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The effort to reconnect the Chisago Chain of Lakes, restoring navigability between major basins, was the impetus behind a meeting last week involving state regulators from DNR, PCA, county soil and water, wetland act enforcement staff and three members of the seven member Lake Improvement District Board. The LID called the meeting to learn about permits that are going to be required in its quest to make boat traffic between North Lindstrom and North Center possible.

The LID was commended by permitting agency representatives for proactively seeking advice about what will be required in applying for an array of permits.

The question of the day was whether invited officials saw any one thing that poses an insurmountable hurdle for the reconnection of these two lakes.

DNR staff member Jeff Berg responded, "Is it a slam dunk? No."

Berg added that, on its face the concept is probably one that could be endorsed by the state. But, he cautioned, in the process of doing environmental review; requiring soil borings, hydrology study and inventory of vegetation and animal species, one never knows what's going to be found.

The goal to enhance recreational boating on the Chisago Chain is generally shared by the state. But Berg continued, explaining that the permitting agencies are going to want to know how this connection effects the "dynamics" of lakes involved and any downstream impacts. He said the litmus test is if the benefits of doing this project outweigh detriments.

LID members reminded the invited regulators that boats did traverse through the lakes long before manmade railroads, highways and development of housing altered the terrain. Bud Kapell, the North Center Lake representative to the LID, said, the lakes are low right now, but usually there's been some level of flow through this section anyway.

He said the North Center outlet into a wetland next to the Blue Waters Trailer Court, has been closed off with fill over time. "This is not a natural situation" now, he stressed. The LID views widening and deepening this channel (proposed at 20 feet wide) as a measure to actually re-establish an historic opening.

Still-- DNR Fisheries spokesperson Dean Paron, said, invasive vegetation and aggressive fish species will now have a wide open access through this connection and their potential downstream impact will need to be studied.

Chris Klucas, with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, also pointed out that in the low area between the two lakes the slough is retaining nutrient loads. If channelization occurs, the beneficial nutrient absorption will be affected. He asked the LID to consider-- if North Center Lake is hyper-eutrophic right now to what extent will increasing the flow out of North Center impair North Lindstrom Lake?

The other big factor in this connection project is the County Road 20 bridge. The concept is to raise the county road bed to allow for the bridge bottom to be cleared by pontoons, etc. The channel bottom here would be at an elevation of 892 feet above sea level. The North Center open inlet would be set at 894.

The LID members wondered if the necessary bridge alterations need to be permitted first, before channel permits should even be sought. LID member Chris DuBose commented that the bridge is the limiting factor for boat travel and without the higher clearance provided by a new bridge, any channel work would fall short of navigating the chain of lakes.

The meeting ended with the LID members in agreement that the channel permit would proceed under the belief state bridge funding would also be concurrently sought by County Highway staff.

The LID will probably be considering doing an Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW)for the channelization. Water Plan Coordinator Jerry Spetzman said the LID "...is probably going to have to do one anyway" and it should plan on this.

This will require a County Board vote passing a resolution of support, according to the state agency members attending. The county is the RGU, responsible government unit, in terms of applications for permits.

By-laws proposed to change

The Lakes Improvement District Board members have also made some revisions to LID operations.

The annual meeting at the Government Center-- when residents come and publicly comment and have input-- has been changed to February. It used to be held in August. LID meetings are the first Monday of each month so the annual meeting is presumed to be the first Monday in Feb. 2012, watch for legal notices.

The LID Board also voted recently to adopt a resolution revising members' election cycles.

Along with extending terms to February that normally would have been voted on at the annual meeting in August; additional changes include recommending that Seat 2 (held by Al Singer) be made a one year seat. Areas 3 (Al Wahlgren, So. Lindstrom) and 4 (Chris DuBose, Chisago)) will become three-year terms upon election in 2013.

Once these terms have been served, the seats revert back to four-year.

This resolution will need to be voted on by those attending at the annual meeting in February.

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