The comfort lakeforest lake watershed district clflwd or district is proposing to perform publiceducation outreach shoreline vegetation inventories and bank restoration projects

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, through the National Fish Habitat Partnership (CFDA 15.686) program, awarded a $120,000 Project Grant to the Comfort Lake-Forest Lake Watershed District located in Minnesota. The grant funding will support public education and outreach, shoreline vegetation inventories, and bank restoration projects across the district's nine priority lakes, including Chisago County's Comfort Lake, Little Comfort Lake, Moody Lake, School Lake, and Birch Lake, as well as Washington County's Forest Lake, Bone Lake, Lake Keewahtin, and Shields Lake. The key project objectives are to evaluate the quality of shoreline vegetation, quantify the need for shoreline restorations, and work towards the district's goal of having natural shoreline buffers on at least 75% of the total shoreline across these lakes. The grant period is set to run from October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2026.

The shoreline inventorieswill evaluate the quality of shoreline vegetation and quantify the need for shoreline restorations. Clflwd s goalis for each lake to have natural shoreline buffers on at least 75% of the shoreline. Clflwd estimates IT needsto restore approximately 500 shoreline properties in order to meet this goal. The shoreline inventories will betterquantify this goal and target stretches of shoreline with the greatest restoration need. The district s nine priority lakes includechisago countycomfort lake little comfort lake moody lake school lake and birch lake washington countyforest lake bone lake lake keewahtin and shields lakeproposed outcomes and midwest glacial lakes partnership mglp strategic plan reference:o 2.1.5. Improve knowledge of factors contributing to current and future habitat degradation.o 2.2.5. Improve decision making for conservation projects that target highpriority watersheds withconservation actions tailored to current and future conditions affected by climate watershed and localconditions.o 3.2.2. Mglp assessment data are formally part of at least one planning process where fish habitat is affected.o 3.2.3. Data are used in assessment and conservation actions by organizations both inside and outside thepartnership.o 3.3.2. At least 95% of funded projects within the last three years benefit mglp priority species or areas.o 3.3.6. All mglp projects identify goals and objectives in smart format specific measurable attainablerealistic timebound.o 4.1.10. Lake stakeholders use information in the lake habitat conservation resource database to improveconservation outcomes on midwest glacial lakes.