What’s the state of Minnesota lakes? Lake health consequences of climate change, loss of fish and wildlife habitat, and reduction in water quality will be covered. Based on the sciences of hydrology and biology, methods to improve our lake stewardship will be shared and discussed.

Presenter: Paul J. Radomski, Lake Ecologist, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

Paul J. Radomski is a lake ecologist and fisheries biologist. He has worked for more than 38 years on fisheries and lake management issues and is a lead scientific expert on lakeshore habitat management.

Enhancing Understanding of Chloride and HAB Distribution in Rural Minnesota Lakes through Participatory Science

Two major threats to the health of Minnesota lakes are chloride from road salt and water softeners and harmful algal blooms (HABs) from nutrient influx. Chloride and the nutrients responsible for producing HABs enter lakes through runoff and inadequately maintained septic systems. Both problems can degrade water quality and harm aquatic ecosystems, and HABs pose health risks to humans, pets, livestock, and wildlife.

These two problems are particularly challenging to track because runoff events that bring chloride and nutrients into lakes don’t have a single-point source and are episodic, making chloride influxes and HAB occurrences unpredictable. As a result, we have a poor understanding of 1) when and where chloride influxes and HABs will occur, 2) how chloride moves within a lake, 3) why the frequency of HABs is increasing over time, and 4) what types of algae and toxins are present in blooms. This presentation will highlight an upcoming project seeking to improve understanding of the timing, location, and distribution of chloride and HABs in rural Minnesota lakes. To achieve this, we will use community-based participatory science to establish a collaborative volunteer network to track chloride levels and HABs in local lakes.

Presenter: Hilarie Sorenson, Water Resources Extension Educator, University of Minnesota Sea Grant Program

Hilarie Sorensen is the Water Resources Extension Educator with Minnesota Sea Grant. Her work focuses on helping Minnesotans address complex water quality issues in Lake Superior and inland lakes and streams by delivering accessible, credible science, resources, and programs to meet their needs. Hilarie's background includes research on species range shifts due to changing environmental conditions, marine trophic ecology, partnership development, the incorporation of interdisciplinary and ecosystem-based approaches to watershed management, conducting water quality monitoring, and finding research-driven solutions to address complex water resource challenges. Hilarie holds a Master's of Marine Biology from the University of Oregon and a Master's of Environmental Studies from Lakehead University in Ontario, Canada.

How to Manage Invasive Cattail in Minnesota Lakes

One important characteristic of a healthy lake in Minnesota is a diverse community of aquatic plants in the nearshore zone. These vegetated areas provide crucial spawning and rearing habitat for most fishes and important food and habitat resources that sustain the entire lake's food web. An important characteristic of a healthy aquatic plant community is that there are a variety of physical plant forms living together. For example, you might see floating-leaved plants (such as lily pads), emergent plants (such as bulrush), and submerged plants (such as pond weeds and water celery) mixed. You may also see some open areas with no visible plants; in other words, a healthy nearshore zone is "patchy" and has many different types of plants coexisting. In many lakes in Minnesota, invasive, hybrid cattails are overtaking nearshore zones and altering the habitat by forming dense, homogenous stands of invasive cattails. These dense stands can have negative effects on lake ecosystems and can be a nuisance to landowners as they prevent lake access and overtake shoreline areas. Our work aims to understand how we can manage invasive cattails in our lakes to restore nearshore plant community diversity, maintain water quality, benefit fishes and other organisms, and keep our lakes healthy.

Presenter: Amy Schrank, Extension Program Leader and Fisheries and Aquaculture Extension Educator, University of Minnesota Sea Grant Program

Amy Schrank is the Extension Program Leader and a Fisheries and Aquaculture Extension Educator at Minnesota Sea Grant. She is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology at the University of Minnesota. Her current research interests include understanding the effects of dam removal on stream fishes and what impact invasive, hybrid cattail has on fish communities in Minnesota lakes. Her outreach work involves collaborating with fisheries and aquaculture researchers, managers, and other interested groups to provide research support and communicate water science to communities.

Minnesota has a growing problem with salty water reaching our streams, lakes, and also the groundwater. Currently, 67 streams and lakes in Minnesota have so much salt in them that they fail to meet water quality standards. Three of these lakes (Agnes, Henry, and Winona) are in the Alexandria area. This same salt also is transported to the groundwater, which supplies about three-quarters of the state’s drinking water. This presentation will explore Minnesota’s groundwater resources, show how scientists collect samples of groundwater for chloride, and present what is known on the current chloride levels in the groundwater as well as show how chloride levels are trending.

