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��- ....:. . �Il�nel�aha Creel� : '�� Vatershed Distrlct . , ; Imprcving Quality of Water, Quality of Life CS�`� �;"_.;.=_.�: µ Established in 1967 Maii: l�/L� 30O S�XT� /�/� �• 18202 Minnetonka Blvd., Deephaven,MN 55391 Phone:(952)471-0590 7une 10, 2003 Fax:(952)471-0682 Dear Mooney Lake Resident: Email: The purpose of this letter is to provide an update on the Mooney Lake high water adminC�minnehahacreek.org level situation and what action has been taken since last fall to address this problem. Record rainfall received last summer and fall resulted in the highest water levels ever Web Site: recorded on Mooney Lake and caused flooding of low-lying properties,but no www.minnehahacreek.org structures, along the shoreline of the lake. The water level peaked at an elevation of 991.5 on September 8, 2002. To reduce the risk of structural flooding of homes along the lake,the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District(MCWD) and City of Plymouth acted cooperatively to implement an emergency pumping plan last fall to lower water levels on Mooney Lake as much as possible prior to winter freeze up. Board of Managers The pumping was authorized by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) under a general pernut, which allowed temporary pumping on an emergency Pamela Blixt basis for flood protection. Water was pumped from the southeast bay of Mooney James Calkins Lake through an above-ground pipe and into a ditch along the north side of County Road 6 that drains into Pinetree Pond in Plymouth. Water was pumped out of lake Lance Fisher on a continuous basis over a two-month period in October and November. Susan Goetz Monica Gross Earlier this year the MCWD prepared an emergency pumping plan and applied for a pernut from the DNR to cover additional emergency pumping if required this year Richard Miller and into the future. Representatives of the MCWD,Hennepin County, and the Cities ScottThomas of Plymouth,Medina, and Orono met previously in November 2002 and January 2003 to review progress of the emergency pumping described above and to establish target water surface elevations for Mooney Lake to guide future pumping operations. It was mutually agreed upon that emergency pumping would start and stop when Mooney Lake water levels reach elevations 990.0 and 989.0,respectively in the spring/summer and reach elevations 989.0 and 988.0, respectively in the fall. The permit was issued by the DNR last month on May 20, 2003 approving the emergency pumping plan and the established target pumping elevations. Upon termination of last year's emergency pumping, the water level of Mooney Lake had dropped to an elevation of 990.0 in early December 2002. The lower water levels were a result of both the pumping and natural losses from infiltration and evaporation. During the pumping period,the month of October was wetter than normal, while the month of November was extremely dry. Water levels on Mooney Lake were monitored by the MCWD over the winter by taking water level measurements through the ice. Water levels continued to drop reaching a low point on February 27, 2003 at an elevation of 988.5, a drop of three feet from its record high in September 2002. A staff gauge was installed on Mooney Lake in early April Printed on recycled papercontaining at least 3096 post consumer waste. T:�A lS5�A4�299�hluouey-Azsideni Lcemr 6-3-03.Joc