Grimy, dirty, ugly water. Those are words that might
describe the conditions of our watershed if we don't start taking better care of it.
There are many rules that regulate what we can and cannot do to a lake.
Many people aren't aware of these rules and regulations or are just
ignoring them.
The major pollution problem of the Pelican River Watershed
is runoff. The runoff comes from many places. These places include
streets, rooftops, and parking lots. Salts, sand, litter, and oil from cars are
just some of the pollutants that affect our lakes. It takes just ½ inch of rain
to clean the streets.
There is also agricultural runoff in the country. Soil, animal
waste, and fertilizers are washed into rivers and lakes during this type of runoff. Another major way that the watershed is polluted is through
leakage in septic tanks. This was a major problem in Big and Little
Detroit Lake. The problem is under control now because a new
continuous sewage systems and storm drains all the
way around both lakes has been constructed.
According to Dick Hecock, president of the P.R.W. district, after
running tests for the past five years, they can safely
say that the condition of Little Detroit Lake has
improved immensely because of the new sewage systems
and storm drains.
The most polluted lakes in the Pelican River Watershed are
St. Clair Lake, Lake Sallie, and Mud Lake. St. Clair Lake is one of
the most polluted lakes because it was the location of where the city's
sewage runoff drained for 75-100 years.
Lake Sallie is one of the most polluted lakes because it is the
lake on the watershed next to St. Clair Lake. Some of St. Clair Lake's
pollution flowed right into Lake Sallie. The pollution of Lake Sallie is
visible because of the lack of water clarity. |
Mud Lake is polluted because Campbell Creek flows into it.
Campbell Creek flows through fields and pastures
before emptying into Mud Lake. Other lakes such as
Little Floyd Lake have less significant pollution problems.
There are many organizations that are concerned
with the water quality of the watershed. The main
organization is the Becker County Coalation of Lakes
Association. Other groups include the Isaac Walton Leagueand the Sierra Club.
Also many lakes have their own associations. Citizens can help reduce the pollution by just being aware of
the current problems. For instance, a lot of residents don't know that it is
illegal to use lawn fertilizers on lakeshore property because of the high risk
of polluting the lake. Another fact that a lot people don't know is that
paving your driveway contributes to the pollution of lakes. |
Traffic on the water is another way the watershed gets
polluted. Boats and jet-skis contribute to the pollution on lakes through
their emissions. Fishermen also contribute to the pollution problem.
Besides the running of their motors, some throw their worm
containers/bedding and broken tackle into the lake.
It's hard for the people of the P.R.W. to enforce their rules
and regulations, because they don't go out patrolling to find criminals.
Because of this, we citizens need to take responsibility of keeping the
lakes and rivers clean.
If you are interested in finding out more about the
watershed, you can attend hearings that usually occur about once a week. Call
the P.R.W. at 218-846-0436 to find out more information. |
