MINNESOTA DNR NEWS #20
MARCH 22, 2012
All releases are available in the DNR’s website newsroom at www.mndnr.gov/news.
IN THIS ISSUE
DNR urges early season boaters to use caution
With early spring, use caution launching boats
DNR takes aim at southeastern Minnesota deer issues
DNR reminds landowners to identify property lines prior to starting construction projects
this spring
Exposed lake beds are subject to shoreland rules
DNR NEWS – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media contact: Tim Smalley, DNR boating safety specialist, 651-259-5354.
DNR urges early season boaters to use caution
With the ice receding from lakes and rivers at what seems like a near record pace, many
boaters and anglers are already launching their boats. There were 400 or more fishing boats
reported on the Mississippi River, March 17, on the 12-mile stretch between Lock and Dam
Number 3 north of Red Wing to the head of Lake Pepin.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is reminding boaters to take special
precautions when enjoying early season boating and fishing. Even though air temperatures
have been in the 70s recently, water temperatures are still bone-chilling cold.
“We see it time and time again in Minnesota boating accidents,” said Tim Smalley, DNR
boating safety specialist. “A lone boat on a lake capsizes; the victim isn’t wearing a life jacket,
has no warning or time to put one on, and drowns due to the effects of cold water.”
Smalley said the key is the life jacket. “A person who suffers swimming failure or loss of
consciousness will stay afloat wearing a life jacket, but drown without one. It’s smart for
boaters to wear a life vest from the time they enter the boat until they return to shore. There is
no time to put one on before a boating accident. It’s been compared to trying to buckle your
seat belt before a car crash.”
A 2007 report by the U.S. Coast Guard stated that a boating accident was five times more likely
to be fatal if the water was colder than 60 degrees.
“Cold water can kill in ways that you might not expect,” said Smalley. “Nearly everyone knows
that immersion in cold water can cause hypothermia – the abnormal lowering of the body’s core
temperature. What most don’t know is that victims who experience an unexpected fall overboard
suffer initial cold water shock in the first minute, which involuntarily causes them to take a series
of big breaths, called hyperventilation. If their head is underwater, they can inhale more than a
quart of water and drown immediately if they aren’t wearing a life jacket to keep them afloat.”
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The DNR Boat and Water Safety Section recommends boaters check the following items before
their first outing of the season:
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Have a U.S. Coast Guard approved life jacket on board, in good condition and in the
proper size and type for each passenger.
Most boats 16 feet and longer also need one type IV throwable seat cushion or ring buoy
in the watercraft.
Make sure all navigation lights are unobstructed and in working order.
Make sure fire extinguisher is fully charged – tap the gauge to ensure it isn’t stuck on
full.
Put fresh gear case lube in the lower unit.
Make sure the steering is the proper tightness.
Be sure registration numbers are clear and visible and display the current state
registration sticker.
Inspect plastic thru-hull fittings and replace any that have cracked. Look for hoses that
have been forced off or split from freezing. Every spring, boats sink at the dock when
these problems go undetected.
Inspect fuel fittings and hoses; replace if cracked or showing other signs of stress or
age.
Get fresh batteries for portable electronic gear – radios, GPS units, flashlights.
Check lights on the boat and trailer. Inspect trailer tires for wear and inflate properly.
Check the trailer frame for rust spots; inspect the wheel bearings and re-pack if
necessary. Test the winch.
Engine or drive oil that is creamy brown or gray has water in it and a mechanic should
find the source of the leak before starting the engine.
Update navigational chart inventory. Channel markers and buoys change and GPS units
can fail.
Review boat insurance policy and update coverage if necessary. Many insurance
companies offer a discount to boaters who have taken a boating safety course.
Check prop for nicks and dings.
Be sure the drain plug is installed before launching.
Take a boating safety course.
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DNR NEWS - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MARCH 22, 2012
Media contact: Nancy Stewart, DNR water recreation program coordinator, 651-259-5616.
With early spring, use caution launching boats
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) wants early season boaters to know
that conditions at ramps may make boat launching a challenge.
