Bender said Minnesota Waters is a non-profit, non-government organization dedicated to helping citizen groups protect and improve Minnesota lakes and rivers. The Minnesota Waters board needs more representation from the Brainerd lakes area, and Bender urged anyone interested to contact her.

The organization provides training, connections and support to empower citizens to take action to save our lakes and rivers.

Citizen involvement is key, Bender said, because it is the citizens who live by, observe and connect with the water resource. They recreate on the water and understand the community's needs, she said.

"Every person who gets engaged is going to spread that seed a little further," Bender said.

The best way to change behaviors to protect our lakes and streams for the long term is for people to see their neighbors doing the right things, Bender said, noting leading by example is better than any rules and regulations.

"We really believe that citizen engagement is going to be the key to protecting these surface waters we all love," she said.

Minnesota Waters monitors water quality, builds effective citizen groups, influences public policy, creates a lake/stream management plan and provides Conservation Partnership grants to help people.

The group also hopes to expand programs and advocacy regarding aquatic invasive species (AIS) prevention and management.

Regarding AIS, Bender said the DNR has increased enforcement activities statewide, including increased watercraft inspections and expanded signage.

Minnesota Waters plans to help the DNR train citizen groups to monitor their lakes for AIS and train lake service providers to prevent the spread of AIS.