10-20-08 Council Special Minutes

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MINUTES CITY COUNCIL OCTOBER 20, 2008 Aichinger reported that the survey work was done on September I lu' of all homes and structures within the Savage Lake basin. He reported that the weir outlet is at an 895.8 elevation, and the 100-year flood elevation is 897.9. Aichinger indicated that there are a number of stuuctures very close to or below the 100-year flood elevation. Raising the weir outlet would cause the flood elevation to rise. Therefore, the Watershed District recommends against raising the weir, nor would they permit it if the City made that request. Aichinger stated that raising the weir would endanger two or three homes around the lake. Blesener noted that the garage on the Don and Virginia Smith property is at 898.1, very close to the flood elevation, and the Freeman house is only 6 inches above the flood elevation. Don Smith, 334 Little Canada Road, reported that he has lived on his property for 30 years and his wife has lived there for 60 years. He presented pictures of his property which shows the wall along the lake and the fact that the water level is well below the wall. Smith indicated that the water used to come up to the wall. Smith felt that an additional 2 feet of water was needed in the lake. He reported that when the water level was raised by 1 foot, the water level adjacent to his property only came up 5 to 6 inches. Blesener noted that this spring when the Savage Lake water level was just over the weir, there were 6 inches of the Smith wall showing above the water. Smith asked where the water was going, noting that before the weir system was installed, the water levels on Savage Lake were consistent, holding their own. Aichinger reported that when the Watershed put in the new outlet system, the lake level dropped by I foot, and the water was 1.4 feet lower than the top of the weir. This spring the water was cresting over the weir. Aichinger reported that the water level of Savage Lake has decreased due to infiltration and evaporation. He noted that the area has been in a dry cycle for the past four years and pointed out that conditions upstream are dry. Blesener read a letter received from Richard Demont, a long time resident, citing some history of Savage Lake and indicating that Savage Lake is merely a high water swamp and not a lake. Demont reported that in the dry years of the 1930's his father cut hay on the same land occupied by Savage Lake. Demont also indicated in his letter that his older brother recalls walking on the Savage Lake site and leaving footprints in the soft soil. Don Smith reported some history as well indicating that the lake was a source of water for washing as well as the fact that the DNR used to