Minnesota Coalition of Lake Associations

What Lakes do in Winter
2026-02-05 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Chicago)
For many years, lake researchers focused mostly on open-water seasons, leaving the ice-covered months relatively understudied. Today, growing concern about rapidly changing winter conditions has led to a surge of interest in lake winter ecology. In this presentation, Dr. Ted Ozersky from the U of MN – Duluth, will explore what scientists are discovering about the physics, chemistry, and biology of lakes during winter—and what these shifting winter patterns could mean for lake health and the vital ecosystem services lakes provide.
This free webinar is from noon to 1 pm on February 5. Register here.

Minnesota Ice-Out
2026-02-19 12:00 - 13:00
So, this is a different kind of ICE Out than what’s been in the news.
John Downing of Minnesota Sea Grant will present his 2026 ice-out forecasts and show you how you can win your ice-out pool for your favorite lake. Minnesota Sea Grant’s Ice-Out Clock yielded accurate ice-out forecasts for 2024 and 2025. This year, the models are improved and now give forecasts for any lake you choose. The new models consider snow, latitude, how big the lake is, cumulative cold and cumulative thawing. Tune in so you can plan when to put the boat in the water.
This free webinar is from noon to 1 pm on February 19. Register here.

Strategies for Recreational ﻿Watercraft Governance
2026-03-05 12:00 - 13:00
This practical webinar will be exploring why and how boat traffic is legally managed on lakes and rivers—and what that means for communities, recreation, and water protection. A panel featuring a water- and coastal-law attorney, a boat-traffic enforcement officer, and the director of a public-interest organization that helps people navigate lake and river issues will explain the legal foundations for restrictions, real-world safety and enforcement considerations, and how communities can balance recreation, property rights, and environmental protection. Ideal for lake residents, local officials, lake associations, and anyone interested in fair, effective watercraft management.
Panelists include Terra Bowling from the National Sea Grant Law Center, Jeff Forester from Minnesota Lakes and Rivers Advocates, and Matt Miller, a Conservation Officer with the Marine Unit of the Minnesota DNR.
This free webinar is from noon to 1 pm on March 5. Register here.

Safeguarding Amphibians ﻿from the Invisible Invaders
2026-03-12 12:00 - 13:00
Chytrid fungi are microscopic aquatic pathogens that have caused severe amphibian declines worldwide and represent one of the largest biodiversity losses linked to disease. In Minnesota, the emerging chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans, is of growing concern for conservation and aquatic ecosystem health.
Amy Kinsley, an Assistant Professor at the U of MN College of Veterinary Medicine and Research Fellow at MAISRC will fill us in on this interesting research.
This talk introduces MN-SNAPS, Minnesota’s amphibian chytrid surveillance program, which combines field sampling and education to support prevention and early detection. The presentation will explain how chytrid fungi spread, why they matter, and how risk modeling can be used to prevent their spread. This work emphasizes the value of planning, awareness, and prevention in safeguarding amphibian health and aquatic ecosystems.
The free webinar is on March 12 at 1 pm CT. Register here.

MN COLA March Membership Meeting - March 17
2026-03-17 09:00 - 11:00
The March Membership meeting will be held on March 17, 2026 at 9 – 11 am. Click here to register anytime before the meeting. The Zoom link for the meeting will be provided following registration in an email from Zoom. Watch for it and be sure to save the email.
Here’s what’s on the agenda:

Dr. Nick Phelps from MAISRC will talk to us about compelling new research on the value of the AIS Prevention Aid. That is the program that provided $10 million annually for AIS prevention. As you may recall, the $10 million was at risk in the 2025 Legislative session but was retained for another 2 years. It is slated to be back on the chopping block, so it is vital that we all understand what it has delivered to Minnesota.
Jeff Forester from MN Lakes and Rivers Advocates will provide an update on the 2026 Legislative session that began in the middle of February. Hopefully some action will happen this year, but it is a challenge as the House is evenly split and the DFL holds a one-seat majority in the Senate.
Keegan Lund from SePro will talk about a creative approach to proactively stop the spread of starry stonewort in Minnesota. We ended 2025 with 37 waterbodies infested since the first infestation was found 10 years ago at Lake Koronis. Getting a handle on this high impact AIS is critical now! Keegan has been with us before, and you may also remember him as an AIS specialist at the DNR.

Register here.

