It wasn't a great year for the shoreline wildlife of Lake of the Woods.
Flood waters from the saturated Rainy River watershed poured into the lake starting in June.
Scientists don't yet know exactly how much blooms have expanded, but early findings suggest the algae is getting thicker, likely due to a combination of climate change and decades-old pollution.
A Red River Valley farming operation became the first to be certified under the Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program, which rewards farmers who go the extra mile to reduce pollution.
Union members who are pushing for expanded mining say the governor needs to take a stronger stand in favor of mining or he could lose votes this fall. But taking that stand would put him at odds environmental groups.
A scattershot approach has long been a weak link in the fight to stop the lake-to-lake movement of zebra mussels, Eurasian watermilfoil and other species damaging Minnesota waterways. More help, though, is on the way.
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