Gray's Bay Dam with Renae Clark

Our program on June 19^th was presented by Renae Clark from the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District.  Her main topic was the dam at Gray’s Bay, and how it is managed. The raising or lowering of the Lake Minnetonka water levels is regulated by her division of the MCWD, and is governed by a water management plan developed in 1980. The plan balances the need for maintaining water levels in the Lake with controlling creek flow through the rest of the district.                                                                                 

A heavy rainfall may require some adjustment of the water level from the established lake level, 929.40 feet above sea level. How much water is retained in the lake and how much water flows down the creek affects residents all over the county.                                                             

President Woody and Renae both agreed that the MWCD did NOT open the dam to get water flowing over Minnehaha Falls when President and Mrs. Johnson visited one year. The water that appeared when they visited was provided by the Minneapolis Fire Department from their hydrant system that came from the Mississippi River.

NOTE: THERE WILL BE NO LUNCH MEETING NEXT WEEK ON tUESDAY, JULY 3^rd   

OUR NEXT MEETING IS ON JULY 10^TH AND WILL BE THE KICKOFF OF THE LITFIN PRESIDENCY