Thirty Lakes Watershed District

17064 Commercial Park Rd
Brainerd, MN 56401
Phone:                (218) 828-0243
Fax:                    (218) 828-7006
Email:                 lakeswsd@brainerd.net
Website:             www.30lakes.org

What is a Watershed?

A watershed, or drainage basin, is the area of land from which rain and snowmelt flow and eventually enter a lake, river or wetland.  Even if your home is not next to a lake, river, or wetland, you still live in a watershed.

 

Major Challenges of the District:

• Increased growth and Development
• Water Quality
• Wastewater Management
• Land use Changes
• Stormwater Runoff

Thirty Lakes Watershed District Board of Managers:

President:                       Tom Ebnet

Vice President:               Dale Armstrong

Secretary:                       Joseph J. Hampl

Treasurer:                       Ray Wilson

Manager:                        Bruce Yund

Staff:

Administrator:                Marty Peisch

Bookkeeper:                  Mary Lou Cody

Office Manager:             Tasha Lauer

Technical Consultant:

Alan W. Cibuzar, A.W. Research Laboratory

Advisory Committee:

Robert Albrecht, CWCSWCD Representative

Rosemary Franzen, County Commissioner

Glen Gustafson

Rick A. Johnson

William LaTour

Meeting Schedule and Location:

The Meetings are held the second and fourth Monday of each month, 9:00 am, at 17064 Commercial Park Road (Barbeau Pines Industrial Park), Brainerd, MN.

Thirty Lakes Watershed District Rules:

Fair and consistent enforcement of the regulations is the District’s top priority.  Complete rules can be viewed here.

The Thirty Lakes Watershed District was established in 1971 and is located entirely within Crow Wing County.  There are 52 lakes within the district.  It was the thirtieth District to be created in Minnesota, hence the name Thirty Lakes.  The District covers 70 square miles and 60% of that area is covered by surface water.

Don’t Flush Those Old Meds!

There is no best answer for what to do with unused or expired medications.  One thing is for sure, it is no longer recommended to flush medication down the sink or toilet.  Sewage treatment systems were not designed to remove those chemicals, and many drugs are showing up in our surface and groundwater.  They may even be affecting fish and wildlife.

 One option is to throw drugs into the trash.  This may be less harmful to the environment that disposal into a wastewater system.  To do this safely and reduce potential for abuse:

1. Keep drugs in the original container (with safety lids).
2. Scratch out patient information on labels.
3. Place liquids in glass bottles in plastic resealable bags to contain leakage.
4. Add water to dry tablets or capsules to dissolve them slightly.
5. Place in the trash as close to garbage pick up time as possible.

 Primary Goal of the District:

Our primary goal is the protection of public health, safety and welfare and the prudent use of natural resources, within the boundaries of the district.

Primary Purpose:

The purpose of the Thirty Lakes Watershed District is to conserve natural resources through land use planning, flood control and other conservation projects to protect public health, safety and welfare.

What is Stormwater Runoff?
You can see the stormwater runoff every time it rains or in the spring when the snow melts.  The runoff washes pollutants off our roofs, streets, parking lots, construction sites, and lawns.

Thirty Lakes Watershed District requires that residential and commercial developers contain a 100 year rain event on their property.

That means that 5 ½ inches of rain in a 24 hour period would remain on the lot without spilling over to the neighboring property.

Some stormwater plans can be very complex; however the majority of runoff can be contained with simple berms, swales, and vegetation.

E. coli Testing

 

Thirty Lakes Watershed District has been working with Barb Luukkonen, the Water Resources Education Coordinator for the University of Minnesota to bring the Citizens Monitoring E. Coli Bacteria program to the Brainerd Lakes Area.

Volunteers will collect samples and use two different types of test kits.  Not only will they be getting important water quality results, they will be evaluating the test kits for their “User Friendly” qualities.

Canada Geese               

As magnificent as these big birds are, they can be a nuisance for lakeshore owners.  The geese prefer short lawn grass, which attract them to golf courses and mowed lakeshore lawns.  These areas provide feeding sites with an open view to see potential predators and access to water to escape dangers.  Canada Geese are highly social birds that congregate in large groups. Unfortunately, where there are large flocks of geese, there are large amounts of droppings, which create a water quality concern.

Goose dropping may contain some of the parasites and bacteria that affect humans, although actual infections are rare.  Goose feces do contain nitrogen and therefore, they can increase the algal blooms.

