East Otter Tail SWCD - Blog

June 28, 2020 by Darren Newville

I get it, we want our lake homes or cabins larger enough to accommodate all our family and friends. We want to have patios and decks that allow us to enjoy an unobstructed view of the lake. We want perfect, golf course-like, manicured lawns with sandy beaches that allow the kids or grandkids access to the lake for swimming. We want the lake in front of our lots to be weed free so the kids can swim without anything touching their feet or legs. We want a perfectly clear lake free of any aquatic invasive species, and we need to have a garage or shed conveniently placed and large enough to store all the toys we use on the water. We want the lake to be abundant with desirable fish so that we can catch one on almost every cast. We want to live the perfect #LakeLife experience. Sounds great, but is it great for the lake?

June 23, 2020 by MAWQCP

Babe Winkelman’s name is often recognized for his hunting and fishing adventures.  Now the Winkelman Farm is being recognized for achieving Water Quality Certification in Minnesota’s Ag Water Quality Certification Program (MAWQCP).  And Babe Winkelman is the first to say that all of the conservation stewardship efforts on their farm have been a ‘family project’.

May 12, 2020 by SWCD

It's pretty easy to turn on the faucet and not have a second thought about where the water that's gushing out of it comes from. But where does it come from and how do we impact it?

April 14, 2020 by EOT SWCD

Many lakeshore owners picture their ideal yard being lush, green, mowed grass straight down to the edge of the rip rap right along the lake. Maximum lawn equals maximum enjoyment, right? Well, we at the SWCD are here to challenge your idea of a perfect lake lawn (a little challenge is good in life, right?)! There are a lot of benefits to having a nice, mowed lawn straight to the lake: lots of room for activities for one, and the best unobstructed view of the lake, and the approval of your neighbors whose lawn rivals that of the white house (how do they do that?). But we want to take a look at some of the negative consequences of having a mowed lawn that stretches to the lake, as well as some of the benefits of planting native grasses and flowers along the shoreline (what else did you expect from us, this is our job!).

April 06, 2020 by EOT SWCD

Do you live in Central Minnesota? Do you like having access to accurate up-to-date weather? If so, the North Dakota Agricultural Weather Network (NDAWN) is for you. Yes, we know it says North Dakota, but it serves data for central and northwestern Minnesota. There are 12 stations located throughout the central region including: Becker, Hubbard, Otter Tail, Wadena, Pope, Todd, Morrison, Benton and Sherburne counties. Weather stations in our area include Perham, Parkers Prairie, Ottertail, Wadena, and Staples.