Due to this year’s early ice out, DNR crews are faced with the need to inspect, repair and make
ready launch ramps and access sites much earlier than anticipated. Many launch ramps have
also been damaged by ice action, which is an annual occurrence. Launch ramp repairs and
dock installations have started statewide and should be completed by the May 12 fishing
opener.
Boaters can help by being prepared to inspect the ramp above and below the water to ensure it
is in good condition prior to launching.
“Regardless of the time of year, it’s always a good idea to check the condition of the ramp prior
to launching to ensure there are no hazardous conditions present that may impede access or
cause damage to equipment,” said Nancy Stewart, public access program coordinator for the
DNR’s Parks and Trails Division. “In addition, many lakes statewide are experiencing low water
levels, which may also make launching a boat more difficult.”
Boaters should take extra time and effort when launching their boat this spring to ensure they
have a safe and enjoyable boating experience:
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Check the condition of the ramp to ensure it will accommodate the launch of the
watercraft.
Make sure watercraft is water worthy prior to heading out on the water.
Have hip boots or waders available in case there is a need to enter the water to help
guide the boat and trailer, especially where docks are not available.
Lower the motor only after being assured there is sufficient water depth.
Watch for free floating ice sheets and other floating obstructions that may be present.
Boaters also are reminded to observe all laws aimed at preventing the spread of aquatic
invasive species, including emptying all water from bait containers and bilges, and leaving drain
plugs removed while transporting a boat. The DNR also points out that while the early spring
has brought unseasonable warmth, water temperatures will remain quite cold for some time yet,
so wearing a life jacket is strongly recommended.
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DNR NEWS – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MARCH 22, 2012
Media contact: Clint Luedtke, southeast Minnesota landowner assistant specialist,
507-932-4133.
DNR takes aim at southeastern Minnesota deer issues
Just as all politics are local, so too are deer issues.
Recognizing this, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has created a new
position to better manage deer and deer hunter-landowner relations in southeastern Minnesota.
Clint Luedtke, a former wildlife biologist from Arizona, has been hired to work with farmers,
recreational land owners and others to reduce deer-related crop damage and increase effective
deer management strategies.
“Southeast Minnesota is a puzzle we want to solve,” said Dennis Simon, DNR wildlife chief. “So,
we have reprioritized our staffing pattern to create a first-ever position that aims to do just that.”
Simon said a number of social and landscape issues - private farms, public forests, absentee
landownership, crop depredation, a growing interest in big buck hunting and citizen differences
on deer population goals - has created a growing conundrum.
“We don’t have one universal problem in southeast Minnesota,” said Simon. “Instead, there are
a lot of isolated problems.” Many of these, he said, occur at the nexus of where farmers are
raising crops and nearby recreational landowners are trying to raise crops of more and larger
bucks by limiting the deer harvest. Together, this has resulted in increasing crop depredation
claims, hard feelings and unfavorable hunter-landowner relations.
“We’re starting a dialogue to identify solutions to this situation,” said Simon. “Our goal is to be
innovative, fair and efficient.”
Luedtke earned a fisheries and wildlife degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He has
more than four years’ experience coordinating Arizona’s Chronic Wasting Disease program.
Much of Luedtke’s work will involve investigating depredation complaints, providing technical
advice to landowners and distributing deer determent materials. He will also make
recommendations to local government officials and others on effective deer management
strategies.
Said Luedtke, “A big part of my job will be selecting the right tool for the right situation.
Sometimes it may be education. In other instances, it could be a localized special hunt, shooting
permits, a change in hunting permit numbers or some other action that addresses the legitimate
interests of farmers and hunters.”
Luedtke will work out of the DNR’s Whitewater Wildlife Management Area office. He will work
primarily in Fillmore, Goodhue, Houston, Olmsted, Wabasha and Winona counties.
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DNR NEWS – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MARCH 22, 2012
Media contact: Dave Schuller, DNR statewide lands coordinator, 651-259-5255.
