Bloomington

ABOUT OXBORO LAKE

Oxboro Lake, just east of Highway 35W in Bloomington, was once a wetland. However, as Bloomington was developed, the wetland was converted to a lake for floodwater management. Oxboro Lake is the last basin that provides stormwater treatment before discharging water to Nine Mile Creek.

Water Quality

In 2024, Oxboro’s water quality was better than the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s (MPCA’s) standards in chlorophyll-a, water clarity, and total phosphorus. An improvement over previous years.

Chlorophyll-a levels for Oxboro lake have fluctuated in the past 4 years, but are now better than state standards.
In 2024, the Oxboro’s clarity exceeded the MPCA standard. Max depth recorded of this lake is 5.73ft.
Phosphorus, the nutrient that supports algae growth, has consistently decreased, and in 2024, they were below the MPCA standards.

Past Projects

The City of Bloomington has conducted the “Oxboro Lake Maintenance Project” to restore the hydraulic capacity and remove accumulated sediment from Oxboro Lake (2021-2022). The project included sediment removal (between 65,000 and 100,000 cubic yards), the reconstruction of a culvert, and some shoreline stabilization and restoration for wildlife habitat. The project’s purpose was to improve the lake’s functionality and water quality while improving the quality of the water leaving the lake and flowing into Nine Mile Creek.

Recreation

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diagram of ways to clean water—clean off boats for AIS, sweep up leaves and grass, pick up after pets, and plant native plants