The Confluence is a monthly electronic
newsletter for members of Minnesota Waters providing up-to-date
information and resources to help citizens protect
In this
issue:
Resources for
Conferences, Confabs and
Conglomerations
The Bucks Start Here - Funding
Resources
It has been interesting seeing
input from the Board and the Board would like to hear from you, not only on The
Confluence, but on other matters that concern you. For comments to the
Board, contact Dick Fowler richard.fowler@comcast.net
or Julie Klocker julieklocker@yahoo.com
~
From Our Gambling
Manager
Minnesota Waters would like to
offer our
News on the Executive
Director
After three years of guiding the
Rivers Council of Minnesota and the Minnesota Lakes Association into becoming
Minnesota Waters, Executive Director
For information on Minnesota Waters
please visit our webpage: www.minnesotawaters.org
Loll Designs supports
Greg Benson, Loll Designs (www.lolldesigns.com) located in Duluth,
MN, wrote “we have just completed our first year with Loll, a new
outdoor furniture company with a corporate concept of trying to evolve a product
line to be socially and environmentally beneficial as well as economically
viable. Although we ship Loll furniture globally, with environmental donations
we are standing by the principal of thinking globally and acting locally. We are
member #610 with 1% for the
Planet, and are committed to giving back to the environment
that we appreciate so much and that is so vital to all of us. We greatly
appreciate the constant vigilance and difficult effort to protect the
environment from constant encroachment and we trust that this donation will help
to that end.”
One Percent for the
Planet is an
alliance of companies that recognize the true environmental cost of doing
business and donate 1% of their sales to approved environmental organizations of
their choice worldwide. Since 2002, 1% For The Planet has inspired members of
the business community to contribute 1% of sales to environmental groups around
the world. In return, this growing alliance of companies is given the
opportunity not only to see their self-worth rise, but their net worth climb as
well. More information is available at http://www.onepercentfortheplanet.org/
Whole Foods 5% Day May
8th Whole Foods Market at 3060
Excelsior Boulevard, near Lake Calhoun, in Minneapolis, is hosting a 5% day in
support of Minnesota Waters on May 8th. The venue will provide an
opportunity to introduce Minnesota Waters mission, vision and programs to
shoppers with the hopes of gaining new members and supporters! At the end of the
day 5% of sales will be dedicated to Minnesota Waters!!!
Volunteers Needed! We are planning to have Minnesota
Waters staff, board and volunteers on site to help greet and meet customers and
make new friends. If you are interested in volunteering a few hours on May
8th contact the
Nominations sought for 2008 Annual
Awards
Minnesota Waters partnered with
Barr Engineering, Crystal-Pierz Marine, HDR Engineering and Wenck Associates,
Inc. in 2007 to recognize the exemplary achievements of individuals,
associations, organizations and communities that work to achieve its mission to
protect and improve the rivers, lakes and watersheds of
2008 Annual Awards
Timeline
Nomination forms are available on
the MW website, by email at info@minnesotawaters.org or by
calling the
·
May 15 -
Nominations are due by mail or email
·
June 15
- Announcement of winners
·
August
13 - Annual Awards Ceremony followed by RiverNight
2008
CRITERIA -Successful outcomes of
their lake management projects; Successful education and outreach; Strong
involvement of their membership; and, demonstrated partnerships with local and
state government and natural resource agencies
2008 River Friendly Community Award
honors cities that
recognize rivers for their beauty, economic, historic, cultural and ecological
value and that are taking creative and progressive steps to restore and preserve
rivers.
CRITERIA - Significant
"turnarounds" in a city's relationship to its river through correction of water
quality problems or improvements of formally blighted shoreline areas; publicly
supported river-friendly development projects or the adoption and enforcement of
river-friendly zoning laws; active citizen involvement in river-friendly
activity, particularly in water quality monitoring programs; and public events
held at the river’s edge.
