Watershed Forum News

News about annual International Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Forum -- conference announcements, registration information, where to get proceedings etc.

August NewsletterSent on 28 August 2023

Ask An Expert Webinar: Climate Change in the Rainy - Lake of the Woods BasinSent on 22 August 2023

IJC Public Meetings - Kenora, BaudetteSent on 09 August 2023

Ask An Expert Webinar: Aquatic Invasive Species and Community MonitoringSent on 24 May 2023

Announcing the 2023 Ask An Expert SeriesSent on 26 April 2023

2023 Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed ForumSent on 15 February 2023

2023 Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed ForumSent on 11 January 2023

2023 Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed ForumSent on 04 January 2023

2023 Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed ForumSent on 29 November 2022

2022 Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed ForumSent on 22 February 2022

2022 Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed ForumSent on 08 February 2022

2022 Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed ForumSent on 04 January 2022

2022 Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed ForumSent on 16 December 2021

2022 Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed ForumSent on 05 October 2021

Ask An Expert Seminar Series: Register NowSent on 28 September 2021

Last call to Register for IJC MeetingSent on 13 September 2021

Sept NewsletterSent on 08 September 2021

July NewsletterSent on 12 July 2021

Your input is needed on Canada's options to manage algae blooms in Lake of the WoodsSent on 12 April 2021

Your input is needed on Canada's options to manage algae blooms in Lake of the WoodsSent on 26 March 2021

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September 21, 2023

2024 Watershed Forum Announcement and Call for Abstracts

Announcement and Call for Abstracts

2024 International Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Forum - Save the date and call for abstracts

Location: Minnesota North College - Rainy River campus, International Falls, MN.

Date: March 6–7, 2024

Overview: Professional symposium for research and resource managers, policy makers and the public interested in the Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed

Abstract Deadline: December 15, 2023. Please submit the following to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Presenter Information: Name, Research Organization or Agency, Mailing Address, Telephone, Email, Brief Bio.
Submittal Information: Author(s), Presentation or Poster, Title, Abstract, Location of study (i.e., lake name, river name, or GPS coordinate etc.)

August 28, 2023

Algae Bloom 2023 is on its way

After a hot June but cool and sometimes smoky July, the algae bloom on Lake of the Woods started to develop in late July and early August as usual. Blooms began in the southern Big Traverse Bay and in the Morson-Sabaskong area to the south-east. By late August, the bloom covered 34% of the lake and has progressed northward through middle channel to Oak Point. Satellite-derrived measures of chlorophyll-a (a pigment in the algae) ranged above 40 µg/L (red in the satellite image) indicating severe bloom formation in a few locations (anything above 10 µg/L is considered a bloom).

Algal blooms in Lake of the Woods typically peak in the late fall, and progress into the north-central area of the lake. Thus, more extensive blooms are expected to come later, expanding in extent and severity into the fall. Last year, peak severity occurred on October 13, 2022. We’ll have a complete report on the annual bloom conditions later in the fall, once the satellite tracking is complete for the season.

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August 28, 2023

IJC Watershed Board Public Meetings Report

The IJC’s International Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Board held its annual meetings with the public in Baudette, Minnesota on August 16 and Kenora, Ontario on August 17.

The IJC watershed board presented an update on its activities during the past year and key priorities for the coming year. The board's Aquatic Ecosystem Health Committee is leading several projects this year, including: focus on international water quality objectives and core monitoring design, studies of erosion at the south shore of Lake of the Woods, and reporting of exceedances of water quality criteria.

The board hosted guest updates from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and Environment and Climate Change Canada on these agencies’ work to address the phosphorus loading that feeds the excessive algae blooms on Lake of the Woods.

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