Introduction to Lakes Online

Course Overview

Introduction to Lakes Online is designed for interested individuals, decision makers, local leaders, resource professionals, and lakefront property owners interested in gaining knowledge about inland lakes and connecting with others who have a similar interest. In this introductory course, participants increase their knowledge and understanding of the following six topics:

Lake ecology
Watersheds
Shorelines
Aquatic plant management
Michigan water law
Community involvement

Course instructors include Bindu Bhakta, Erick Elgin, Paige Filice, Jeremy Hartsock, Julia Kirkwood (EGLE), Dr. Jo Latimore, Brad Neumann, Mary Reilly, and Dr. Lois Wolfson (retired).

The course is offered once a year in January. Registration for the 2026 will open soon. You can be added to the MSU Extension Center for Lakes and Streams mailing list below to receive alerts when registration opens.

Join our email list

Questions? Contact Paige Filice at filicepa@msu.edu.

Course Information

Registration for the 2026 will open soon.

Course Format

Six-week online class taught via pre-recorded video lectures
Three live Ask-an-Expert webinars
Access to units will be provided on a week-by-week, unit-by-unit basis with each new unit opening on Tuesdays at 8:00 AM eastern. Access to units will be based on completion of the previous unit’s quiz. The quizzes are made up of 10 multiple choice and true/false questions.
Once a unit is available to view, it will remain open.

What to expect

Every week a new unit exploring an inland lake topic will be released on our website. Participants will explore course topics through video lectures and activities such as readings and interactive websites. Many units also include a discussion forum, prompting participants to interact with others and the instructional team. For those looking to dive deeper into a topic, we also provide numerous additional resources. Each unit takes approximately 2 hours to complete.

Ask-an-Expert webinars
Every other week we offer optional one hour Ask-an-Expert webinars specific to topics in the course. These are hosted by the instructional team and outside experts including staff from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. The panel of experts address questions submitted via a Q&A box live during the webinar.

2026 Course Schedule
The open date signifies when the unit will be viewable. You are not required to login on the open date. In order to view proceeding units, you must receive an 80% or higher on the previous unit quiz. You can retake quizzes an unlimited number of times.

Open Date	Course Topic	Description
1/20	Getting Started	Explore the Introduction to Lakes course website and introduce yourself to the class and instructors via discussion forums
1/27	Unit 1: Lake Ecology	An introduction to lake ecosystems and the exploration of basic lake functions
2/3	Unit 2: Watersheds	Primer on the water cycle, hydrologic features of a watershed, and land use impacts to lake water quality
2/10	Unit 3: Shorelines	Review of shoreline features and functions in inland lake ecosystems and best practices to protect water quality and lake habitat
2/17	Unit 4: Aquatic plants	Introduction to plant identification, short and long-term management techniques, and regulations regarding aquatic vegetation in Michigan lakes
2/24	Unit 5: Water Law	Summary of federal, state, and local laws regarding riparian rights, navigability, and permitting on inland lakes in Michigan
3/3	Unit 6: Community Involvement	Review of institutions involved in lake management, coordinating with other lake groups, and components of a lake management plan
3/27	Certificate/CEU Deadline	To receive a Certificate of Completion or Continuing Education Credits all course requirements must be met by this date
Ask-an-Expert Webinars
2/11 Noon to 1 p.m. (eastern)	Webinar #1	Lake Ecology and Watersheds
2/25 Noon to 1 p.m. (eastern)	Webinar #2	Shorelines and Aquatic Plants
3/11 Noon to 1 p.m. (eastern)	Webinar #3	Water Law and Community Involvement