Health & Fitness
Valley Branch lake and stream improvement project kicks off June 4 & 6
Five local lakes and one stream are getting worse. A Valley Branch Watershed District study aims to find out why and what we can do about it.
Next week, the Valley Branch Watershed District (VBWD) and Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) will kick off studies for five local lakes and one stream that have declining water quality. Included in the study are Silver Lake in North St. Paul/Maplewood; Sunfish, Eagle Point and Horseshoe Lakes in Lake Elmo; and Lake Edith in Afton. A separate study will also look at Kelle’s Creek in Afton, which was recently found to have elevated levels of E. coli bacteria.
These studies reflect a transition underway at the MPCA, which once focused primarily on regulating factories and wastewater treatment plants that discharge to public waters. Now that so-called "point sources" of pollution are not as much of a problem as they used to be, however, the MPCA has shifted towards working with Watershed Districts and other local units of government to develop Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategies (WRAPS) that look at multiple factors contributing to water quality, both within a water body and also on the land in the surrounding watershed. During these studies, partners identify projects that could help to improve the health of the lake or stream that they are focusing on and involve nearby landowners and other interested people in the process of deciding which of these projects should go forward.
The best known of the study lakes, Silver Lake, is popular for swimming, boating and fishing. Water clarity in the lake has been steadily declining since 1990, and meanwhile, concentrations of phosphorus, which contributes to excess algal growth, have been increasing. Last summer, the lake’s water quality was the worst since 1977. Though the other four lakes in the study are not nearly as well-known as Silver Lake, they provide important wildlife habitat and contribute to downstream water quality within the watershed. In addition, the lakes are popular destinations for local hikers, horseback riders and nature enthusiasts. Sunfish Lake is the namesake of Sunfish Lake Park, Eagle Point Lake sits close to the trail head at Lake Elmo Regional Park, and Lake Edith borders on Belwin Nature Conservancy.
Valley Branch WD invites people to learn more about the lakes studies on June 4 at Lake Elmo Regional Park. Watershed staff will share water quality trends for the five lakes and get feedback on the planned studies. There will also be a short, family-friendly hike down to Eagle Point Lake to look for aquatic invertebrates, which are common indicators of lake and stream health.
During the Kelle’s Creek project kickoff, to be held on June 6 at Afton City Hall, local resident Leslie Thomas will share historical information about the area, as well as the results of her recent landowner survey. There will also be a short walk down to and along Kelle’s Creek.
For more information about Valley Branch Watershed District and the lake and stream improvement studies, visit www.vbwd.org or come to one of the public meetings.
VBWD Lakes Project Kickoff Meeting
When: Tuesday, June 4, 2013 – 5:30 pm
Where: Nordic Center at Lake Elmo Regional Park (admission to the park is free on this date)
What: Introduction to the project, the study lakes, and lake water quality, followed by an informal walk down to Eagle Point Lake.
VBWD Kelle’s Creek Project Kickoff Meeting
When: Thursday, June 6, 2013 – 5:30 pm
Where: Afton City Hall
What: Presentation about this history of Kelle’s Creek by former watershed resident Leslie Thomas, an introduction to the project and the Kelle’s Creek E. coli bacteria impairment, and an informal walk down to Kelle’s Creek.