Area Lakes Conference
2026-03-24 10:00 - 14:30
Passionate about protecting our lakes? Join us on March 24th for the Lakes Area Conference! In partnership with Kandiyohi County Coalition of Lake Associations (COLA), we’re hosting a free and engaging event for lake owners, lake associations, and anyone who cares about protecting our waters. Hear from local experts about safe wake zones and preventing shoreline damage, shoreline protection and the role of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, watershed district resources and projects, starry stonewort updates in our area, and other helpful tools for lake communities.
The event will take place at the Dethlefs Community Center (217 Hillcrest Ave, Spicer, MN) on March 24 from 10:00 AM–2:30 PM (doors open at 9:30 AM).
Please RSVP to ruth56288@gmail.com by March 9th. We look forward to seeing you there!
The event is free, but an RSVP ensures enough lunches will be available.
Download the meeting agenda here.

Wrap Recycle Right - March 31
2026-03-31 10:00 - 11:00
Sarah Bonvallet will present an overview of Minnesota’s new boat wrap recycling program, Wrap Recycle Right, created under the state’s first Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) law for boat wrap. She will explain how the law shifts recycling responsibility to producers, outline the role of key partners, and describe Minnesota’s significant volume of boat wrap waste. Also, she will describe the practical and valuable uses of the recycled boat wrap.
She will walk through how the program will operate, and the importance of collecting clean, “recycle‑ready” material. Discussing the program’s phased rollout plan, Sarah will walk members through the steps of building a state-wide program and how they can get involved.
MN State Representative Larry Kraft will provide a brief introduction to explain how his boat wrap recycling program came to be.
There will be Q&A after the presentation.
Register today for the Wrap Recycle Right Seminar
Tuesday March 31, 10-11amCT.

Genetic Options for Controlling Invasive Carp Species - May 6
2026-05-06 13:00 - 14:00
Improvements in our ability to re-write the genetics of living organisms that have been developed in the past few decades are rapidly accelerating the ability of biotechnology to address problems in medicine, agriculture, and the environment. In the area of pest and invasive species control, innovative new genetic methods are already making an impact for organisms such as mosquitoes. Our group has been developing and refining genetic methods to control aquatic invasive species. In this webinar, I will introduce the diversity of genetic pest control methods that exist, share our current progress in translating these into common carp, and forecast what still needs to be done before these approaches can impact local populations of invasive fish.
This free webinar is from noon to 1 pm on February 19. Register here.

Genetic options for controlling ﻿invasive carp species
2026-05-06 13:00 - 14:30
Improvements in our ability to re-write the genetics of living organisms that have been developed in the past few decades are rapidly accelerating the ability of biotechnology to address problems in medicine, agriculture, and the environment. In the area of pest and invasive species control, innovative new genetic methods are already making an impact for organisms such as mosquitoes. Our group has been developing and refining genetic methods to control aquatic invasive species.
Michael Smanski, Professor, Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics and Research Fellow at MAISRC will fill us in on this interesting research.
This webinar will introduce the diversity of genetic pest control methods that exist, share our current progress in translating these into common carp, and forecast what still needs to be done before these approaches can impact local populations of invasive fish.
The free webinar is on May 6 at 1 pm CT. Register here.

Lake Property Owners Stewardship Symposium 2026
2026-05-16 08:00 - 13:00
Join other lake property owners on Saturday, May 16, 2026 in a one-half day symposium, at Thumper Pond Resort, 300 Thumper Lodge Rd., Ottertail, MN 56571.
The Otter Tail County AIS Task Force and Otter Tail County Coalition of Lake Associations have released the lineup for the 2026 Lake Property Owners Lake Stewardship Symposium. The Symposium will begin with a free hot breakfast for attendees at 8:00 a.m. followed by presentations from scientists, county government officials and lake-oriented organization leaders. The event will conclude by 1:00 p.m.
Symposium Lineup:

Nick Phelps– Professor and Department Head, University of Minnesota
Chris LeClair– Director of Land & Resource, Otter Tail County
Jeff Forester– Executive Director, Minnesota Lakes & Rivers Advocates
Pete Guck– Riparian Conservation Specialist, East Otter Tail SWCD

Many organizations and agencies will be hosting table displays for consultation and dissemination of relevant lake property owner information. To reserve a table at the event contact John Kruse, OTC COLA Administrative Assistant.
There is no cost for the event including the free hot breakfast. Registrations for the event are greatly appreciated to assist in capacity planning.
To Register:
click HERE
OR
Go to www.otccola.org

MLR Leadership Summit
2026-06-03 14:00 - 17:00
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.

MN COLA Annual Membership Meeting - June 16
2026-06-16 09:00 - 11:00
Hold the date. The Annual Membership meeting will be held on June 16, 2026.

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.

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.
