviors.
We will kick off this discussion with DNR Commissioner Sarah Strommen, who also has been focusing on kids with the “No Child Left Inside” program.

And we will highlight programs for kids that are being run across Minnesota on AIS, safe boating practices, and more. You will have the opportunity to hear what’s being done in Hubbard County, Stearns County, and Itasca County. These are programs that you can bring to your COLA/LARA or your local lake/river association. Now is the time to start planning programs for the 2025 boating season!

To round out this portion of the meeting, we will hear from Ezri Farnum, the President of the Koronis Lake Association. Ezri is likely the youngest lake association President in Minnesota. You can hear her story and then imagine how much energy and enthusiasm could be brought to your lake/river association by getting a younger generation involved. They have passion for protecting the water and they see opportunities with younger eyes.
We are very excited to bring this “focus on kids” to you!
And since we just had our Statewide elections, it is definitely the time to talking about what this means for our collective efforts to protect the public waters of Minnesota. Jeff Forester from Minnesota Lakes and Rivers Advocates will be on the agenda to talk about how the 2024 election changed the landscape in the Minnesota Legislature and how that may shape our efforts to protect the water. This is an important conversation!
As usual, the meeting will be held via Zoom and registration is required.
Register anytime before the meeting. The Zoom link for the meeting itself will be provided following registration. You will also receive an email from Zoom with the meeting link and more details.
As always, everyone welcome to attend, so feel free to forward this meeting information.

2024 Upper Midwest Invasive Species Conference - November 12-14
2024-11-12 08:00 - 2024-11-14 17:00
The 2024 Upper Midwest Invasive Species Conference (UMISC) addresses both aquatic and terrestrial invasive species. This will be a hybrid conference with both in-person and online attendance options. The conference will be held in Duluth. Early Bird rates apply through September 27, 2024.
The goal of conference is to strengthen management of invasive species, especially prevention, control, and containment. There have been great strides in invasive species research, prevention, and management, but much work still must be done. The conference provides numerous opportunities to network with professionals, land managers, researchers, nonprofits, and others.
Many of us have attended in the past, especially since it is in our backyard. It’s a great vehicle for getting smarter and connecting with everybody who’s anybody in AIS in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan.
Here’s the link to the conference website and here’s a link to the plenary and topical sessions.

Low and No-Salt Water Softening and Conditioning - November 7
2024-11-07 12:00 - 13:00
The November session of Itasca Waters’ Water Wisdom focuses on “Low and No-Salt Water Softening and Conditioning.” The webinar is from noon – 1 CT on November 7.
Salt pollution is an increasing concern in Minnesota, as salt use for water softening, deicing roads, and other applications can lead to increasing chloride levels in our lakes, streams, and rivers. Elevated chloride levels can be harmful to aquatic ecosystems and species like dragonflies and freshwater mussels. Research in Minnesota has identified water softening as a major source of chloride, as much of the state has very hard water and home water softening is common. There is high interest in low- and no-salt treatment alternatives to reduce chloride pollution, but there is limited research and guidance for consumers.
This presentation will give an overview of alternatives to home water softening as well as some of the costs and benefits of these technologies.
The webinar is free, but registration is required. Click here to register.

Basics of Shoreline Erosion Control - New Documents to help in design and management - October 29
2024-10-29 13:00 - 14:00
This free webinar is on October 29 at 1pm CT. It is put on by the Midwest Glacial Lakes Partnership (MGLP). Registration is required.
Bioengineering can offer a nature-based solution on lake shorelines for controlling erosion, adding beauty, and providing habitat for fishes, birds, and other fauna. However, reference materials for professionals conducting lakeshore bioengineering projects and for homeowners seeking to have them installed are lacking. This presentation will introduce two new MGLP-produced reference documents for professionals and homeowners that help build the foundation for understanding what is happening at the shoreline and provide some basic design tips for dealing with erosion across a range of environmental conditions.
The list of upcoming lake conservation webinars and all previous MGLP webinar recordings are available online.

