B.S. St. Norbert College (Biology, Environmental Science) 2005
Matt is the graduate assistant working for the Crystal, Loon, and Mills Clean Water Partnership as well as the Crystal Lake Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) study in Lake Crystal, MN. He does all the water quality monitoring for all the lakes and County Ditch 56 and assists the projects with ongoing education and public relations. Matt’s research interests include water quality and fisheries. His thesis project deals with transplanting submergent aquatic plants (Sago pondweed) into four structures throughout Crystal Lake as a tool to reduce in-lake phosphorus and improve overall water quality. These fenced-in structures are meant to protect the plants from fish (esp. carp and bullheads) disturbing the sediment and to possibly provide a refuge for smaller fish. The overall goal will be to quantify the amount of phosphorus taken up by the plants, model how many plants would be needed to significantly reduce phosphorus levels within the lake, and to find out what larval fish species are utilizing the in-lake structures. Matt completed his first year of data collection during the summer of 2008 and will be collecting another year of data during the 2009 summer.
Phone: 507-389-5492
Email: Matt.Ribikawskis@mnsu.edu
Minnesota State University, Mankato Water Resources Center
184 Trafton Science Center South, Mankato, MN 56001
Phone: 507-389-5492 — Fax: 507-389-5493
Email: water-resources@mnsu.edu
Minnesota River Basin Data Center website
