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[204185/1] 3 Based upon the evidence in the hearing record, the Administrative Law Judge makes the following: FINDINGS OF FACT I. White Bear Lake as a Water Resource in the East Metro 1. White Bear Lake is an approximately 2,400-acre lake located between Ramsey and Washington Counties, Minnesota, in the northeast quadrant of the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area.1 2. White Bear Lake overlays the Prairie du Chien and Jordan aquifers – which are collectively known as the Prairie du Chien-Jordan system.2 3. The lake is a public water within the meaning of Minn. Stat. § 103G.005, subd. 15 (2022).3 4. White Bear Lake is primarily managed by the DNR for walleye and muskellunge, but many other aquatic species thrive in the lake.4 5. Riparian landowners and the citizens of Minnesota use White Bear Lake for swimming, angling and boating.5 6. There are three public beaches on White Bear Lake.6 7. For homeowners living next to White Bear Lake, and those traveling to the lake for recreation purposes, low levels of the lake have been a concern for many years.7 8. Elevation data for White Bear Lake has been collected since 1924.8 9. White Bear Lake's ordinary high-water level is 924.89 feet.9 10. White Bear Lake's elevation has fluctuated over that time within an 8.16-foot range.10 11. White Bear Lake's highest recorded lake elevation was observed in June 1943, when the lake reached an elevation of 926.7 feet.11 1 White Bear Lake Restoration Ass'n v. Minnesota Dept. of Natural Resources, 2017 WL 9833672, slip op. at *2 (Minn.Dist.Ct. 2017) (WBL-Dist). 2 See id. slip op. at *3-*4. 3 Id. slip op. at *57. 4 See e.g., DNR Exhibit (Ex.) 302 at 1. 5 See WBL-Dist, slip op. at *1, *39 -*40, *61. 6 See id. slip op. at *40. 7 See id. slip op. at *11-*12. 8 Id., slip op. at *3. 9 Id. 10 Id. (June 1943 level of 926.7 feet, subtracting January 2013 level of 218.54 feet, equals 8.16 feet). 11 Id.