2008 Citizen Volunteer Monitoring
Program of the Year Award recognizes an outstanding
water quality monitoring program that directly involves citizens in the
gathering, analysis and/or dissemination of information on the condition of the
river of interest.
CRITERIA - Devotion to continuous,
direct and meaningful citizen involvement in gathering data on surface water
conditions; Commitment to the advancement of citizen monitoring skills and
programs locally, regionally or statewide; Dedication to use of citizen-gathered
data in providing information and/or prompting conservation or improvement
actions; Strong collaboration with local, regional, or state agencies and
organizations involved with water quality management.
2008 Citizen Volunteer of the
Year was
introduced in 2007. The award recognizes an individual volunteer that has
demonstrated talent, time and commitment to fulfill the mission of Minnesota
Waters.
CRITERIA - Invested time; shared
knowledge with others; was instrumental in forming an association or group
dedicated to water; may or may not serve on the board of a lake association,
river group or Minnesota Waters.
Kerri Miller to address 2008 Annual
Awards Ceremony
Kerri Miller Host of
Midmorning and Talking Volumes on Minnesota Public Radio is this year’s guest
presenter at the Annual Awards Ceremony, Wednesday August 13, 2008, in the
Centennial Showboat Theater,
Lakes & Rivers Conference 2008:
Water Footprints: Our relationships
to water and to each other
September 11 – 13, 2008. Mayo Civic
Center,
Final details are coming together
for Minnesota Waters’ 2008 conference, Water Footprints. In our last
newsletter we invited your input and ideas. Overwhelmingly you said you want to
hear about Aquatic Invasive Species, Climate Change, Shoreland Management, flood
response in S.E. Minnesota and how to be a more effective volunteer or
association. With over 40 sessions and interactive workshops, along with field
trips around
Registration will commence in April
on the Rochester Convention and Visitor Bureau website. The conference will run
Thursday September 11, 1:00 p.m. to Saturday September 13, 2:00 p.m. at the
For more information on the
conference, sponsorships or exhibit opportunities contact info@minnesotawaters.org or call
320-257-6630.
Book Your Room
Today
Special
conference rates have been secured at Radisson Plaza Hotel, Hilton Garden Inn
& Sleep Inn & Suites in
$99 Radisson Worldwide
Reservations at 800-333-3333 or 507-281-8000
$89 Hilton Garden Inn Worldwide
Reservations at 877-STAY-HGI or 507-285-1234
$79 Sleep Inn & Suites
Worldwide Reservations at 800-4CHOICE or 507-536-7000
~ Resources for
IRS Will Soon Require Small Nonprofits
to File
Next year many
nonprofits that don't file a 990 will need to start filing an "e-Postcard," and
in 2010, organizations that have neglected to file their annual returns or
e-Postcards will start losing their exemptions. The IRS has announced the
next round of changes required by the Pension Protection Act of 2006: smaller
nonprofits will be required to file Form 990-N starting in 2008, and
organizations that fail to file Form 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, or 990-N for three
consecutive years will lose their tax exemptions. Starting next year, an
organization that does not file IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ because its income is
$25,000 or less will have to file Form 990-N, the "Electronic Notice
(e-Postcard) for Tax-Exempt Organizations Not Required to File Form 990 or
990-EZ."
A National Treasure, Historic
The 2,552 mile long Mississippi
River begins as a trickle at
The treat is a planned OHV
routes would damage the Mississippi Headwaters’ wildness. OHVs on
roads and trails would run into the Wild Corridor, along and even over the
river. The proposed network of OHV routes will destroy or damage the
Headwaters’ wild character, valuable wildlife habitat, a cultural & historic
landscape, and an ancient canoe route. You can help keep the
Mississippi Headwaters wild. Send an email that says you care about
your
The Pine River Watershed covers a
large area of northern Crow Wing and central Cass counties. The area of the Pine
River Watershed covers about 785 square miles, or about 502,000 acres. Of this
area about 62,000 are lakes, 61,000 are shrub swamp and 24,000 are bogs. The
Pine River Watershed is part of the Mississippi Watershed. The newly
restructured Pine River Watershed Alliance (PRWA) has written a number of action
plans to address the top key result areas that were identified by their 2006
public survey. Development of these action plans were driven by their
survey representing 13,000 landowners in the Pine River Watershed and from
comments taken at community meetings with citizens and elected officials.
