Healthy Lakes and Rivers
The Healthy Lakes and Rivers Partnership program was developed to help fill the gap between what state agencies are able to accomplish with regard to water quality management, and what local citizens believe should be done to protect or improve the quality of their lakes and rivers.
Through the program, citizen leaders are given the tools needed to assist them in developing and implementing their own lake or river management plans. Over two training sessions, participating advocacy groups learn how to develop a locally shared vision and plan, how to set measurable goals, and how to report on their progress and outcomes. The Healthy Lakes and Rivers Partnership program is designed to: Provide opportunities for shoreline property owners to network, work cooperatively, learn from one other, and advocate for healthy waters in central & northwest Minnesota
Establish visions, missions, goals, and management plans for their watershed using a template developed by the Healthy Lakes program and modeled after the State Interagency Lakes Coordinating Committee guide.
Establish indicators to measure the success of each association's efforts.
Provide training, technical assistance and support to associations as they go through the process of citizen-based planning and project implementation. Because of the relationships established in the common training that each group receives, they are able to contact one another and share practical experiences on sources of assistance or funding, situations or "solutions" to avoid, and sources of further guidance at regulatory agencies or academic institutions.
Through the program, citizen leaders are given the tools needed to assist them in developing and implementing their own lake or river management plans. Over two training sessions, participating advocacy groups learn how to develop a locally shared vision and plan, how to set measurable goals, and how to report on their progress and outcomes. The Healthy Lakes and Rivers Partnership program is designed to:
Pictured below are the 8 Portage Lake Association members who have attended the 2005 Healthy Lakes and Rivers sessions in an effort to acquire a grant for lake improvement
Front Row l-r: Sue Keller, Julie Fleisher, Dale Rogers, Charlie Pieper, Jerry Knoblich. Back Row: Ken Keller, Larry Fleisher, Marilyn Peterson
We need input from the lake residents regarding lake concerns. A visioning session will be held on Sat. August 27 from 1:30-3:30 pm at Gulsvig's picnic shelter, 20446 Forest Park Drive on the southeast side of the lake.