Practical Water Wisdom

A Virtual Learning Series

Lake, sandy shore, two inflatable kayaks, sun at horizon

The Practical Water Wisdom: A Virtual Learning Series webinars are a partnership among Itasca Waters, Minnesota Sea Grant, and others.

Webinar announcements and registration information are posted to MNSG’s events webpage, included in MNSG's monthly newsletter (sign-up form), and are on the Itasca Waters Water Wisdom website.

Image credit: Adobe Stock/Matt Hopper

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Project description

Join Minnesota Sea Grant and Itasca Waters in learning about the changing water quality in Itasca County lakes as part of the Itasca Water Wisdom online webinar series, co-sponsored by MNSG.

Contact
John A. Downing, director, Minnesota Sea Grant.

Past webinar recordings

2026

February 2026
- Minnesota Lakes Thaw Tracker for 2026
- What Lakes Do in Winter
January 2026: Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Lake Management

2025

December 2025: Water Wishes for the Holidays
November 2025: Mystery Snail Impacts on Ecosystems
September 2025: Managing Stormwater Runoff on Your Shoreland Property - Minimizing Your Impacts
August 2025: Harmful Algal Blooms and Climate Change
July 2025: Biology and Management of Starry Stonewort
June 2025: Septic Health Check - A Deep Dive into Inspections & Maintenance
May 2025: Climate Change Effects on Fisheries
April 2025: Beaver Dams, Ponds and Effects
March 2025: Minnesota Ice-Out Forecast for 2025
March 2025: Lakeshore Development and Natural Shoreline Protection to Preserve Biotic Health
February 2025: Invasive Freshwater Jellyfish (Craspedacusta sowerbii) - Why Are They Increasing So Fast and What Do They Do in Lakes?

2024

November 2024: Low and No-Salt Water Softening and Conditioning
October 2024: PFAS in Water - How did They get There and Why are They so Challenging to Address?
September 2024: Changing Water Quality in Itasca County Lakes
August 2024: Success Stories on Preventing and Remediating the Spread of AIS in Minnesota Lakes
July 2024: Mining and Water Quality and How the Two Can Live Well Together in Northern Minnesota
June 2024: Manoomin (Wild Rice) - The Food That Grows on Water
May 2024: How the State Determines Fish Management Strategies, Including Stocking
April 2024: Loon Restoration in Minnesota
March 2024: Living With Zebra Mussels In Your Lake - A Cautionary Tale
February 2024: The Value of Wetlands and The Regulations That Can Protect Them

2023

November 2023: Ice Formation and Melting on Lakes - What We Know and Why it Matters
October 2023: Supernatural Lakes - Monsters, Ghosts, Witches, Fairies, and Aliens
September 2023: How Healthy is Your Well?
August 2023: Impending AIS Threats - Can They Kill My Pet or Hurt My Kids?
July 2023: Water-borne Disease and Symptoms - Can Swimming Make Me Sick?
June 2023: Are Invasive Cattails Taking over Your Lake?
May 2023: Do Horsepower and Wake Boating Matter to Your Lake?
April 2023: Decrease Your Water Footprint and Save Money Too!
March 2023: Water Plants and Woody Debris in Shallow Water - Friend or Foe?
February 2023: Loons and Bald Eagles - Can They Coexist?

2022

November 2022: Chloride Effects on Our Water Resources and Ecosystem: What We Can Do About It
October 2022: Land Use and Forestry Impacts on Water
September 2022: PFAS in Minnesota - Understanding the Impacts of Forever Chemicals
August 2022: Understanding Minnesota’s Changing Climate
July 2022: Blue-green Algae - What Causes It and Why You Should Care
June 2022: Septic Secrets - Protecting Our Waters with Good Systems
May 2022: From the Lab to the Lake - Minnesota’s Fight Against Aquatic Invasive Species
April 2022: Clear Information on Murky Lakes - How to Keep Them Minnesota Nice

Why Minnesota Sea Grant?

Minnesota Sea Grant supports freshwater research and acknowledges the need to communicate research to the broader community and respond quickly to the community’s changing research needs.

What have we done lately?

Practical Water Wisdom events happen monthly. Recent events include:

February 2026
- Minnesota Lakes Thaw Tracker for 2026
- What Lakes Do in Winter
January 2026: Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Lake Management
December 2025: Water Wishes for the Holidays
November 2025: Mystery Snail Impacts on Lake Ecosystems
October 2025: When the Forest Burns, What’s in the Water? Note: this event has been rescheduled due to the federal government shutdown.
September 2025: Managing Stormwater Runoff on Your Shoreland Property & Minimizing Your Impacts
August 2025: Harmful Algae Blooms and Climate Change

Participants & audience

Would you like to leave a legacy of clean water for future generations? Have you ever wondered about the safety of your drinking water or the quality of the lakes you love to swim in, fish in, or boat on? If either of those are true, then this series is for you!