Lake Ecosystem Monitoring Program

Dave Wright, Coordinator
david.i.wright@state.mn.us
500 Lafayette Rd Box 25
St Paul, MN 55155-4025
tel. (651) 259-5155

Ecological Resources received new funding from the 1998 Legislature to enhance monitoring of lake ecosystems in Minnesota. Many groups already collect information about Minnesota's lakes. State agencies, local units of government, lake associations, private individuals, and many others are involved in this effort. For example, the Department of Natural Resources surveys fish populations, collects information on lake levels and water quality, monitors the abundance and distribution of exotic plants and animals, and records the presence of rare or endangered species. However, additional information may be necessary to improve lake management decisions made by both local and state governments, and the general public.

Ecological Resources is using this new funding to examine current lake monitoring efforts in Minnesota with the hope of identifying key information gaps. We anticipate that this assessment will identify areas where ecological information about lakes and their watersheds is lacking; information that would improve lake management efforts and/or our ability to track the sustainability of the state's lake resources. Ecological Resources plans to use what we learn to design new or supplement existing monitoring programs so that key ecological information about lakes is collected, interpreted, and made available.