Prior Lake Spring Lake Watershed District
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Rss
info@plslwd.org
952-447-4166
  • Home
  • About 
    • District Overview
    • District Background
    • Meetings
      • Meetings
      • Board Materials, Meeting Minutes & Video Recordings
      • Citizen Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • District Plans & Reports
    • MS4 Application & SWPPP
    • District Press
    • Maps
    • Partners
    • Employment Opportunities
  • Waterbodies
    • Arctic Lake
    • Buck Lake
    • Cates Lake
    • Crystal Lake
    • Fish Lake
    • Haas Lake
    • Jeffers Pond
    • Pike Lake
    • Prior Lake, Lower
    • Prior Lake, Upper
    • Prior Lake Outlet Channel
      • Prior Lake Outlet Channel (PLOC)
      • Outlet Structure
      • FEMA Repairs
      • Prior Lake Outlet System Reports
    • Rice Lake
    • Spring Lake
    • Sutton Lake
    • Swamp Lake
  • Projects and Programs 
    • Projects
      • Alum Treatments
      • Carp Management
        • Carp Management
        • Carp Removal UPDATES
        • Carp Volunteer Opportunities
      • Ferric Chloride Treatment Facility
      • Fish Lake Shoreline & Prairie Restoration Project
      • CR 12/17 Wetland Restoration
      • Lower Prior Lake Protection Projects
        • Fish Point Park Retrofits
        • Sand Point Beach Park Project
        • Indian Ridge Water Quality Improvement
        • Watzl’s Beach Shoreline Restoration
      • Raymond Park Restoration Project
      • Spring Lake Shoreline Restoration
      • Sutton Lake Stormwater Storage Project
    • Monitoring
      • Stream Monitoring
      • Lake Monitoring
      • Precipitation
    • Rules and Permitting
    • 2020 Water Resources Management Plan
  • News & Events
  • Learn More
    • Home and Yard
    • Shoreline
    • Boating
    • Ponds & Wetlands
    • Agriculture
    • Fact Sheets
  • Get Involved!
    • 50th Anniversary of the District
    • Calendar
    • Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC)
    • Farmer-Led Council (FLC)
      • FARMER-LED COUNCIL EVENTS
      • FLC Cost-Share Opportunities
      • Cover Crop Initiative
      • Lake-Friendly Farm Program
    • Volunteer Opportunities
      • Volunteer Events
      • Monitoring Opportunities
      • Carp Volunteer Opportunities
    • Cost Share – Fund Your Project
    • Training & Workshops
  • Contact
    • Board Members
    • Staff
Search our website...

Posts tagged "leaves"

Busting Buckthorn & Raking Leaves – Successful Clean-Up at Fish Point Park

Posted by PLSLWD Staff - April 30, 2019 - News

The weather was practically perfect last Sunday as roughly 50 volunteers gathered for the 2019 Spring Clean Water Clean-Up held at Fish Point Park in Prior Lake. The annual Spring Clean Water Clean-Up was co-hosted by the Prior Lake-Spring Lake Watershed District and the City of Prior Lake. 

Volunteers pitched in to remove buckthorn, rake leaves, pick up trash and clean out the park’s iron-enhanced sand filter which catches phosphorus from the 80 acres that funnels through the park before entering Prior Lake. Excessive phosphorus levels can cause algae blooms in lakes and wetlands. 

This hard-working group removed 1.8 tons (3600 lbs.) of buckthorn and nearly 1.6 tons (3200 lbs.) of leaves from the park. Volunteers included many neighbors and local community members who helped clean-up the park and protect the water quality in Prior Lake. 

Why remove buckthorn and rake leaves? Buckthorn is an invasive, non-native shrub which takes over wooded areas, shading out native woodland plants. Leaves and other organic matter are carried by stormwater into storm drains and end up in lakes and streams. Once in the waterbodies, they release phosphorus, which feeds algae. Algae growth is a serious threat to water quality, aquatic life, property values and water recreation. 

Many local businesses generously provided door prizes and volunteers were treated to a variety of refreshments, including hotdogs provided by the Prior Lake Association.

Photos from the event can be found on the Watershed District’s Facebook page. Special thanks to Jen Reinders for sharing her photos from the event with us!


Missed out on the fun? The District and the City will be hosting another clean-up this fall. Stay tuned by checking the Watershed District or City websites or email kkeller-miller@plslwd.org to be added to the email notification list.

Photo credit: Jen Reinders

View Full Article CWCU, Fish Point Park, buckthorn, clean up, clean water clean up, leaves, volunteer

Free Yard Waste Recycling is Back

Posted by PLSLWD Staff - September 26, 2018 - News

Scott County residents can drop off yard waste for free from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays at the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community’s Organics Recycling Facility (ORF) at 1905 Mystic Lake Drive in September and October.

Why drop off yard waste for free recycling?

  • It saves you money on pickup and disposal service fees.
  • It is illegal to divert yard waste into drains, ditches and streets. It clogs the city’s storm drainage systems resulting in flooding.
  • Repurpose your waste. A complete, sustainable cycle for waste gives nutrients back to plants, improves soil quality and helps conserve water, while the end-product naturally fertilizes our lands and farms.
  • Renewable fuel for energy by processing wood.
  • It is illegal to put yard waste in your household garbage. The methane by-product produced is 23 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.

