Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) continue to present some of the biggest challenges in chemical contamination across the world. States throughout the nation, including the Great Lakes region, are finding PFAS contamination in a growing number of locations where these persistent chemicals pose a threat to human health and the environment. The Great Lakes PFAS... Read more »

Check your calendars! Following MN COLA's successful September meeting, our next membership meeting is Tuesday, December 5th at 9am-11am and it will be online. Details will follow as we get closer, but for now save the date!

Register for this free webinar on December 13 from 1:00 – 2:30 ET to hear 3 presentations on unique pathways of invasive mussel spread. The webinar is hosted by the Invasive Mussel Collaborative. Presentations include: More than we bargained for: Zebra mussels transported amongst European native freshwater snails by James Dickey with Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology... Read more »

The Algal Bloom Action Team of the North Central Region Water Network is once again hosting their Virtual Harmful Algal Bloom Research Symposium on January 4th and 5th. This free, virtual event brings together over 800 water professionals from across the North Central Region to hear about the latest harmful algal bloom (HAB) research, discuss... Read more »

Imagine that hundreds of comprehensive aquatic plant surveys were conducted on Minnesota lakes every year, representing hundreds of hours worked and hundreds of thousands of dollars spent. Now imagine that these incredibly valuable data sets were held by not one but rather dozens of different groups throughout the state, deeply embedded within the unique file... Read more »

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 2 years ago and thought it was highly valuable and completely relevant to Minnesota Lakes. This introductory six-week online course kicks off January 30th and is designed for anyone interested in inland lakes including... Read more »

If you would like to be a more informed consumer about what’s happening on your nearby lake, have a better understanding of what lake management professionals are doing, or are considering new AIS control efforts, this class is for you! Sign up to get an email when the course registration opens. You can also sign... Read more »

        European frog-bit is defined as an invasive species in Minnesota, but infestations have not yet been found in the state.   It was first detected in Michigan in 1996 and has since spread along the coastal areas of lakes Erie, Huron, and Michigan and to some inland lakes. Kevin Kapuscinski, associate professor... Read more »

  This is a free Zoom session hosted by the AIS Detectors program at the University of Minnesota. The speakers are Andy Erickson (St. Anthony Falls Laboratory) and Tony Brough (Hennepin County). Join the webinar to hear about the results, observations and recommendations for how submersed jets could be deployed at boat ramps to help... Read more »

      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... Read more »

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.... Read more »

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... Read more »