Minnesota Coalition of Lake Associations

MN COLA Annual Membership Meeting - June 18th
2024-06-18 09:00 - 11:00 (America/Chicago)
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.

Can underwater jets help prevent AIS spread? ﻿March 13, 1 pm CT
2024-03-13 13:00 - 14:00
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 minimize the spread of aquatic invasive species.
Registration link for the webinar.
More information

Invasive European Frog-bit – a case study from Michigan February 7, 8 am CT
2024-02-07 08:00 - 10:00
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 and assistant director of research at Lake Superior State University’s Center for Freshwater Research and Education, has been studying the aquatic invasive plant and its effects on native ecosystems and water quality since 2019. He will share what’s been learned about plant reproduction, removal efforts and impacts based on research in the St. Mary’s River in the Upper Peninsula.
This free Zoom session is part of the Not MI Species series hosted by Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE).
Register here.
Here is Michigan’s information sheet on European frog-bit.

U of MN AIS Detectors will offer AIS Management 101 in February
2024-02-01 - 2024-03-31
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 up for emails about other AIS Detector news, events, and courses.
This is a 6 week, fully online, self-paced course. The course offers information presented in a variety of formats. Instructors are available through discussion forums embedded in the course and via email to answer any questions you may have along the way. Course participants engage with multimedia learning materials detailing a range of topics including aquatic invasive species regulations, target species, management options, monitoring strategies, and more. To date, 185 participants have completed AIS Management 101.
You will gain:
• An introduction to AIS control and aquatic plant management
• A better understanding of pesticides, how they work, and the regulations around their use
• Insight on non-chemical treatment options
• A better ability to evaluate and understand management effectiveness and take a longer-term view of management.
This course is offered by the AIS Detectors program at the University of Minnesota which is jointly supported by the Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center and University of Minnesota Extension. It is open to anyone, including residents of other states, though certain portions of the course, such as permitting regulations, will include information specific to Minnesota.
For more information…

MSU again offers Introduction to Lakes Online course
2024-01-29 - 2024-03-30
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 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.
The course price is $115.00. The deadline to register is January 28, 2024.
If the cost of the course is a burden to your participation, please email Paige Filice at filicepa@msu.edu. Financial assistance is available.

Webinar: Charting the Course for a Comprehensive Point-Intercept Database
2024-01-25 13:00 - 14:00
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 and reporting systems of each. Then, even if you could find them, imagine no two of these files looked alike, such that it took hours just to combine even two of them into a single unified data set. Then, imagine that more or less these same circumstances existed in Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, Ontario, and elsewhere.
It would all seem like a missed opportunity, wouldn’t it? And yet, this is the reality. Or, rather, it was–in February 2023, MAISRC launched Version 1 of PI Charter, an R Shiny app designed to 1) receive submissions of PI survey data sheets (no matter what they look like!) from anyone who may possess them, 2) process them automatically so they can be combined, and 3) allow anyone to explore the processed data to better understand the health and plant composition of our state’s lakes. Already, we have added several million point-level observations into our database, and we’re just getting started!
Come and hear how we plan to chart PI Charter’s next course!

Harmful Algal Bloom Virtual Research Symposium in early January
2024-01-04 00:00 - 2024-01-05 23:59
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 examples of effective bloom management, and learn about the latest technologies being used to tackle this global issue.
The North Central Region Water Network is comprised of 12 Land-grant colleges and universities, including the U of MN Extension, U of WI Extension, and the MSU Extension.
The Algal Bloom Action Team offers a series of Educational Resources on their webpage that you may find valuable, including HAB FAQs, factsheets, prevention and treatment options, and more

Webinar on the unique pathways of invasive mussel spread – December 13
2023-12-13
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 and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany
Assessing Dreissena spread in Lake Superior through traditional and eDNA surveys by Courtney Larson with the US EPA Office of Research and Development, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, Duluth, MN
Chemical drivers of Dreissenid habitat: Moving beyond calcium and temperature by Daniel Sandborn with the University of Minnesota Duluth.

MN COLA Membership Meeting
2023-12-05 09:00 - 11:00
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!

Michigan hosts a virtual Summit on Great Lakes PFAS - December 5 - 7
2023-12-05 - 2023-12-07
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 Summit will bring together environmental program managers, policy experts, researchers, and contractors from around the Great Lakes region to share new methods of addressing this contamination and present innovative technical solutions developed to address these “forever” chemicals.
The Summit is hosted by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE).
Admission is $35, but is waived for government, non-profits, and students. The registration deadline is December 1.

