August 21, 2018

Pack Your Bags, Pondweed!

Normandale Lake to be Drained to Improve Water Quality

Bloomington, MN—Users of Normandale Lake in Bloomington will notice something different this fall – the water will be gone!  The Nine Mile Creek Watershed District has hired a contractor to drain the lake starting no later than August 23 and maintain the drawdown until spring 2019. The work is being done to improve the health of Normandale Lake by decreasing the amount of the invasive aquatic plant, Curlyleaf Pondweed. By draining Nomandale, the lake bottom is exposed to a winter freeze that will kill the Curlyleaf Pondweed. Similar efforts have reduced Curlyleaf Pondweed in other metro area lakes, most notably Northwest and Southwest Anderson Lakes on the border of Eden Prairie and Bloomington.

Prior to beginning the drawdown, the contractor will install a fence around the lake to safely direct turtles and other wildlife from the lake to surrounding wetlands for the winter while the lake is empty. The Nine Mile Creek Watershed District and the City of Bloomington warn against crossing this fence during the lake drawdown because of dangerous ice and lake bottom conditions.

For more information contact Erica Sniegowski, Project Manager, at the Nine Mile Creek Watershed District at (952) 358-2276 or esniegowski@ninemilecreek.org.

For more about the project, view these additional video resources:

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The Nine Mile Creek Watershed District is a public entity that works together with our partners and community stakeholders to manage, protect and enhance water resources for everyone’s benefit. The District manages approximately 50 square miles that encompasses the land area draining to Nine Mile Creek and serves the residents, property-owners and visitors of Bloomington, Eden Prairie, Edina, Hopkins, Minnetonka, and Richfield.

Staff contact

Erica Sniegowski
Project Manager, Nine Mile Creek Watershed District
952-358-2276
esniegowski@bloomingtonmn.gov

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