The
The chair of the PRWA steering
committee, Ron Meyer, said, “We know these actions may be considered as
interfering with people and their land but understanding how current land
practices affect water quality is necessary. Establishing land practices that
are sustainable long-term for all residents is the goal. We also know that the
majority of the people in the watershed understand that changes need to be made
to have clean water for future generations. But, we will enlist the help of many
people to get the job done." The mission of the Pine River Watershed
Alliance is to educate and affect change in the actions of people to protect and
conserve the natural resources of the watershed for generations to come.
The
PCA Proposed
Eutrophication Standards for Lakes
Proposed are numeric standards for
the primary nutrient that causes eutrophication in Minnesota lakes, phosphorus,
and numeric standards for two "response" indicators of excess phosphorus,
chlorophyll-a (a measurement of algal abundance) and Secchi depth (a measurement
of water clarity). The standards will vary by the location of the lake in
The adoption of numeric eutrophication standards will be an
important tool in the MPCA's efforts to maintain lakes with water quality better
than the proposed standards (high quality lakes), protect lakes close to the
standards from getting worse, and to help restore lakes that do not meet the
standards. Having these standards "in rule" is an important step forward
for the MPCA in its efforts to protect
In order for these standards to be truly effective however,
they will need to be implemented and used, not just by the MPCA but by a broad
spectrum of entities, ranging from federal, state and local governments (e.g.,
counties and cities), to consultants, lake associations, lakeshore property
owners and the "lake-using" public in general. Education is a key element
in the implementation of these standards in particular because of the importance
of lakes and the highly visible negative aspects of eutrophication. The
standards will do little good if they remain stuck on a shelf somewhere - the
public must be aware that they exist. Please see the additional discussion
in the MPCA Web site (http://www.pca.state.mn.us/water/standards/rulechange.html),
in Book II of the Statement of Need and Reasonableness, or call me, Mark Tomasek
(651-296-7241) or
~ Conferences, Confabs
and Conglomerations ~
Shoreland Restoration
Workshop Series
February 11 and March 10, 6-9PM,
Prairie Woods Environmental
Anyone interested in
beautifying a water front while helping to improve the water quality of local
lakes and streams, such as: Shoreline Property owners, Landscapers, Contractors,
Nursery/greenhouse representatives, Developers, Public Works, Directors/Local
Officials, Volunteer groups
Funding may be
available: Those who attend both
sessions and complete a Shoreland restoration project may be eligible to receive
up to 75% grant funding for plant materials and installation of the natural
shoreline. Visit the Middle Fork Crow River Watershed District
website at www.mfcrow.org for more information.
Deadline for registration is February 5.
From the
Shoreland Management for Public
Officials
This workshop will
benefit decision makers through gaining an understanding of shoreland best
management practices and how to incorporate these practices into local
policies. Topics to be covered include Why Lakeshore Should be Restored,
Shoreland Management: Shoreland Buffers and Rain Gardens, Crow Wing County
Sanitary District, Cass County Intra-lake Zoning, Septic Compliance, Dock
Regulations and Are Incentive Programs Effective?
Location: Whitefish Lodge and
Suites,
Date: February 13, 8:00 am -
3:00 pm
For more information
or to register contact: The Pine River
Watershed Alliance at prwatershed@crosslake.net or call 218-692-1020.
Fee: free, but
registration in required
Sponsored by the
Remote Sensing Workshop
Learn to use remote sensing data to
assess trends in water clarity, aquatic vegetation, and impervious cover.
Understand build-out scenarios and how they can help in planning. This is
perfect for local government staff, lake leaders and other
decision-makers.
