BIGFORK — The last day to comment on the draft report on the conditions of the Big Fork River Watershed is July 2.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's report found many of the lakes, streams and wetlands in the watershed to be in good condition. It also identified restoration strategies and potential problems in improving and maintaining conditions in some water bodies.
The report stated that Island Lake, Shallow Pond, Jessie Lake and Little Spring have not been meeting water quality standards for recreation due to excess nutrients, which can pose a threat to fish populations. Island Lake is a priority due to high levels of phosphorous.
The report also identified Round Lake, Dunbar Lake and Bowstring Lake in the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe as vulnerable to harm. These lakes are subject to the band's water quality standards.
Comments on the draft report can be submitted on the agency's website.
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Lorie Shaull/KAXEResidents can receive up to 70 free tree seedlings to reforest their properties starting May 2026, following a windstorm in June 2025 that felled an estimated 9 million trees in the area. -
Lorie Shaull/KAXENew guidelines specific to St. Louis, Lake and Cook counties account for the fact that fish in the region generally have higher mercury concentrations. -
Contributed/GoogleA demolition loan from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic will help clear the site of the former Itasca Farm Co-op. -
Contributed/Minnesota Public Utilities CommissionThe meetings in Grand Rapids, Hermantown, Floodwood and online will cover Minnesota Power's proposed 67.5 miles of transmission line between Grand Rapids and Hermantown. -
Megan Buffington/KAXEThe U.S. Forest Service will close its decades-old Grand Rapids research office as part of a national reorganization. The lab produces world-renowned work on woods and water. -
Larissa Donovan/KAXEKlobuchar visited with Conservation Corps members, local and state fire officials and others during a follow-up on recovery from a devastating wind storm in June 2025. -
Contributed/NWSThe snow will likely stick around for at least a few days, with temperatures near zero possible Monday night, April 6, 2026, in the extreme north. -
Contributed/Minnesota Farmers Union via FacebookThe People's Town Halls are an opportunity for the public to share how elected officials can help them meet their needs and build strong rural communities, the union said. -
Contributed/U.S. Forest ServiceThe office is one of 47 research and development facilities closing amid a major reorganization of the agency. The Superior and Chippewa offices and their staffing are not impacted. -
Contributed/Carlton County EMS via FacebookThe recognition of a Kettle River first responder's efforts illustrates the balancing act between passion for their mission and funding woes.