Register now for the North American Lake Management Society Symposium
2023-10-22 - 2023-10-26
October 22–26, 2023 in Erie, Pennsylvania:
It’s pricey and requires travel, but this a big, important conference for lake managers and concerned citizens.
The North American Lake Management Society (NALMS) and Pennsylvania Lake Management Society invites you to attend the 43rd International Symposium
At a time when climate change, invasive species risks, and cultural pressures threaten the natural environment and biodiversity of our fragile ecosystem, the opportunity to highlight and mesh the State of Pennsylvania and its rich diversity of aquatic habitats is long overdue.
NALMS’ Symposium typically attracts an international collection of 500–600 lake management professionals, academia, and citizen attendees. The Symposium promotes the exchange of lake and reservoir management science, produces material for NALMS’ high-quality publications, provides a rare opportunity for networking, as well as an opportunity to recognize excellence in the field of lake and reservoir management.
Registration: https://nalms.wildapricot.org/event-5312182
Program info: https://www.nalms.org/nalms2023/preliminary-program/
Conference Home page: https://www.nalms.org/nalms2023/

Blooming Waters: Understanding Harmful Algal Blooms and Safe Drinking Water
2023-10-03 12:00 - 13:00
Highly relevant for Minnesota, this free webinar is hosted by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE).
Harmful algal blooms are a growing concern across the nation, and Michigan is no exception. These blooms can produce toxins that pose significant risks to both human health and aquatic ecosystems. In this webinar, we will delve into the fascinating science behind algal blooms, their causes and detrimental effects, and examples of efforts taken to prevent drinking water exposures.
Key Topics to be Covered:

Understanding the Science: Discover the factors that contribute to the formation of harmful algal blooms and the conditions that foster their growth.
Monitoring Michigan’s Waterways: Learn about EGLE’s efforts to track and detect harmful algal blooms in various surface water bodies.
Safeguarding Drinking Water: Explore Michigan’s efforts to ensure the safety of drinking water systems and protect the health of its residents.

This is a Zoom session and Registration is required.

MAISRC Showcase is Wednesday, September 20!
2023-09-20 08:00 - 17:00
The 2023 MAISRC Showcase will be held this year on September 20th. EARLY BIRD registration for the annual AIS Research and Management Showcase opens Monday, August 14th. Ticket price of $25 $20 (early bird pricing!) includes exclusive access to recordings of the showcase, before the general public. Click this link (on or after the 14th) to register!

Dr. Mark Seeley headlines MN COLA’s September ONLINE-ONLY meeting
2023-09-19 10:00 - 15:00
The MN COLA meeting will be held Tuesday September 19 from 10 – 3 CT ONLINE ONLY on Zoom.
Dr. Mark Seeley is a renowned climatologist and meteorologist who recently retired from the University of Minnesota and is now with the Minnesota Climate Adaptation Partnership Mark will present on the impact of climate change to our Minnesota waters. For the past year and a half MN COLA has presented on Lake Resiliency and this will be a capstone to our 2-year Lake Resiliency series. This should be a great talk!

Photo: MPR News
Other topics to be covered include:

We’ll have an opportunity to see what one COLA has created to help slow the spread of AIS
Later in the meeting you get the chance to help us prioritize the issues that are most important to MN COLA members as we prepare for the 2024 Legislative Agenda. This is your opportunity to provide your input and discuss current plans

As always we will have a Round-Robin session to discuss what’s happening in your world and share our ideas.
If you plan to attend, click here to register for the Zoom meeting. You will get the meeting link from Zoom after you register.
(The session was previously announced as a hybrid session, but attendees voted with their fingers to move it to online only.)

Starry Trek 2023
2023-08-19 08:00 - 13:00
Plan to be part of Starry Trek 2023! Starry Trek is organized by the Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center and University of Minnesota Extension in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Registration is open now at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/starry-trek-2023-tickets-664078706287.

Why, Oh Why Won’t They Clean, Drain and Dry? Understanding Impediments to Boater and Angler Behavior Change
2023-08-10 08:00 - 09:00
Join this webinar on Aug 10, 2023, 08:00 am CT and hear the results of a Michigan State University study about boater resistance to cleaning their equipment of harmful, transferrable AIS. It’s free, but you need to register in advance.
Aquatic invasive species continue to be spread by boaters and anglers, primarily by those who travel between waterways without cleaning their equipment. Well, why aren’t people cleaning when we know the risks of spread? Carrie Meier from Daniel Hayes’ lab in the MSU Department of Fisheries and Wildlife interviewed a thousand boaters and anglers to understand just that. Meier will share what was learned about motivations and barriers to equipment cleaning, perceptions of invasive species spread and other interesting results.

Itasca Waters virtual session addresses impending AIS threats: Can they kill my pet or hurt my kids?
2023-08-03 12:00 - 13:00
Dr. Cody Sheik is a microbial ecologist at the University of Minnesota Duluth where he focuses his work on the roles microorganisms, especially cyanobacteria, play in freshwater ecosystems.
In this virtual session he will share important research to identify what microbes are present across Minnesota and the Great Lakes, and to consider the implications to our environment and our use of water for recreation and daily living. He will also talk about some non-native microbes that can cause even bigger problems as they invade our lakes.
The sessions are free, but registration is required.
Check out these links for more information about Itasca Waters and their Practical Water Wisdom series.

