Water Quality
Minnesota, known as the land of 10,000 lakes, is really the land of over 12,000 lakes, an inland sea, 10.6 million acres of wetlands, the headwaters of the Mississippi, 69,200 miles of natural rivers and streams, and drinkable groundwater. As people build cabins, homes, towns, and cities, the quality of the water often reflects their land use decisions and choices that were made in the past. (The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency estimates that about 40% of all lakes and rivers in the state are biologically “impaired.”) Similarly, water can reflect global history and current practices that might alter species compositions and impact lakes, streams, and groundwater. Global warming, atmospheric mercury pollution and acid rain are examples of global impacts. continued…
Featured Articles
Harmful Algae in Minnesota Lakes: When in Doubt, Stay Out!- August 2008
Scientists Find Bird and Human E. coli in Wild Fish- August 2008
Citizen Water Monitoring Project Leads to Improved Public Health- December 2007
Large Mayfly Hatch Prompts Public Concern- August 2007
Lake Superior Holds Onto Her Dead ... and Her Toxaphene- February 2007
Young Eagles Tell Story of Great Lakes Pollution- October 2006
Why is mercury more of a problem in the gamefish of Minnesota’s northeastern lakes than in other areas?- June 2006
Estuary Champions Discuss Needs of St. Louis River- June 2006
Cass Lake Superfund Update- December 2005
Germ Hunters Go to Prison- October 2005
Citizens Identify Priorities for Lake Superior Restoration
- September 2004
Gaining a Superior Perspective- September 2004
Sea Grant Aids Superfund Site Clean-Up- July 2003
What You Can Do to Help Lake Superior- September 2002
A Tale of Two Cities’ Lawn Care Practices- June 2002
Featured Initiatives
- Harmful Algal Blooms
- We hosted several workshops in 2008 about harmful algal blooms and how to tell if one happens in a lake. This page contains resources and presentations from the workshops, including a webcast.
- Lake Superior Streams
- Extensive information on Duluth’s 42 named streams as well as those along Minnesota’s North Shore
- Water on the Web
- This is a web-based national curriculum for colleges and high schools which provides real data, primers, data interpretation and Geographic Information Systems tools and more.
- Great Lakes Observing System (GLOS)
- GLOS is a project dedicated to providing public access to critical real-time and historical information about the Great Lakes, St. Lawrence River and interconnecting waterways.
- Minnesota Shoreland Management Resource Guide
- This Web site provides a range of information, from general to technical, on a variety of subjects related to shoreland management in Minnesota.
- From Shore to Shore Newslettter
- This newsletter is for Minnesota citizens promoting the health of our rivers & lakes.
- Lake Access
- Real-time water quality data for anglers, boaters, swimmers, and watershed residents.
- Shoreland Education: University of Minnesota Extension
- You can help protect and restore Minnesota's waters. Learn how to minimize your impact on your lake or river and keep our waters clean. We offer practical information for property owners, lake associations, landscape professionals, and local government leaders.
- A View From the Lake
- Participate in a series of Lake Superior boat trips offered aboard the L.L. Smith, Jr. Research Vessel that will allow residents from Ashland to Two Harbors to view their community from the water.
- Northland NEMO
- Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials proogram for Minnesota and Wisconsin.
See Also
- Coastal Communities & Land Use
- Infomation on land use and its affect on water quality.
- Resources for Educators
- Minnesota Sea Grant offers a variety of teaching materials.
- Superior Science News
- A radio series about Lake Superior research.
Cynthia Hagley
Barbara Liukkonen
