BRAINERD, Minn. – Minnesota boat owners are storing their boats for the winter. But that doesn’t stop the conversation about responsible water recreation. Groups calling for more safety requirements say it’s about preserving the lakes for future seasons.
The boats used for certain lake activities such as wakesurfing are getting bigger and bigger and more powerful. This has raised concerns about the big waves damaging the shores and vegetation.
Jeff Forester, executive director of Minnesota Lakes and Rivers Advocates, said that’s why his group wanted the Natural Resources Department to require a boat operator’s safety certificate.
âThe lakes are extremely complex and very fragile,â said Forester. âSo the training in lake ecology that would come with boat operator certification, I think, could go a long way in helping people protect and preserve lakes. “
He noted that Minnesota also had just experienced its deadliest summer on the lakes since 2005. The DNR says of the fatalities, 17 were from shipping accidents.
The ministry is urged to include the language of the certificate in its next agency bill to the legislature. MNR officials say they support more education, but add that it is too early to say if there will be talks to include it.
Supporters say it’s not about cracking down on boaters because they understand how important water recreation is to Minnesota.
Steve Frawley, chairman of the government relations committee of the Gull Chain of Lakes Association, said he is concerned about increased traffic from wakesurfing and believes training may be one of many ways to ensure that all residents will enjoy the lakes for years to come.
âI think it would be very important to have some sort of certification process so that people understand the impact of these boats,â said Frawley, âespecially on the narrower and shallower lakesâ.
Current Status of Minnesota language enabled for teens. Forester said it was a good first step.
But he said with Boat sales increase 30% during pandemic, it is clear that there are new boat owners who could benefit from training.
âThe boating industry is really innovative and has changed a lot over the last few years,â said Forester.
He said the sophisticated craft requires more skills and greater awareness.
The request calls for the creation of a working group to determine the parameters of a certification program.
Disclosure: Minnesota Lakes and Rivers Advocates contributes to our Climate Change / Air Quality, Public Lands / Wilderness, Sustainable Agriculture, Water Reporting Fund. If you would like to help support the news in the public interest, click here.
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RUBY MOUNTAINS, Nevada – Nevada is the driest state in the country, but few of its rivers and streams have federal protections.
Now a new report identifies the waterways most in need of safeguards. The study found that the Truckee River, Lamoille Creek, and Pine Creek in the Alta Toquima Wilderness meet most of the criteria for protection.
Caitlin Littlefield, Senior Scientist at Conservation Science Partners, is a co-author of the report.
âAs the climate continues to warm and our population increases, we are placing more and more demands and stress on these freshwater resources,â Littlefield explained. “We really run the risk of compromising their integrity and undermining their ecological significance.”
Researchers assessed the streams for water quality, ecological significance, and recreational value. The data should provide a baseline for wildlife protection agencies to designate waterways as outstanding national resource waters or as state or federal wild and scenic waters.
Russell Kuhlman, executive director of the Nevada Wildlife Federation, said high-altitude streams are crucial habitat for fish and other wildlife.
âThe report highlights those from the Ruby Mountains that are so vital to our Lahontan cutthroat trout, the most iconic species of fish we have here, perhaps along with the puppy,â Kuhlman pointed out.
The state is currently suffering from a drought lasting several years, with water levels declining daily at Lake Mead. Water agencies are bracing for cuts for agricultural clients, possibly by next year. New protections for the state’s waterways could hinder future development or mining projects.
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DURANGO, Colorado – Rivers and streams in Colorado provide drinking water and outdoor recreation opportunities, and support biodiversity and wildlife, but less than 4% are fully protected.
New research by Conservation Science Partners found that the majority of the state’s 15,000 unprotected river miles could qualify for outstanding national resource water designations. The group’s lead scientist, Caitlin Littlefield, said Colorado’s waterways are under increasing threat due to climate change and population growth.
“We really need to anticipate these changes and protect these rivers and streams that have the most integrity as soon as possible,” she said. “This is not something we are going to regret, and will only serve our wildlife, our ecosystems and our human needs, in the future.”
The report, commissioned by The Pew Charitable Trusts, found that the waterways meeting the most protection criteria were in the western half of the state. He said that Colorado’s most valuable rivers – those that have not been altered and provide significant value to people, wildlife and ecosystems – include the sources of the Dolores River, Roubideau Creek and the Taylor River.
Ashleigh Tucker, Managing Partner of 4Corners Riversports in Durango, people travel great distances to discover the rivers and streams of Colorado for paddle boarding, rafting and fishing. She added that their value became even more pronounced during the pandemic, when the closures found more Coloradans looking for activities outside.
âColorado’s economy is built on outdoor recreation,â she said, âand so it’s definitely something we need to support and protect for future generations, so people can keep coming. see our beautiful rivers and see them clean and free. flowing. “
Outdoor recreation contributes $ 12.2 billion to the state’s economy, according to the Outdoor Industry Association. Scientists have identified a total of 662 river miles that have ranked in the top 25% of the state to meet all the criteria for Outstanding National Resource Waters. Some 133 river miles ranked in the top 10% are headwaters in the Gunnison, San Isabel and San Juan National Forests.
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Support for this report was provided by The Pew Charitable Trusts.
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ST. PAUL, Minnesota – Minnesota continues to control aquatic invasive species in some lakes. As the state combats these threats, calls are being made for Ministry of Natural Resources develop a more solid management plan.
The states overall plan to tackle zebra mussels and other habitat-disturbing pests was written in 2009. MNR leaders said they were developing a new plan, with invasive species detected in more streams this summer.
Jeff Forester, Executive Director of Defenders of Minnesota Lakes and Rivers, said he hopes it is a comprehensive strategy, with better coordination of efforts on the ground.
âNo one really knows what someone else is doing and it’s not targeted to specific, achievable goals. It’s not coordinated,â Forester said of the current plan.
He said MNR should guide detailed collaboration between lake associations, county governments and others doing prevention work. MNR has a new plan planned over the next year and said it will include information such as the impact of climate change.
A bill in the legislature this year called for a new management plan every five years. Ann Pierce, deputy director of ecological and water resources at DNR, said that kind of timeline would require more federal reviews, potentially delaying congressional funding for prevention.
“The fact that the federal government has to review it, which takes time – sometimes up to a year – is going to put a bit of an obstacle in some of this annual granting process,” she said. .
However, Minnesota Lakes and Rivers argued that these issues should not be related. He noted that federal grants are narrow in tackling aquatic invasive species, and thinks the state should focus on its own plan. The sponsor of the bill said there was room for compromise, but he will continue to push for urgency.
Carroll Schaal, Head of the Lakes and Rivers Section of the Wisconsin DNR, who last updated his management plan in 2019, recognized that this was a large undertaking and that federal involvement was only part of the approach.
“[The] the federal money at stake is not that important, âhe said. âI mean, we’re very grateful for that. But you know, we are able, with our own resources, to adapt to the current conditions. “
On the Minnesota side, the DNR said its planning does not preclude making a change if a crisis causes one. But he insists that the updates required are not optimal for carrying out a larger plan.
Disclosure: Minnesota Lakes and Rivers Advocates contributes to our climate change / air quality, public lands / wilderness, sustainable agriculture and water reporting fund. If you would like to help support the news in the public interest, click here.
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