A lakeshore home is the ideal of many a Minnesotan! And why not? When you live 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. Whether you are in Anoka, Ramsey, Chisago, Washington, Hennepin or any other county in our great state lakeshore is a plentiful and beautiful.
On an almost daily basis there is a news report regarding one of our wonderfully wet natural resources. Unfortunately, some of the news is not always so great: Eurasian milfoil, mercury in the fish and polluted waters are just a few of the concerns. 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?
*Is the water safe to swim in?
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 overlaps into more than one county, like White Bear Lake, entering the lake name alone can be best because each lake is listed in only one county. (In the case of White Bear Lake, it listed as Washington County not Ramsey County.)
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 on a Ramsey County Lake, check out these links:
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®?
If you are buying, selling or relocating to Minnesota and need help from a professional REALTOR®, give me a call or visit my website for a FREE Relocation Packet, Homebuyers Success Packet or sign up for Listingbook Twin Cities Home Search. 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..JPG)
Buying a Home? Check out my HOME BUYER'S BLOG!
Copyright 2010 Teri Eckholm http://www.terieckholm.com/
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Teri,
I used to live in Minnesota and enjoyed the lakes during the summer. Great resource of checking out the lake.
We are having a lot of problems with milfoil and other invasive species... it is a hugh issues at some of the lake in NH.
Great information to be sharing for those considering a lake home in your area Teri. This is certainly very educational!
Ron&Alexandra--The lakes are one of our greatest resources. Thanks!
Joan--That milfoil is nasty...And now with the early warm spring the lakes can be full of algea too.
Bill--Thank you...It is a great resource when considering buying Minnesota lakeshore.
Teri,
What a wonderful resource to share with your buyers.
Lori
Teri there can be all sorts of issue with the water. Providing the resource to but a buyer at ease is just one of the service we provide.
Teri I can understand and appreciate the need for that service in a state with so many lakes
Teri,
Summer is here, and the weather has been great. We wait so many months to go swimming and boating, that it seems unfair to even think that we might not be able to swim or fish in our favorite lake. But, it is a reality in some cases - thanks for the resources.