With funding assistance from the Anoka Conservation District, Linwood Township is taking new steps to ensure local lakes, streams and groundwater are protected. The township is beginning implementation of an ordinance requiring septic system inspections before property ownership transfer. The goal is to ensure septic systems are functioning properly because a failing septic can be both a human health and an environmental threat.

All homes and businesses in Linwood Township, except for a trailer park, have their own septic system. The costs for maintenance and repair fall entirely on the owner. Replacing the system can be costly, at over $10,000. Many homeowners would struggle with this kind of cost. Property sale is one of the few times that funds may be available to address a failing septic system. The ordinance also helps protect buyers from a large liability.

In addition to this new ordinance, Linwood also tracks septic system pumping and reminds homeowners when it is due. In this way, the township is able to remind homeowners of this important maintenance that helps avoid more costly problems. Many other communities in Anoka County also take similar measures.

Photo: Septic System Maintenance Pumping

In August and September the Anoka Conservation District is leading carp removal projects at Martin Lake. The lake, and others in the same chain that are being similarly managed, have high carp populations that affect water quality, habitat and the fishery. Six funding sources have combined to launch the work in 2020.

In the last two years, grants were used to remove over 5,000 carp from Martin Lake and a similar amount in Typo Lake. That is half-way to the goal set in a management study conducted by Dr. Przemek Bajer of Carp Solutions, LLC and the ACD. That work was done with grants in 2018-2019 that are now spent.

We're excited to be able to bring this management to conclusion with new funding sources in 2020-2022. Funding for the chain of lakes includes:

• $148,000 Clean Water, Land and Legacy grant from the MN Board of Water and Soil Resources.
• $28,500 from the Sunrise River Watershed Management Organization.
• $5,000 from the Linwood Lake Improvement Association.
• $9,750 from the Martin Lakers Association, donated by residents to their Water Quality Fund.
• $5,000 Anoka County Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention grant to the Martin Lakers Association.
• Labor contributed by Linwood Township and the Anoka Conservation District.

To request to be on an email list for regular project updates, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Updates are also periodically posted to the ACD website here: Carp Harvests

Recent hot weather has put lakes in the news. Some, particularly those already polluted with too many nutrients, experience blooms of toxic blue-green algae that create a health concern about getting in the water. Sometimes beaches are closed. Each year there are a few reports in the state of dogs dying from drinking that water. They are dramatic reasons lakes and rivers are monitored, but not the only reasons.

The Anoka Conservation District (ACD) monitors water quality in 20 lakes and 20+ stream or river sites. Not all waters are monitored every year.This monitoring is used for:

• Surveillance – Identifying problems early.
• Diagnosis – Determining the cause of problems.
• Project effectiveness – Track how efforts to improve waters are working, and adjust management to maximize returns.

ACD focuses on lake health and recreational suitability, and can highlight places where health-related monitoring is warranted. Public beaches are required to do other health-related monitoring.

During the summer months, use caution around algae blooms. Toxic blue-green algae cannot be identified just by looking at it, but algal slimes on the water are certainly a warning sign. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency advises, "when in doubt, stay out."

There is no practical treatment to remove blue-green algae from our lakes. It is part of the natural algae community. However, we can work to reduce nutrients that fuel algae blooms. In this way we can improve overall lake recreational suitability and reduce health concerns.