Lake Associations Honored at 2019 International Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Forum
Wilson Stewardship Award Honors Achievements of the Vermilion Lake Association and the Lake of the Woods District Stewardship Association
(International Falls, MN and Kenora, ON) March 13, 2019 – The Vermilion Lake Association and the Lake of the Woods District Stewardship Association were each recipients of the 2019 Wilson Stewardship Award, recognizing their outstanding contributions to environmental stewardship in the Rainy-Lake of the Woods watershed.
The 2019 Wilson Awards were presented to each Association by the Lake of the Woods Water Sustainability Foundation on behalf of the 160 researchers, resource managers and water stewards from the United States and Canada attending the 2019 International Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Forum in International Falls, MN.
Minnesota Scientist, Jesse Anderson, Honored at International Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Forum
Jesse Anderson of the Minnesotollution Control Agency Receives the Kallemeyn Award for Scientific Achievement
The Kallemeyn Award was presented to Jesse by the Lake of the Woods Water Sustainability Foundation on behalf of the 160 researchers and resource managers from the United States and Canada attending the 2019 International Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Forum in International Falls, MN.
IJC Watershed Board Wants Your Help
The Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Board is developing recommendations for water quality and aquatic ecosystem health Objectives and Alerts (advisory triggers) for the Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed. Your input is needed. Opportunities to participate:
- Public Workshop March 12 from 4:30-6:30 pm in International Falls, MN
- An on-line webinar for those who are unable to attend the workshop
- A public workshop in Kenora, Ontario in summer 2019
To attend contact the Project Coordinator, Kelli Saunders at ksaunders@lowwsf.com or (807) 548-8002 to secure a spot!
Ontario Environment Plan Targets Lake of the Woods Phosphorus
Lake of the Woods is back as a priority with the Government of Ontario.
Reducing phosphorus to combat blue-green algae is identified as an explicit priority in Ontario’s new environmental plan, unveiled by Environment Minister Rod Phillips on November 29.
The Lake of the Woods Water Sustainability Foundation applauds the Ontario Government for its recognition and commitment to protect the quality of the Lake of the Woods by continuing to work with partners, on reducing phosphorus to combat toxic blue-green algae.
Bock a Beer – LOWBREWCO Supports Foundation
BUY A CROWLER or a GROWLER TODAY – BOCK A BEER, and support the Lake of the Woods Water Sustainability Foundation…
The Lake of the Woods Brewing Company is donating $1.00 from every Crowler and/ or Growler of BOCK A BEER sold in the retail store, to assist the charitable aims of the Lake of the Woods Water Sustainability Foundation. Crafty right?
This BOCK A BEER will not last long. Get it now and support the Lake of the Woods Water Sustainability Foundation.
Many thanks to the Lake of the Woods Brewing Company for supporting the lake!
Foundation receives funding for watershed coordination program
The Foundation’s watershed coordination program received a booster shot in the arm from the Lake Winnipeg Basin Program of Environment and Climate Change Canada.
The Lake of the Woods Water Sustainability Foundation will receive approximately $250,000 over the next four years to help develop its watershed coordination program to create knowledge sharing networks, increase public engagement and collaboration, and build capacity for organizations and groups working on nutrient reduction for the Lake of the Woods Basin.
IJC Watershed Board reviewing Objectives and Alert Levels for water quality and ecosystem health
The IJC Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Board is setting its sights on updating Objectives and Alert Levels for water quality and aquatic ecosystem health in our watershed. The existing international Objectives and Aert Levels are outdated and not aligned to current priority issues.
Phase 1 of the project started in November and will engage experts and stakeholders to refine priorities and propose needs, options and potential metrics or indicators.
Environment and Climate Change Canada science program: fall update
The science team from Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) was back on the lake in September for their fall intensive sampling, rounding out their work for the entire summer. The ECCC science program aims to develop a framework to assess and predict the ecological response of the lake (e.g., algae blooms) to potential nutrient load reductions.
Ongoing water quality and other data were collected from 30 stations across the lake. Issue-specific work was also undertaken to better characterize: nutrients coming from the lake bottom, algae types and toxins.
Workshop for lake associations bridges local and basin wide issues
Citizen science, partnerships and the valuable role of volunteer organizations in lake stewardship, nutrient reduction and aquatic invasive species prevention was the focus of a one-day workshop for lake associations, held by the Lake of the Woods Water Sustainability Foundation, September 11 at Sunny Cove camp on the shores of Rainy Lake.
Public calls for action from Canada to cut phosphorus in Lake of the Woods
A vocal, engaged and committed crowd of 200 citizens concerned about toxic and nuisance algae in Lake of the Woods gathered at the Clarion Hotel in Kenora, Aug. 15, 2018 to learn what is being done to address the problem.
Many attendees, led by former Prime Minister John Turner, voiced strongly a demand for Canada to “get on with it” and take action immediately to combat algae blooms jointly with Minnesota, in its plan to cut phosphorus by 18.4%.