The 6th annual International Lake of the Woods Water Quality Forum will take place March 11 and 12, 2009 at Rainy River Community College in International Falls, Minnesota.
The International Lake of the Woods Water Quality Forum provides an opportunity for those engaged in water quality research within the Lake of the Woods and Rainy River Basin to communicate findings, share ideas and work toward a better understanding of water quality issues.
This is a professional symposium intended for researchers and resource managers working and/or interested in research and management activities related to the Lake of the Woods and Rainy River Basin.
The 2009 Forum will include working group sessions, symposium presentations, a poster session and an emerging issues discussion session.

Working Group Sessions
The forum will feature focused working groups to discuss specific issues within the Lake of the Woods watershed. This year’s sessions will be:
• Coordination of Monitoring for 2009 and discussion of successes and challenges from 2008
• Aquatic Invasive Species
Reports from these working groups will be presented during the symposium session.

Emerging Issues Session
Each year the Forum highlights an emerging issue, with science and policy keynote speakers and a discussion session. This year’s Emerging Issues topic is: Lake of the Woods International Coordination Keynote speakers will be:
• Gaylen Reetz, Director Pollution Control,  Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
• Franca Dignem, Director Northern Region, Ontario Ministry of Environment

Symposium Presentations
This day and a half session includes presentations and a poster session. This is the ideal forum for communicating results and fostering collaborative research within the Lake of the Woods watershed. In past years, main themes have included:
• Nutrient loading studies and modeling
• Cyanobacteria and algal toxins
• Paleolimnology
• Mercury contamination
• Fisheries research and management
• Invasive species
• Climate change impacts
• Stewardship and adaptive management
• State of the basin reporting
• Lake of the Woods in the Lake Winnipeg watershed

Forum Sponsors
• Lake of the Woods Water
Sustainability Foundation
• Minnesota Pollution
Control Agency
• Ontario Ministry of
Environment
• Rainy River Basin Water
Resources Center
• Rainy River Community
College
• North American Lake
Management Society
• MN St. Cloud State U.
• Lake of the Woods District Property Owners Assoc.
• Abstract submittal deadline is January 16. Register and pay by February 28 to get the pre-registration discount.   
Rainy River Community College 1501 Highway 71 International Falls, MN
Organizing Committee
Forum Lead: Todd Sellers, Lake of the Woods Water Sustainability Foundation (LOWWSF)
Symposium Lead: Nolan Baratono, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA)
Working Groups Lead: Andrew Paterson, Ontario Ministry of Environment (OMOE)
Members: Matt Julius, Minnesota St. Cloud State University (SCSU)
Kelli Saunders, Ontario Ministry of Environment (OMOE)
Anna DeSellas, Ontario Ministry of Environment (OMOE)
Don Carlson Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA)
Melissa Rauner, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA)
Contact For More Information
Todd Sellers (866) 370-8891 tsellers@lowwsf.com
Nolan Baratono (218) 283-2240 nolan.baratono@pca.state.mn.us
Andrew Paterson (705) 766-2951 andrew.paterson@ontario.ca