Location: Initiative Foundation,
Date: February 14, 10:00 am - 3:00
pm
For more information or to register
contact: Go to:
http://wrc.umn.edu/outreach/shore/workshops or contact: Barb Liukkonen,
phone: 612-625-9256 or email: liukk001@umn.edu.
Limit 35 people.
Fee: $10 (for
lunch)
Sponsored by
2008 International
The 5th annual
International Lake of the Woods Water Quality Forum is scheduled for March 12
& 13, 2008 at
Contact For More
Information:
Todd Sellers,
LOWWSF — (866) 370-8891 tsellers@lowwsf.com
Nolan Baratono
(218) 283-2240 nolan.baratono@pca.state.mn.us
Andrew Paterson
(705) 766-2951 andrew.paterson@ontario.ca
~ The Bucks Start Here
- Funding Resources ~
Funding Source: Blue
Cross' Active Living
Blue Cross seeks to fund selected
communities throughout
Intent to apply is due by Thursday,
February 14, 2008, and proposals are due March 14, 2008.
Funds for Conservation
Efforts
The Wallace Genetic
Foundation is committed to funding a variety of interests including agricultural
research, preservation of farmland, ecology, conservation, and sustainable
development. The Foundation supports nonprofit organizations throughout the
United States that believe in the long-term conservation of the soil and of the
environment, rather than the exploitation of natural resources for temporary
profits. Applications may be submitted at any time. Visit the website listed
above for application guidelines. (www.wallacegenetic.org)
DNR Grants for Pilot Projects to Control
Curly-Leaf Pondweed or Eurasian Watermilfoil on a Lake-Wide or Bay-Wide Basis
for Ecological Benefits for 2008
The deadline for submitting your
application is February 11, 2008. If you think you will apply, please send
Wendy Crowell (contact info below) a brief e-mail with the name of the lake and
the county it is in. This will help us process your application as quickly
as possible.
For more information: Wendy
Crowell, Aquatic Biologist, Invasive Species Program, Minnesota Department of
Natural Resources, Ecological Resources, Box 25, 500 Lafayette Rd, St.
Paul, MN 55155, phone: 651-259-5085, email: wendy.crowell@dnr.state.mn.us.
This material will also be posted on the DNR website soon: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/grants/habitat/lakewide.html
~
State Senator Mary Olson,
DFL-Bemidji, is writing legislation in which lakeshore owners, through their
lake associations, can voluntarily set quality standards and monitor lake
conditions in return for some state incentives.
The proposal, first unveiled in a
Dec. 4, 2007 State Capitol public meeting, is intended to create a “gold
standard” for protective lake management by recognizing lake associations that
have voluntarily taken steps to protect and preserve the quality of their lake,
Olson says.
“For lake associations that pursue
the ‘Star Lake’ designation, my proposal will allow the state to recognize the
association’s strong commitment to the long-term health of their lake, and will
enable the state to maximize the benefit to tax dollars expended to help the
lake association achieve its objectives, Olson said in a
statement.
Citizens interested in the
Source: The
Loons are dying in and around the
Great Lakes by the thousands, and the die-offs are moving closer to
Scientists believe that the birds
are killed by Type E botulism that works its way up the food chain from the
bottom of the lake. There, naturally occurring botulism spores germinate
and grow into toxin-producing bacterial cells. Those bacteria move into
quagga mussels as they filter the water. Then a small fish called a round
goby picks up the bacteria by eating the mussels. When loons, long-tailed
ducks, gulls, grebes and other birds eat the infected fish, the toxin enters
their systems, paralyzing the birds. Within hours they can no longer fly
or hold their necks up, and they drown.
The area near
The Duluth-Superior harbor contains
zebra and quagga mussels as well as round gobies, he said. “There is no
reason to believe that Duluth-Superior harbor would be immune to Type E
botulism,” Jensen said.
