Lakes in central Minnesota have received an annual dose of falling autumn leaves for centuries without adversely impacting water quality. This small lake will get a load of leaves this autumn, but most of the leaf bio-mass will be digested by the hungry microbes and the nutrients will go into microbial growth.
I’ve been surveying a number of lakes from a scientific angle for more than 25 years. It’s been interesting collecting water samples and conducting plant and fish surveys in Dakota County, Minn., in Orchard, Marion, and Alimagnet lakes; in Ramsey County, there is White Bear and Bald Eagle; and in Chisago County, Comfort Lake. Have they changed over this time frame? Yes, but in subtle ways.
Steve McComas: How will lakes recover from the summer of 2026? Read More »
When Mother Nature whispers, I listen. Sometimes the voice is subtle, other times it’s loud and boisterous.
For lake improvement, the idea is to either mimic natural processes or manipulate natural processes to achieve lake improvement goals. For example, when scientists want to restore a channelized stream and maintain channel stability, they look at unimpacted stream configurations.
Steve McComas: Mother Nature works in many ways… all year Read More »
When fish start dying in Minnesota lakes in the summer, and especially when there were more than 200 confirmed fish kill reports at the end of July, it gets our attention.
Yet, the warm temps are just the tip of the iceberg. In reality, the whole lake ecosystem is affected when things really heat up.
Steve McComas: How extreme temps impact a lake’s ecosystem Read More »
Recently, I saw a red powder-like substance on a sandy lake bottom. I wondered what it was and how it got there. It wasn’t algae. It wasn’t paint. With a little more investigation turns out it was “rust.” The red particles were red iron precipitates. That was a tipoff to how it got there.
Steve McComas: The many ways springs impact lakes Read More »
For many outdoor enthusiasts in Minnesota, the summer opener is Memorial Day. I have been on lakes since ice-out and all indications are the lake critters and plants are on hitting their stride for early June and beyond.
Below are some of the findings I have observed.
Steve McComas: June is when Minnesota waters really hit their stride Read More »
This week, I want to share a couple of past mysteries that reveal the complex interactions roiling under the surface of the lakes we love. One mystery happened right here in Minnesota; the other overseas.
Steve McComas: Trusting science when easy answers elude us Read More »
After hunkering down for the Minnesota winter, we are tilting back toward the sun, and as sunlight energy becomes more direct and intense, our temperatures warm. Spring awakenings are afoot.
As the hours of daylight get longer and we move closer to spring and summer, there are boxes for me to check. Here are the things I am tracking.
Steve McComas: What to track as spring awakens Minnesota waters Read More »
Before retreating 14,000 to 10,000 years ago, glaciers covered nearly all of Minnesota except for the Driftless Area, in the southeastern corner of the state. Many Minnesota lakes were formed in depressions created by ice blocks that were left behind. When the ice blocks melted, water filled the depressions and lakes were formed.
For a brief period, there were no aquatic plants nor fish in these water bodies.
Steve McComas: Invasive species have been invading Minnesota lakes for centuries Read More »
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