Minneapolis-St. Paul Metropolitan Area (MSP) Long Term Ecological Research Program
Researchers will analyze existing and new water quality data and develop new computer models to better understand how urban land use, stormwater management, and climate change are interacting to influence nutrient inputs and their impacts on lakes and streams. Learn more.
July 29, 2026
By Katie Polik, PhD Candidate in the University of Minnesota Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, and the MSP LTER Surface Waters Team
What does it take to bring a lake back from toxic algal blooms? MSP LTER PhD candidate Katie Polik breaks down the legacy phosphorus problem facing Twin Cities lakes, and dives into the research-backed treatments helping reverse it—from alum treatments to carp removal.
July 28, 2026
By Becky Forgrave, Research Scientist at the University of Minnesota Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, and the MSP LTER Surface Waters Team
Do lake visitors' perceptions of water quality match what the data actually shows? A multi-year study across Twin Cities lakes uses on-site chatbot surveys to find out, comparing what people perceive with other, quantitative water quality measurements. Learn about the study's initial findings and future plans in this piece from Becky Forgrave, a research scientist working on the project.
In October 2023, the University of Minnesota College of Biological Sciences produced videos highlighting the work of our 'Urban Contaminants' and 'Urban Lakes and Streams' grad students and postdocs - including Lindsey Kemmerling, Natalia Mossmann Koch, and Katie Polik. You can finds the original post here.
Becky Forgrave is a Research Scientist in the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior at the University of Minnesota. As a member of Jacques Finlay’s lab and the MSP LTER Surface Water Team, Becky studies landscape drivers of urban lake water quality across the Twin Cities Metro Area and the role of lake management in water quality outcomes.
