Lake Minnewashta Preservation Association

You are Invited – Please Join the Conversation

In the land of 10,000 lakes, the ways we use and share our lakes and rivers impacts you, your neighbors, and your local communities. You are invited to come and talk with local residents, lake associations, anglers, and others interested in enjoying and protecting Minnesota’s lakes and rivers.

Conversations will focus on public access to Minnesota’s lakes and rivers, providing excellent recreational fishing, and stopping the spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS).

Come to one of our three August events

We are hosting three events this summer. These gatherings will be different from many other public meetings. There will not be presentations by DNR Staff. The people who come to these events will set the agenda and lead the discussions.

There will be conversations among local residents, lake associations, and anglers focusing on use and protection of our lakes and rivers. We will discuss how local communities can work together better to address shared concerns.

Meeting Times and Locations

Thursday, Aug 1: Alexandria High School, Alexandria

Saturday, Aug 10: Central Lakes College, Brainerd

Thursday, Aug 15: Monticello High School, Monticello

Doors will open at 9:30 a.m. and the events will begin at 10:00 a.m. The events will end no later than 4 p.m. Lunches will be provided at no cost.

• Please pre-register online to help us plan logistics and lunch.
• Share and invite others to join the conversation!

For more information about the events, contact April Rust at april.rust@state.mn.us or 651.259.5706

Events are sponsored by the Minnesota DNR and Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Advisory Committee, to:

1. Bring together local residents, lake associations, and anglers to talk with each other about how public access to and protection of our lakes and rivers impact local communities, and how we can all work together better to provide access and protect our lakes and rivers.
2. Learn what local residents, lake associations, and anglers think needs to be done to address important issues related to angling, public water access and AIS to local communities.

Please come – Set the agenda – Join the conversation

Thanks to the efforts of our volunteer committee and the generosity of our sponsors and our residents, nearly $6,000 was raised as a result of the July 4th festivities in Minnewashta Heights! With the need to contribute $10,000 to Carver County to offset the cost of watercraft inspections, that money is sorely needed.

Special thanks goes to Dawn & Don Berry, Donna Bornhorst, Val & Travis Brasseur, Christy & Steve Brown, Kathy & Jim Dreesen, Margaret Coldwell, John Fabel, Belen Flemming, Cindy & Scott Hanson, Deb & Robyn Hollwedel, Kristin Jackson, Josey & Kevin Johnson, Lynn & Jared Lee, Heather & William Macgowan, Kim & Alex Mortensen, Annie & Eric Paul, Mary & Keith Pickering, Marlys & Benno Gapstur Sands,  Jenny & Tom Shawgo, Courtnay Suter, Brandi & Chad Virgin, Angie Weaver, Sarah & David Wells. Not everyone was pictured below so we apologize to those who were not included.

The LMPA sincerely appreciates your efforts!

With all of the rain we continue to have, the water levels on Lake Minnewashta continue to be very high. While there are currently no restrictions on speed or wake on the lake, if the levels do not drop, a Slow No Wake restriction might be in place early next week. In the meantime, please be considerate of your neighbors and drive slowly and with caution. This is especially important in the channels where shoreline damage is likely.  If you must go fast or if you want to wake surf, please take to the center of the lake whenever possible. Remember that within 100 feet of shore, boating must ALWAYS be done at a slow no wake speed.

Also, please remember that sound travels further over water and that not everyone has the same taste in music. Please keep the volume on your stereo at a reasonable level, especially in the early morning and evening.

There are noise ordinances and boating regulations and sheriff patrols on the lake to enforce them. Count on them being out there today and tonight. Let’s all be good neighbors and enjoy the lake together. 

Metropolitan Council Environmental Services (MCES), operator of the metro-area
wastewater collection and treatment system, is continuing its response to a wastewater spill caused by a hole in one of its regional force main sanitary sewers that occurred on Thursday, June 20, in the City of Chanhassen.

Water quality monitoring:
MCES water quality monitoring results from Friday, June 28, and Monday, July 1, showed continued low bacteria levels at three monitoring sites at the north end of Lake Minnewashta, and staff have removed spill warning signs from the lakeshore. Water quality monitoring the week of June 24 also confirmed that several public areas of the lake were not affected by the spill. Bacteria levels in a stormwater streambed and holding pond just northwest of the lake were below the state water quality standard last week, but were above the standard on July 1, likely from rainfall-driven runoff over the weekend. MCES staff will collect water samples from these sites again today (July 3), and continue water quality monitoring until bacteria levels are consistently below the state water quality standard.

Site restoration:
MCES has an emergency contractor working at the spill site today (July 3) along the south side of Highway 7 west of Arbor Lane. The contractor is removing contaminated soil from a ditch along Highway 7, and placing new topsoil and seed. This should improve the water quality in future rainfall runoff that flows from this ditch into the stormwater streambed and pond northwest of the lake. The contractor also will add gravel and grade the area that was excavated June 21 to access and repair the broken sewer pipe. This will temporarily re-open a segment of bike trail until we can re-pave it in the next several weeks.