Inland lake shoreline assessment and best management practices in Michigan – October 15
2024-10-15 13:00 - 14:00
This free webinar is on October 15 at 1pm CT. It is put on by the Midwest Glacial Lakes Partnership (MGLP). Registration is required.
This presentation will review the Inland Lake Shoreline Energy Assessment Tool. The goal of this new tool is to educate the user on important inland lake shoreline characteristics and to provide a standardized approach for Michigan users to evaluate the erosive potential of an inland lake shoreline. Assessing an inland lake shoreline is important for selecting an appropriate shoreline protection design that minimizes impacts to inland lake resources. Some example best practices for shoreline protection will be highlighted. Although the webinar is focused on Michigan, it is just as applicable in Minnesota.
The list of upcoming lake conservation webinars and all previous MGLP webinar recordings are available online.

Learning from the past to manage inland lake fisheries for the future – October 8
2024-10-08 13:00 - 14:00
This free webinar is on October 8 at 1pm CT. It is put on by the Midwest Glacial Lakes Partnership (MGLP). Registration is required.
The seminar will highlight research that has used data from a collaborative project digitizing over a century of historical lake survey records from the Michigan DNR Institute for Fisheries Research. We are using these records to examine changes in fish growth and abundance, and the timing of mass mortality events. The presenter will show examples that empirically test several predicted impacts of climate change across Michigan lakes.
The list of upcoming lake conservation webinars and all previous MGLP webinar recordings are available online.

PFAS in Water: How did they get there and why are they so challenging to address? – October 3
2024-10-03 12:00 - 13:00
The October session of Itasca Waters’ Water Wisdom focuses on “PFAS in Water: How did they get there and why are they so challenging to address?” The webinar is from noon – 1 CT on October 3.
PFAS, often referred to as “forever chemicals,” are unlike any other harmful environmental contaminants that we have faced before. Once they enter the environment they don’t fully degrade, and they spread quickly through water and air. This has allowed them to contaminate pristine waters in remote regions, including the middle of Lake Superior. And to add to the challenge, PFAS are more than just PFOS and PFOA – there are thousands of PFAS, including “precursors” that can transform into PFOS or PFOA once they enter the environment.
This presentation will highlight recent work evaluating PFAS in Lake Superior, challenges and emerging solutions for PFAS monitoring and treatment, and a perspective on what people and agencies can do to help address the problem.
The webinar is free, but registration is required. Click here for further information and registration.

MAISRC 2024 Showcase – in person! - September 25
2024-09-25 08:30 - 17:30
Photo, University of Minnesota, MAISRC
This event is in-person and gives you a great opportunity to see what’s happening at MAISRC, meet the researchers, and connect with other water stewards in Minnesota. This is in our backyard and we are privileged to have these kinds of opportunities. The event is from 8:30 to 5:30 at the St. Paul Student Center.
Click here for more information and registration.

Being Septic Smart – September 17
2024-09-17 19:00 - 21:00
Septic systems are a key element to keeping our lakes and rivers healthy. Waterfront property owners need to be aware of maintenance needs of septic systems and the University of Minnesota’s Onsite Sewage Treatment Program has your back.
As part of the EPA’s SepticSmart Week (September 16-20) the Onsite Sewage Treatment Program is offering a free online training opportunity on ‘Being Septic Smart’ on Tuesday, September 17, from 7 to 9 p.m.
The ‘Being Septic Smart’ webinar teaches property owners the basics about how their septic systems work, including how to care for and maintain a septic system so it can function during or beyond its design lifetime. The webinar is free, but you need to register. Click here for more information and registration.

MN COLA Membership Meeting - September 17th
2024-09-17 09:00 - 11:00
We have three important topics on the docket:

Concerns from the rise of vacation home rentals in lake country
Septic systems and their impact to water quality
The upcoming statewide elections and how that may influence the 2025 Legislative session in St. Paul.

Register anytime before the meeting. The Zoom link for the meeting itself will be provided following registration. You will also receive an email from Zoom with the meeting link and more details.
Our meeting will start with Chris LeClair, the Director of Otter Tail County’s Land and Resource department. Otter Tail County is a leader in establishing an ordinance regarding vacation home rentals. The county’s ordinance went into effect on July 1 of this year.

Vacation home rentals can impact public health, safety, quality of life, as well as water and environmental quality. Many of your lakes, towns and counties are wrestling with vacation home rentals and their impacts, so looking into Otter Tail County’s new ordinance will make us all smarter.

