ST. PAUL and DULUTH, Minn. — Minnesota Sea Grant invites community members across the state to take part in a new effort to better understand and protect Minnesota’s lakes by registering for an upcoming chloride monitoring webinar.
The free, virtual webinar will be held Tuesday, April 21, from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. CT and is open to anyone interested in lake health, including lake association members, local leaders, and residents.
Attendance is free, but advance registration is required.
The webinar is part of Minnesota Sea Grant’s Minnesota Lake Lookout project, a statewide initiative that equips community volunteers to monitor chloride pollution and harmful algal blooms in lakes. Participants will learn how to join a growing network of volunteers dedicated to monitoring chloride and harmful algal blooms.
Chloride, commonly introduced through road salt and water softeners, is a long-lasting pollutant that can build up in lakes over time. Along with harmful algal blooms, it poses growing risks to water quality, aquatic life, and lake use across Minnesota.
During the webinar, participants will:
- Learn how chloride affects lake ecosystems
- Get an overview of Sea Grant’s Minnesota Lake Lookout project
- Hear from researchers studying lake water quality
- Find out how to participate in community-based monitoring
The webinar will feature presentations from Minnesota Sea Grant, the University of Minnesota’s Natural Resources Research Institute, and the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
“Minnesota Lake Lookout is designed to expand monitoring beyond what agencies alone can provide by building a network of trained volunteers who collect data from lakes across the state,” said Minnesota Sea Grant Water Resources Extension Educator and project lead Hilarie Sorensen. “The information helps scientists track when and where problems occur and supports better decision-making for lake management.”
Whether you live on a lake, work with water resources, or simply care about Minnesota’s waters, this webinar offers a practical way to get involved and contribute to science that supports your community. Attendance is free, but advance registration is required.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Minnesota Sea Grant is a systemwide program of the University of Minnesota and one of 34 federal-university Sea Grant partnerships across the country supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Great Lakes and coastal states that encourage the wise stewardship of our marine resources through research, outreach, communication, education and technology transfer.
CONTACT:
Hilarie Sorensen, Water Resources Extension Educator, Minnesota Sea Grant, University of Minnesota and University of Minnesota Duluth, [email protected].
Marie Thoms, Associate Director, Communications Director, Minnesota Sea Grant, University of Minnesota and University of Minnesota Duluth, [email protected].