Presenter: Sharon Kroening, Research Scientist, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

Sharon Kroening is a research scientist with 30 years of experience studying the quality of streams, lakes, and the groundwater. She holds degrees in Chemistry and Civil Engineering from the University of Minnesota and currently works with a great team of scientists monitoring the groundwater for the Pollution Control Agency. In her free time, she likes to run, bicycle, camp, and read.

Aquatic Invasive Species in West Central Minnesota: What You Should Know, What You Can Do

Next to climate change, aquatic invasive species (AIS) is a critical environmental concern of our time. AIS can harm our lakes and rivers, impair recreation, and negatively impact community economies and jobs that rely upon healthy lakes and rivers. Currently, the West Central region of Minnesota is addressing AIS spread through prevention, control, and minimizing harmful impacts. Join the conversation to learn about what is being done, how communities and partners are being engaged in your area, and how you can help prevent AIS spread.

Presenter: Doug Jensen, Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Planner, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

For over three decades, Doug Jensen has incorporated science-based strategies to foster behavior change through effective AIS community outreach. Nationally, he helped create and continues to support two campaigns, Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers!™, Habitattitude™, and many other regional and local programs. He has received many national and regional awards and published dozens of scientific papers and outreach materials. He has served on many national, regional and state task forces, assisting to improve AIS prevention efforts. Doug is current Chair of the regional Great Lakes Panel on Aquatic Nuisance Species’ Outreach Coordination Committee, member of the Minnesota Invasive Species Advisory Council, and last month co-chaired the ninth biennial 2024 Upper Midwest Invasive Species Conference in Duluth, which has grown to be the largest invasive species venue in the world with presenters and attendees from 26 states, 3 provinces, and 3 countries. Doug earned a Masters in Education and a BS in Biology from the University of Minnesota Duluth.

Keeping P Out of Lakes

This talk will address the problem of phosphorus (P), the main nutrient that causes lakes to turn green ("eutrophic"), with a focus on how P enters waterways and how this knowledge can contribute to strategies to reduce this P input. Three studies will be used to illustrate these concepts:

• An extensive study of the P balance for an intensively farmed (corn and hogs) watershed surrounding Albert Lea, with a surprising result.
• A study of P inputs from boulevard trees to streets, and from there to stormwater and then surface waters. This study informed a new program to make street sweeping a formal (legal) P reduction strategy for stormwater management.
• A study that examined the relationship between shoreline development on lake clarity, based on historical records of development and water clarity for 11 lakes, several in the Alexandria area. A hint: not all lakes got greener!

A key conclusion from these studies and others is that "source reduction" strategies to reduce inputs of P to surface waters can be very effective, economically efficient, and sustainable, reducing our reliance on structural stormwater practices (stormwater ponds, etc.).

Presenter: Lawrence Baker, Ph.D., Research Professor Emeritus, Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering, University of Minnesota, St. Paul

Larry Baker, Ph.D. is a Research Professor Emeritus at the University of Minnesota. He studied water issues for 40 years, focusing on human ecosystems—mainly cities and farms—nearly always with the goal of finding practical solutions to environmental problems. One focus of his research has been the movement of nutrients in both agricultural watersheds and cities, with the goal of improving nutrient management. In addition to authoring or co-authoring about 120 technical publications and editing two books, including The Water Environment of Cities, Dr. Baker has written several dozen articles for public audiences and continues to do so in retirement. Most mornings he can be found at Dunn Bros. on Snelling Ave., St. Paul, working on his first novel.

How healthy are our rivers? What we know about river health and water quality

Rivers are very complex, dynamic, and fascinating ecosystems. River health, specifically water quality, is affected by a variety of factors within the channel and throughout the watershed. River health is an indicator of watershed health. We will review the ways water quality is affected around the state, how the aquatic plants and animals are affected, and steps that can be taken to improve water quality and overall stream health.

Presenter: Amy Childers, Training and Outreach Coordinator, River Ecology Unit, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

Amy Childers is the Training and Outreach Coordinator for the MN DNR River Ecology Unit. She has been involved in a variety of outreach projects and activities, coordinating professional stream science workshops, and assisting in river research and restoration. Amy was born and raised in NE Iowa and has always had a passion for aquatic ecosystems. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Iowa State University then a master’s and PhD in chemical oceanography from the University of Alaska Fairbanks where she started a family. She then moved back to the Midwest and began her career with the MN DNR in 2007..