Source: Star Tribune
Minneapolis-St. Paul
Fish are not affected by the
parasite in
“We have received several reports
of anglers calling
“While the parasite led to the
die-off of nearly 7,000 scaup on
DNR officials have documented large
numbers of the banded mystery snail, Viviparus georgianus, along the
western side of
Source: Outdoor
News
DES MOINES — State officials have
identified 35 lakes in
Lawmakers approved $500,000 in
specified state funding, a practice known as earmarking, to clean up
By all accounts,
Gronstal said it’s more important
to note that the Democratic-controlled Legislature came up with $8.5 million for
restoration of 35 lakes after many years without such funding when Republicans
held majorities in the Statehouse. And he noted that many lakes in districts
held by Republicans, such as
“We have 35 lakes now that we’re
really comfortable with,” he said. “It takes a while, frankly, to get these
projects up and running, so we’re glad we have the money. We wanted long term
sustainability.”
Source:
Newtondailynews.com
The once-abundant American eel
slipped away from
American eels start life in the
In the closing decades of the last
century, the American eel had begun to decline for reasons biologists do not
fully understand. Theories include climate change-induced changes in the ocean,
pollution, and overfishing of young eels for transplanting to fish farms in
In the late 1980s, the eels all but
disappeared. Fisheries biologists blame two Richelieu hydro dams, at
"We don't have eels enough, so we
made an experiment to bring elvers (young eels) from the oceans,"
The success or failure of the
Source:
The spread of two invasive alien
freshwater mussel species – the zebra mussel and the quagga mussel – appears to
be controlled in part by calcium levels in streams and lakes and a new risk
assessment based on water chemistry suggests the
The research team that developed
the analysis notes that nearly 60 percent of the country, including the Plains
states and the Southwest, is in a high-risk ecoregion, based on calcium levels
greater than 28 milligrams per liter of water. About 21 percent of the country –
including New England, most of the Southeast, and the western portions of the
Pacific Northwest – are at low (12-20 mg) or very low (less than 12 mg) risk for
invasion. And in about 19 percent of the country, surface waters have highly
variable calcium levels and conditions may change from one lake or river to
another, based on geology.
“If there isn’t enough calcium in
the water, you probably aren’t going to get zebra or quagga mussels,”
Source:
www.eurekalert.org
An invasive plant species called
the water chestnut has recently been identified in a bay of the Ottawa River at
Chute-à-Blondeau's
Not to be confused with the popular
water chestnut used in Asian cooking, the plant has been filling the waters of
the northeastern
In 1997, it was spotted in
In the
Source: Canada.com
Foreign invaders and climate change
are posing the biggest threats to the health of the river Usk. The worst
invaders, according to Tristan Hatton-Ellis, CCW’s senior freshwater ecologist,
are signal crayfish and giant hogweed. Systematic annual spraying of
hogweed in a co-ordinated assault involving local landowners, the Environment
Agency, Keep Wales Tidy, and local authorities is beginning to have some
effect.
But Mr Hatton-Ellis said the effect
of the signal crayfish on the native species could be compared to the
devastation inflicted on the native red squirrel by the North American
grey. “The signal crayfish is an escape from commercial aquaculture,” he
said. The answer lies in an eradication programme using trapping and
pesticides, but the problem is extensive and persistent.
The Usk is considered of national
and European importance for wildlife and is a designated Site of Special
Scientific Interest and Special Area of Conservation – the highest level of
environment protection in
Source:
icwales.icnetwork.co.uk
Telephone: 800-515-5253 Fax:
866-615-1771
For questions regarding the Web site or
Hosted Web sites please contact:
Dick Lacher, Telephone: 218-659-4511 or
rglacher@paulbunyan.net
Minnesota Waters
promotes responsible
stewardship of our water resources by engaging citizens, state and local policy
makers and other like-minded partners in the protection and restoration of our
lakes and rivers. We achieve our mission through watershed education,
citizen monitoring, supporting conservation stewardship, influencing public
policy and empowering citizen groups to manage their local water
resources.
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