HomeMy WebLinkAboutIndianhead_Lake_SummaryHistory of Lake
1960s1930s 2021
Indianhead Lake
Watershed District: Nine Mile Creek Public water ID: 27004400
How You Can Help
Steps that you can take to
help Indianhead Lake include:
Aquatic Plants
Diverse aquatic vegetation is critical to the health
of Edina lakes—providing food and shelter for sh
and waterfowl and improving water quality.
Aquatic plant data from Nine Mile Creek
Watershed District indicates the Indianhead Lake
plant community has few and poor-quality species.
Invasive plant species within the lake are shown
above.
Curly-leaf pondweed can be harmful to overall lake
health. The invasive, non-native aquatic plant grows
under the ice during the winter and in early spring,
often crowding out native species. It dies in late
June and early July, much earlier than other native
species. As curly-leaf pondweed decays,
phosphorus is released into the water, fueling algal
production and causing oxygen depletion.
Yellow iris and purple loosestrife are perennial
plants. Both species out-compete native plants, and
neither provides suitable shelter, food, or nesting
habitat for native animals.
White water lilies within the lake are not invasive
and provide valuable aquatic habitat.
Water quality data is available from the Nine
Mile Creek Watershed District for 2014, 2019,
and 2020. Summer-average highs and lows of
water quality parameters from those years
are provided above.
The available data shows Indianhead Lake
generally fails to meet the state’s goals for
water quality within shallow lakes. Elevated
total phosphorus levels promote algal growth,
which reduces water clarity.
Water LevelsWater Quality
bluegill sunsh
Fish population:
Lowest recorded
water level
861.0 ft
(February 28, 2013)
Highest recorded
water level
865.7 ft
(April 23, 2019)
Denotes current Indianhead drainage area;
historical drainage areas may have varied
Indianhead Lake has no public boat launch.
Non-motorized boats only.
Large
mouth bass
14 acres
(surface area)
0.9 miles
(shoreline)
Amenities:
Curly-leaf pondweed
Algae Level
(Chlorophyll-a)
Water ClarityTotal Phosphorous
Levels
20 g/L
60 g/L
Recent water quality data
146
61
34
19
State goalHighestLowest
0.5 Meters
0.9 Meters
114 acres
(drainage area)
black crappie
Indianhead is a shallow, landlocked lake located in southeast Edina. The Indianhead Lake
subwatershed is southeast of Arrowhead Lake. The residential subwatershed covers
114 acres which ultimately drain to Indianhead Lake via storm sewer and overland ow.
hybrid sunsh
7 ftMax
Lake depth
4.7 ft Avg.
6
5 5
6
55
Yellow iris Purple loosestrife
Learn more about these strategies at ninemilecreek.org
Valley View Rd
2021-2022
The City of Edina begins work on
a lake-level management plan for
this landlocked waterbody.
Lake Management
1960
Lake augmentation
well is drilled, and a
DNR appropriation
permit is issued.
1973
A DNR permit is issued
for control of submerged
vegetation. Start of
annual chemical control
of submerged aquatic
vegetation through 2019.
1979
Study commissioned by the
"Indianhead Improvement"
group concludes that the
most appropriate lake
management approach is
controlling phosphorus input
from lawn care fertilizers.
1979-1980
Clean-Flo lake
cleanser system
installed to control
submerged aquatic
vegetation. The system
includes an aerator,
a tool to increase the
amount of dissolved
oxygen in the lake and
prevent winter sh kill.
2006
Water quality study
completed by NMCWD.
The report identies loading
from the lake's watershed as
the largest source of
phosphorus to the lake.
1993
The Minnesota Legislature passes a
law that prohibits the use of
groundwater (in excess of 10 million
gallons per year) to maintain lake
levels. This legislation is in response to
low lake levels throughout the state
following the 1988-1989 drought.
2013
Residents stock the
lake with 50 black
crappie, 200 bluegill
sunsh, and 200
largemouth bass.
2016
Residents stock the lake
with black crappie (2,000),
bluegill sunsh (5,000), and
largemouth bass (1,900).
2019
The Indianhead Lake
Association stops
non-specic submerged
aquatic vegetation control
and the City of Edina
begins annual spring
herbicide treatments for
invasive curly-leaf
pondweed. Both of these
actions improve native
plant communities and
reduce phosphorus levels.
2020
The lake is dominated by
blue-green algae, which
can be harmful if ingested
by people and animals.
2006 water quality study updated
by the NMCWD identies
potential management activities to
improve the lake’s overall health.
2021
The City of Edina performs a sheries
assessment. The results suggest that
2013 and 2016 stocking efforts were
successful and that recruitment (survival
of sh spawned in the lake) may be
occurring. Follow-up surveys in the
spring of 2022 will assess the status of
the shery following the 2021 winter.
NMCWD = Nine Mile Creek Watershed District
1993-2021, 2012-2022
Water level data is from the Minnesota
Department of Natural Resources and
Nine Mile Creek Watershed District
1.0
Meters
Installing rain gardens
and planting
shoreline buffers
Cleaning up grass
clippings and leaves
Participating in the
adopt-a-drain program
(mn.adoptadrain.org)
Redirecting gutter
downspouts towards
vegetated areas
Minimizing use of
fertilizer on lawns
1997, 2002, 2008,
2017, 2019
Indianhead Lake pumped
for ood control.
2016
Informally organized since the 1970s, the Indianhead
Lake Association becomes incorporated May 20, 2016.
Interactive ood map
Water resources library
Find more information
from the City of Edina: