2025 Stearns County Shoreland Workshop

Every year, the Stearns County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) sponsors a workshop on shoreland best practices.  The next event will be on Thursday, February 6th on the St. Benedict campus in St. Joseph.  A number of speakers are scheduled, including MPR's Kirsti Mahron, who developed a multi-part series on vanishing natural shorelines (that included an article about a parcel on our very own Chain of Lakes).  Dan Shaw of the MN Board of Water & Soil Resources (BWSR) will speak about establishing and maintaining native vegetation.  Shoreline owners that implemented recent restoration projects will also be presenters.  Various contractors and native retailers will have booths on-site.  You can use the QR code in the attached document to register.  The cost is $35 and includes lunch.

Click here to learn more and register.

General ice thickness guidelines

The DNR does not measure ice thickness on Minnesota lakes. Your safety is your responsibility. Learn about the different ways to check ice thickness before heading out. The MN DNR website is a great resource!

Update on the Dec 12 Cold Spring City Council Meeting

On December 12, 2024, the Cold Spring City Council joined the SRCLA in support of a study assessing the feasibility of replacing the Cold Spring Dam with a Rock Arch Rapids that will maintain the existing water level. Funding sources for the feasibility study are unknown at this time. Check out some of the details about Rock Arch Rapids and the highlights of the discussion HERE.

For more information see the Cold Spring Dam section of our Projects page.

Latest Flowering Rush Report

Thank you to the Stearns Coalition of Lake Associations for using their MN DNR New Infestation and Innovative Control Grant to find and treat invasive flowering rush in the Sauk River. Over 62 miles of the Sauk River were surveyed, and flowering rush was present from Juergens Lake to just south of New Munich. Some of the infested areas were treated but more work will need to be done to control it and prevent it from entering the Sauk River Chain of Lakes. Many thanks to all involved including Limnopro, Stearns County Environmental Services, Tigris, and the MN DNR.

Click here to access the full report.

Fall Photo Contest Winners!

Thank you to everyone that took the time to send in their wonderful pictures of the Chain for the "Fall Photo Contest"!
Our board enjoyed all of the images, it was hard narrowing it down to three winners.
Congratulations, Kerry Johnson Bechtold, Malissa Mauricio and Jennifer Dietman! We hope you enjoy your SRCLA apparel!

MN Lakes and Rivers Webinar Recording Now Available

Minnesota Lakes and Rivers (MLR) recently conducted a webinar that focused on efforts to improve the condition of the state's shorelines. Speakers included:

💦 Paul Radomski from the Ecological and Water Resources Division, who shared insights into the scientific tools we’re using to protect shorelines.

💦 Kirsti Marohn from Minnesota Public Radio, who discussed her reporting this summer on the issue of vanishing shorelines.

💦 Sue Henken-Thielen, who shared her experiences as a dedicated Lake Steward.

💦 Steve Corbin, one of our valued shoreline evaluators.

The webinar provides a lot of useful information, including insights into the Lake Steward program, which the SRCLA board sponsors along with many other lake associations around the state.

You can view a recording of the webinar via this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qa4O-7RtHao

MNLR Sept Post

Check out the September posting from Minnesota Lakes and Rivers (MLR)!  It has an update on the research being conducted by the University of MN's St. Anthony Falls Lab (SAFL) on wake dynamics on shorelines and lake beds.  The final report has been delayed until early 2025 to allow late-breaking data to be included, but this month's report has some interesting information about what has been learned so far.

There's also a fascinating article about Bigmouth Buffalo, a native Minnesota species with lifespans that can exceed humans, although there's growing evidence of how few hatchlings reach adulthood, putting the species at risk long-term.

And of course, there's an update on the Lake Steward program, which the SRCLA has been promoting on our Chain for the past three years.

Check out the full post here.

How Well Do you Know Minnesota? Part 5

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.

Lake Level Update

As you know lake levels across the chain have stabilized and are almost to normal high water levels.