DNR reminds landowners to identify property
lines prior to starting construction projects this spring
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reminds homeowners and landowners
living adjacent to state of Minnesota owned lands to make sure that they know where their
personal property lines are located before beginning any construction projects this spring.
“People living adjacent to state owned lands should know their property lines before beginning
any type of residential construction such as homes, garages, drain fields, septic tanks,
driveways or additional out-buildings,” said Dave Schuller, DNR statewide lands coordinator.
“When private landowners build on public lands, it prohibits the use of these lands by the rest of
the public.”
Any construction on state land is prohibited by state law. The landowner may be charged with
trespass violations and resolution of these issues generally require removal and restoration of
the state land at the private landowner’s expense.
To avoid these situations, the DNR urges people to do their homework before building near any
publicly owned land. In addition, homeowners should contact their local zoning office to make
sure they are in compliance with any property line setbacks.
People who suspect they may have already constructed buildings or encroached on lands
owned by the state of Minnesota, should contact a local DNR area office.
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DNR NEWS – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MARCH 22, 2012
Media contacts: Sean Sisler, aquatic plant management specialist, 651-259-5807; Steve Enger,
DNR aquatic plant management supervisor; 651-259-5092.
Exposed lake beds are subject to shoreland rules
With abnormally low water levels exposing lakebed on many state lakes, the Minnesota
Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reminds riparian property owners that what looks like
“dry land” still may be subject to rules regulating what can and cannot be done on shoreland
and in public waters.
The DNR has been receiving numerous reports of people cutting, raking or otherwise disturbing
aquatic plants in areas recently exposed by receding water levels. If these areas are below
what’s known as the ordinary high water level (OHW), any disturbance or removal of vegetation
usually requires a DNR permit, and some activities are prohibited.
“Removal of emergent vegetation is a form of habitat destruction and it can have negative
effects on fish, wildlife, and water quality,” said DNR aquatic plant management specialist Sean
Sisler. “It also could be illegal.”
The OHW is an elevation indicating the highest water level that has been maintained for a
sufficient period of time to leave evidence on the landscape; generally speaking, it’s where
natural vegetation changes from predominantly aquatic to predominantly terrestrial. For many
lakes, the OHW is a set elevation that has been established by collecting data over several
decades. The lakebed continues to be below the OHW even when it has been exposed due to
low rainfall.
While fluctuating water levels can pose an inconvenience for riparian property owners, they’re a
natural and important part of lake ecology. Some emergent aquatic plants, such as bulrush,
need periods of low water to germinate and re-establish depleted stands. Wildlife managers use
periodic drawdown as a management tool to promote growth of emergent aquatic plants and
improve waterfowl and wildlife habitat.
Emergent aquatic plants are protected by state law because they’re extremely valuable to the
health of lakes, fish, and wildlife. Such plants protect shorelines from erosion, stabilize bottom
sediments, improve water quality by intercepting phosphorus before it reaches the water,
provide valuable habitat for fish and wildlife, and protect nests from wave and wake action.
An aquatic plant management (APM) permit is required for control of emergent aquatic plants
(bulrush, cattail, rushes, etc.) in public water basins, including aquatic plants that are growing on
dry lake beds. Removal of emergent aquatic plants without a permit is a misdemeanor violation
and can result in a fine and restoration order. Permit applications can be found online at
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/shorelandmgmt/apg/regulations.html.
Other activities undertaken below the OHW, such as grading or blading, filling with sand or
gravel, and construction of boulder or other retaining walls, also are regulated and may require
a DNR permit. Control of upland vegetation (e.g. tree saplings) growing in the exposed lakebed
is not regulated by DNR. To minimize impacts to the lakebed of public waters, raking or
dragging a device for control of upland vegetation should be limited to a width necessary for
access to a dock. Remaining upland plants will die when higher water levels return.
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The DNR also has received reports of people operating off-highway vehicles (OHV) on exposed
lake beds. It is illegal to operate OHV on unfrozen public waters, or in a manner that causes
wetland destruction.
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