Begins: Apr 25th, 2015 at 8:30 am
Ends: Apr 25th, 2015 at 12:30 pm

Venue: Minnesota Landscape Arboretum
Location:   | Chanhassen, Minnesota

Forum explores unique challenges and benefits of shallow lakes

Not all lakes are created equal and that certainly is the case with the more than 11,000 lakes in Minnesota, and while every lake is different, there is a particular distinction between deep lakes and shallow lakes. Shallow lakes pose different challenges and benefits and need to be managed differently than their deep counterparts.

The 2015 Shallow Lakes Forum will focus on techniques for managing shallow lakes, and the role of plants in this management. The event will be held on Saturday, April 25 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. in the MacMillan Auditorium at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chanhassen. Anyone who lives on or near a shallow lake or would like to learn more about how to properly care for shallow lakes is welcome to attend.

Shallow lakes – lakes that average 15 feet or less in depth – provide a variety of benefits, including fishing, recreation, and habitat for wildlife. Unlike a deep water lake, shallow lakes also bring some unique challenges, especially when trying to find a balance between maintaining a healthy plant community while at the same time enjoying the recreational benefits a lake provides. Shallow lakes account for about one-third of Minnesota lakes.

The forum will focus on managing shallow lakes both in the water and on land, with an emphasis on plants and the role they play in maintaining a healthy lake ecosystem. Learn from the experts about how and why shallow lakes are especially sensitive to upstream pollution, which aquatic and terrestrial plants are beneficial for providing clean water, and what you can do to help manage plants to make your shallow lake healthy and usable.

The forum will include speakers from the Freshwater Society, Wenck & Associates, Barr Engineering, Freshwater Innovations and Urban Ecosystems.

The fee for the forum is $15 for Arboretum members and $20 for non-members and includes a light breakfast. To register, visit www.arboretum.umn.edu/ShallowLakes2015.aspx.

ShallowLake-Flyer 2015