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515 Little Canada Road, Little Canada, MN 55117 -1600 <br />(651) 766-4029 / FAX: (651) 766 -4048 <br />www.alittle-canadaann.us <br />us <br />MEMORANDUM <br />TO: Mayor Blesener & Members of City Council <br />FROM: Bill Dircks, Public Works Superintendent <br />DATE: June 20, 2008 <br />RE: Savage 1..ake Water Quality <br />MAYOR <br />Bill Blescner <br />COUNCIL <br />Rick Montour <br />Barbara Allan <br />John Reis <br />Michael McGraw <br />ADMINISTRATOR <br />Joel I2. Hanson <br />The neighborhood meeting for Savage Lake water quality issues was held on Tuesday, <br />June 17. About 25 residents and business owners attended. Cliff Aichinger from the <br />Ramsey Washington Metro Watershed District put together a power point presentation <br />and did a very nice job of explaining the history of the lake and what the District had <br />found in its recent tests of the water, lake bottom, and depth. The City Engineer also did <br />a nice job of discussing all known outlets into the lake, both public and private. He also <br />discussed the options the City has to treat the storm water before it gets to the lake and <br />stated that the best option would be to retrofit rain gardens on the streets around the lake <br />to catch the first inch of runoff during rain events. <br />The key issues that became apparent during the meeting were the lake level and the rapid <br />spread of water lilies across the lake, particularly on West Savage. After much <br />discussion of the water level it was decided that Mr. Aichinger would contact the new <br />DNR Area Hydrologist and set up a meeting including city staff to discuss the ordinary <br />high water level that was set in 2004 when the Savage Lake outlet was re- built. This <br />meeting will determine if the DNR would be willing to raise the level of the lake and <br />what would be involved in doing so. <br />The water lily issue is one that City staff will investigate further to see if more lilies can <br />be eradicated than what the DNR originally gave permission to do. The current plan <br />allows for removal of a portion of the lilies in the middle of West Savage as well as a <br />strip of lilies around the island. Property owners could also clear a ten -foot wide path <br />from their shore out to the open water for canoeing or other activities. Staff will pursue a <br />more aggressive eradication plan to remove more of the lilies by showing the history of <br />the lake and the fact that the lake used to be open and usable for recreation. If the DNR <br />1 <br />