Protecting the Sauk River Chain: 2026 Invasive Milfoil Management Update

This fall, the Sauk River Chain of Lakes Association (SRCLA) completed targeted invasive milfoil treatments across 25.4 acres on five lakes, marking another important step in protecting our lakes and preserving recreational opportunities.
🔎 From Science to Action
In August, Endangered Resource Services (ERS) conducted detailed surveys to map invasive milfoil throughout the Chain. Using these findings, SRCLA's AIS Committee worked with AKA Collaborative to prioritize areas based on infestation severity, potential for spread, lake connectivity, previous management efforts, available funding, and permitting limitations. Some identified treatment areas were deferred to 2027 due to annual treatment acreage restrictions.
🌱 Targeted Fall Treatments | October 5–6
Professional applicators AquaTerra Solutions (ATS) and Professional Lake & Land Management (PLM) completed treatments using ProcellaCOR EC, a selective herbicide that has demonstrated successful, multi-year control of invasive milfoil on the Chain.
At the targeted application rates, ProcellaCOR has proven highly effective against invasive milfoil while preserving desirable native aquatic vegetation. This ability to achieve lasting control without requiring annual retreatment makes it a valuable tool in SRCLA's long-term management strategy.
2026 Treatment Areas:

• Cedar Island Lake — 7.4 acres (ATS)

• Great Northern Lake — 9.7 acres (PLM)

• Horseshoe Lake — 5.8 acres (ATS)

• Long Lake — 1.7 acres (ATS)

• Zumwalde Lake — 0.8 acres (PLM)

📊 What's Next?
In 2027, follow-up surveys will evaluate treatment effectiveness and native vegetation response. Building on the success of previous treatments and the potential for sustained, multi-year control, invasive milfoil management will remain a priority in 2027, with additional areas considered for targeted treatment.
🤝 A Collaborative Effort
This work was made possible through the combined efforts of SRCLA, AKA Collaborative, Endangered Resource Services, AquaTerra Solutions, Professional Lake & Land Management, the Minnesota DNR, and Stearns County.
Special thanks to Stearns County for its $27,589.76 AIS grant, supporting comprehensive aquatic vegetation surveys and invasive milfoil management throughout the Chain.
📄 Want to Learn More?
Interested in the science, treatment plans, and long-term strategy behind these efforts? Explore our technical reports, including the 2026 Invasive Milfoil Aquatic Pesticide Application Plan and 2026 Year in Review & 2027 AIS Management Proposal (Stearns County), available on the SRCLA website.
Together, we're building a more informed, coordinated approach to protecting the Sauk River Chain for generations to come. Stay tuned for the full season wrap up.

Thank you!

A huge shout out to our Fall Road Clean Up Crew - Dave & Julie Will, Lee Steckman, Wayne Karg, and Earl & Katie Von Endee. Thank you for spending your morning helping to keep the chain clean! We hope to see more members join in the Spring!

Thank you - Sauk River Trash Bash 2026!

A huge shout out to everyone who helped out with the Sauk River Trash Bash! 🌊💚
You helped make this community cleanup a major success. Together, 45 volunteers came out, and we cleared a massive amount of debris from the river (including a fishing rod, a chair, and lots of golf balls! 🎣🪑). We truly appreciate your support in keeping our waters clean!
If you missed it or you just like to help out - there is another opportunity to participate on Oct 24 with the SRCLA Roadside Clean up - contact Earl Von Ende at evonende@comcast.net for more info.

SRCLA President Richard Gallea, SRCLA Board member Mike Hidding and his wife, Jenny

Cold Spring Dam Meeting

Five SRCLA board members were among dozens of people that attended an informational meeting Oct 6 on a feasibility study for the possible replacement of the Cold Spring dam with rock arch rapids.  Hosted by the Stearns Conservation District (SCD), speakers included reps from the DNR and the engineering firm that will conduct the study.

