The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Windom office is hosting a public meeting to gather input on potential habitat and water improvement plans for Boot Lake in Jackson County.
The meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at the DNR Windom Office, located at 175 Cottonwood County 26 near Windom.
High water and an overabundance of bullheads and fathead minnows are degrading the lake’s quality, preventing the growth of aquatic plans that provide wildlife habitat.
The DNR is considering a water control structure to periodically lower the water level of the lake, which will mimic a natural drought cycle and allow the lake ecosystem to reestablish vegetation, consolidate sediment on the lake bottom and increase the chance of a fish winter kill.
Another possible management tool would be stocking the lake with predator fish.
Anyone wishing to share their thoughts who cannot attend the meeting are encouraged to e-mail Maggie Gross at Margaret.Gross@state.mn.us or Brian Nyborg at Brian.Nyborg@state.mn.us.
