March 8, 2018 -- The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality, the University of Nebraska, and Nebraska Game and Parks have joined together to offer a lake management workshop for private land owners. The workshops are free and open to everyone who makes decisions for and about lakes and ponds, or anyone who wants to learn more about protecting them. If you have ever had an algae bloom, fish kill, murky water, or just want to know what’s going on in the lake, this workshop is for you. There is no cost to attend these workshops, but reservations are required. Presenters will be Mike Archer of NDEQ’s Surface Water Program, Jeff Blaser from Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, and Katie Pekarek from the University’s Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Dates and locations of the two workshops are:

• March 21 – From 6-8 p.m. at the Douglas/Sarpy County Extension Central Office, 8015 W. Center Road, Omaha, To register for the Omaha workshop, go to http://go.unl.edu/OMAHALakes
• March 26 – From 6-8 p.m. at the Lower Platte South NRD Office, 3125 Portia St, Lincoln. To register for the Lincoln workshop, go to http://go.unl.edu/LINCOLNLakes

Workshop topics include:

• Identifying how lakes function in Southeast Nebraska: characteristics and challenges
• Managing waters for fisheries
• Project funding and regulations
• Lake management planning
• Resolving common maintenance problems (algae, leaks, undesirable fish, fish kills, clarity, erosion, nuisance animals)
• Developing individualized lake management plans
• Understanding invasive species

Please contact Katie Pekarek at kpekarek2@unl.edu or (402) 413-1166 with any questions, or visit the University’s webpage on the workshops at https://water.unl.edu/article/lakes-ponds-streams/lake-management-workshops.