Rules Update Notice: Comment Period Open

Posted by PLSLWD Staff - September 12, 2019 - News

The Prior Lake-Spring Lake Watershed District (PLSLWD) is proposing to revise its rules. Per Minnesota Statutes Section 103D.341, the proposed revisions are being sent out for review by the Board of Water and Soil Resources and all public transportation authorities that have jurisdiction within the PLSLWD for a 45-day comment period. Additional partnering organizations are encouraged to review and provide comment as well. Comments are due by Monday, October 28, 2019.

Electronic copies of the proposed revisions (both clean and redlined) are available for review here:

Come Bust Buckthorn Oct 27 @Fall Clean-Up

Posted by PLSLWD Staff - September 6, 2019 - News

The Prior Lake-Spring Lake Watershed District and the City of Prior Lake are once again hosting their annual Fall Clean Water Clean-Up event on Sunday, October 27 from 9:00-11:30 am. This time it will be held at the Woods at the Wilds Park, located at 3190 Wildwood Trail in Prior Lake.

Volunteers are needed to remove buckthorn and rake leaves at the park for this family-friendly event. This spring’s volunteers removed 1.8 tons of buckthorn and other woody debris and raked over 1.6 tons of leaves at Fish Point Park – all in just a few short hours!

Buckthorn is a non-native, invasive species which can take over wooded areas, crowding out native plants, degrading wildlife habitat and negatively impacting water quality.

Leaves, grass clippings and other organic matter can also impact water quality when they wash down street gutters into the storm drains and end up in our lakes. Urban development causes excess amounts of these natural materials to be released into lakes, where they break down and release phosphorus which feeds algae. Algae blooms can be a serious threat to water quality, aquatic life, property values and water recreation. The good news is that residents can take action in their own communities!

REGISTRATION: Volunteers are asked to register in advance for this family-friendly event and to bring work gloves, rakes and handsaws or loppers for buckthorn. Sign up for this free event here or by calling the Watershed District at 952-447-4166. Local businesses have generously provided door prizes and light snacks will be served.

In the case of poor weather, the event will be held the following weekend on November 3 at the same time and place.

View Full Article CWCU, buckthorn, clean up, clean water clean up

Summer algae blooms: When in doubt, keep out

Posted by PLSLWD Staff - August 26, 2019 - News

Blue-Green Algae in Spring Lake Outlet Channel 2013 (before Alum Treatment)

With summer’s warmer temperatures and runoff from residents’ lawns summer in Minnesota can provide conditions in lakes prime for developing harmful algae blooms which can be harmful to pets and humans.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) outlines what blue-green algae is, when and where you’re likely to find it and what are the possible health effects in a great article on their website here: www.pca.state.mn.us/water/blue-green-algae-and-harmful-algal-blooms.

Who should I call?

If you think you or your pets are experiencing adverse health effects due to contact with, or ingestion of, lake water/algae, seek medical attention immediately.

In addition, report human health effects to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Foodborne and Waterborne Illness Hotline at 1-877-366-3455. For health questions, citizens can contact MDH’s Waterborne Diseases Unit at 651-201-5414 or visit their web site: Harmful algal blooms (MDH)

MPCA lake monitoring staff track reports of potential harmful algae blooms. For more information on harmful algal blooms, please call 651-757-2822, or toll-free from Greater Minnesota at 1-800-657-3864.

How can we get rid of harmful algae blooms?

We can’t completely eliminate blue-green algae from a lake because they are a natural part of the overall algal community. However, we can help reduce the overall intensity and frequency of algae blooms by reducing the amount of nutrients that enter the lake.

This is where your lawn comes in. Reducing the amount of fertilizer used on your lawn, sweeping up grass clippings and leaves from your street, reducing runoff from your lawn by not overwatering (1 inch per week is all you need!) and Adopting-A-Drain on your street can all reduce the amount of nutrients entering local lakes. Fewer nutrients entering the lakes means less food for algae to grow!

View Full Article Algae, Blue-Green Algae, lakes

District makes great strides in carp management

Posted by PLSLWD Staff - July 18, 2019 - News, Carp Management, Prior Lake, Spring Lake

The District has come a long way over the last few years in managing carp in District lakes. Prior to 2015, there have been sporadic commercial seines over the years, particularly on Spring Lake in the past, but efforts were sporadic and not done in concert with other control efforts. Thus they did not effectively control the carp population over the long term.

Beginning in 2015, the District starting addressing the carp problem holistically, and put together an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) plan in 2017. In addition to using carp seines to remove carp, the IPM plan called for obtaining baseline population estimates for District lakes, beginning with Spring and Prior Lakes; radio-tagging carp to track their movements throughout the lakes and connected waterbodies and identify when & where the carp were congregating to improve the success of carp removals; and installing carp barriers to prevent the carp from reaching their preferred spawning areas.

This year the District is embarking upon the second phase of its carp management program. Phase II will build on Phase I management efforts and the knowledge gained during the first phase. Phase II will also expand our carp management efforts to other lakes and connected waterbodies including Buck Lake, Fish Lake, Pike Lake and the Geis wetland.

For more information on the District’s Carp Management program and IPM plan, visit the Carp Management page.

Wondering what a carp seine is and how it works? Check out this cool video on our YouTube channel.

View Full Article Prior Lake, Spring Lake, carp, common carp

Lake Level Update – May 28, 2019

Posted by PLSLWD Staff - May 28, 2019 - News

Important messages for today:

Recent precipitation has caused increases in lake levels
The ground is saturated, and ponds and wetlands are near capacity
Precipitation for the year is significantly above average and further excess rainfall could lead to drainage problems and lake flooding
City Public Works staff has installed “Save our Shores” signs at the Prior Lake and Spring Lake boat launches, asking boaters to voluntarily travel at slow no-wake speeds

The Prior Lake area received another 1.5 to 2 inches of rainfall yesterday (May 27), bringing the total for the year to about 15 inches. We have received about 41 inches of precipitation over the past year (i.e. over the last 365 days). The average annual precipitation for our area is about 31 inches. The past 7 years have all seen above-average precipitation. It is wet out there. Our local lakes are at risk for flooding if the wet weather pattern continues into the summer months.

Prior Lake’s elevation is now 903.63 feet and has leveled off since yesterday’s rainfall. Spring Lake is at 911.88 and rising. We anticipate a secondary rise in Prior Lake elevation due to Spring Lake inputs. If Prior Lake rises past its Ordinary High Water (OHW) elevation of 903.9 feet, a slow no-wake restriction will be enacted. Spring Lake is still about a foot below its OHW. Sandbags and sand will be made available to residents if either lake exceeds its OHW.

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