Public Hearing Notice

The Board of Managers of the Pelican River Watershed District will hold a public hearing on the adoption of a proposed Rule related to the enforcement of buffer requirements on public ditches under its jurisdiction.  The hearing will be held at the Board's regular meeting at 6:15 PM, Thursday, July 19, 2018, at the District's second Floor meeting room at the Wells Fargo Building, 211 Holmes Street West, Detroit Lakes, MN 56501.  All interested parties are welcome to attend the hearing and provide comments.  A copy of the proposed Rule can be viewed by clicking on the link below.  If you have any comments or questions regarding this matter, please contact Tera Guetter, Administrator at the Pelican River Watershed District office (218) 846-0436 or by email at prwdinfo@arvig.net.

PRWD 103 E Systems Only Buffer Rule

July Monthly Board PacketJuly packet.pdf

Flowering Rush Treatments -2018 - Updated 6/28/18

The first Flowering Rush Treatments were completed on June 27 & 28 .  The treatment areas are shown in the maps below.

Detroit and Curfman Lakes

Lakes Muskrat, Sallie, and Melissa

Lake Handouts Available

These were completed for the lakes listed below and copies are now available in our office.  If your Lake Association would like more copies, you can print from the link below or contact our office for more information.

Long     Big & North Floyd     Little Floyd     Big & Little Detroit         Sallie     Melissa    Rice Lake information

Resolution to initiate project to impound Waters of Becker County Ditch 13

The Board of Mangers at their March 15, 2018 meeting initiated a project to impound waters of Becker County Ditch 13 on the Rice Lake wetland to reduce phosphorus loadings and algal blooms on downstream lakes (Detroit, Muskrat, Sallie and Melissa).  Please feel free to contact our office if you have any questions.

  Resolution to Impound waters of Becker County Ditch 13

Upcoming Curly-leaf Pondweed & Flowering Rush Treatments

Notice is hereby given the Pelican River Watershed District is conducting an aquatic invasive species control project involving herbicide treatments of Curly-leaf pondweed and Flowering Rush infestations for lakes Big and Little Detroit, Curfman, Sallie, Melissa and Muskrat.  Maps containing treatment information can be found on the link below.

2018 Curly-leaf Pondweed Treatment Areas

Updated 6/8/2018 - Curly-Leaf Pondweed Treatments -  These have been completed

Updated 6/29/2018 - The first Flowering Rush Treatment were completed June 27 & 28.

Flowering Rush - Diquat will be used to treat submersed/mostly submersed Flowering Rush in mid-June followed by a second treatment in late July to early August.  It is recommended that irrigation using lake water in treated areas cease for five days after treatment.

Signatures for lake-wide herbicide control of aquatic invasive species are not required for the Pelican River Watershed District as the MN DNR has waived the signature requirements as allowed by state statute.  The law requires notification to lakeshore owners on how to opt out of treatments.  According to the Minnesota Statutes (103G.615, Sec 78, Subd 3a,b,c) the District is required to notify landowners of proposed treatments, offering them an opportunity to request that treatment NOT be done in waters adjacent to their property.  Adjacency is defined as waters within 150 feet of the shore lake-ward between property lines.  While it is the landowners right to request treatment NOT be done in front of their property, it should be noted this project aims to reduce aquatic invasive species populations which interfere with navigation, impair recreational activities, and cause harm to native plant populations.

Landowners may exercise this right by notifying the District in writing of their wish to "opt-out" of any treatment area for 2018.  All notifications must be received by Tuesday, May 29, 2018.  Address all communication to:

Tera Guetter, Administrator

Pelican River Watershed District

211 Holmes St. West, Suite 201

Detroit Lakes, MN 56501

The approved permits can be viewed with the links below

Detroit

Sallie

Melissa

Muskrat

District Awarded $1.5 million in Clean Water Funds

May 25, 2016 - The Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) announced a third round of Clean Water Fund grants to help six local governments from around the state.  Pelican River Watershed District will receive $1.5 million to help reduce phosphorus loading to the watershed by 50%.

  To read full release - click here.

The Board of Soil and Water Resources (BWSR) highlighted the project in their October Snapshot.

Notice of Decision to Revise & Update the PRWD Water Management Plan

The Pelican River Watershed District adopted a resolution on April 21, 2016 requiring the update and revision of the Pelican River Watershed Management Plan, as authorized under Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 103D.405, the Watershed District Statute.

The plan will be focused on priority water management concerns,  The Pelican River Watershed District invites all recipients of this notice to submit water management issues they feel the plan should focus on.

Also, please submit any water and related land resources plans and official controls to the name below so that they can be reviewed to ensure consistency with the Watershed Management Plan.

Please submit the requested information by June 1, 2016 or direct inquiries to:

Tera Guetter, Administrator

211 Holmes St. West, Suite 201

Detroit Lakes, MN 56501                 218-846-0436 or tera.guetter@arvig.net

Lake Sallie Bulrush Pilot Project report

The Pelican River Watershed, along with Mississippi State University, began a pilot project in 2015 on Lake Sallie to study the effects of chemically treating the invasive Flowering rush within a stand of native Hardstem Bulrush.  The reduction of the Flowering rush was quite impressive. After review of the data, it appears that there was little to no damage to the native Bulrush, and in the treatment area, the Bulrush population acutally increased after the flowering rush was treated.  See the full report below.

Hardstem Bulrush Pilot Study - Final Report

MN Buffer Initiative

Governor Mark Dayton's landmark buffer initiative was signed into law this year. The law establishes new perennial vegetation buffers of up to 50 feet along rivers, streams, and ditches that will help filter out phosphorus, nitrogen, and sediment. The new law provides flexibility and financial support for landowners to install and maintain buffers, and boost compliance with buffer laws across Minnesota.

The DNR's role in Minnesota's new buffer law is to produce maps of public waters and ditch systems that require permanent vegetation buffers. The DNR is scheduled to produce these maps by July 2016.

Click here for more information

Buffer Fact Sheet