The Ask an Expert series is underway for another year! These free webinars are your chance to learn from those who study the watershed and work to protect the well-being of our waters and lands. Join us over the next few months to learn and ask questions about watershed governance, science, traditional knowledge, resource management and more. (This webinar has taken place)
The Ask an Expert series is returning for another year! These free webinars are your chance to learn from those who study the watershed and work to protect the well-being of our waters and lands. Join us over the next few months to learn and ask questions about watershed governance, science, traditional knowledge, resource management and more.
The Proceedings Report of the 2023 International Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Forum is available for download at the Foundation’s website: lowwsf.com/forum-proceedings. Held March 8-9 in International Falls Minnesota, 132 researchers, resource managers, policy makers, and members of the public put Lake of the Woods and its watershed under the microscope.
The report covers a wide range of subjects – Many of the 25 presentations this year focused on knowledge and tools that will inform management actions. The schedule was full, with research presentations split among six sessions covering a wide range of disciplines including: water quality management and monitoring, watershed management, nutrients and algal blooms and toxins, and emergent technologies for remote sensing and monitoring.
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Mike Hirst, Resource Conservationist with the Lake of the Woods Soil and Water Conservation District is the 2023 recipient of the Kallemeyn Award, recognizing his outstanding professional achievements and contributions to collaborative research and resource management in the Rainy-Lake of the Woods Basin.
The Kallemeyn Award was presented to Mike by the Lake of the Woods Water Sustainability Foundation on behalf of the community of scientists and resource managers from the United States and Canada attending the 2023 International Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Forum in International Falls, MN.
To honour the memory of Deborah Battigelli, her family established The Deborah Battigelli Memorial Fund at the Lake of the Woods Water Sustainability Foundation. This Fund honours Deborah’s love of life at the lake and her interest to preserve the lake area for future generations to continue to enjoy what she loved. The Fund assists the up-and-coming generation of scientists with their research on our lakes with limited travel support to present their research at the Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Forum. We are pleased to announce that two deserving graduate students will received Deborah Battigelli Memorial Fund awards to present at the Forum in 2023.
The Lake of the Woods Water Sustainability Foundation is pleased to introduce Teika Newton as the new International Watershed Coordinator.
Teika is a long-time participant in regional watershed science, policy, and governance activities. She has served as a board member for the International Joint Commission’s International Rainy–Lake of the Woods Watershed Board, and co-chaired the Board’s Community Advisory Group, Engagement Committee, and currently the Adaptive Management Committee. Teika also has been helping to guide the IJC Board’s work on climate adaptation since 2016.
With Teika joining our team, the Foundation is doubling down to move projects forward that are central to a sustainability plan, including defining recommendations for international water quality objectives and a multi-nationally coordinated monitoring program, in collaboration with the IJC, Nations, and agencies in the basin.
The Lake of the Woods Water Sustainability Foundation is pleased to announce the release of the 2022 Rainy-Lake of the Woods State of the Basin Report (SOBR) lowwsf.com/sobr.
The report outlines changes that have occurred since the last report in 2014, focusing on the primary areas of concern in the watershed of nutrients and algae, contaminants, climate change, aquatic invasive species, and erosion/water levels. The report also highlights concerns about the health of the walleye fishery in the north end of Lake of the Woods and includes a new chapter on human health concerns in the watershed.
The 2022 SOBR is available in two versions: a detailed technical report of 148 pages, and an overview report of 32 pages, highlighting key findings and written for a general audience. We encourage you to read the overview version and to explore additional details in the full 148-page version, both of which are available for download at the Foundation’s website, lowwsf.com/sobr.
The Proceedings Report of the 2022 International Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Forum is available for download at the Foundation’s website: lowwsf.com/forum-proceedings. Held March 9-10 as a virtual online event, 144 researchers, resource managers, policy makers, and members of the public put Lake of the Woods and its watershed under the microscope. The report covers a wide range of subjects: including: water governance and Indegenous perspectives, the State of the Basin Report, nutrients & algae, invasive species, and emerging issues and technologies.
Most presentations were recorded and are available for viewing for a limited time at lowwsf.com/watershed-forum.
Please download a copy of the report or go to the website to view any presentation recordings that are of interest to you.