The Lake Minnewashta Preservation Association is hosting our Annual Meeting and Pot Luck Dinner at the wonderful dining room of Camp Fire Minnesota , Sunday October 12th from 4PM to 7PM. This is a great time to meet and catch up with your neighbors (old and new), hear an update on what’s happening on Lake Minnewashta and make plans for 2026. There will also be an open discussion about issues around the lake so we hope you will join us.
This year, we will return to our usual Pot Luck Dinner and ask that you bring a dish to share and your favorite beverage. The LMPA will provide hot dogs, buns, condiments and water to drink.The Camp is located off of Highway 41 at 3300 Tanadoona Drive, Excelsior, MN 55331. Look for the yellow signs.
AGENDA: 4:00 – 4:45 Check in and Social Hour 4:45 – 6:30 Dinner and Annual Meeting 6:30 – 7:00 Socializing and Clean Up
Please RSVP to Helen Gunther at hgunther57@gmail.com or 612-986-4073. Helen needs to have an idea how much food to buy so please let us know if you are coming.
Fall is an important time to protect storm drains. Join the nation’s largest Adopt a Drain program which invites residents to adopt a storm drain and commit to keeping it clear of leaves, trash and other debris.
Keeping storm drains clean prevents pollution in lakes and creeks. The program began in Minnesota in 2017, and the impacts are huge. Around 19,000 volunteers have prevented over 900,000 lbs. of debris from getting into local lakes and rivers.
Leaves, grass clippings, and dirt that build up along curbs and storm drains contain phosphorus, a nutrient which in high amounts causes algae blooms and reduces oxygen in the water.
Just 1 yard waste bag of leaves has enough phosphorus to create 100 lbs. of algae in water.
Sign up as an individual, a family, a school, an organization, a service group, and more. A few minutes a month can make a big difference in our waters.
As part of our ongoing mission to protect and enhance the water quality and recreational enjoyment of Lake Minnewashta, the Lake Minnewashta Preservation Association (LMPA) will be treating areas of the lake for aquatic invasive species (AIS) in August.
We want to keep you fully informed—this is your official notice that we will be conducting treatments in various parts of the lake in August.
Eurasian Watermilfoil Treatment
Within the next two weeks, we will treat Eurasian Watermilfoil, another invasive species, using the DNR- and EPA-approved herbicide 2,4-D under a DNR permit. This chemical , has proven highly effective in past treatments. If your property is affected, shoreline signs will be posted with any applicable water use guidelines—though there are no restrictions on swimming or fishing after treatment.
If you do not want treatment to occur near your property (within 150 feet of shore), please notify us by August 15th by emailing info@lakeminnewashta.org. This deadline is important.
Treatment zones will be based on the most current survey…see below.
Float signs will be placed in the treated areas, and residents should refer to these for any water-use information. Restrictions are minimal with these products, but we encourage everyone to stay informed.
Previous Curly-Leaf Pondweed (CLP) Treatment
Our first treatment in May targeted Curly-leaf pondweed (CLP), an invasive plant that grows in early spring and can disrupt water quality and recreation. Treatment areas included locations within 150 feet of your shoreline, as identified by a recent survey conducted by the Carver County Water Management Organization.
We used EPA-approved aquatic herbicides Dibrox or Flumigard under a DNR permit.This year, the DNR has approved an expanded treatment plan (see below):
50 acres of CLP was treated in May (up from 40 acres in previous years)
This is part of our 5-year plan to significantly reduce CLP levels
A follow-up assessment will be conducted later in the season, possibly followed by a fall or winter treatment
Native Aquatic Plants
Please note: the many plants you may have noticed in this summer—such as Coontail, White Water Crowfoot, Bladderwort, and others—are native species and play a healthy role in the lake ecosystem. These will naturally return each season and are not part of our treatment plan.
How You Can Help
These treatments are entirely funded by donations from generous LMPA members. If you’re a lakeshore property owner—or simply someone who enjoys this beautiful lake—please consider joining the LMPA or making a donation to support this important work.
Thank you for your continued support in keeping Lake Minnewashta clean, healthy, and enjoyable for everyone.
Registration for Starry Trek on August 9th is open. Carver County Water Management Organization (CCWMO) is hosting an event at Waconia Regional Park.
Starry Trek is a statewide event focused on searching for one of Minnesota’s newest aquatic invasive species, starry stonewort (and other invaders). Team up with us and hundreds of your fellow Minnesotans across the state to learn about and find aquatic invaders.
What you’ll do
You will meet at Waconia Regional Park where you will receive a brief training on how to identify starry stonewort and other target aquatic invasive species and how to follow the search protocols. Groups are then sent out to nearby priority lakes to follow the protocols and bring back any suspicious organisms. Starry Trek is a free event and no experience or special equipment is required. Participants under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
The Chanhassen City Engineer lifted the slow-no-wake restriction at Lake Minnewashta as of 2PM July 7th.
In case there is any confusion, the LMPA’s has no authority in the imposition or lifting of Slow-No Wake declarations. Our role is to communicate in a timely fashion to as many stakeholders as we can. We use emails, this website and Facebook page to do so. Since 2020, the City of Chanhassen has the responsibility to administer the imposition and lifting of slow-no wake declarations. Here is a LINK to the the City of Chanhassen Municipal Code. Section 6-49 is the applicable section. The ordinary high water level (OHWL) is 944.5′ above sea level. The slow-no wake trigger is 945′, which is above the OHWL, but below FEMA’s100 year flood level which is 945.9′.
The purpose of the No Wake trigger is to protect the lake’s shoreline and water quality while balancing it with residents interests with recreational use of the lake. This prevents property damage, ensures public safety, and protects shoreline areas vital to a healthy lake. Most intact and natural shoreline can hold their own against high water levels, waves and winter ice. But many of our lake shorelines are no longer natural. They consist of grass to the water’s edge or rip rap. Grass has little roots to hold soil in place, and rip rap has potential to fail, both which lead to erosion of soil along the shoreline, loss of property, and sediment pollution in the lake. Preventing waves during high water levels greatly reduces shoreline erosion and preserves the water quality and wildlife enjoyed by communities.
Due to recent substantial rainfall, Lake Minnewashta is under slow-no-wake restrictions to prevent shoreline erosion. The lake has exceeded the regulatory elevation of 945 ft. and must drop below that level for three consecutive days before the restrictions are lifted.
Boaters are not allowed to operate a watercraft in excess of “slow-no wake” speeds until further notice. Please do not drive your watercraft at speeds fast enough to create a wake, typically 5 MPH. We will provide an update when the lake levels have receded enough to lift the Slow/No Wake restrictions.
Here is a LINK to the the City of Chanhassen Municipal Code. Section 6-49 is the applicable section.
