The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is slashing the money it gives to dozens of cities and lake groups to treat aquatic invasive species, including Eurasian milfoil, on more than 100 lakes.
The DNR grant program that awarded $675,000 this year will cut its offerings to $200,000 next year for budget reasons, according to Wendy Crowell, its ecological resources grants coordinator.
Those DNR dollars account for about one-third of the money spent to manage invasive aquatic species, usually with chemical treatments. Cities and lake associations that have relied on them to kill off the thick mats of vegetation that crowd out native plants and ruin swimming and boating say it's a major loss.
"It's the land of 10,000 lakes, and you are going to cut that funding by more than 50 percent? It's a little disappointing to hear," said Coon Rapids Public Works Director Tim Himmer. DNR dollars have been used, along with money from the cities of Coon Rapids and Andover and shoreline residents, to treat Crooked Lake.
This year, 182 grants were awarded to help combat invasive weeds on more than 100 lakes, including Ham Lake in Anoka County and Lake Minnetonka in Hennepin County. Next year, those groups will compete for a smaller pot.
"It's not something we wanted to do," said Ann Pierce, section manager of the DNR's Ecological and Water Resources Division. "We understand this is a hardship for people. It puts a burden on lake associations that may not have direct access to that money.
"We have less money that we did last year," she said. "Still, we are trying to maintain our focus, with a budget cut."
The DNR notified lake groups of the cuts in September so they could start looking for alternatives, she said.