Public Hearing set for September 12

The public hearing for the District preliminary 2018 budgets, levies, special assessments and fees is set for Tuesday, September 12, at 6:15 p.m., at the Wells Fargo Bank Building, second floor conference room at 211 Holmes St. West, Detroit Lakes, MN.  The Public Hearing will be followed by the September Regular Board of Managers' meeting.

Storm Damage Permits

Sadly the storm of Tuesday, June 13 and Tuesday, July 11 damaged or destroyed many trees around the lakes in our area.  The Board of Managers would like to encourage property owners to replant trees or other vegetation in the Shore Impact Zone to help maintain the integrity of the shoreline.  The Board has voted to waive permit fees for tree removal for those destroyed for the next 60 days, and encourages people to take advantage of our Cost Share Program, which includes a 75% match up to $500, for plants and plant material.  This would include trees and other plants in the Shore Impact Zone, 37 1/2' from the OHW.

If you have any questions regarding this short term policy, please contact our office at (218) 846-0436 or email prwdinfo@arvig.net.

Flowering Rush Treatments -2017

The chemical treatments for Flowering Rush on area lakes are complete for the the 2017 season.  If you would like to see where each lake was treated, please click on the link to the various lakes.

Detroit Lake

Curfman Lake

Lake Sallie

Lake Melissa

Cost Share Program for Plants and Plant Material

The District is now offering a 75% match for eligible plants and plant material with a maximum of:  $500 for single family homes,  $1000 for condos and apartment complexes,  and $1,500 for not-for profit religious organizations, public and private schools, and local government agencies.  

Click for the appropriate documents:    Program Guidelines      Application      Maintenance Plan

Or contact or office at (218) 846-0436 and we would be happy to go over the details with you.

Roadside pick up of aquatic vegetation 

The District will continue to operate the aquatic plant roadside pickup program for residents on Lakes Detroit, Curfman, Sallie and Melissa.  Please place aquatic plant materials which you would like picked up by the Pelican River Watershed District on your property.  The edge of your driveway would be a good place or in the lawn next to the road.

Do not mix household garbage, garden waste, branches, leaves or other waste with the aquatic plant material. These materials will not be picked up.

Please be advised that it is against the law to place waste materials on the driving surface of a roadway.

For riparian property owners who want to dispose of native and invasive aquatic plants, download the following form, complete it and keep it with you while you are transporting to the disposal location.

http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/natural_resources/invasives/ais-auth-form-plants.pdf

2016 Water Quality Monitoring Report

Click HERE

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

Detroit Lakes Airport Expansion

A meeting was held to discuss possible alternative locations for the Detroit Lakes Airport.  The technical memo, shown below, outlines the 7 locations that were presented.

12/17/15 Meeting Minutes

Alternative Site Technical Memo

Alternative Site Maps 1-4

Alternative Site Maps 5-7

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