The Lake Minnewashta Preservation Association (LMPA), in coordination with Carver County Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD), will provide grants and technical assistance for residential rainwater runoff projects for approved projects. The 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 LMPA grant will provide funding up to 75% of project cost with a maximum of $500 per project and payment will be made upon completion. There could be additional funding available from SWCD for qualified projects. LMPA has a total of $5,000 set aside for this purpose. Runoff projects can consist of rain gardens and/or berms that restrain water from running into the storm sewer system, therefore, draining through soil and native vegetation filtration.

Interested parties should contact either of the following resources who can also assist with design of your project;

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

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

Click HERE for an application.

With your application please submit a plan, along with estimated cost of materials and installation cost. All applications must be approved by the SWCD prior to installation in order to receive cost-share funding. The cost-share payment will be paid upon completion, expected within 1 year of approval.

Longtime lake resident Beth Ginther, who has been managing the KABOOM efforts these past many years, reports that she was unable to secure a licensed pyrotechnician for July 3rd, 4th or 5th. As a result, there will not be an official fireworks display on the lake this year. Our guess is that there will be several very good amateur displays competing for top dog this year. Be safe people!

After surveying our lake for the invasive weed curly leaf pondweed, (CLP) the LMPA board has authorized Lake Restoration to apply herbicide on May 17th to treat it. The treatment areas are highlighted here:

Spend your summer at Tanadoona! We’re searching for awesome people who love spending time in nature, inspiring youth and experiencing new adventures to join our summer camp team at Tanadoona! We’re hiring for camp counselors and many other exciting summer camp positions. Must be 17+ to apply.

To learn more and to apply visit: https://campfiremn.org/camps/tanadoona/work-at-camp/

This year, Camp Fire Minnesota’s fall event is going virtual. Please show your support of of our lake neighbors Camp Fire and the families they serve by joining them on September 25 and September 26! Learn more below and here. 

You can register for one or both days: 

1. Under the Stars on Friday, September 25 at 6:30pm – geared toward adults, guests will enjoy a night “at Tanadoona” featuring personal stories from Camp Fire youth and supporters and a wine tasting led by wine expert Bill Coy. You may pre-purchase wines for the tasting at our website.
2. Nature Yoga on Saturday, September 26 at 11:00am – join us for a virtual all ages and abilities yoga session from Tanadoona.

Both events are free; and even better, all donations are matched dollar-for-dollar. If you aren’t able to join us live on September 25-26, you are welcome to watch through our website at a later time.

COVID has hit us hard, like so many of our fellow nonprofits. I hope you will consider supporting Camp Fire. It’s more important than ever that youth and families have the opportunity to connect with nature and experience its many benefits.

Thank you!

Carver County, U of M Landscape Arboretum and City of Chanhassen are pleased to announce work has begun on the construction of a 2- mile segment of the Hwy 5 Regional Trail. The project lies between Minnewashta Parkway and Century Boulevard in Chanhassen on the south side of Hwy 5.

This trail project removes a trail gap in the trail system, connecting the existing trail and box culvert at Minnewashta Parkway and the U of M Landscape Arboretum to existing trails at Century Blvd. Completing this gap provides trail connections between the local trail systems of Chanhassen and Victoria, connecting over 100 miles of trail. Additionally, regional trail connections are made to the U of M Landscape Arboretum, Carver Park Reserve and regional trails of Hwy 5 and Lake Minnetonka.

The trail will traverse across the grounds of the Arboretum which includes crossing a wetland on the south side of Hwy 5 with a boardwalk before reaching upland areas as the trail approaches the Arboretum’s entrance building and crossing Arboretum Drive. From there, the trail continues easterly behind the pine trees that front along Hwy 5, passes in front of the historic apple tree research plots and behind the Arboretum’s monument sign in the southwest quadrant of the Hwy 41 and Hwy 5 intersection. At Hwy 41, the trail will go underneath this roadway and connect with grounds of Lifetime. Here the trail will parallel Hwy 5 heading east until reaching existing trails at Century Blvd.

Work underway includes significant grading south of the intersection of Minnewashta Parkway and Highway 5, creating the trail connection between the existing box culvert at Minnewashta Parkway and the location of the boardwalk which crosses a large wetland. Other noticeable work includes sheet pile driving which is needed to construct the underpass at Highway 41.

Site grading and work on retaining walls is expected to continue into late fall. Construction of the boardwalk is planned during the winter of 2021.  Construction of the underpass at Hwy 41 is planned for spring of 2021, trail paving is to occur during spring/summer 2021 with the project being substantially completed by end of July 2021.

For more information and to follow the project view the website.

Drive carefully in the construction zones.