CLOSE Protect Your Lake - Start a Lake Association

People who live on or near a lake, big or small, often view it as a personal sanctuary. If you feel a special connection to your lake, consider organizing a lake association to protect it.

Urban lakes face a myriad of threats, from polluted stormwater runoff that leads to algae to aquatic invasive species that upset ecological balance. Lake associations empower citizens with knowledge and support for protecting and enhancing their lake.

The MCWD recognizes the importance of these groups and makes it easy to get started. The Watershed Association Initiative works with individuals to form a group, write a plan, communicate with members and connect with similar organizations. Mini grants are available through the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District (MCWD), which also offers workshops and trainings to help keep your organization effective.

On water bodies across the District, citizens are helping keep the water that they love healthy and clean. The MCWD is eager to help you with this goal. 

OPEN What funding resources are available?

OPEN Why form a lake, stream, or watershed group?

CLOSE About the Watershed Association Initative

With 126 lakes, countless wetlands and miles of streams in the District, we know that citizen leaders are essential part of protecting and improving our waters. In September of 2006 the Watershed Association Initiative (WAI) began. Through this program the MCWD wants to activate groups of citizens who have come together with the common value of protecting their local water resources.

The scientific expertise, organizational development resources, and citizen-led conservation experience that both the MCWD and the Freshwater Society provide are important for a strong start and a sustainable future for lake, stream, and watershed associations.

OPEN Citizen Lake & Stream Associations in MCWD

OPEN Tools for starting or building lake and river associations

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