Education and Outreach

Visit the City of Bloomington’s Penn Lake Rehabilitation and Restoration webpage to:

• Share your Penn Lake story
• Review a Penn Lake Q&A and FAQ
• Register to get involved
• Read the Penn Lake Hydrology Report
• Read the Penn Lake Biotic Assessment Report

About Penn Lake

Penn Lake is a shallow located in Bloomington. Penn Lake‘s water quality is poor, with average phosphorus levels higher than state standards for shallow lakes. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has designated Penn Lake as impaired under a total daily maximum load threshold. In simple terms, this means the lake is unhealthy. Nine Mile Creek Watershed District and the City of Bloomington are working together to develop a plan to improve water quality conditions in the lake.

Learn about Shallow Lakes

Shallow Lakes Webinar

Learn more about shallow lakes and their functions and values. What does a shallow lake look like, and why are plants so important? What are the rules and regulations regarding shallow lakes? Joe Bischoff, a Senior Aquatic Ecologist and Certified Lake Manger with Barr Engineering Co, presented a webinar on April 12, 2022, to answer these questions and more. View the full recording: Shallow Lakes Webinar Recording

Shallow Lakes Brochure

Shallow Lakes: Minnesota’s Natural Heritage (PDF)