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Engineering sections: Public Works divisions: Related links: |
Nine Mile Creek Watershed District seeks to improve water quality in four lakesNW and SW Anderson Lakes affected Aerial view of Anderson lakes with TH 169 running down the center of the image. The Nine Mile Creek Watershed District has begun work on the Eden Prairie Lakes Water Quality Improvement Project.
Project goalsThis project is intended to improve water quality by freezing out curlyleaf pondweed, a non-native invasive plant present in both Northwest and Southwest Anderson Lakes. Curlyleaf pondweed blocks out native vegetation and was found to be a significant source of phosphorus that contributes to algae blooms and poor water quality. Areas that retained water after the drawdown were treated with aquatic herbicides to destroy the remaining plants. The work has been undertaken in response to a petition by the City of Eden Prairie. Current statusThe lakes were drained in the fall of 2008 to expose the lake beds to a winter freeze. Due to the lack of rain in 2009 lake levels remained extremely low for the summer of 2009. These low water levels exposed the lake bottoms to another freeze during the winter of 2009-2010. With the above average precipitation for 2010, lake levels are becoming re-established. The draw down has encouraged more plant diversity with cattails, bullrushes, smartweed and broadleaf arrowhead growing along much of the shoreline. A 2010 inspection indicated there has been a decrease in the presence of curlyleaf pondweed which is encouraging. A final conclusion on the success of the project will require several years of monitoring. Bloomington properties affected by this project
Information available online
For more information, contact:
Kevin Bigalke, Nine Mile Creek Watershed District Administrator or
Scott Anderson, City of Bloomington Civil Engineer
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