Minnetonka
Project Overview:
Wing Lake is a small, shallow lake surrounded primarily by residential properties in Minnetonka. Recent lake studies found that the lake does not meet state water quality standards due to elevated phosphorus levels, which contribute to algae growth and reduced water clarity.
In December 2023, the Nine Mile Creek Watershed District (NMCWD) Board of Managers ordered the Holiday, Wing, and Rose Lakes Improvement Project. The project aims to reduce phosphorus levels and improve overall lake health.
Why This Project is Needed:
District studies identified phosphorus released from lake bottom sediments as a significant contributor to poor water quality in Wing Lake. Elevated phosphorus levels fuel algae growth, impacting water clarity and lake health.
To address these issues, the district implemented a combination of in-lake treatments and watershed management practices designed to reduce phosphorus inputs and support long-term water quality improvements.
Project Details:
The district completed a combination of activities in 2024 to help reduce the amount of nutrients contributing to poor water quality in Wing Lake and to improve over all lake health:
Aluminum and Iron Treatment
District water quality studies reveled that a lot of the phosphorus in Wing Lake is coming from the lake bottom sediments. Adding aluminum into the lake will chemically trap the phosphorus. Because Wing Lake’s phosphorus is traced to a lot of organizations matter, iron was included to help increase the treatment effectiveness.
Enhanced Street Sweeping
The City of Minnetonka is currently doing an additional fall street sweeping in the Holiday, Wing, and Rose sub-watersheds in addition to its routine spring street sweeping. In the future, the watershed district will assess if additional sweeps are needed to help reach water quality goals for the lakes, and, if needed, how to implement additional sweeps.
Project Updates:
No major project updates are currently available. Monitoring and evaluation of treatment effectiveness are ongoing.
Community Engagement:
A public open house was held on December 5th, 2023, at the Minnetonka Community Center. This was a drop-in event where residents could view informational posters and ask staff questions about the proposed water quality projects. Other community engagement events were held during the development of the water quality study.
Project Timeline:
- August 2022: Water quality study complete
- December 2023: Feasibility study complete
- December 2023: Project ordered by the Nine Mile Creek board of managers
- 2024 and beyond: Monitoring and evaluation
- October 2024: Aluminum and iron treatment completed
- May 2024: Completed aluminum and iron treatment
- 2024: Water Quality Monitoring Report 2024: Wing Lake
Resources:
Holiday, Wing, and Rose Lake Studies
Questions?
Contact Jordan Wein, Water Resources Project Manager, at 952-800-8307 jwein@ninemilecreek.org