You can always view the current status here: https://srcl.org/water-level-horseshoe

MPR Series On MN Shorelines

Kirsti Mahron, a correspondent for MPR News who covers central Minnesota, has been working on a series of articles and on-air segments focusing on diminishing natural shorelines on upper Midwest lakes and the environmental impact of highly-developed shorelines on water quality. A number of segments have been released, including one that highlights a shoreline project on Great Northern Lake on our very own Chain!  Keep checking this link as MPR will be releasing additional segments in the near future (click here to view).

Shoreland Owner Training for AIS Prevention

Shoreland owners play an integral part in AIS prevention by understanding the risks their watercraft and shoreline equipment like docks, lifts and rafts pose when moving from one waterbody. This training video lays out the best practices each of us can take to mitigate the risks to protect our resources for future generations.

Blue Green Algae reported on the Chain

It's that time of year to watch out for blue green algae on Minnesota lakes! Learn more about blue green algae and how to reduce your risks from harmful algae blooms HERE.

How Well Do you Know Minnesota? Part 4

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.

Minnesota Public Lands Chapter of Pheasants Forever Hosting event 9/8

The Minnesota Public Lands Chapter of Pheasants Forever is hosting on September 8th.
Questions? Contact Abi Parker, Education & Outreach Coordinator, Office: 320-352-2231, Direct: 320-527-1051, abigail@srwdmn.org

Be a Hero Transport Zero - Use Decon Stations

Fight the spread of aquatic invaders. Be a hero, transport zero. Use decontamination stations to help stop the spread of aquatic invasive species.

Spring assessment results: Joe Stewig, DNR Fisheries Manager

Data and comments from Joe Stewig, DNR Fisheries Manager, for fish counts completed on the Sauk River chain so far this spring and summer.  To view the file with charts click here.

• The main purpose of the spring trapping was to see if any Musky remain in the chain. This is the first time the DNR has ever used large frame trap nets in the SRCL, so we really don’t have anything to compare it to.

• We did measure crappies and sunfish, but with the weather the way it was the larger sunfish had not moved in. It was a cool week, and the fish were not really moving around a great deal during the weeks the traps were in place. Only 3 musky were caught, with sizes from 38-44.5 inches in length!

• While we didn’t measure any catfish, but we did learn that the large frame trapnets are very effective at sampling large catfish! The biggest one we measured was 34-inches and 16 ½ pounds.

• Gill net surveys of the chain were completed July 29 – August 2, with 12 gill nets being set across the East Lakes (Bolfing, Great Northern, Knaus, Krays, Schneider, and Zumwalde-two in each lake). Two gill nets will also be set in Becker Lake. Cedar Island will be surveyed the week of August 12 – 16 (12 gill nets) and Horseshoe will be surveyed the week of August 19 – 23 (9 gill nets). We will use this data to see how the walleye population is doing as well as the catfish.

**IMPORTANT NOTE: The experimental channel catfish regulation currently on the chain as well as Long, North Brown’s, Eden, and Mud/Vail’s lakes will be up for review this fall.

Channel Catfish: The current Possession limit is 10 of which only one fish over 24" is allowed in possession. This limit is being considered to decrease back to state possession limit of five.

Interested parties can make comments on the regulation here (FAW Public Input | Engage with DNR | Minnesota Department of Natural Resources or attend the public input meeting which will be held Tuesday September 10 from 6 pm – 7 pm at the Richmond City Hall, 45 Hall Ave SW, Richmond, MN 56368.

How Well Do you Know Minnesota? Part 3

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.

See the latest Lake Stewards!

Congratulations to our latest Lake Steward family...the Juelfs! The Juelfs applied for Lake Steward status for their property on Bolfing Lake and it qualified!

Have you been thinking about taking the Lake Steward quiz but aren't sure if your property will qualify?

If so, we encourage you to take the quiz! Several homeowners who are interested in learning more about native buffers and other shoreline 'best practices' have done so, which results in an opportunity to meet with an SRCLA Land Use committee member to see what would be required to have their parcel qualify for the program. And we can connect you with county professionals at the Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) that will draw up custom plans to meet your needs. Subsidies are available that can cover up to 90% of the cost, too!

Take the quiz today!

Water Quality monitoring time!

Allison and Ali from the Sauk River Watershed District are out on the chain with our water quality team: Jamie, Gary, and Wayne.

How Well Do you Know Minnesota? Part 2

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.