Our meeting is being held during the EPA’s SepticSmart Week 2024 (purely coincidence), and since many our lake and river properties use septic systems or holding tanks, we thought that would be a great tie in to our collective interest in water quality. And it also ties into our meeting’s first speaker, as septic system are one of the vacation home rental concerns.
We are very fortunate to have Sara Heger, from the U of MN’s Onsite Sewage Treatment Program setting the stage at our MN COLA meeting to talk about the connection of septic system and water quality. Sara is also leading the webinar on “Being Septic Smart” at 7 pm CT on the same day as our meeting. She is the go-to person for all things septic! You’ll hear Sara at our meeting and you’ll probably want to register for that webinar

Last, but certainly not least, Jeff Forester of MN Lakes and Rivers Advocates will brief us on November’s statewide elections, where you may want to get involved, what the elections that might mean for the 2025 Legislative session, and what MLR is thinking about their Legislative priorities for 2025.

Register anytime before the meeting.

Changing Water Quality in Itasca County Lakes - September 5
2024-09-05 12:00 - 13:00
The September session of Itasca Waters’ Water Wisdom focuses on “Changing water quality in Itasca County lakes.” The webinar is from noon – 1 CT on September 5.
The northeast region of Minnesota, and Minnesota overall, are well-known for iconic, high-quality waters. Some people have reported seeing decreases in water quality and unwelcome changes in algae and plants in lakes.
This presentation explores these concerns and the data that help understand how lakes might be changing. An exploration of the factors that might lead to changes in our lakes is also discussed.
The webinar is free, but registration is required. Click here to register.

Starry Trek 2024
2024-08-10 08:30 - 13:00
Join us at locations across Minnesota for a day of searching for starry stonewort, mystery snails, and other aquatic invasive species!

Native & Natural: A Shoreland Preservation and Restoration Tour
2024-07-25 08:00 - 12:30
Register:
$20 per person — reserve now! Seating limited to 54
Use the QR code or go to https://nativenaturalshorelandtour.evenbrite.com

Gather at 8:00 am at Sunshine’s Summerhouse at 2008 Hill Drive SW, Fairview Township
Bus departs at 8:30 am and returns at 12:30 pm
Questions? Call Sheila at (612) 226-6571

An Underwater Tour through a North Country Lake! – June 28
2024-06-28 09:30 - 11:30
This in-person session is June 28 from 9:30-11:00 am at the Cass County Land Office, 218 Washburn Avenue E, Backus, MN 56435
Dr. Bruce R. Carlson, a retired professor from the University of Michigan Medical School, will lead the session addressing:

An overview of how a typical area lake is put together and how it functions
Numerous underwater videos that paint a vivid picture of the fascinating activities of many of the aquatic inhabitants of the lake
How zebra mussels and Eurasian water milfoil affect the ecology of a lake.

Dr. Carlson has written two books on lakes and a new one on aquatic invasive species. An avid fisherman, for 25 years, he wrote articles for In-Fisherman magazine.

Getting AIS into the classrooms – June 25
2024-06-25 08:00 - 09:00
Getting students aware of AIS is a good thing and it will also foster behavior change in adults. Lake Superior State University brings together students, teachers, natural resource mentors, and staff from LSSU’s Center for Freshwater Research and Education to conduct hands-on research into local invasive species issues. Learn how this collaboration has fostered local, student-led stewardship projects to raise awareness and inspire action in communities across Northern Michigan. Then let’s do more of this in Minnesota!
The webinar starts at 8 am CT and is free, but registration is required.
After registering, you will receive an email from “EGLE Outreach” with a link for you to use to join the webinar.

MN COLA Annual Membership Meeting - June 18th
2024-06-18 09:00 - 11:00
Our Annual meeting of 2024 will be held on June 18th at 9-11 am cdt.
Meeting topics and speakers:

Election of Directors for the MN COLA Board. Director terms are 3 years and we have several seats to fill. Note: if you have interest in joining the MN COLA Board, please contact Kevin Farum to register your interest.
Kathryn Hoffman, CEO of the non-profit Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy (MCEA), will brief us on the efforts they have underway to protect Minnesota’s public waters. MCEA’s lawyers and scientists are directly involved with environmental legislation in St. Paul and in every major legal fight to protect our water. Kathryn last joined us in December 2020 and she was very well received.
Jeff Forester from MN Lakes and Rivers Advocates will provide us with an update on the short 2024 Minnesota Legislative Session that ends on May 20.
Hilarie Sorenson is the newly appointed Water Resources Extension Educator for MN Sea Grant. She is charged with helping to address complex water quality issues through resources and programs. We offered her the opportunity to explain her new role and also to hear from you, our caring lake and river volunteers about your priorities and needs. So besides getting to know Hilarie, you can help her help us with a few polling questions during her presentation.
John Rodgers from Clemson University will talk to us about hydrilla, one of the most concerning AIS that has not yet reached Minnesota. He will follow the infestation spread from Florida up the east coast and now in Michigan, the impact on lakes, and what to expect. Many of you became familiar with Dr. Rodgers when starry stonewort was found in Minnesota in 2015. We are so pleased that he will spend some time with MN COLA.

