Protect Your Shoreline With An Itasca Waters Shoreland Advisor

Presented by: Dr. Chris Filstrup, Applied Limnologist, Natural Resources and Research Institute, Duluth, Minnesota. 

Blue-green algae, also known as cyanobacteria, present a unique water quality challenge because they can rapidly form dense surface scums, or blooms, and produce potent toxins that can make people sick and kill pets and wildlife. Worldwide, cyanobacteria blooms are anticipated to become more prevalent, more frequent, and more severe under future climate and land use scenarios, and Minnesota lakes are not an exception to this prediction.

Chris is a lake and stream scientist specializing in harmful algal bloom ecology, nutrient cycling in lakes, watershed nutrient reduction strategies, and freshwater resources management. His research interests take him from small farm ponds to Lake Superior. He also specializes in working with large datasets to investigate how climate and land use interactions affect water quality in lakes across the continental US.

Chris also directs the Central Analytical Lab, a state-certified water chemistry laboratory. Members of his team specialize in lake and stream monitoring and assessment, high resolution monitoring instruments, and analytical chemistry.