Be a Hero Transport Zero - Clean Off Your Anchor.

Fight the spread of aquatic invaders. Be a hero, transport zero. Remove all weeds from your watercraft and equipment before leaving the lake access to help stop the spread of aquatic invasive species.

How Well Do you Know Minnesota? Part 1

There are so many water quality issues for which there is no simple solution. But the spread of Aquatic Invasive Species has a simple solution - if everyone thoroughly Cleaned, Drained and Dried their boats and water related equipment after each use, and then inspected it prior to each use in a new water body, AIS would not spread. This is why education is the cornerstone of all efforts to protect our lakes and rivers from aquatic invasive species."~Jeff Forester, Executive Director, Minnesota Lakes and Rivers Advocates.

Be a Hero Transport Zero - Drain All Water

Fight the spread of aquatic invaders. Be a hero, transport zero. Drain all water from your watercraft before leaving the lake access to help stop the spread of aquatic invasive species.

Response to Weeds on the Chain

Our members concerns, are our concerns.  Listen to Association President, Brad Matuska, as he provides insight into weed growth being seen in areas of the Chain, as well as what has been done and what can be done.

Stop the Spread: How to Get AIS OUT of your boat - Webinar

Join us for an enlightening webinar as we explore the cutting-edge research on preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS) among waterbodies!

Discover how innovative boat cleaning tools, meticulously tested, can effectively remove AIS. From hand removal to waterless tools to low-pressure rinsing and their combinations, learn which methods yield the best results for various types of boats.

Click here to register.

Contact Sami at sami@mnlakesandrivers.org for more information.

Curly-leaf Pondweed Chemical Treatment on Knaus Completed

Knaus Lake chemical treatment map (completed on 4/30/24) shown below.

Curly-leaf Pondweed Treatment Update

Limnopro Aquatic Science chemically treated curly-leaf pondweed on April 24. The blue areas indicate the spots that we requested from the DNR for treatment, and the red areas indicate what was approved and what was treated. You can see that we requested much more area than what was approved.

Lawns to Legumes: Your Yard Can BEE the Change

The Lawns to Legumes program offers a combination of workshops, coaching, planting guides and cost-share funding (individual support grants) for installing pollinator-friendly native plantings in residential lawns. Go to the MN Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) site to learn more: https://bwsr.state.mn.us/l2l

Lake Level Update

The river stage has crested at St. Martin and is beginning to drop. The SRCL elevation has also peaked and will slowly start to decline, unless we experience another significant precipitation event.

For those planning to put their docks in the water, the level is currently at its peak. Keep an eye on updates in case of any changes.

View the current status here: https://srcl.org/water-level-horseshoe

Message from MN COLA president Joe Schneider

“We have met the enemy and he is us” Commentary by Joe Shneider

 It’s a paradox.

 Waterfront property owners are generally very aware of AIS and how it can change the lakes and rivers that we love. And we fight every year to stop the spread and contain the damage so that we can keep our water quality strong. We fight against the other boaters who are doing this to our lakes and river.

 Yet, year by year, decade by decade, we degrade those same waters by our own actions. We clear the view from our houses to the water’s edge. We lay down lawns where there was natural vegetation. We put riprap on the banks to keep the waves from destroying our property. We’ve transitioned from seasonal use of our waterfront property to permanent residences. We break larger lots into many; with each lot making further changes to the shore.

Every one of those actions reduces the amount of natural shoreline that protects the quality of the water… naturally. As cartoonist Walt Kelly coined for Earth Day in 1970: “We have met the enemy and he is us”

 MN COLA is proud to be a part of the Natural Shorelines Partnership with MN Lakes and Rivers Advocates, the MN DNR, UMN-Extension, BWSR, Freshwater, County SWCD’s, various Watershed Districts, and others to raise the awareness of the loss of natural shorelines, and to support actions to retain and reclaim nature’s designs to protect the quality of the water.

 Here are a few resources to help you:

 Minnesota DNR’s Natural Shorelines website

 Shoreland Programs:

• Minnesota Lakes and Rivers Lake Steward Program

• Stearns County Shoreline/Streambank Erosion Control & Restoration

• Gull Chain of Lakes Association Lake Steward Program

• Itasca Waters Shoreland Advisors program

• Deer Lake Association Shoreland Initiative

 Let's be good stewards of our public waters and work with your shoreline neighbors to do the same. Your children and grandchildren will thank you!

 Joe Shneider
Minnesota Coalition of Lake Associations

Minnesota’s Vanishing Natural Shorelines: A Loss that Contributes to Degraded Lake Quality

The Natural Shoreline Partnership’s Statement of Purpose (click to open) was formulated out of discussions with non-profit organizational leaders and government (state and local) natural resource professionals concerned about the continuing loss of shoreline vegetation, which helps protect clean water, habitat, lakeshore character, and recreation.

Minnesota Natural Shoreline Partnership:

Anne Sawyer (UMN-Extension)*, Chris Pence (BWSR), Dan Petrik (DNR), Dan Shaw (BWSR), Greg Berg (Stearns County SWCD), Jeff Forester (Minnesota Lakes and Rivers Advocates), Jeff Hrubes (BWSR), Jennifer Shillcox (DNR), Joe Shneider (MN COLA), John Linc Stine (Freshwater Society)*, Kris Meyer (Freshwater Society), Kristin Carlson (DNR), Paul Radomski (DNR), Steve Kloiber (DNR), Tom Nelson (Itasca County SWCD), Wade Johnson (DNR), Jason Moeckel (DNR), Nick Neuman (Stearns County Environmental Services), Becky Rice (Blue Thumb), Beth Carreno (Comfort Lake-Forest Lake Watershed District), Annie Knight (NWLT), Elizabeth Mboutchom (NWLT), Nicole Ward (DNR).

