2005 Lake of the Woods International Water Quality Forum
 The 2nd Annual Lake of the Woods International Water
Quality Forum was held March 30, 2005 at Rainy River Community
College in International Falls, Minnesota. This was a
professional symposium intended for researchers and resource
managers working and/or interested in research and management
activities related to watersheds flowing into Lake of the
Woods. The Forum is sponsored by the Rainy River Basin Water
Resources Center, the Lake of the Woods District Property
Owners Association and the North American Lake Management
Society.
As you know, Lake of the Woods is a waterbody of
international importance, spanning the Canadian provinces of
Ontario and Manitoba, and the state of Minnesota. In recent
years, there has been a perception that the water quality of
the lake has deteriorated, although the long-term data
required to substantiate this are generally lacking.
Recognizing the need to build long-term data sets, and to
foster international partnerships between researchers,
government agencies and other stakeholders, the Lake of the
Woods Property Owner's Association hosted the first water
quality symposium in February, 2004. A summary of findings
from the first symposium can be downloaded at: www.lowdpoa.com/forum/default.htm
Following the success of the first symposium, the Rainy
River Basin Water Resources Center, in partnership with the
Lake of the Woods Property Owner's Association, the North
American Lake Management Society Minnesota, the Minnesota
Pollution Control Agency and the Ontario Ministry of the
Environment, coordinated The 2nd Annual Lake of the
Woods International Water Quality Forum. The purpose of this
meeting was to update other researchers on the work completed
or initiated over the past year and to encourage a wider net
of researchers to attend representing all regions of the Lake
of the Woods watershed. The organizers believe that much
progress can be achieved by bringing researchers and resource
managers together in a symposium setting.
The WQ Forum was scheduled for March 30 to allow those
interested to also attend the ManOMin Conference, which begins
March 31 in Fort Francis, Ontario. The ManOMin Conference
brochure will be distributed soon.
2005 WQ Forum Organizing
Committee:
Nolan Baratono,
MPCA/NALMS - (218) 283.2240, nolan.baratono@pca.state.mn.us
Don Graves, RRCC/RRBRWC
- (218) 285-2232, dgraves@rrcc.mnscu.edu
Wendy Graves, RRCC/RRBWRC
- (218) 285-2218, wgraves@rrcc.mnscu.edu
Andrew Paterson,
OME/NALMS - (705) 766-2951, andrew.paterson@ene.gov.on.ca
Kelli Saunders,
LOWDPOA - ksaunders@kenora.com
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