Important messages for today:
- Recent precipitation has caused Prior Lake to reach its Ordinary High Water level of 903.9 feet.
- Prior Lake is now under a slow no-wake restriction.
- Spring Lake is below its Ordinary High Water level of 912.8 and is NOT under slow no-wake restriction. Boaters are being asked to voluntarily travel at slow no-wake speeds.
- City Public Works staff has installed “Slow No-Wake” restriction signs at both public Prior Lake boat launches. The “Save Our Shores” signs remain at the Spring Lake public launch.
- Sandbags and sand are now available at the City Maintenance Facility.
Prior Lake has reached its Ordinary High Water (OHW) level of 903.9 feet. In accordance with City Code Section 703, Prior Lake is now under a high water slow no-wake restriction. During this restriction, no person shall operate a watercraft at greater than a slow no-wake speed on the entire surface of Prior Lake. Notice will also be posted on the City’s electronic sign boards. The slow no-wake restriction will be removed when water levels have subsided and have remained below 903.90 for 72 consecutive hours. Please visit www.cityofpriorlake.com/lake-flooding.php for more information and watch the City’s website for additional updates.
If your property is located in
a lower area and you feel you need to protect it at this time, sandbags are being
sold at the Prior Lake Maintenance Center (17073 Adelmann Street SE), Monday –
Friday, 7:00 to 3:30. The cost is $0.25/each which is our cost from the
supplier. Free sand for the sandbags is available to residents in a bin located
in the parking lot of the Maintenance Center. Sandbag sales and free sand will
be discontinued when Prior Lake drops below 903.9’ as stated in our Flood
Response Policy. If you plan on sandbagging to protect your property and wish
to use this sand, please take only what you need to fill your sandbags and
hand-shovel it from the bin (please do not use mechanical equipment).
The City of Prior Lake, in
accordance with its Flood Response Policy, has already initiated several flood
response measures this year to address high water levels on Spring Lake and
Prior Lake. Both lakes remain high due to the recent spring snowmelt event and
spring rains. Fluctuating Lake levels can be expected as we see new precipitation
work its way through the Spring Lake/Prior Lake system. The City remains prepared
to initiate and deactivate flood response measures as lake levels change and pass
certain trigger points. Water continues to leave the system through the Prior
Lake Outlet Channel. Lake levels can be found on the Prior Lake-Spring Lake
Watershed District (PLSLWD) website.
City
of Prior Lake and PLSLWD staff continue to monitor local conditions, including precipitation,
forecasted weather, and lake levels, to assess flooding risk.