Buying a Home on Minnesota Lakeshore—Is the Water Really Safe?

Owning a lakeshore home is a dream of many Minnesota residents. Living in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, one would be hard pressed not to drive by a lake, pond or river on a daily basis no matter if you are in Anoka, Ramsey, Chisago, Washington, Hennepin or any other county in our great state. Almost every day on the news there is something happening on or in one of our wonderfully wet natural resources. Some of the news is not always so great: Eurasian milfoil, mercury in the fish and polluted waters are a concern. Even those who live in the city are being asked to prevent grass clippings from going into the street and sewer systems as the chemicals that make our lawns so beautifully green, go through the storm drains and into our lakes. So how do you know if the sparkling pristine blue water of that Minnesota lakehome you want to buy is as clean as it looks?

As a Realtor working in the north and east Twin Cities metro, I do get asked questions regarding the quality of our lakes. After buyers are dazzled by the view of a lakeshore sunset, they want to know about water quality before they sign a purchase agreement. Lakeshore owners want to be able to fish, boat and swim in the water. So questions arise.

*Is the lake polluted?

*Are the fish safe to eat?

*Is there milfoil present?

*Should we swim in the water?

Finding these answers is simple. I direct my lakehome buyers to http://www.checkmylake.org/, a wonderful website devoted to MN lakeshore and recreation published by Conservation Minnesota. The site gives information great information on all of Minnesota's lakes that have been tested for water quality.

A potential lakeshore buyer can find out whether the lake water is safe to swim in and whether the fish are safe to eat on a case by case basis. The lake search is very simple to use. Just put in the name and or county of the lake you are interested in and hit GO. I found that when I was looking for a big lake that is located in more than one county, like White Bear Lake, entering the lake name is best because it will only be listed in one county. (In the case of White Bear Lake, it listed as Washington County not Ramsey.)

Pollution status is not the only feature of checkmylake.org. The website is updated daily with water facts, lake news and beach reports. You can also sign a petition to protect our lakes, volunteer to monitor lake quality, or submit a story about your favorite lake.

Now if you are looking for a great place to fish in the north metro, check out these links!

Fishing Links for Lakes in Anoka County:

• Coon Lake - Coon Lake County Park
• Mississippi River - Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park, Manomin County Park, Islands of Peace / Riverfront Regional Park
• Cenaiko Lake - Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park
• East Twin Lake - East Twin Lakes County Park
• Ham Lake - Ham Lake County Park
• Lake George - Lake George Regional Park
• Rice Creek - Locke County Park, Manomin County Park, Rice Creek Chain of Lakes Regional Park Reserve
• Martin Lake, Island Lake, Linwood Lake - Martin-Island-Linwood Lakes Regional Park
• Peltier Lake, George Watch Lake, Marshan Lake, Rice Lake, Baldwin Lake, Centerville Lake - Rice Creek Chain of Lakes Regional Park Reserve
• Rum River - Rum River Central Regional Park, Rum River North County Park, Rum River South County Park

Fishing Piers in Ramsey County:

• Bald Eagle Lake
  
• Beaver Lake
  
• Lake Gervais
  
• Island Lake
  
• Lake Josephine
  
• Keller Regional Park (Round Lake)
  
• Long Lake
  
• Lake McCarrons
  

Ready to buy a Minnesota Lakehome and need help from a professional Realtor? Give me a call or visit my website for a FREE Relocation Packet. I specialize in acreage and lakeshore properties in the north and east Twin Cities metro area including Ham Lake, Lino Lakes and all communities in the Forest Lake School District! Serving Anoka, Chisago, Ramsey and Washington Counties in Minnesota.

Copyright 2008 Teri Eckholm  http://www.terieckholm.com/

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