Chisago Lakes Lake Improvement District

06/08/2026

Free well water testing THIS THURSDAY! See below...

What’s in your drinking water? To participate in this free water screening clinic, bring water from your home tap (minimum of one cup - 8oz) in a clean, hard plastic or glass container and include the location and date that you collected the sample. We will run a screen test on your water for nitrate and chloride. You can wait for your results or request them via email.

During the clinic, experts will also be on hand to discuss wellhead protection and groundwater concerns, including arsenic, bacteria, pesticides, and Perfluorinated Alkylated Substances (PFAS). Stop by anytime to pick up fact sheets and talk with clinic volunteers. This clinic is free and open to everyone, regardless of what city, county or state they live in.

05/28/2026

The next Board Meeting for the Chisago Lakes Lake Improvement District (LID) is on Monday, June 1st, 2026 at 6:30 p.m.

The meeting will be held both virtually and in-person:
Room 150 B, lowest level of the Chisago County Government Center, 313 North Main Street, Center City.

To access the Teams link to attend virtually or to view the agenda packet for the June LID Board Meeting, visit: https://www.chisagocountymn.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06012026-2455

05/28/2026

Free well water testing in North Branch on June 11th!

Bring your water sample to be tested for nitrate-nitrogen and chloride.

What’s in your drinking water? To participate in this free water screening clinic, bring water from your home tap (minimum of one cup - 8oz) in a clean, hard plastic or glass container and include the location and date that you collected the sample. We will run a screen test on your water for nitrate and chloride. You can wait for your results or request them via email.

During the clinic, experts will also be on hand to discuss wellhead protection and groundwater concerns, including arsenic, bacteria, pesticides, and Perfluorinated Alkylated Substances (PFAS). Stop by anytime to pick up fact sheets and talk with clinic volunteers. This clinic is free and open to everyone, regardless of what city, county or state they live in.

04/30/2026

The next Board Meeting for the Chisago Lakes Lake Improvement District (LID) is on Monday, May 4th, 2026 at 6:30 p.m.

The meeting will be held both virtually and in-person:
Room 150 B, lowest level of the Chisago County Government Center, 313 North Main Street, Center City.

To access the Teams link to attend virtually or to view the agenda packet for the May LID Board Meeting, visit: https://www.chisagocountymn.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/2446?html=true

04/24/2026

💧Water Word of the Week 💦

💠 DRAINAGE (noun): The natural or artificial removal of a surface's water and sub-surface water from an area with an excess amount.

🤔 Ideally, water would be allowed to infiltrate the ground where it falls as precipitation, recharging groundwater and getting naturally cleaned through a process of physical, chemical, and biological filtration.

French Drains: A trench filled with gravel and a perforated pipe that redirects water away from low spots.

Rain Gardens: Shallow, planted depressions that capture, filter, and soak up runoff from roofs or lawns.

Dry Creek Beds: A landscaped, stone-filled channel that provides an attractive, functional path for excess water to follow.

Regrading: Adjusting the slope of the land to ensure water moves away from structures and toward proper drainage areas.

Permeable Surfaces: Replacing solid concrete with pavers, gravel, or porous pavement to allow water to seep into the ground.

Downspout Extensions: Diverting water at least 5-10 feet away from the home’s foundation to prevent water accumulation.

04/15/2026

**Please note that the location of this Workshop has changed to the Wyoming Library. Walk-ins welcome!

Save the date for our upcoming Aquatic Invasive Species Workshop in partnership with Wild Rivers Conservancy! Join us on April 16 from 8:30am-noon at the Chisago County Government Center or online.

Topics will include:
- Outreach strategies for lake associations
- Zebra mussels, now what?
- Starry stonewort research
More information to come soon!

This event is free, but please RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/aquatic-invasive-species-workshop-tickets-1984643479071?aff=oddtdtcreator

04/15/2026

Our friends at the Comfort Lake Forest Lake Watershed District are offering another amazing FREE WORKSHOP!

Topic of discussion: How are zebra mussels affecting mercury buildup in fish? Learn more about this University of Minnesota study - supper included! - by registering with Adam Hjelm at [email protected] or calling 651-395-5850.

04/10/2026

💧Water Word of the Week 💦

💠 WATERSHED (noun): A land area that channels rainfall and snowmelt to lakes, creeks, streams, and rivers, and eventually to outflow points such as reservoirs, bays, and the ocean.

🌊 A watershed can be small, such as a modest inland lake or a single county.

🗺️ Conversely, some watersheds encompass thousands of square miles and may contain streams, rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and underlying groundwater that are hundreds of miles inland.

🚣‍♀️ The largest watershed in the United States is the Mississippi River Watershed, which drains 1.15 million square miles from all or parts of 31 U.S. states and two Canadian provinces stretching from the Rockies to the Appalachians!

❗The Chisago Lakes Watershed is roughly 10 miles long by 9.3 miles wide with 20 lakes and over 7,000 acres of surface water!