Key takeaways:

• No preferred location or design has been selected

• Maintaining water levels and hydraulic function is primary requirement

All attendees received the handout below with a QR code that goes to this site, which contains the presentations from the meeting.  Additional public meetings will be scheduled as the feasibility study nears completion late this year or early next.  The SRCLA will post details of upcoming meetings to keep our membership informed.

Minnesota's County AIS Prevention Aid facing cuts in 2027

Minnesota's County AIS Prevention Aid program, which yields a hundredfold return on investment in cleanup cost savings, faces a 50% funding reduction beginning in 2027. These impending cuts threaten local water quality, fishing economies, and property values across the state unless preventative measures are sustained. What can you do?

• Contact state legislators: Reach out to state representatives to advocate for reversing the scheduled 50% funding cut before it takes effect in 2027. Emphasize that the program has kept taxpayer costs under $2 a year while saving millions in long-term management. Your local State Representative is Lisa Demuth Phone: (651) 296-4373 Email: rep.lisa.demuth@house.mn.gov

• Continue to practice standard AIS prevention: Continuously clean, drain, and dry all watercraft, trailers, and equipment when moving between water bodies to prevent the physical spread of species like zebra mussels.

Many Minnesotans don’t value aquatic plants. The state’s lakes are paying a price.

Minnesotans love their lakes, but many treat native aquatic plants as "weeds" to be cleared away. An informative new piece from MPR News explores how pulling up these plants disrupts vital ecosystems, accelerates shoreline erosion, and leaves lakes vulnerable to aggressive invasive species. Scientists and tribal researchers are now urging a shift in perspective to protect our underwater forests before it's too late.🌊

Read the full story here: https://www.mprnews.org/story/2026/09/14/many-minnesotans-dont-value-aquatic-plants-the-states-lakes-are-paying-a-price

Notice of Public Hearing

TWO Volunteer Opportunities!

It takes a village—and a lot of hands—to keep our local waters beautiful! We have two fantastic volunteer opportunities coming up to help keep the Sauk River and Chain of Lakes clean, beautiful, and healthy!
1. Sauk River Cleanup (Cold Spring Area)
When: Saturday, October 3 9:30AM Frogtown Park
Who: Sauk River Watershed District
What: Volunteering to pick up trash along the shores of the Sauk River in and around Cold Spring.
Sign-up: Visit StearnsCD.org/rivercleanup to register and get more details.

2. Sauk River Chain of Lakes Association Fall Clean Up
When: Saturday, October 24 10AM
Who: Sauk River Chain of Lakes Association
What: Focusing cleanup efforts on the area near the Highway 22 Landing.
Sign-up: To join this effort, please contact Earl Von Ende directly at evonende@comcast.net

Attention Boaters, Anglers, and Shoreline Residents

We all play a role in helping contain invasive species, whether you're a boater, an angler, or a shoreline resident. Here are some helpful reminders from the DNR on what you can do if you are one, two, or all three of these!

Download a PDF of the Attention Boater information.

Download a PDF of the Attention Angler information.

Download a PDF of the Attention Shoreline Resident information.

Starry Trek Results

Thank you to the 173 volunteers who helped protect Minnesota lakes during this year's Starry Trek event. 266 public accesses were searched, and 230 water bodies were checked across Minnesota. You can view past records from 2017 to today on the Starry Trek Results Map. Save the Date! The 2027 Starry Trek event will take place on August 14th.

Our latest Lake Stewards!

Having enjoyed a weekend cabin on Little Cedar Island Lake, Jenny and Mike Hidding recently upgraded to a full-time home on Koetter Lake. Given the robust, mature buffer zone along the shoreline, they wondered if it met the criteria for the Lake Steward program. Do you want to see if your property qualifies? Take the Quiz here! Congrats Jenny and Mike!

Educational Opportunities

Curious about the natural world right in our backyard? Join ROCORI Community Education and the Sauk River Watershed District for three events:

• Watersheds 101

• Doing it Different: Habitat Help for Lawns, Shorelines & Pollinators

• Smart Salting.

