We can’t stop our lakes from warming or the intensity of rainfall, but we can counterbalance their impacts by taking action.
Retain and restore natural shorelines
Natural shoreline vegetation plays a key role in maintaining lake health by capturing nutrients, slowing runoff, and buffering wave action. Natural vegetation also provides valuable habitat and clean water for fishing, hunting, swimming, boating, and recreation-related businesses. Lakes with clean water also provide strong and stable property values to support local schools and services. Minnesota’s natural shorelines are vanishing at about 1-2% per year, being replaced with suburban-style landscapes. The most important action every riparian property owner can do is to retain the natural shoreline or restore it if its already been lost.
Reduce the amount of lawn and hard surfaces near water
The closer lawns and hard surfaces are to the water, the more quickly nutrient-laden runoff can reach it. Lawns and hard surfaces, including permeable pavement – replace and eliminate the benefits provided by natural vegetation. Lawn-to-lake suburban-style developments contribute 7 to 9 times more phosphorus to surface waters than naturally vegetated shorelines.
Encourage your local government to take action
Local government development standards can help protect and encourage natural shoreline restoration. Many cities and counties have already taken action to protect shorelines and slow the growth of algae. See what local governments are doing.
