MN Couple’s Rude Neighbors Blow Lake Muck Into their Property
A video shared to the Minnesota thread of Reddit appears to show some rude neighbors keeping their portion of lakefront clear by blowing weeds and lake muck towards their neighbors next door.
"Parents’ neighbors point aqua thruster so weed/muck gathers right in front of their lakeshore," reads the caption of the video shared by Reddit user AppleShampoo102. The 1:26 long clip shows a portion of private lake front property overrun with green algae and lake muck. A current can be seen visibly blowing water and green algae towards the property, collecting in front of the person filming.
"It's just coming right over to us," the man filming mutters to the camera. "Unbelievable! They don't care. They shove it all over to us. You can literally watch it coming to us."
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People in the comment section have been quick to offer suggestions or comments of support.
"Have your parents [talked] to the neighbor?" one person asked. "My understanding is that those thrusters, after the initial clean out of all the crap next to the dock, are more preventative than anything. So maybe it's just talking to the neighbors and asking them to clean up the mess they put in front?"
"Unfortunately, my parents' neighbors aren’t very friendly anymore due to some drama over a property dispute that my parents ended up being in the right over," AppleShampoo102 replied. He goes on to say that his dad has asked the neighbors to point their aqua thruster in the opposite direction (there are no neighbors on the other side), but they've refused. "They could easily just point it the other way but don’t because they know it pisses off my parents."
While some have suggested less-than-admirable acts of retaliation -- such as getting a bigger aqua thruster and blowing the scum back at their neighbors -- the most common suggestion has been contacting the DNR.
"I would actually have your parents reach out to MN DNR and see if this type of equipment is allowed to be used in a lake," offered one.
"Anything that is used in the lake like that needs a permit from the DNR," suggested another. "Permit number must be displayed at end of dock. Un-permitted devices are subject to fines and restoration."
"As others have stated already, best to get the DNR involved," agreed a third. "This is a pretty blatant misuse of the weed remover."
According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources website, automated aquatic plant control devices are legal in Minnesota but not appropriate for all locations. If used, a site inspection and permit is required and will only be granted at sites where the sediment depth is greater than three inches. If used, all automated devices must follow these two conditions: (1) the area to be controlled extends no more than 100 feet along shore or one half the owners frontage whichever is less and (2) the site does not exceed 2,500 square feet in area.
"My dad contacted the DNR and says that someone is coming to look at it," Redditor AppleShampoo102 followed up in the video's comment section.