Contact: Stephen Mikkelson, 218-316-3887
Brainerd, Minn. -- If you own shoreline in Minnesota, there are some simple and relatively inexpensive steps you can take to strengthen your shore and help improve the water quality of your lake, river or stream. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency advises land owners to create buffer zones and restore shorelines with natural vegetation. Here are some tips on how to get started:
-- Follow Minnesota’s Phosphorus Lawn Fertilizer law. In short, it states that fertilizers containing phosphorus cannot be used on lawns and turf in Minnesota except under certain circumstances. Most Minnesota soils have enough natural phosphorous for healthy plant growth. Phosphorus in fertilizers promotes weed and algae growth in lakes. Also avoid raking grass and leaves into the water.
-- Leaving an unmowed buffer or creating a shoreline buffer made of native plants and trees will stop excess soil, leaves and grass from washing into your lake, river or stream with rainwater. Shore restoration can return many desirable features to your shoreline, including:
-- Providing habitat for a wide variety of wildlife.
-- Filtering out pollutants and runoff that degrade water quality.
-- Preventing shoreline erosion by absorbing wave action.
-- Creating more leisure time to relax and enjoy the nature of life at the shore.
-- Leaving “emergent” aquatic vegetation (shallow-water plants) in place provides great habitat for fish.
-- Natural landscapes require much less time, money, and effort to maintain once they are established. Long-term needs for irrigation, fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides are virtually eliminated.
-- Contact your county soil and water conservation district, or local watershed district for advice on which native plants, flowers, and grasses are best to plant in your part of the state.
-- Join your local lake association. If your lake does not have an association, start one with your neighbors.
-- Become a volunteer water monitor. The MPCA has volunteer monitoring programs for both lakes and streams and would love to hear from you. More information can be found at www.pca.state.mn.us/water/volunteer-monitoring.html.
For more information on how to protect lakes, rivers, and streams, and improve water quality, check the MPCA’s Web site at www.pca.state.mn.us/water/lake.html.
