January 2023

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In This Issue


What's New At MN COLA?


News



  • MN COLA’s Legislative Agenda needs YOU!
  • Governor Walz headlined the 2023 DNR Round Table
  • Whew! We accomplished a lot in 2022
  • Drones are on the way!
  • MN DNR unveils new lake health info site
  • LCCMR recommends funding 3rd phase of wake research
  • MAISRC request for research proposals
  • MAISRC announces six new projects
  • MGLP request for research proposals


Best We've Seen


  • Ripple Effects- New book about MN, WI, and MI Lakes


www.lakeadmin.org featured posts

What's New at MN COLA?


We feel like MN COLA was almost running on all cylinders in 2022. Is there more to do? The short answer is “Absolutely!”


Read on for what 2023 has in store. 


More information

Photo: Minnesota Historical Society

Help Wanted: MN COLA’s Legislative Agenda needs YOU!


The 2023 Minnesota Legislature convened on January 3rd with over sixty new members among the 67 Senators and 134 Representatives. MN COLA has its work cut out to help make things happen on our Legislative Agenda to address our surface water quality issues, and we need your help!


Read on to get insights into the 2023 Legislative session, see the critical items on MN COLA’s Legislative Agenda, and get suggestions and next actions for you to take to help us in this truly important effort.


More information

Photo credit: Jim Kutzner



2023 MN DNR Roundtable Opening Conversation: L-R DNR Commissioner Sarah Strommen, Governor Tim Walz, and Ann Mulholland, Nature Conservancy Chapter Director for MN, ND, and SD


Governor Walz headlined the 2023 DNR Roundtable


Governor Walz and DNR leadership kicked off 2023 at the DNR Roundtable on January 20, 2023, with their proposed 2024-25 budget and goals for the current Legislative session.


MN COLA executives Blaine Barkley and Jim Kutzner were there and provided this update.


More information

Whew! We accomplished a lot in 2022


Your MN COLA Board and Executive Committee worked very hard on your behalf in 2022 and we believe we moved the needle on delivering greater value to you, advocacy, and becoming a more professional organization. We feel proud of these accomplishments, and we hope that you do too.


Read on for a review of the past year. 


More information

Overhead drone video showing a well operating septic system

Drones are on the way!



Drones are a new and exciting technology, but when it comes to lakes what can we actually do with them? A team in Michigan is exploring practical and cost-effective uses of drones and provides an in-depth report to date.


More information

MN DNR unveils new lake health info site


As a new part of the MN DNR’s Watershed Health Assessment Framework, the lakes section is now available online. It provides easy access to water quality and health information for thousands of Minnesota lakes.


In the new site, you can find detailed information about a lake’s water quality, biology, hydrology, and stewardship. You can drill down to an individual lake by major watershed, county, catchment, and more.


More information

Source: Pro Stock Images

LCCMR recommends funding 3rd phase of wake research


The 3rd phase of wake research will expand the U of MN’s existing research on boat generated waves and prop wash impacts, and will also research wind generated waves to parse out similarities and differences to boat generated waves.


The project was recommended by the Legislative-Citizens Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR) for approval by the MN Legislature in the Legacy funding bill in the session that started this month.


More information

Request for research proposals


The Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center (MAISRC) is now seeking proposals for research studies to advance control and management, prevent establishment and spread, assess risk, and allow for early detection of aquatic invasive species (AIS) in Minnesota.


Pre-proposals are due Wednesday, March 1, 2023 by 11:59 pm.


Please click the link below to visit our website for the full announcement and application materials.


More information

MAISRC Announces six new projects


The Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center (MAISRC) at the University of Minnesota announces the launch of six new research projects. These projects were selected as part of a competitive proposal process following a comprehensive research needs assessment conducted by MAISRC. The results of these projects will lead to better prevention of aquatic invasive species and improved management of Minnesota’s resources, including the species impacted by AIS.


More information

Request for proposals

 2024 Lake Conservation Grant


MGLP supports conservation projects that work toward meeting the goals and objectives set forth in the MGLP Strategic Plan to benefit glacial lake fish habitats, which include addressing the chemical, physical, and biological components of the habitats that fishes found in glacial lakes use throughout their lives. MGLP has directed funding toward a wide range of aquatic conservation projects that benefit imperiled, endangered, and recreational fish species and their habitats. MGLP typically funds 3-5 projects annually between $30,000 and $100,000, but larger projects will be considered for funding up to a maximum of the approximately $360,000 expected for distribution. Projects have been successfully implemented because contributions and capabilities of many partners have been combined to accomplish project goals that none of the partnering entities could accomplish on their own. 


More information

New Book about MN, WI and MI Lakes


The subheading tells it all... “we’re loving our lakes to death”. This book should be required reading by every shore owner. The author describes how we’ve gotten to this point, what all the big issues are, and in the last chapter he poses some solutions. It’s published by the University of Wisconsin Press and you can get it from all major book retailers.


More information

www.lakeadmin.org

AIS * Water Quality * Administration * Regulation


Featured Posts - January 2023


MN COLA Board of Directors

(As of June 2022)

Blaine Barkley

Jan Beliveau

Uldis Birznieks

Kevin Farnum, Vice-President

Lynn Goodrich

David Helgerson

Curtiss Hunt

Kathy Jonsrud, Treasurer

Jim Kutzner

Tom Nelson, Secretary

Ruth Schaefer

Joe Shneider, President

Tom Watson