For more information, contact Tim O’Donnell, Environmental Services communications, at tim.odonnell@metc.state.mn.us or 651-602-1269.

Metropolitan Council Environmental Services (MCES), operator of the metro-area
wastewater collection and treatment system, is continuing its response to a wastewater spill caused by a hole in one of its regional force main sanitary sewers that occurred on Thursday, June 20, in the City of Chanhassen.

Spill impact area:
MCES water quality monitoring results verified that the spill mainly affected a stormwater streambed, stormwater holding pond and the north end of a 200-yard-long channel extending north out of the north end of Lake Minnewashta (see map below). Very high bacteria levels consistent with a wastewater spill were found in these areas, which we posted for the public to avoid. Bacteria levels in the pond and north end of the channel reduced significantly from water samples collected June 21 to samples collected June 24, but remained above the state water quality standard. ES staff are exploring options to address very high bacteria levels still present in the stream bed.

Water quality monitoring at three sites along the north end of the lake showed normal levels at the south end of the channel and west of the channel, and bacteria levels above the state water quality standard east of the channel. As a precaution, this area also is posted to avoid (i.e. no swimming and no fishing). Typically, wastewater will adequately decompose in the water, and MCES does not anticipate any long-term effects from the wastewater spill.

Water samples at the regional park beach and boat launch on the east side of the lake and the city beach and a lake outlet on the west side of the lake (0.75 mile to 1.5 miles from the spill) showed very low bacteria levels, confirming these areas were not affected by the spill.
Precautionary warning signs posted June 21 are being removed from those sites.

Leak stopped:
The wastewater spill was reported to MCES at about 8:00 p.m. June 20, but appears to have begun earlier in the day. Upon learning of the spill, MCES staff diverted wastewater flow to an alternate regional sewer about 10 minutes later, thus stopping the spill. The spill occurred along the south side of Highway 7 near Arbor Lane and near the north end of Lake Minnewashta. Wastewater flowed along a bike path then through a local storm sewer and stormwater stream into a stormwater holding pond and a channel north of the lake, located between Dartmouth Drive and Washta Bay Court. MCES estimates the spill volume at 500,000 gallons, which is about three-fourths of an Olympic-sized pool.

Pipe repaired:
MCES’s emergency contractor finished repairing the pipe late Friday night (June 21), backfilled the excavation and re-opened all lanes on Highway 7. The contractor will return to finish restoring the site and bike trail. Workers found a tennis ball-size hole in the force main (pressurized pipe), which otherwise was in good condition. A rock in shifting soils may have worn away the pipe wall over many years, finally opening a hole.

Water quality monitoring:
MCES will continue water quality monitoring (approximately every other day) until bacteria levels return to within levels considered suitable for public contact with the water. MCES staff are collecting the third round of water samples today (June 26).

For more information, please contact Tim O’Donnell, Senior Information Coordinator at MCES, at tim.odonnell@metc.state.mn.us or 651-602-1269.

Thanks to the hard work of MANY people around the lake, our July 4^th plans are COMPLETE! Please join us for any or all of the fun events we have planned on Lake Minnewashta.

The best viewing area for the Water Ski show at 9:00 AM is at Kevin and Jean Ann Thayer’s property at 3421 Shore Drive. Thank you Thayer’s for allowing the fans to gather at your house! 

The Lake Minnewashta Fourth of July celebration in the Minnewashta Heights Park at 11AM will include hot dogs, brats, chips and water for a donation (suggested donation is $3). We will also have over 35 awesome raffle items including a wine basket, a paddleboard, Twins tickets, kids baskets and health club gift cards (all baskets valued at or over $50) and raffle tickets are just $1 a ticket!!! Find a list of all of the raffle items here. Please tell your family and friends so they remember to bring cash with them. You don’t want to miss out on the fun!!

The fireworks on the lake begin at DUSK. If you are viewing them from a boat, please be sure to stay well clear of the launch area so as not to risk possible injury or fire. Also, be aware that Law Enforcement professionals will be on the lake giving tickets for improper lighting, boating under the influence, unsafe boating and other things. Please follow the rules and make it a safe event for everyone.  

The fireworks display over Lake Minnewashta is solely funded by Lake Minnewashta area residents.  Please make your tax deductible donations payable to: KABOOM (Keep America’s Birthday Observance On Minnewashta) and send to Beth Ginther at 3611 Ironwood Rd. Excelsior, MN 55331!

Keep in touch – Be sure to give us your email address so we can add you to our electronic newsletter distribution. Or check our website at www.lakeminnewashta.org. And join our Lake Minnewashta Preservation Association Facebook group! Or tweet with us @lakeminnewashta.  Or email us at info@lakeminnewashta.org 

Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have questions or comments about things we are or are not doing. Thanks for reading and thanks for your support!