Itasca Waters

ITASCA WATERS WORKS TO SUSTAIN OUR PRECIOUS WATER RESOURCES THROUGH EDUCATION AND SCIENCE-BASED RESEARCH. 

Itasca Waters, originally organized as the Itasca Water Legacy Partnership, is a community of people who care about Itasca County waters and is governed by an all-volunteer Board of Directors. It is a unique blend of public agencies and private citizens, all working towards the same goal. Itasca Waters' work benefits lakeshore and non-lakeshore residents, seasonal residents, recreational water users, businesses, nonprofit organizations and more. 

MISSION STATEMENT 

To “Team Up” with other organizations and concerned citizens to maintain abundant, clean water for our continued health, enjoyment, and a strong economy.

Since 2006, Itasca Waters has been able to implement a wide range of programming with minimal overhead cost by partnering with a variety of funders, including the Blandin Foundation, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, the Itasca County Environmental Trust Fund, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR), the Bush Foundation and others.  However, we could not carry on this work without financial support from members like you and our many wonderful volunteers.

RECENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS 

While our work has been somewhat restricted since spring of 2020 due to the limitations imposed by COVID-19, Itasca Waters continus to uphold its mission with the following: 

• Producing shoreland education videos that can be viewed at:  youtube.com/channel/UCHj2mZbThNM3vUg4teU3S2A/playlists 
• Providing current water related information on Facebook and through our Newsletters, Bulletins and a News & Events page on our website at: ItascaWaters.org  
• Partnering with local nurseries to promote the sale of native shoreland plants. 
• As part of a Blandin Foundation Grant, 
  1. continuing a unique shoreland advisors program where trained volunteers visit with interested property owners to determine best practices for maintaining a healthy shoreline. Learn all about it on our website.  
  2. continuing distribution of the Itasca County Shoreland Guide to Lake Stewardship, a resource guide for Itasca County residents that focuses on ways to keep our lakes healthy. Available on our website.  
• Moving into the implementation phase of a Bush Foundation Community Innovation Grant to find community driven solutions to protect Itasca County’s greatest natural resource—its water.
• Providing receptacles at public fishing piers in the county for collecting monofilament fishing line for recycling..