* - past member

Response from the DNR about the Cold Spring Dam

In the fall of 2023, the SRCLA Board began a discussion with stakeholders about potentially changing the Cold Spring Dam. Consecutive years of flooding and drought conditions caused the Board to approach the MN DNR, who owns the dam, to see if there were options to modify the dam. The other stakeholders involved were Senator Howe, Representative Demuth, Commissioner Bertram, and representatives from the Soil and Water Conservation District and the Watershed District. After fact finding and other discussions, this letter was the MN DNR's response. The SRCLA will continue discussions where appropriate and will continue to monitor the options.

In addition, find a great article “What can (and should) I do about fluctuating water levels on my property?” from the DNR.

2023 Water Quality Report

The 2023 Water Quality Report is now available. This is the product of a partnership with the Sauk River Watershed District, which we have been doing since the early 80s. The data shows a trend of improving water quality over the years. In addition, we started measuring temperature and dissolved oxygen at various depths for the first time!

NEW LEGISLATION: Sec. 66 Storing Garbage and Waste On Ice

Minnesota has new legislation that issues fines for leaving garbage or waste on the ice. Ice is no place for your garbage and waste. Legally contain and dispose of it. Thank you! Click here to view the details.

**The SRCLA has no affiliation with keepitcleanmn.org**

Sauk River Chain of Lakes Aquatic Plant Management End of Year Report 2023

Thank you to our partners MN DNR, Limnopro Aquatic Science, Tigris (formerly Black Lagoon), and Weeds Up for help in assessing and managing aquatic plants, including the invasives curly-leaf pondweed and hybrid watermilfoil, in the Chain for 2023! Click here to accerss the 2023 Year End Report of all the work that was done. We will use this information to help us plan for 2024. Please send any questions to gene.j.krebs@gmail.com.

Healthy Waters Initiative Update

Researchers affiliated with the University of Minnesota have been analyzing two elements of interest to lakeshore owners.  The St. Anthony Falls Laboratory (SAFL) completed research on the impact of boat-generated waves in 2020 and have published their findings here:  www.sites.google.com/umn.edu/healthywatersinitiative/welcome

They tested two different types of watercraft: wakesurf boats and runabouts.  As you might expect, the wave energy from wakesurf boats is two or more times higher than for runabouts, largely because wakesurf boats tend to be operated at slower speeds (sub-planing), whereas runabouts are often “planed out”.  This is the summary from the SAFL website:

“This project sought to characterize boat-generated waves by recreational watercraft common to Minnesota, including wakesurfing boats. The effort focused on lake shore environments typical of Minnesota.

During the study, five sensors were used to measure the height, energy, and power of waves generated by non-wakesurf and wakesurf boats. It was found that wakesurf boats produced the largest waves under all conditions evaluated, with the overall largest waves generated during slow plowing speeds associated with the sport of wakesurfing. The study also showed that when wakesurf boats operate under their typical wakesurfing conditions, they require greater distances to reduce their wave characteristics to levels equivalent to non-wakesurf boat operating under their typical on-plane conditions.”

We’re also looking forward to the next SAFL report, which will cover the impact of prop wash (thrust dynamics) on the water column and lake bottom.  SAFL intended to publish the report this fall, but they decided they needed a bit more time to assess “interesting but unanticipated phenomena” that emerged during data analysis.  The prop wash report will be published in the spring and the SRCLA will post a link to those results when they’re available.

To review Phase I or learn more, visit the Healthy Waters Initiative website: www.sites.google.com/umn.edu/healthywatersinitiative/welcome

Flowering Rush New Infestation and Innovative Control Project

The Stearns Coalition of Lake Associations, under the direction of Brad Matuska, completed the 2 year project of finding and treating the invasive species, flowering rush, which is making its way down the Sauk River and could infest the Chain. Click here to view the report.

Cold Spring Property Acquisition Update

The SRCLA Board is sharing this press release from Stearn County Parks as part of the our mission to keep our members informed on matters of interest to the Chain. Here is a link to the Press Release online.

The Stearns County Board of Commissioners approved entering into a donation agreement with Pheasants Forever at the County Board meeting held on October 24, 2023.

The purpose of the agreement is to formalize the donation and conveyance of the Cold Spring property from Pheasants Forever to Stearns County.

It also directs the County and Pheasants Forever to enter into a restoration and development agreement as Pheasants Forever has funds to complete upland and wetland restorations and some additional funds to assist with minor development activities, such as a small parking lot and possibly the removal of a silo. 

Pheasants Forever has approved and signed the donation agreement.

Pheasants Forever anticipates closing on the property in the middle to end of November and the County anticipates the land donation to occur before the end of this year.

The Parks Department is working on the property management plan and will have a draft available for comment in late winter/early spring 2024.

The County Board, at their January 17, 2023, meeting "Authorize County Staff to continue working with Pheasants Forever to complete the Cold Spring property acquisition and approved the use of $333,450.98 out of the General Fund's fund balance, left over from CARES funding, to assist with the acquisition."

2023 Fall Chain Link Featured Story

Magazine Cover Photo Contest Winner!

CONGRAtULATIONS to Susan Drucker who won our magazine cover photo contest and received a hand-made SRCLA mug. Susan’s photo also appeared on the Fall edition of the SRCLA Chain Link Magazine.