What can you do to discourage the geese from congregating on your lawn?  You can Plant native grasses and wildflowers that grow 20 to 30 inches tall along the shoreline.  This is considered an effective, long-term and environmentally sound method of reducing goose problems, since the geese avoid areas where plants and grass obstruct their view of the surrounding area.

No Zebra Mussels!

During the summer of 2006, tiles were attached to the lake gauges we monitor in 20 lakes.  At the end of the season, the tiles were analyzed by A.W. Research Laboratories.  None showed any indication of zebra mussels.

Thirty Lakes Watershed District encourages all boaters and lakeshore owners to frequently check the hull of their boat, dock posts, and anything else that regularly stands in the water for these fingernail-sized shelled critters.

If you find something suspicious, put it in a plastic bag or similar container and call us at Thirty Lakes Watershed District (218) 828-0243.

Lake Levels

Some of our lakes gauges had to be set in new locations due to the very low water levels of most lakes in the area.  However the District will continue to monitor the lake levels, with the results made available here.

Regional Planning

Two members of our Board of Managers, Tom Ebnet and Joe Hampl, have been participating in

the Regional Planning Program organized by the Brainerd Lakes Chamber of Commerce.

Since development seems to be inevitable in the lakes area, it must be done with concern for resources and environment.

Mass Balance Study

The sampling of the water in 19 inlets and outlets within the Watershed District had to be suspended in the fall of 2006 due to the drought conditions.  All but one or two of the 19 streams and creeks were completely dry.

Precipitation Study

Our first year of data collection is complete, and the results can be viewed at our website, www.30lakes.org.  Click on the Precipitation button on the left, and follow the instructions.

Rain (and snow) were collected and tested.  The next step was to track the weather system which brought that precipitation back to the point of

origin.  One preliminary conclusion is that the lower the weather system is in the atmosphere, the higher the concentration of Phosphorus in the precipitation.

While we can’t do anything to influence the rain and snow, it’s important to realize that Phosphorus is entering our lakes, rivers and wetlands without any direct human influence.

Our study will continue for at least one more year, with updated data posted on the website regularly.

“Stop the first drop at the top of the hill”

This is necessary to prevent erosion.  The Thirty Lakes Watershed District knows that runoff volume will increase as development continues; we have adopted a 100 year rain event for all storm water runoff plans.  A 100 year rain event is 5 ½ inches of rain within a 24 hour period.

Storm water Permits are required for:

• Plats
• Commercial Developments
• Variances
• Building Permits as required

Come visit us to see the management plan for a particular lake in the District. 

Property owners are required to keep storm water runoff on their property, as much as possible – out of the neighbors property and out of “Waters of the State”, i.e. lakes, rivers, and streams.

Project “Digital” 

Thirty Lakes Watershed District is in the process of digitizing the slides taken during the Annual Overflights dating back almost thirty years.

We have data from all 52 lakes in our district.  At the end of this project, we’ll be able to easily compare changes in the shorelines over time. 

During the Crow Wing County Fair, we will be able to show most owners a sky view of their lakeshore.

Pervious Asphalt / Porous Concrete

 (Water is able to flow through it, instead of over it.)

In February of 2007 the Watershed District partnered with the Mid-Minnesota Builders Association, A.W. Research Laboratories and Westwood Professional Services to host a seminar about pervious ground covers.

Speakers discussed porous concrete, pervious asphalt and porous paving stones as alternatives to standard impervious driveways and parking areas.

Bentonite Blues

Late last fall, a member of the Watershed District Board of Managers happened across a crew of Well Drillers putting a new well on lakeshore property.

They were using a Bentonite solution in the well drilling process, and while they attempted to evacuate the overflow, a small river of Bentonite water found its way down the hill and onto the frozen water at the shore.

Tips for keeping the waters clean from Minnesota Waters:

a.       Simply leaving an unmowed buffer at the shoreline can be a big help to water quality.  Also, leaving “emergent” aquatic vegetation (shallow-water plants) in place provides great habitat for fish.

b.      Avoid fertilizing the lawn. Nutrient runoff is a primary source of water pollution.

c.       Take care of your septic tank. Seasonal properties may only need to get pumped out every three years. On the other had, if you use a lot of water, every three years may not be enough.

d.      Protect waterfowl by exchanging lead-containing fishing tackle for new, lead-free gear.

e.       When cleaning up outside, remember that backyard garbage burning is illegal statewide, even for cabins.  There are some exceptions to the law, but they’re for farmers only.

f.       Don’t drain last years gas from the mower or outboard on to the ground; use it up by mixing with fresh fuel.