Community Corner

Lake Minnetonka Water Level Hits High Point of Season

The lake level must be above 930 for eight consecutive days before a high water declaration is issued, which would restrict speed and wake on Lake Minnetonka.

(The following post was written by Patch Editor Jay Corn.)

Several inches of rain over the weekend have helped push Lake Minnetonka's water level to the highest recorded so far this season.

The most recent measurements, taken July 15, indicate Lake Minnetonka is at 930.13 feet above sea level—the highest recorded since June of 2011. Cresting the 930-foot mark could spur the Lake Minnetonka Conservation District to declare "high water" conditions. Lake Minnetonka's water level must remain above 930 feet for eight consecutive days before high water conditions can be declared.

The ordinary high water level on Lake Minnetonka is 929.40 feet, according to the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District—which is charged with controlling the lake’s water elevation via operation of the Grays Bay Dam.

The dam's current output of "300" is the highest so far this season and has doubled since Friday morning.

A “High Water Declaration” makes it  unlawful for a person to operate a watercraft in regulated areas of Lake Minnetonka at a speed of more than five miles per hour or a speed that results in more than a Minimum Wake. Almost all of boat traffic on Lake Minnetonka would be affected by a high water declaration.

Rainfall totals from storms moving through the area Friday night into Saturday morning filled more than a few rain gauges around the lake. Reports of 5.5 inches of rain were received by residents in Mound and Minnetrista, and readings of four or more inches were widespread.



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