Public Works staff from the cities of Shakopee, Prior Lake and Savage team up with the ORF to offer this service. Staff direct residents where to go and can assist residents needing an extra hand with unloading their vehicles.

For more information, call 952-233-9191 or visit www.ShakopeeMN.gov/yardwaste.

This news brief appeared in the Prior Lake American on September 15, 2018.

View Full Article SMSC, fall, leaves, yard waste

Community Clean Water Clean-Up

Posted by PLSLWD Staff - April 28, 2017 - News

What a difference a morning of work can make! Neighbors of Crystal Lake in Prior Lake marveled at how much better the park looked after April 23rd’s Clean Water Clean-Up, hosted by the City of Prior Lake and the Prior Lake-Spring Lake Watershed District.

Over 80 kids, adults, scouts from the local Girl Scout Troop 27276 and Cub Scout Pack 917, students from Aspen Academy and some teen volunteers from St. Michael’s Catholic Church cleaned up leaves and organic debris to protect the lake’s water quality. In addition, several people took on the challenge of using “buckthorn pullers” to pull out invasive buckthorn plants by their roots. You can see lots of photos from the event here!

1780 pounds of leaves, 7 dump trucks full of buckthorn and sticks

Volunteers filled seven dump trucks with buckthorn and other woody debris and raked over 1780 pounds of leaves! Hard to believe they did all this in just a couple of hours!

Leaves and other organic matter are carried by stormwater into storm drains and end up in lakes and streams. Once in the waterbodies, they breakdown and release phosphorus, which feeds algae. Algae growth is a serious threat to water quality, aquatic life, property values and water recreation. Buckthorn is an invasive, non-native species which takes over, shading out native woodland plants.

Local businesses generously provided door prizes and lunch was served to the volunteers. The District and the City plan on doing another clean-up in the fall. Stay tuned by clicking on the link on the District’s website: http://www.plslwd.org or on the City’s website: http://www.cityofpriorlake.com or by calling the District at 952-447-4166.

View Full Article Crystal Lake, buckthorn, clean water clean up, leaves, volunteer, volunteer event

Fall Clean-Up rakes in 3.18 TONS of leaves!

Posted by PLSLWD Staff - November 4, 2016 - News

  Fall 2016 Clean Water Clean-Up_1

On one of the coolest mornings this fall, 40 volunteers from around the community took part in the fourth Clean Water Clean-Up, a “rake for the lake” event at Sand Point Beach Park to prevent leaves and other organic debris from polluting Prior Lake. The event was a joint effort of the Prior Lake-Spring Lake Watershed District and the City of Prior Lake.

Fall 2016 Clean Water Clean-Up resultsVolunteers of all ages were spread out over several acres and successfully raked up over 3.18 tons of leaves and organic debris, slightly more than the Spring Clean-Up at the park. Leaves and other organic debris can be carried by stormwater into waterbodies where organic debris releases phosphorus- a favorite food of algae. Severe algal blooms were experienced this year and can impact recreation, wildlife and property values. Visit our Facebook page to view photos from the event!

Retailers and organizations in the area generously donated door prizes and volunteers were treated to a picnic lunch.

The 2017 Spring clean-up event will be scheduled soon, check our Volunteer Events page for updates!

Fall 2016 Clean Water Clean-Up 2

View Full Article clean water, clean water clean up, events, leaves, volunteer

News & Events

  • Ongoing Projects
    • Fish Point Park Retrofits
    • Highway 13 Ferric Chloride
    • Monitoring
    • CR 12/17 Wetland Restoration
    • Carp Management
      • Where are the carp?
    • Flood Study
    • Indian Ridge Park Water Quality Project
    • Spring Lake Shoreline Restoration
  • Completed Projects
    • Arctic Lake Subwatershed Analysis
    • Lower Prior Diagnostic Study
    • Spring Lake Alum Treatment
  • News
  • Flooding Updates
  • Prior Lake
  • Spring Lake

News Archives

Prior Lake – Spring Lake Watershed District

The District covers about 42 square miles in Scott County, MN. Water in the PLSLWD flows mainly from the southwest to the northeast through Spring, Upper Prior and Lower Prior Lakes, and then north through the Prior Lake Outlet Channel to the Minnesota River near Valley Fair amusement park.
Clean Water Land & Legacy Amendment

Prior Lake - Spring Lake Watershed District
4646 Dakota Street SE
Prior Lake, MN 55372

Phone: (952) 447-4166
Email: info@plslwd.org

PLSLWD on FacebookPLSLWD on Twitter

Quick Links

  • Home
  • About Us
  • News & Events
  • FAQ
  • Waterbodies
  • Prior Lake Outlet Channel (PLOC)
  • Projects and Programs
  • Contact Us
(c) 2018 Prior Lake Spring Lake Watershed District, All Rights Reserved. Minneapolis web design by Iceberg.