MAISRC hosts AIS workshop for North Central MN
2023-06-23 08:00 - 2023-06-24 17:00
Join the Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center (MAISRC) and regional leaders in a two-day workshop about priority aquatic invasive species concerns for North Central Minnesota.
Date: Friday, June 23 and Saturday, June 24, 2023
Location: Cedar Lakes Casino, 6268 Upper Cass Frontage Rd NW, Cass Lake, MN 56633
Cost: $45 for both Friday and Saturday; $30 for Friday only. There is no option to register only on Saturday.
Registration required. For more information visit the Lab to Lakes page on the MAISRC website.

MN COLA Annual Meeting
2023-06-13 10:00 - 15:00
The 2023 MN COLA Annual Meeting will be held in person at the Initiative Foundation in beautiful downtown Little Falls, MN!
Our Annual Member Meeting promises to be content rich and an exciting opportunity to meet in person.
The agenda includes the all-important Legislative Update. Jeff Forester of Minnesota Lakes and River’s Advocates will be there to share details of what happened and what it means for protecting Minnesota’s public waters. Three important items on the MN COLA Legislative Agenda were being addressed this session:

Stable funding for MAISRC (the AIS Research Center at the University of Minnesota);
Watercraft Operator’s License;
Improved funding for AIS treatments.

We are thrilled to have author Ted Rulseh as our lunch speaker. His most recent book, Ripple Effects: How we’re loving our lakes to death, will be featured. It provides a history of how our lifestyle changes and upward mobility have increased the demands we place on our lakes in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. Rulseh addresses the reasons behind our vanishing natural shorelines and other impacts to lake life.
Registration is free, and there is an option to have a box lunch for $10. We hope to see you there and please register today!

May 31 webinar - Update on wakes, waves, and propeller wash research from UMN's SAFL
2023-05-31 18:30 - 20:00
Register today for this webinar with Jeff Marr and Andy Riesgraf of the St. Anthony Falls Laboratory, University of Minnesota for an update on this critically important research: recently completed, in-process, and future.
This free session is on May 31 from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm, but you must register in advance. Big thanks go to Minnesota Lakes and Rivers Advocates for hosting the session.
Jeff Forester, Executive Director of Minnesota Lakes and Rivers Advocates said this about the upcoming webinar:
“Boating season is upon us. Minnesotans, as they have for generations, will enjoy sun and water and fun. But there the similarity ends. Many of the new boats on the water bear no resemblance to your grandfathers fishing boat.
The boats now are larger and far more powerful. Where once boats were powered with 25 HP or maybe 50 HP motors and 40 knots was considered fast, there are boats on the market now that go over 70 mph or have engines generating 400 hp or more. And there are more of them.
It is time to try to see what the impacts of our boats, wakes, prop thrust and boating habits are on lake ecology and wildlife. Minnesota Lakes and Rivers has been working the last few years to support funding for world class researchers to begin exploring these issues.
We wanted to provide an opportunity for you to learn more.
This presentation by Jeff Marr will summarize completed comparative research on the size, energy, and power of boat-generated wake waves produced by a number of recreational boats under various modes of operation and data-informed guidance on recommend operational distances for enhanced wake watercraft.
The presentation will also share an update of ongoing research focusing on characterizing the propeller wash created by recreational boats and potential implications of propeller wash on lake health.
Finally, Jeff Marr will present our research plans for an upcoming research study, pending funding by the State of Minnesota, that will explore environmental impacts of boat-generated wave, propeller wash and wind driven waves.
The presentation will allow time for questions and discussion.
We hope to see you there and enjoy the spring.

Invasive Mussel Collaborative hosts: How invasive mussels impact and are affected by North American ecosystems
2023-05-30 09:00 - 10:30
Want to delve a little deeper into the zebra and quagga mussel invasion? Try this webinar put on by the Invasive Mussel Collaborative. It includes two presentations:
Mussel squeeze: dissolved oxygen and temperature can “squeeze” zebra mussels out of invaded reservoirs by Rich Miller and Crysta Gantz with Portland State University, Portland, OR
Dreissena (zebra and quagga mussels) in the Great Lakes: what have we learned in 35 years of invasion by Alexander Karatayev with SUNY Buffalo State, Buffalo, NY
The webinar is free, but registration is required.

MGLP: Healthy Watersheds, High-Quality Waters- A New program for protecting the wonderful waters of Wisconsin
2023-05-16 13:00 - 14:00 | In Person, 1st Street Southeast, Little Falls, MN, 56345, United States
Register here

Wisconsin DNR seeks to protect Wisconsin’s wonderful waters and way of life. Not only is Wisconsin blessed with a landscape filled with water resources, but those lakes, rivers, streams, and wetlands also provide tremendous public health, recreation, and economic benefits. The Healthy Watersheds, High-Quality Waters initiative is a first step towards greater balance between restoration and protection to conserve water resources and the values they provide. The overall goal is to keep 100% of the priority healthy watersheds and high-quality waters within them at or better than their current conditions through 2030. Modeling and assessment results, geographic priorities, partner feedback, action plan, and experiences from the first year of implementation will be shared.
