We often call aquatic plants "weeds" but they are a natural and essential part of our lakes. Aquatic plants provide benefits for fish, wildlife and you – no matter how you enjoy the Minnesota's beautiful lakes.
We encourage property owners to minimize the destruction of aquatic plants. Ask yourself: what's really needed to access your property and recreate? Some activity with low ecological impacts can be done without a permit depending on the the type of vegetation.
What kind of aquatic plants do you want to remove?
What you can't do
- Excavate the lake bottom for aquatic plant control.
- Use hydraulic jets to control aquatic plants or remove muck.
- Destroy or prevent the growth of aquatic plants by using lake bottom barriers.
- Remove aquatic vegetation within posted fish-spawning areas.
- Remove aquatic plants from an undeveloped shoreline.
- Remove aquatic plants where they do not interfere with swimming, boating or other recreation.
Emergent vegetation
Any removal of emergent vegetation requires a permit; however, a permit of continuing duration to maintain a channel to open water may be obtained, under the following conditions:
- The channel is no more than 15 feet wide
- After the first year the channel is maintained mechanically (cutting or pulling)
- The channel remains in the same location from year to year
- These permits are not transferable
Emergent aquatic vegetation species
- Awlwort Rare aquatic plant
- Bulrushes
- Cattails
- Flowering rush Invasive aquatic plant
- Purple loosestrife Invasive aquatic plant
- Wild rice
Floating-leaf vegetation
You may mechanically maintain a 15-foot wide channel though floating-leaf vegetation extending to open water without a permit.
Any greater removal will require a permit.
Floating-leaf plants are rooted in the lake bottom, but their leaves and flowers float on the water surface. Water lilies are a well-known example. Floating leaf plants typically grow in protected areas where there is little wave action.
- Duckweeds and watermeal
- Floating Marsh-marigold Rare aquatic plant
- Small White Water-lily Rare aquatic plant
- Spatterdock
- Swamp smartweed
- Watershield
- White water lily
- Yellow lotus
Submergent vegetation
Lake shore property owners may cut or pull submerged vegetation to create or maintain an area adjacent to their property along with a navigation channel without a DNR permit provided:
- The area is less than 2,500 square feet.
- The area extends less than 50 feet along the shore or one-half the length of your shoreline, whichever is less.
- The channel is 15 feet wide or less.
- Plant removal does not significantly alter the lake bottom.
- All plants are disposed of on land.
Any greater removal will require a permit.
Submerged plants have stems and leaves that grow entirely underwater, although some may also have floating leaves. Flowers and seeds on short stems that extend above the water may also be present. Submerged plants grow from near shore to the deepest part of the littoral zone and display a wide range of plant shapes. Depending on the species, they may form a low-growing "meadow" near the lake bottom, grow with lots of open space between plant stems, or form dense stands or surface mats.
- Broad-leaf pondweeds
- Bushy pondweeds and naiads
- Canada waterweed
- Coontail
- Curly-leaf pondweed Invasive aquatic plant
- Diverse-leaved Pondweed Rare aquatic plant
- Eurasian watermilfoil Invasive aquatic plant
- Narrow-leaf pondweeds
- Northern watermilfoil
- Snailseed Pondweed Rare aquatic plant
- Wild celery
What you can't do
- Excavate the lake bottom for aquatic plant control.
- Use hydraulic jets to control aquatic plants or remove muck.
- Destroy or prevent the growth of aquatic plants by using lake bottom barriers.
- Remove aquatic vegetation within posted fish-spawning areas.
- Remove aquatic plants from an undeveloped shoreline.
- Remove aquatic plants where they do not interfere with swimming, boating or other recreation.