Minnetonka and Christmas lake water quality reports

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This was in the St. Louis Park Sun newspaper. If you were planning to dive Jenning Bay for the clean-up dive, you may want to throw on a 2nd dry suit :

Lake Minnetonka water-quality grades released


by joe kieser - sun newspapers
(Created: Wednesday, June 4, 2008 2:39 PM CDT)


Planning to swim in Lake Minnetonka this summer? Try Carson's Bay, but avoid Jenning's Bay.

The Minnehaha Creek Watershed District released its 2007 water-quality grades just in time for the water-recreation season.

The MCWD tested water quality at 30 spots on Lake Minnetonka and several other lakes in the watershed. Water clarity, nutrient levels and algae growth were measured to determine the grade.

The MCWD gave each tested water body a grade between A and F. Generally, water-quality grades remained consistent with 2006 results.

Christmas Lake was the only water body tested to receive an A grade, but several received B grades. Water bodies receiving an A grade have been determined by the MCDW to be "crystal, clear, beautiful" lakes. Water bodies receiving a B grade "generally have good water quality, but algae may limit swimming toward the end of summer."

Water bodies given a C grade are considered "typical" lakes in the seven-county metro area. They are not considered ideal for swimming, boating and fishing due to algae growth. Water bodies receiving grades of D or F are considered to have "severe algae problems" and are limited for recreation use.

Several areas of Lake Minnetonka received D grades. Jenning's Bay was the only water body to receive an F grade. Jenning's Bay received a D grade in 2006.

Algae plays a big factor in water quality of water quality. The hotter and dryer the weather, the more algae typically grows explained Udai Singh, a MCDW water-quality specialist.

Although last summer was dry, he said, healthy rainfalls in August and September might have limited algae growth.

"Typically, we would expect water quality, as measured by our lake grades, to go down in a drought-type situation, but with the unprecedented rainfall during the months of August and September, it's too difficult to sort out the influence of year-to-year precipitation variation on the overall water quality grade," he said.

Lake Minnetonka sites receiving B grades included Carman Bay, Carson's Bay, Crystal Bay, Gray's Bay, Lafayette Bay, Lower Lake North, Lower Lake South/Gale Island, Phelp's Bay, Smithtown Bay, Spring Park Bay, St. Alban's Bay, Wayzata Bay and West Upper Lake.

Several other spots on Lake Minnetonka received D grades - Forest Lake, Halsted's Bay, Harrison's Bay, Tanager Lake and West Arm. Upper watershed lakes, including Gleason's Lake, Langdon Lake, Parley Lake and Wasserman Lake, also received D grades.

The MCWD is monitoring the watershed again for its 2008 water-quality grades.

For a complete list of the 2007 MCWD water-quality grades, visit