MLR Leadership Summit
2026-06-03 14:00 - 17:00 (America/Chicago)
The leadership summit will be held in Alexandria at the Legacy of the Lakes Museum. It is an opportunity for lake association leaders to connect, get a legislative update from Jeff Forester, and hear from the DNR.
The summit is planned for June 3 from 2 – 5 pm. Admission will be $15 which covers the cost of light snacks and includes entry into the museum.
Expect more information soon but block the date on your calendar.

Potential impact of fireworks ﻿on lakes and other waters
2026-06-04 12:00 - 13:00
Each year in the U.S., hundreds of millions of pounds of fireworks are used, releasing perchlorate—a key fireworks ingredient and a known drinking water contaminant—into the environment. Perchlorate can disrupt thyroid function, and studies have shown that fireworks can elevate perchlorate levels in nearby surface and groundwater.
Dr. Andrew Jackson from Texas Tech University will be leading this interesting topic. He will explore how fireworks may affect drinking water sources by examining field studies, aerial deposition measurements, and national water surveys conducted before and after major fireworks events. And he’ll discuss how factors such as the amount of fireworks used, waterbody size, dilution capacity, direct deposition, runoff, and natural attenuation influence perchlorate levels and potential risks to water quality.
This free webinar is from noon to 1 pm on June 4. Register here.

10th annual WAPOA AIS Roundtable
2026-06-06 08:30 - 12:00
Join us on June 6 in Crosslake for the 10th Annual Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Roundtable, proudly co-hosted by the Whitefish Area Property Owners Association (WAPOA) and the Crow Wing County Lakes and Rivers Alliance (LARA), in conjunction with researchers from the Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center (MAISRC).
Minnesota lakes are being impacted by more non-native AIS species while we are working to protect our natural waters, our shoreline areas, and expand the science and education about AIS. Starry Stonewort is in the Whitefish Chain and Middle Cullen Lake. Zebra mussels are in 378 Minnesota lakes. What happens next is up to all of us.
Attendees will hear the latest on aquatic invasive species research, including research on how AIS may influence swimmer’s itch and low-dose copper treatments for zebra mussels, presented by graduate students Olivia Nyffeler and Amanda Schuermann. Director Nick Phelps will share insights on AIS prevention, while MAISRC researcher Ingrid Schneider will discuss emerging research on autonomous underwater robots (AUVs) as her team investigates mystery snails across Minnesota.
Registration is free but required—sign up at z.umn.edu/registrationWAPOA

MN COLA Annual Membership Meeting - June 16
2026-06-16 09:00 - 11:00
Hilarie Sorenson from MN Sea Grant and Chris Filstrup, a limnologist at the U of MN’s Natural Resources Research Institute, will fill us in on Sea Grant’s Lake Lookout program and then we will dive into harmful algae blooms. We’ll dive into the topic, but as you will hear, you won’t consider diving into the harmful algae bloom.

Jeff Forester from MN Lakes and Rivers Advocates will provide a roundup of Minnesota’s 2026 Legislative session. The evenly split House and Senate made it a challenge to get things done, but Jeff and Henry Erdman were there for us all the way through the session. So tune in to find out what was accomplished in our efforts to protect the public waters of Minnesota.

As a lake manager, how do you make decisions about potential actions for the lake? How do you gather data and then how do you analyze it to make a good decision?
MN COLA has been asked to participate in a project funded by the Institute on the Environment at the University of Minnesota. This project will design a decision support framework to help you (local governments, lake associations, and other groups) use available research to make good decisions that lead to improved protection of our public waters. We will provide an overview of this very important work.
Everyone is welcome to attend our Annual Membership meeting, so feel free to forward this meeting information.
Register today and join us!. Be sure to look for an email from Zoom after registering that includes the meeting link… and save it!

2026 Legislative Update Webinar with MLR Advocates
2026-06-23 12:30 - 13:30
So, what happened at the Minnesota Legislature this year? Join MLR for an update on the 2026 legislative session and what new policies, proposals, and emerging issues could mean for Minnesota lakes, rivers, lake associations, and local advocates.
Register here.

Genomic Surveillance of Zebra Mussel Populations Using Genotyping by Sequencing - July 8
2026-07-08 13:00 - 14:00
Zebra mussels have expanded to at least 32 states in the USA, and the cost of prevention and mitigation of zebra mussel infestations continues to grow. Timely information on sources of spread is critical for advising prevention efforts. Previous research carried out by our group utilized population genomics to characterize zebra mussels in >60 waterbodies to infer infestation scenarios and source waters among MN lakes. We are expanding this analysis to include newly infested lakes in Minnesota and throughout the Upper Mississippi River Basin, making this information accessible through an online web app to help inform AIS management strategies.
This free webinar is from noon to 1 pm on July 8th. Register here.

