Normandale Drawdown Begins
Normandale Lake Water Quality Improvement Project
The drawdown on Normandale lake began on August 20th. Contractors for the District began pumping water out of Normandale Lake, and installed a weir to maintain normal upstream water levels. It will take several weeks for the water to be pumped out of the lake and drained through an existing bypass pipe. In addition, fencing was installed around the lake to protect turtles and guide them to new overwintering habitat.
Though not all the water will be drained, most of the lake will remain empty throughout the coming winter. This will freeze the exposed lake bottom and kill an invasive aquatic plant called curly-leaf pondweed. The lake will fill up again by April of 2019. This project will result in a healthier native plant population growing in the lake.
For more details visit the District’s Normandale Project page.
In the News
Star Tribune Article (August 23, 2018)
Bloomington Briefing (August 2018)
WCCO Interview (August 23, 2018)
KSTP interview (August 22, 2018)
You can also check out these educational videos made in partnership with the City of Bloomington.