Katie Polik | Minneapolis-St. Paul Metropolitan Area (MSP) Long Term Ecological Research Program

Seeking Clarity on Lake Restoration

Woman standing next to a large pile of aquatic plants on a lakeshore.

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.

Katie Polik

Biography

Katie Polik is a PhD candidate working with Jacques Finlay in the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior at the University of Minnesota, and is part of the MSP LTER Urban Surface Waters Team.