Review of lake management in Minnesota

Lake management practices in Minnesota have included holistic Clean Lakes Projects, extensive remedial methods to control excessive phytoplankton and macrophyte growth, and fisheries improvement projects. Clean Lakes projects have had varying degrees of success, but there has been no systematic evaluation of the overall success of the program. Remedial methods and fisheries management have narrow objectives, and the broader water quality impacts of these management practices have generally not been considered. Future lake management activities in Minnesota include developing better predictive and assessment capabilities, using innovative management techniques such as biomanipulation and community management of macrophytes, and renewing emphasis on controlling nonpoint source inputs to lakes.