Restoring our Underwater Forests: Can Native Revegetation Enhance Invasion Resistance in Lakes? - September 9
2026-09-09 13:00 - 14:00
Current efforts to manage invasive plants in lakes rely on repeated herbicide treatments, which are costly and rarely lead to long-term control or native plant recovery. Revegetation, or the active reintroduction of native plants, may be a means to improve long-term resilience by making lakes more resistant to reinvasion. We are conducting in-lake restoration trials in partnership with local managers to reintroduce native plants post-treatment and monitor outcomes. Regional data analyses are underway to identify plant traits and environmental conditions that may best predict restoration success, alongside greenhouse trials to increase technical capacity for growing aquatic plants from seed. Ultimately, we hope our work will broaden the AIS management toolbox, enabling the establishment of more invader-resistant lake plant communities across Minnesota.
This free webinar is from noon to 1 pm on September 9th. Register here.

MN COLA September Membership Meeting - September 15
2026-09-15 09:00 - 23:00
Hold the date. The September Membership meeting will be held on September 15, 2026.

MGLP Lake Conservation Series: Disentangling the historical impacts of warming and fishing on exploited freshwater fish populations - October 13
2026-10-13 13:00 - 14:00
Climate warming is reshaping thermal habitats in inland lakes, often reducing suitable conditions for cold- and cool-water species while expanding habitat for warm-water species. This shift raises an important management question: can redirecting recreational harvest pressure toward warm-water species help buffer climate-driven declines in vulnerable cooler-water fisheries? In this presentation, Luoliang Xu will introduce this idea, examine its management implications, and discuss alternative science-based strategies for sustainably managing freshwater fisheries in a warming world.
Register here for this webinar.

MGLP Lake Conservation Series: Lake weeds or plant communities? Some thoughts on EWM management, control prioritization, and new work to nurture care and appreciation - October 20
2026-10-20 13:00 - 14:00
This presentation will start with some findings about Eurasian watermilfoil management and management prioritization – in that work, we wanted to better understand and provide context to some of the effects of whole lake herbicide treatments we observed in survey data. From there, we developed a model to predict lakes likely to experience future EWM introductions and lakes likely able to support dense populations. We hope that information could help guide smart prevention and smart management. More recently, we are interested in expanding the way folks are able to think and talk about plant communities – by naming, narrating, and celebrating unique community assemblages, we hope eventually to enable people to appreciate, connect to, and experience part of the natural world that usually remains hidden.
Register here for this event.

MGLP Lake Conservation Series: Protecting Land for Water Quality – Watershed-Based Land Conservation Strategies - October 27
2026-10-27 13:00 - 14:00
Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution, or polluted runoff, is the predominant cause of water quality problems in the United States. Land protection can play a critical role in protecting waters by maintaining forests, riparian buffers, and other critical natural areas that filter polluted runoff. Protected lands also help ensure the durability of water quality restoration by preventing new pollutant loads. Over the last several years the USEPA has worked to highlight the role of land protection as a NPS management strategy and strengthen partnership opportunities between clean water programs and land conservation community. In this webinar Steve Epting will spotlight this work and how its relevance to protecting lake ecosystem health.
Register here for this event.

MGLP Lake Conservation Series: Walleye stocking success in the Midwestern USA - November 17
2026-11-17 13:00 - 14:00
Robert Davis & Daniel Isermann discuss factors involved in walleye stocking. This study evaluated stocking success of Walleye in lakes and reservoirs across the Midwestern United States to inform stocking practices for state agencies. Demand for Walleye stocking may increase if climate change limits the potential for natural recruitment in lakes. Consequently, the strategic distribution of Walleye stocking may maximize fishing opportunities. Latitude and year explained relatively little variation in stocking success compared to within‐lake variation. Relative abundance of Largemouth Bass was an important indicator of Walleye stocking success for fry and fingerlings, with stocking success generally decreasing with increased bass abundance. There was an interaction between lake surface area and growing degree‐days, as large lakes (>2500 ha) seemed to be more conducive to Walleye stocking success regardless of growing degree‐days. The models that we developed did not accurately predict exact levels of Walleye stocking success but were 92–94% accurate in predicting whether the stocking success of both fry and fingerlings would be at or above the 50th percentile. These findings may help to inform the management and stocking allocation of Walleye and suggest that future increases in Largemouth Bass abundance and growing degree‐days could limit the effectiveness of stocking in some lakes.
Register here for this event.

MN COLA December Membership Meeting - December 8
2026-12-08 09:00 - 11:00
Hold the date. The December Membership meeting will be held on December 8, 2026.
