From left to right: Manager Curt Hennes, CAC President Christian Morkeberg, Senator Eric Pratt, Manager Fred Corrigan and Manager Mike Myser

The Prior Lake-Spring Lake Watershed District (PLSLWD) Board selected Senator Eric Pratt as the recipient of the inaugural Clean Water Impact Award.

The Clean Water Impact Award recognizes an individual, group or organization that had a significant impact on improving or enhancing our public waters.

The Board choose Senator Pratt for the 2019 Award for his leadership in securing legislation enabling a free market for the seining of invasive species, such as common carp (First Special Session 2019, SF7, Art. 3, Sec. 74).

“His leadership in passing this legislation will enable the District to more easily and more cost-effectively, rid its public lakes of invasive common carp, which have hampered the District’s efforts to get Upper Prior Lake and Spring Lake off the MN Pollution Control Agency’s Impaired Waters List for aquatic recreation,” said Board President, Mike Myser.

Myser added, “Improving the water quality on Spring and Upper Prior will make these regionally important lakes safer for people today and in the future as well as improve recreational fishing and wildlife habitat. This new legislation will help watershed districts around the State improve their water quality, too.”