Click on this Registration Link anytime before the meeting. The Zoom link for the meeting itself will be provided following registration. You will also receive an email from Zoom with the meeting link and more details.

Which Plants Should I Plant? – June 13, or repeated on June 20
2024-06-13 08:00 - 17:00
The 1-hour webinar is free and starts at noon CT on June 13. The session will be repeated on June 20 at 6 pm CT.
Grow your knowledge of native Minnesotan plants as you prepare your own gardens with MN Sea Grant’s Jessy Carlson and John Bly of Metro Blooms for a free webinar hosted by Cook County Higher Education. This event is part of MN Sea Grant’s project on Partnering with Local Governments for Climate Adaptation.
More information and the registration link are available for the specific session you want to attend: June 13 session or June 20 session (these are different links).

WAPOA hosts AIS Roundtable - June 1
2024-06-01 08:30 - 12:00
The Whitefish Area Property Owner’s Association and the Crow Wing LARA are hosting the 8th Annual AIS Roundtable featuring speakers from the University of Minnesota AIS Research Center. The event provides a great opportunity to hear from the Center’s Director, Dr. Nick Phelps, as well as from several researchers with projects underway.
The event runs from 8:30 to noon CT in Crosslake, MN. Register here to attend the event in person or on-line.

Stories of Progress in Invasive Phragmites Management in Minnesota – May 22
2024-05-22 09:00 - 10:00
Did you know there has been a landscape-scale effort to prevent invasive Phragmites from becoming a major threat to Minnesota habitats for the past four years? Invasive Phragmites (Phragmites australis subsp. australis) is a tall, non-native grass that can dominate wetlands and lakeshores, displace native flora and fauna, and harm recreation, infrastructure, and ecological functioning. Starting in 2017, crowd-sourced reporting and dedicated surveillance revealed a manageable invasion that, with adequate effort, could be reversed.
We partnered with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and many local managers to confront the problem. Now, four years into a carefully coordinated, statewide control effort, partners have largely succeeded in preventing the sprawling invasive Phragmites stands seen in other states. Ongoing efforts have continued to raise awareness and identify new populations. A substantial number of previously treated populations are no longer detectable.
We will also discuss progress toward finding alternatives for wastewater treatment facilities that use invasive Phragmites in their operations, as well as hybridization with native Phragmites.
Concerned individuals can help by learning to identify the plant, avoiding actions that could contribute to its spread, and reporting suspected new populations. With collaboration, attention to detail, and persistence, we can prevent invasive Phragmites from transforming Minnesota lakeshores, wetlands, and other habitats.
The webinar starts at 9 am CT on May 22 and is free, but registration is required.
About the speakers:
Chelsey Blanke is a U of M researcher focused on invasive species and ecological restoration. She and Julia Bohnen work closely with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and many local managers to coordinate the statewide invasive Phragmites control effort. She is driven by a passion for wildlife and a desire to help people help the environment.
Julia Bohnen is involved in research and outreach related to ecological restoration and invasive species management. Her current work involves coordinating with multiple partners in a statewide invasive Phragmites control effort and consulting with wastewater treatment facility operators to transition from using invasive Phragmites for biosolids dewatering. She also co-facilitates a series of five online Ecological Restoration Extension courses.
Dan Larkin is a MAISRC Research Fellow and Associate Professor and Extension Specialist in the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. He and his research team work on applied challenges in invasive species management and ecological restoration in lakes, wetlands, and terrestrial habitats. Through his extension program, he trains volunteers and professionals to support invasive species response and ecological restoration efforts.

