by Charlie Boudrye
On Saturday, June 28, CLA held its first Shore landscaping seminar organized by Georgia Maguire. There were 42 attendees who listened to three brief presentations and then toured three member lake properties to see first-hand what has and might be done to minimize erosion.
The presenters were Eleanor Burkett of the U. of Mn Extension Service, Scott Lucas of Crow Wing County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD),and Bonnie Hiniker of Sunshine Gardens.
Ms. Burkett spoke on the programs available to help lakeshore owners learn to manage shoreland in healthy ways; restore degraded shorelines; and share their knowledge with others. Shared funding is available before December 1. Eleanor can be reached at (218) 587-8280 and email:burke044@umn.edu.
Scott Lucas (218) 828-6197 will gladly visit any property to discuss erosion control options and most importantly -- alternatives to placing rip-rap on your shore.
Bonnie Hiniker provides plants and shore landscaping services to lakeshore owners in our area. She has several hundred species of native Minnesota plants that are best for planting in shallow water or at the waters edge. Bonnie can be reached at (218) 947-3154.
After the presentations at City Hall, attendees toured the Stanley Lundberg, Tom MacGibbon and John Maguire properties.
For more questions and answers, see Healthy Shorelines on the NEWS page.
Reminder: Shoreline alterations, aquatic plant removal may require permits
Lakeshore owners who are preparing their property for boating and swimming this summer are reminded that removing aquatic plants or altering shoreline often requires a permit from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Remember that aquatic plants and natural shorelines provide habitat for fish and wildlife, help maintain water clarity and protect shorelines from erosion. Changing the shoreline or improperly removing aquatic plants can seriously damage the lake in the long term.
While cutting or pulling submerged vegetation in a small area (less than 2500 square feet) for recreation is allowed without a permit, the following activities require a $20 aquatic plant management permit, valid for one year.
- Using herbicides or algicides to control aquatic plants or algae.
- Removing emergent vegetation, like bulrush, cattails or wild rice.
- Removing floating leaf vegetation, like water lilies, in an area larger than a channel 15 feet wide extending to open water.
- Cutting, pulling or mechanically controlling vegetation in an area larger than 2,500 square feet or wider than 50 feet.
- Removing or relocating a bog of any size that is free floating or lodged in any area other than its original location.
- Installing or operating an automated plant control device (such as the Crary WeedRoller, Beachgroomer or Lake Sweeper).
- Cutting or pulling submerged vegetation like coontail or sago from an area that does not extend more than 50 feet along the shore, or more than one half your frontage width, whichever is smaller. The cleared area may not exceed 2,500 square feet.
- Cutting or pulling floating leaf plants, like water lilies, to create a channel 15 feet wide extending to open-water. More extensive removal requires a permit.
Shoreline alterations that would alter the shoreline or lake bottom below the ordinary high water mark or in public wetlands may require a DNR Public Waters Work Permit. Activities that fall under this requirement include excavating, dredging, filling, draining or the placement of structures. For more information about the Public Waters Work Permit Program, contact the area hydrologist at your DNR Area Office or contact the Central Office Division of Waters at (651) 296-4800. Information on both the Aquatic Plant Management Program and the Public Waters Permit is available on the DNR Web site at ww.dnr.state.mn.us or by calling the DNR Information Center at (651) 296-6157 or toll free 1-888-MINNDNR (646-6367). Aquatic plant management permit applications and information may be directly accessed on the DNR Web site under Ecological Services. Area or regional fisheries managers can also provide information about aquatic plants. Their numbers can be found in the back of the 2003 Fishing Regulations booklet.
If you see violations of these permit requirements, you are urged to contact the DNR. State law now requires that any destruction of emergent aquatic plants (cattails, bulrushes, wild rice) requires restoration. Only by letting the DNR know of these violations can these laws be enforced for the protection of our lakes.
UPDATED July 1, 2003
