At the end of the year, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) sent out a new edition of their Water Talk Newsletter. Water Talk is issued 4 to 6 times per year.

Of particular interest to Know the Flow readers may be the announcement of 16 upcoming virtual trainings on various floodplain and shoreland management topics. The trainings will be offered on various Mondays and Wednesdays starting this month and concluding in March.

Following the publishing of Water Talk, the DNR sent out an email stating that several registration links in the newsletter did not work. These links have been corrected on their website, so to see the list of trainings and register, please visit the DNR’s Floodplain Training and Education page. A short synopsis of training content is available by clicking on the respective “Register” link.

Trainings are free, but registration is required to receive the link to join the virtual meeting. Registration confirmation is not automated – the DNR will email confirmations for each training in batches at least weekly.

Additionally, “New Guidance for Identifying Bluffs in Shoreland” may be helpful for local zoning staff, as this is one of the most difficult tasks faced by these staff persons. The new guidance document is available on the DNR’s Bluff and Slope Protection page – it is available as a PDF towards the bottom of the page.

The following are all of the articles in the December 2021 edition of Water Talk:

• Duration of Ice Cover on Minnesota Lakes Decreasing
• Floodplain/Shoreland Winter 2022 Virtual Trainings
• Join the My MN Outdoor Adventure Campaign
• New Guidance for Identifying Bluffs in Shoreland
• MN and WI Hit Triple Digits for CFMs
• Are We Still Using FEMA Elevation Certificates?
• Using LiDAR Data for Elevation Documentation
• Ghostbusters Help Remind Families to “Be Prepared” in FEMA PSA
• NFIP Extended to Feb. 18, 2021
• FEMA Map Status Listing

Click here to read the newsletter in full.

Photo: MN Department of Natural Resources.