Otter Tail Basin Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategies (WRAPS)

District Staff (Guetter, Alcott, summer interns, and Manager Okeson) joined the MN DNR on August 1st to assess streambank erosion and rate the erodibility riverbank between Co Rd 149 to Floyd Lake.  Many areas of erosion were observed that are contributing to high nutrient and sediment loads to Floyd Lake, however, some of the bank slump areas from 20 year's ago are "healing" up.  On September 5th, Guetter, Alcott and MN DNR staff completed the upstream section between Co Rd 149 and 230th St.  This area is seasonally pastured and there were several bank areas which were trampled down by cattle watering and crossing use, exposing fine sediment.  DNR staff will use the data to model and predict sediment loss from streambank erosion.  

A survey of the Pelican River between Hwy 10 and Detroit Lake was completed on September 7th.  Sediment accumulation was found in the culverts due to a widening of the stream bed in those areas, however no significant streambank erosion was noted.

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

Flowering Rush Treatments -2018 - Updated 8/8/18

The first Flowering Rush Treatments were completed on June 27 & 28, this included areas receiving both one and two annual applications.  The second treatment was administered August 6 & 7.  Treatment area maps are below.  Please feel free to contact our office if you have any questions.

Detroit and Curfman Lakes

Lakes Muskrat, Sallie, and Melissa

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

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