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Locke Lake : July 28, 1993 Page Three (from B. Haake) If the lake filled in and returned to its natural condition, the lake would discharge most of the sediment reaching it to the Mississippi River and recreational use of the creek for canoeing would likely not be impaired due to the creek ' s ability to move sediment within its channel , The "Project Petition" Fridley submitted to the RCWD which enumerated the reasons for the Locke Lake Improvement Project "served as a sedi- ment basin for RCWD for many years. " Locke Lake is not needed as a se-diment--- basin- _- theflowof -Rice Creek- into the Mississippi unimpeded- will enhance the environment and the quality of the water in Rice Creek . Another point made in Fridley' s Project Petition that the "replacement of the defective dam. . .will improve the recreational and fish life benefits of the Lake" is refuted by the Engineer 's Report which states "From a fishery standpoint , the lake water quality and warmer temperatures expected due to the shallow nature of Locke Lake, Rice Creek and Long Lake are not conducive to a significant sustaining fishery. . .The Locke Lake Dam functions as an effective fish barrier which revents fish from migrating upstream from the Mississippi River. " If the lake were excavated to a depth of four to six feet deep, winter freeze would kill any fish life. "From the viewpoint of maximizing wildlife habitat diversity , the DNR indicated the best alternative would be to allow the floodplain to return to its original condition , " Fridley ' s Project Petition states that the Project "will preserve and ' enhance the property values of properties adjacent to Locke Lake". The cost for this project could range from $1, 500,000 to $3 , 000,000 (depending on the accumulated costs ie. disposal charges for transportation, dumping , excavating, etc. of the existing sediment in Locke Lake ; fees, permits , etc . ) which will benefit approximately 52 property owners surrounding Locke Lake. The Board of Managers for the RCWD developed a District Water Manage- ment Plan which "included a Locke Lake excavation project which would restore a water depth of four feet within the lake. This project was • included because the Board (Managers) at that time were considering , doing a lake excavation project . The presence of the project in the Capitol Improvements Portion of the plan did not necessarily mean that the project had been approved by the Board , or , that an Engineer' s Report had been produced for the project . " The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has recommended the dam NOT be replaced because there is more environmental benefit with the lower water level . The Metropolitan Council has recommended that the dam NOT be replaced . 'They want the failed dam removed so Rice Creek can flow to the Mississippi River unimpeded as it originally 'did. 170d E9P2 178L ZZ9 :01 89€trPBLET9 Ebei DS SO:LT 176, 90 Ntif