Minnesota's future: Rescue state's natural treasures, starting with Lake Pepin

Opinion editor's note: Star Tribune Opinion publishes a mix of national and local commentaries online and in print each day. (To contribute, click here.) This article is a response to Star Tribune Opinion's June 4 call for submissions on the question: "Where does Minnesota go from here?" Read the full collection of responses here.

•••

I grew up in a small community in southeastern Minnesota, situated alongside Lake Pepin, an expanse of the Mississippi River created by the towering bluffs of the "driftless" region and the damming effect of sand at the confluence with the Chippewa River.

Lake Pepin is not actually a "lake" but rather a natural basin extending approximately 35 miles in length and two miles across at some points, an expanse unlike any other stretch of the river. Even while living elsewhere for many years, I always appreciated the singular beauty of the Lake Pepin river valley compared to other parts of the country. Now that I am living alongside her again, I am reminded daily of the splendor of Lake Pepin, with the majestic Maiden Rock bluff and the equally majestic Seven Sisters bluffs standing watch over the river. Unfortunately, I am also more aware of growing threats to her existence.

Lake Pepin is a recreational mecca; scores of fishing boats, sailboats, pontoon boats and more ply the waters, along with commercial barge tows running the gauntlet from St. Paul to New Orleans and back again. Nothing makes me happier than to hear the squealing laughter of children being towed on a tube behind a boat. Anglers from all over spend hours pursuing game fish, including walleye, bass and northern pike. They come back in winter to pursue their sport through the ice, to the amazement of friends not acquainted with life in a northern climate.

In my lifetime, huge strides have been made to clean up the river, principally by limiting, if not eliminating, untreated waste water flows. In my younger years, swimming in Lake Pepin was frequently disrupted by explosive algae blooms. Thanks to the combined efforts of many and many millions spent to upgrade wastewater facilities, algae blooms are now less frequent and severe.

Despite these improvements, there is a canary in the Lake Pepin "coal mine" — several actually. Unchecked siltation is inexorably reducing the navigable channel and myriad bays of Lake Pepin to the point that commercial barge traffic and the nascent river cruise industry is literally being brought to a halt. In addition, invasive carp continue their below-the-surface invasion of the river, threatening a world-class fishery and tourism industry so important to southeastern Minnesota and corresponding parts of Wisconsin.

The Lake Pepin Legacy Alliance (LPLA) is committed to highlighting the growing threat to Lake Pepin and advocating for policies to address the problem of siltation. One LPLA project recently initiated in partnership with the Corps of Engineers, the states of Wisconsin and Minnesota and others aims to re-establish viable river access to Bay City, Wis., for recreational boaters, while also constructing wildlife habitat from sand dredged from the river channel. This multimillion-dollar effort took years to plan and finance; it is a small, tangible first step. Much more needs to be done — and soon. You can read about it at lakepepinlegacyalliance.org.

The pernicious challenge posed by invasive carp is no less a threat than river siltation and is potentially irreversible. State and federal regulators acknowledge the problem and impending risk but seem resigned to letting it happen. Admittedly, at present, the options for checking the advance of invasive carp are few; but researchers are attempting to identify tools to manage their migration. They need help.

Unfortunately, neither the federal nor state governments have dedicated meaningful funds for this research to advance quickly. One gets the impression that a policy decision has been made to let the invasion proceed in favor of protecting water bodies not directly linked to the Mississippi River. One result of this apparent lack of attention is certain: When so-called "flying" carp take over the river, water skiers, jet skiers and most importantly, children being gleefully pulled on tubes will be banished from the lake.

Minnesotans treasure the natural resources that define our state and support our tourism brand. One such treasure is Lake Pepin. One hopes greater awareness of this beautiful and vital portion of the Mississippi River will lead to a concerted, well-funded effort to address river siltation and invasive carp. Without such an effort, the Lake Pepin I know and love may lose its luster.