Containing Michigan’s first hydrilla infestation – May 21
2024-05-21 08:00 - 09:00
The mythic Hydra was a water serpent that sprouted two heads for every one cut off. In a similar fashion, hydrilla – said to be the most invasive aquatic plant in the world – can grow new plants from stem fragments, making it a formidable challenge to control. That challenge now faces Michigan, where hydrilla was recently detected for the first time. Learn why hydrilla is such a threat, how the Michigan Invasive Species Program is working to eradicate it, and what you can do to help identify and report it.
The webinar starts at 8 am CT and is free, but registration is required
After registering, you will receive an email from “EGLE Outreach” with a link for you to use to join the webinar.

Climate change effects on fisheries - April 23
2024-04-23 13:00 - 15:00
Researchers from Minnesota, Wisconsin and Missouri talk about their work in quantifying the impacts of climate change on fish growth and production using the largest-ever database of Midwest glacial lakes fisheries surveys to enable sustainable management.
Climate change is causing inland lake water temperatures to rise, ice durations to shorten, and stratification regimes to shift. These habitat changes are creating novel challenges for freshwater fish and the productive fisheries they have long supported. We assessed shifts in habitat availability, bioenergetic needs and capacity, fish growth, and fishery productivity using simulated water temperature data and fisheries monitoring data compiled from across the Midwest.
Major findings include:

On average, species preferring colder temperatures lost more preferred habitat than was gained by species favoring warmer temperatures between 1980-2021.
While warm-water species’ productivity has generally benefited from warming, cooler-water species have generally lost productivity. These losses in productivity can be exacerbated by fishing in exploited populations.
Many cool- and coldwater fish will experience increasing energetic challenges as the climate warms, but thermal refuges will likely persist in larger and deeper lakes.
The growth patterns of fish can be influenced by temperature–and theory allows us to predict what these patterns look like, but do fish actually follow these predictions? We explore this as a product of methodological and ecological mechanisms.
The effects of temperature on fish growth differ depending on fish size and age. Rising temperatures may accelerate early life growth for some species, but slow growth and increase mortality for older life stages.

Collectively, this can result in complicated responses of fish growth across the diverse landscape of Midwestern lakes. Together, these projects provide an actionable set of findings for managing fisheries under climate change.

Head to Stevens Point for the 2024 Wisconsin Water Week convention
2024-04-10 - 2024-04-12
April 10-12, 2024, in Stevens Point, Wisconsin
This is a well-done annual conference that is put on by a well-established partnership of government, higher education, and lake groups. While some sessions will pertain to Wisconsin’s specific governance, most of the sessions will be highly relevant to Minnesota’s lakes and rivers.
This statewide convention brings together professionals, students, community members, and businesses who love water. The 2024 event will feature plenary speakers, as well as interactive workshops and content-rich concurrent sessions with time for speakers to address participants’ questions.
This event is a collaboration of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the Extension Lakes Program within the College of Natural Resources at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, the University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension, and the statewide organization of lake groups, Wisconsin Lakes. They are a partnership of people caring for our legacy of lakes, rivers, and watersheds through science, education, and citizen involvement.
Official Convention registration will be available in mid-late January 2024. Check their conference website for more details. And if you have the interest, submit a proposal for presentation at the conference (see More information for details).

What is the Wisconsin Lakes and Rivers Convention?
This statewide convention brings together professionals, students, community members, and businesses who love water. We have been meeting annually for over 40 years and hope that you can continue to contribute to this legacy. The 2024 event will feature plenary speakers, as well as interactive workshops and content-rich concurrent sessions with time for speakers to address participants’ questions.
Wednesday, April 10 will include interactive half- and full-day workshops. Wednesday evening will feature the Wisconsin Lakes and Rivers Partnership Welcome Reception where appetizers and beverages will be served in a relaxed environment ideal for networking.
Thursday, April 11 will feature a welcome session and kickoff keynote event, multiple concurrent sessions, educational and business exhibits, a round of lightning talks, and a poster session. On Thursday evening, we’ll be celebrating award winners at the Wisconsin Lake Stewardship and Volunteer Stream Monitoring Awards Ceremony and Banquet.
Friday, April 12 will consist of multiple concurrent sessions, educational and business exhibits, and a keynote speaker and closing luncheon. Friday afternoon will include interactive mini-workshops.
We invite you to attend and build new and enhance past relationships so we can better collaborate and cooperate around our lakes, rivers, watersheds, and across Wisconsin. With over 100 presenters, 18 workshops, keynotes, exhibits, and over 70 concurrent sessions, you won’t want to miss it! Keep an eye on the Lakes and Rivers Convention – Wisconsin Water Week website for additional information as it is released.

