SPRING 1998
2305 East 5th Street
Duluth Minnesota 55812-1445

readers
 
In this world of information overload, it is a wonder that anyone can keep track of it all. For example, sources of water resource information can range from a water treatment salesperson to a university professor to state agencies with local governments thrown in. Who can sort it all out? How is the average busy Minnesotan supposed to understand where or who to call for their water resource questions? Many people are getting their information from door to door water treatment salespeople. While they can be a good source of information, they do have an ulterior motive.

The Water Line does not claim to have all the answers but can get people started in the right direction toward solving their problem. The Water Line does not invent new information but helps callers sort through existing information and resources. The challenge is to get the word out that the Water Line is available statewide. We are making progress with help from the University of Minnesota Extension Service, Soil and Water Conservation Districts, and county water planning offices, but it is a slow process. So my point is, I need your help in getting the word out. So please keep up the good work in distributing the brochures and putting the ads in your newsletters.

Thanks
Keith Anderson

ground water education in minnesota
 
Try out the following question and answer in your newsletter. Have you ever wondered about the status of ground water education in Minnesota? Is something being done? Should we do more? The Water Line's steering committee has been grappling with these issues. The view of the steering committee is that ground water education is happening in Minnesota but on a piecemeal basis. Interested local water planners, health department personnel, and the DNR, among others, are doing some work in the area of ground water education. But what has come out of the committee's discussions is that ground water education in Minnesota is far shy of what it could be given all the pressures on the resource.

What are those pressures? Population increases impact ground water in many areas. For example, increased ground water withdrawal for public water supply in sensitive areas such as the Savage Fen in Scott County have lowered the water table and adversely affected this unique calcareous fen. The above example highlights the need for land use planners and decision makers to be informed about the impact of their water use decisions on the combined water resources and hydrology of an area. The pressures also come from agricultural areas where the use of fertilizers and other agricultural chemicals in sensitive areas has been shown to cause elevated nitrate levels and detectable levels of pesticides.

The steering committee believes it's time for further educational efforts related to ground water and hydrology in the state of Minnesota. Therefore, the committee has been developing a ground water education position that could fit into University of Minnesota Sea Grant program or the Water Resources Center at the U of M. The Water Line would become part of the ground water/hydrology program but the main position would be an expanded, more comprehensive position focused on ground water/hydrologic education statewide. Some ideas for the position consist of providing programming for individual extension offices throughout the state and helping individual communities that are struggling with ground water contamination issues.

the water line is a part of the new extension service
yard and garden line!
 
In order to increase the University of Minnesota Extension Service's ability to handle yard, landscape, and garden questions a new Yard and Garden Line has been set up. Dial U, the telephone access service that provides prerecorded messages on a variety of topics, will now be a part of the Yard and Garden Line. The Water Line phone linkage will become one of the main options when people call the Yard and Garden Line. Other options on the Yard and Garden line include the Info U tapes, links to master gardeners, and a link to the Bell Museum of Natural History for wildlife questions. The phone number for the line is 888-624-4771. Try it out

question of the season
 
What can I do to eliminate those weeds from around my dock?

That's a tough question, because there are a variety of ways to "get rid of" the aquatic plants (weeds) in your dock area. First you should consider if the benefits of removing the aquatic plants outweigh the benefits of having them there. Aquatic plants provide several benefits for the lake system.

• They provide important habitat for fish for spawning and cover.
• Aquatic plants consume nutrients in the lake that would otherwise be consumed by algae so by removing the aquatic plants you are liable to create more intense algal blooms.
• Aquatic plants help stabilize the shoreline and minimize erosion.
• Aquatic plants are a natural part of the lake ecosystem.

If, after weighing the benefits, you decide to remove aquatic plants consider removing the minimum amount necessary for your purposes. There are a couple of ways to remove aquatic plants. You can physically remove them by cutting or pulling by hand, or, there are selected herbicides that can be applied to control weed growth. You will need a permit from the DNR if you decide to use a herbicide but a limited amount of hand clearing can be done without a permit. Any control of emergent vegetation (vegetation that sticks up above the water) will need a permit from the DNR. There are many more details about aquatic plants that are worth noting, if you would like more information contact your local DNR office and request the Guide to Aquatic Plants booklet or call your local extension office.