Eighty scientists and resource managers battled their way through a winter blizzard to attend the 6th Annual International Lake of the Woods Water Quality forum in March. The Forum featured a day and a half of research presentations and a half day of "working group sessions" focused on plans for inter-agency collaboration on water quality monitoring and work to prevent introductions and expansion of aquatic invasive species like the spiny water flea.

Main themes of the research presentations focused on: nutrients and algae, impacts of water level regulation, aquatic invasive species, and updates on research and monitoring initiated in 2008 by Environment Canada, Ontario Ministry of Environment, and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.

Preliminary results of the Foundation's Lake of the Woods Nutrient Budget Study were presented by Kathryn Hargan (Trent University) and Joe Hadash (MN St. Cloud State University). When completed next year, Kathryn's and Joe's work will account for all sources and amounts of phosphorus loading to the lake and also develop water quality models for evaluating management strategies to reduce algae blooms stimulated by this key nutrient.

International coordination for the lake was the theme of keynote presentations by Gaylen Reetz, Pollution Control Director of the MPCA and Franca Dignem, Northern Region Director of Ontario MOE. Mr. Reetz also described the MPCA's 10 year plan to assess and remediate all lakes and streams in the state, with Lake of the Woods being a top priority. The Clean Water Land and Legacy Amendment, passed during the November 2008 elections, will allocate $5.5 billion over 25 years to protect water and land in Minnesota, supported by a 3/8 cent sales tax levy. This historic vote by the citizens of Minnesota established a dedicated Clean Water Fund, which will direct $80-90 million per year to protecting and restoring water quality in Minnesota.