Get your Lake Minnewashta July 4th T-Shirts


Click on this LINK to order your very own Lake Minnewashta Fourth of July T shirts. The deadline for ordering shirts is June 6th.

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Adopt-a-Drain Contest Results are IN!!!

Lake Minnewashta made a big push in the final week and almost overtook Lotus Lake….but in the end, Lotus was able to squeak out the victory!  With a 4.4% increase in adopted drains, Lotus came out on top vs. the 4.3% increase posted by Minnewashta.  Riley also sped things up at the end, getting 5 residents to adopt drains during the final week of the campaign.

Thank you to all of you who made this campaign possible.  You should be proud that as a result of your efforts, over 70 new storm drains which flow into the lakes we love have someone to care for them and regularly keep them free of debris.  You’ve positively made a difference, and my hope is that word will continue to spread about this easy and meaningful effort that our residents can own for themselves. 

Some final stats if you want to share: Between these three lakes, we now have over 70 storm drains adopted! Lake Minnewashta made a fierce push in the final week, with Longwood Rd stepping up to cover the SE corner of the lake!

The “Above & Beyond” award goes to the Robbins family near Lotus Lake, who adopted a total of 8 drains in their neighborhood!

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NEW AND IMPROVED:  LMPA Runoff Buffer/Rain Garden Installation Grants Available

NO SWEAT!!!! Runoff Buffer and/or Rain Garden Installation grant program is available to all residents within the Minnewashta watershed, area bounded by highway 7 on the north, highway 5 on the south, highway 41 on the east and Rolling Acres Road on the west, see the map below. Lake side or residential lot, all are welcome! Help us clean stormwater flowing to the Lake Minnewashta watershed and street drains! End result is a completed project on your property supervised and installed by others! Metro Blooms will project manage and supervise the installation on your property.

THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO INSTALL A BEAUTIFUL ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY PROJECT IN YOUR YARD AT A VERY LOW COST!! (A very rough estimate for a qualified $3000 to $4000 project (250 FT2 to 500 FT2) could cost the resident $300 to $600)

This is a time sensitive offer and limited to the first three applicants. 

We have several potential grants involved in this opportunity and we thank all our partners for their help and cooperation. After the initial LMPA grant all other grants are on a reimbursement basis. After project approval by LMPA, CSWCD and City of Chanhassen the resident will pay all expenses and then provide receipts for reimbursement for each approved grant.

  • Lake Minnewashta Preservation Association(LMPA), will provide an upfront grant of $710 to cover the cost for Metro Blooms to provide consultation, design, estimate and assist in filling out the CSWCD application and City of Chanhassen LID application.
  • Carver County Soil & Water Conservation District (CSWCD) will provide an approved project an additional grant that would include the cost of materials and project management by Metro Booms. This grant is through CSWCD where they can provide grant money in accordance with their Shoreline Habitat Program. Click HERE for information. Requires CSWCD Board approval and resident agreeing to a 10-year maintenance agreement.
  • City of Chanhassen provides funds via their Low Impact Development grant (LID), see HERE for information. Residents are eligible for a grant of 50% on actual costs up to $2000.
  • Metro Blooms, https://metroblooms.org/, provides initial design, estimate and applications completion. Metro Blooms also provides all materials, project management and installation supervision after projects are approved by CSWCD and City of Chanhassen
  • Conservation Corp Minnesota (CCM) provides installation supervised by Metro Blooms.

Interested parties should contact the following, with approval from LMPA and CSWCD, Metro Blooms will then assist with consultation, design and filling in the applications. 

Seth Ristow – sristow@co.carver.mn.us, Resource Conservation Technician, CSWCD 

Kevin Zahler – kjzahler@hotmail.com, Master Water Steward, LMPA

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LMPA’s Watercraft Damage Survey

Have you suffered from damage as a result of hitting submerged rocks on Lake Minnewashta? Please take our survey and let us know about it! Click HERE to take the survey.

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2023 LMPA Runoff Buffer/Rain Garden Installation Grants Available

NO SWEAT!!! The 2023 LMPA Runoff Buffer and/or Rain Garden Installation grant program is now available to all residents within the Minnewashta watershed (see map below). Lake side or residential lot, all are welcome! Help us clean stormwater flowing to the Lake Minnewashta watershed and street drains! End result is a completed project on your property supervised and installed by others! Metro Blooms will project manage and supervise the installation on your property.

GREAT OPPORTUNTIY TO INSTALL A BEAUTIFUL ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY PROJECT IN YOUR YARD AT A LOW COST!! (A very rough estimate for a qualified $3000 to $4000 project (250 FT2 to 500 FT2) could cost the resident approximately half the total cost)

This is a time sensitive offer and limited to the first three applicants.

The Lake Minnewashta Preservation Association (LMPA) in coordination with Carver County Soil & Water Conservation District (CSWCD) along with Metro Blooms and Conservation Corp Minnesota (CCM) will provide grants and technical assistance for residential rainwater runoff projects (for approved projects). Eligible area is the Lake Minnewashta Watershed area bounded by highway 7 on the north, highway 5 on the south, highway 41 on the east and Rolling Acres Road on the west, see attached map. The basic concept is to design and install a 250 FT2 to 500 FT2 runoff project on your property. Runoff projects can consist of rain gardens and/or berms that retain water from running into the storm sewer system or waterways, therefore, draining through soil and native vegetation filtration. Benefits are in preventing phosphorus, nitrogen, and chlorides from entering waterways, resulting in less algae development and better water quality for a natural habitat.