Submit a Presentation Proposal
Open call for presentations includes:

Concurrent Sessions (deadline: Oct. 1, 2023) – There will be 5 rooms with sessions occurring simultaneously. Presentations can be as short as 20 minutes in length or up to 60 minutes. We encourage presenters to build in time for Q&A at the end of their presentation.
Workshops (deadline: Oct. 1, 2023) – We plan to schedule half-day workshops (2-3 hours) on Wednesday morning, Wednesday afternoon, and Friday afternoon. Full-day workshops (6 hours) are also possible on Wednesday. Workshops are more interactive and/or hands-on and are meant to engage participants in in-depth conversations, problem solving, planning, and exploring.
Lightning Talks (deadline: March 1, 2024) – These quick, 5-minute (or less) presentations are meant to introduce a topic/share a success, with the goal of exposing attendees to multiple topics in a short amount of time. There will not be time for Q&A after lightning talks; however, we encourage Lightning Talk presenters to also present a Poster, which is where further conversations can take place.
Posters (deadline: April 1, 2024) – Posters will be on display all day Thursday through Friday at 2:00 p.m. Poster presenters are required to be with their poster during the Poster Session on Thursday from 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Submit a Presentation Proposal

This event is a collaboration of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the Extension Lakes Program within the College of Natural Resources at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, the University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension, and the statewide organization of lake groups, Wisconsin Lakes. We are a partnership of people caring for our legacy of lakes, rivers, and watersheds through science, education, and citizen involvement.
Official Convention registration will be available in mid-late January, 2024.

DNR AIS Advisory Committee (SAISAC) - Public Event
2024-03-21 09:30 - 12:00
The DNR is hosting the last of four off-season workshops for the Statewide DNR AIS Advisory Committee (SAISAC) on Thursday, March 21st at 9:30 am to 12:00 noon CT. The event includes a presentation by ACCL (Association of Cass County Lakes) on their low-cost AIS Cleaning Station & Tools.
Click here to joint the meeting.
Here is the agenda:
AIS Detectors + Starry Trek

Megan Weber, UMN-Extension

Panel: Hosting a Local Starry Trek Training Site

Dan Cibulka, Sherburne County
Justin Townsend, Ramsey County
Karl Koenig, Becker County
Bill Grantges, Itasca County

Zebra Mussel Monitoring

Jessica Leverty, Anoka County
Camden Droppo, Chisago County

Adopt a Habitattitude

Doug Jensen, DNR AIS Prevention Planner

AIS Videos

Erika Gilsdorf, Leighton Broadcasting
Holly Lee, Leighton Engage

Minnesota Traditions

Tim Terrill, Mississippi Headwaters Board

AIS Cleaning Stations & Tools

Nick Bluhm, Association of Cass County Lakes (ACCL)
Steve Henry, Cass County

MN COLA Membership meeting – March 19
2024-03-19 09:00 - 11:00
The March Membership meeting will be held virtually on Zoom from 9 – 11 CT on March 19th. Preregistration using this link is required.
The meeting will include an important update from our MN COLA Legislative team as we will be in the middle of the MN Legislative session. We will have a timely topic on the impacts of the short ice season. And we will talk about establishing a Lake Improvement District (LID) as another way of funding important lake efforts.

Jeff Forester from MN Lakes and Rivers Advocates will provide us with an update on the very short 2024 Minnesota Legislative Session that began on February 12th and ends on May 20.
Also very short is this winter’s ice season. Many of you are wondering about the impacts this will have on your lakes and we are excited to have 2 great speakers address the topic. Paul Radomski of the MN DNR will address impacts to the fishery and Steve McComas of Blue Water Science will address overall impacts to the lake ecology.
And continuing our discussion on mechanisms for funding your lake activities, we will have an overview session on the use of Lake Improvement Districts (LIDs). LIDs are a special purpose type of government formed to pursue and fund programs or projects to address lake health problems, restore native habitat, or otherwise improve a lake. We are excited to have Mike Raiche, from Maple Lake in Wright County, provide some interesting insights into the process of getting one established and how they work in practice.

As always, everyone welcome to attend, so feel free to forward this meeting information.
