County board approves bid for lake surveying and purchase of plow equipment St. James Plaindealer At Tuesday's Watonwan County Board meeting, the board passed a bid for lake surveys in the spring and summer, and the purchase of two plows and plow equipment. The last surveys were done in 2019 on St. James Lake, Kansas Lake, and Long Lake. Initial surveys on the lakes tested in 2019 came back negative. "They do an aquatic vegetation survey to go through the lakes and see what's native vegetation out there and if there are any invasive species out there," said Chad Hildebrand, Soil & Water Conservation District Assistant Manager & County Ditch Inspector.