There are several grants possible associated to this program:

  1. LMPA will provide an upfront grant of $710 to cover the cost for Metro Blooms to provide consultation, design, estimate and assist in filling out the CSWCD application.
  2. CCM will provide a labor crew for installing qualified/approved projects including area preparation, removal of unneeded sod, etc. and installation of all new materials.
  3. Resident is also eligible for an additional grant that would include the cost of materials and project management by Metro Booms. This grant is through CSWCD where they can provide grant money. This requires CSWCD Board approval and resident agreeing to a 10 year maintenance agreement. Click HERE for information.

Interested parties should contact the following, with approval from LMPA and CSWCD, Metro Blooms will then assist with consultation, design and filling in the application. 

Seth Ristow – sristow@co.carver.mn.us, Resource Conservation Technician, CSWCD 

Kevin Zahler – kjzahler@hotmail.com, Master Water Steward, LMPA

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2022 Lake Minnewashta Annual Meeting Highlights

2022 Has Been A Year Of Positives For Lake Minnewashta.

  • We’ve experienced exceptional water clarity, to levels not seen in many years…our lake continues to be rated as an “A” lake by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency  
  • We’ve used your donations to treat many acres of invasive weeds 
    • Invasive Eurasian milfoil was nearly undetectable                                                                                                            
  • We’ve enjoyed Carver County’s support for 100% incoming watercraft inspections at the Regional Park
    • We know of no new invasive species introduced into the lake                                                                                                
  • We’ve had great financial support from you and built a large war chest in the event of a new invasive species discovery                                               
  • We’ve partnered with Carver County and Metro Blooms to provide expertise and grants to Minnewashta watershed owners to build shoreline buffers and rain gardens
    • These will reduce runoff into the lake which, in turn, improves water clarity. 
    • Examples of three projects we co-funded are displayed.                                                                  
  • We’ve communicated Lake Use Recommendations via a sign we provided at the Regional Park boat launch and a card in our annual newsletter                                                                                             
  • We’ve had cooperative use of the lake from most parties                           
  • We’ve added a Youth member to our board, Josie Weiler                  
  • We’ve uncovered some submerged history of Lake Minnewashta and shared it on our website.                                           
  • We’ve experienced wonderful involvement and results from our volunteer neighborhood captains, the July 4th organizers and skiers, our zebra mussel, water clarity and lake level monitors, and our board members

But on the downside

  • We’ve seen growth in the incidence of zebra mussels                
    • In 2019 we had a handful in the main part of the lake
    • This year they are all over the lake                                              
  • Curly Leaf pondweed (an early riser) was prolific and native weed growth is increasing as the water clarity improves.                                   
  • There are plans to expand Highway 5 which increases the risk of adding more salt to the lake. 
    • Scot and Kevin are leading the charge to ensure that salt levels are monitored and controlled to protect the water quality and that the highway design is done with our lake in mind.                                                                   
  • We continue to field complaints about a small number of boaters not practicing safe and responsible boating 
    • large wakes close to shore or other lake users, loud music, no lights, riding on transoms and towers, etc 

For 2023, the LMPA board will focus on

  • Continuing to educate people on improving water quality by reducing run off into the lake
    • Shoreline buffering and rain gardens help!
    • Grant money is available… GET THEM BUILT!
    • Grow the Adopt A Drain program                                                                          
  • Keep focused on AIS prevention 
    • 100% incoming watercraft inspections
    • Clean-Drain-Dry education               
    • Investigate actions on non-invasive vegetation                                                                    
  • Stay on top of developments in zebra mussel eradication
    • Support the U of M’s AIS Research Center – MAISRC              
  • Work with MNDOT on the Highway 5 expansion plans                                                                                            
  • Continue partnering with local and state organizations to grow the collective voice of lake associations statewide
  • Continue to drive better boater etiquette – share the lake
    • Awaiting the conclusion of the U of M’s wake studies                                                                                   
  • Find a resident youth to take Josie’s place on the board when her term ends in 2023                                                                        
  • Fill the openings in our neighborhood captain’s roster

Do your part to help us keep Lake Minnewashta beautiful! 

Improve The Water Quality & Prevent The Spread Of Invasive Species

  • Use a Permitted Lake Service Provider when working on your shore
  • Don’t move a mussel from infested lakes via watercraft, toys or lifts
  • Clean, Drain and Dry your boat before and after launching
  • Plant a shoreline buffer strip and/or rain garden using our available design resources and grant money to help
  • Keep debris out of the streets & drains, especially leaves
  • Inspect your docks, lifts and boats for signs of Zebra Mussels, when removed in the fall        

Practice Good Boating Etiquette  

  • Know the rules and follow them – share the lake!

Keep Connected To The LMPA

  • Register your email address by sending a note to info@lakeminnewashta.org
  • Volunteer to be a neighborhood captain, a board member or join a committee      
  • Make a tax-deductible donation
    • Payment options include Venmo, check or PayPal
    • Apply for employer Matching Funds

Acknowledgement and Thanks!

  • Our hosts….Camp Fire Minnesota staff  
  • Tom Knauer, from Whitefish Gallery who donated our wonderful Lake Minnewashta raffle prizes 
  • Our event planner…Helen Gunther
  • Our donors 
  • Our neighborhood captains
  • All of our lake wide volunteers                         
  • Our board of directors
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