All are online and cost $10 each to attend. Learn more here:
https://rocori.ce.eleyo.com/search?redirected_yet=true&sf[category]=78

Throwback Thursday?

More like a trip back to the 1850s!

🕰️We recently had a request for photos or maps of the area before the dam was put in. After digging into the history books, we know the dam was implemented in 1857. This map is from an 1874 publication. It doesn't have an exact date printed on it, but you can clearly see it features the landscape before the dam was built.We’ve checked with the local Area Historical Society and the Stearns Co. Museum, but now we’re turning to you! Do you have any maps or photos from way back then? Let us know! 🗺️📸

About those Wake Zones…

A recent comment on Facebook reminded us of a post we made last year about differences in No Wake zones across the Chain. Of the seven No Wake zones, two are in effect all year, whether buoys are in place or not. Those two zones are the channel between Little Cedar and Cedar Island Lake, as well as the section of the Sauk River between the Hwy 23 bridge in Cold Spring and the Co. Rd. 2 bridge.
For the five other No Wake zones, restrictions are only in effect between Memorial Day and Labor Day. However, in the interests of maintaining a healthy Chain, let's all slow down in those areas all year long, as wake-induced erosion doesn't stop when the buoys are absent.

Native plants, lots of patience: How a Stearns County couple restored a damaged lakeshore

You might recognize this article from 2024.  It spotlights a parcel on our very own Chain that was converted to a natural shoreline 20 years ago. Click here to access.

NEW AIS FOUND: Help us keep eyes on the Chain!

Purple loosestrife has been identified on a shoreline of the Sauk River Chain during this season’s chainwide point-intercept survey. The known occurrence is limited, making early detection and rapid response especially important. We’re asking shoreline property owners to be on the lookout: check your shoreline, keep an eye on neighboring properties, and know what to look for as you’re out around the Chain.

Prevention and Early Detection and Rapid Response (EDRR) are some of our best strategies for keeping a new invasive species finding from becoming a larger management challenge.

👉 Read our new article to learn how to identify purple loosestrife and what to do if you find it. Contact any member of the AIS Team on the Board if you have questions.

Know the plant. Keep watch. Help us keep eyes on the Chain.

Stay connected!

The Stearns County new community notification system is to keep you updated on critical safety alerts, road closures, and department news.This system is also your direct line for boating and water safety updates. By signing up, you will receive immediate no-wake alerts during high-water events so you can navigate our waterways safely. Fortunately, high water has not been an issue so far in 2026, but being prepared ensures we stay safe whenever conditions change. Detailed news release here.

Technical Brief: Understanding Eurasian Watermilfoil, Its Hybrids, and the Role of Genetic Testing

Make it stand out

Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Make it stand out

Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Make it stand out

Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Make it stand out

Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Lake Monitoring Underway This Week

Endangered Resource Services (ERS) is out on the Sauk River Chain of Lakes this week conducting a chainwide point-intercept survey, along with targeted delineation of invasive milfoil.
A point-intercept survey is essentially a systematic check-up of aquatic vegetation throughout the lakes. ERS visits established locations across the Chain to document what plants are growing, where they are found and how abundant they are. During this work, they are also on the lookout for other aquatic invasive species and emerging threats, including purple loosestrife, flowering rush, and starry stonewort.
The additional milfoil delineation takes a closer look at areas where invasive milfoil is present to better understand its current distribution and help inform management decisions.
SRCLA will continue to share updates as the data comes back, particularly as it relates to invasive milfoil and any management activities planned for 2026. Collecting consistent, scientifically sound data is a key part of building successful long-term management programs for the Chain and everyone who enjoys it.

Natural Shorelines = Healthy Lakes

Natural Shorelines help our lakes' water quality, wildlife, and pollinators. Learn how you can become a Lake Steward and join others across Minnesota in helping to keep our lakes healthy and beautiful.

This shoreline series is a project with Minnesota Lakes and Rivers Advocates. Go here https://www.srcl.org/lake-steward-initiative to learn more about the Sauk River Chain of Lakes Association's Lake Steward initiatives.