HomeMy WebLinkAboutMelody_Lake_Summary1960s1930s 2021
Melody Lake
Watershed District: Minnehaha CreekPublic water ID: 27002900
Fish population:
Lake Management
Denotes current Melody Lake
drainage area; historical
drainage areas may have varied
1970
Minnesota State 100 is expanded,
and a lift station is installed at
Melody Lake to manage water
levels. Water is pumped to the
Highway 100 drainage system,
which ows north and ultimately
discharges to Minnehaha Creek.
1988
DNR permit allows treatment of
the lake with aquatic herbicides
and algaecides. Treatment for
lamentous algae occurs annually.
2009
The Metropolitan Council gives the lake
a letter grade of "D" for water quality,
describing it as severely impaired.
Historical data shows the lake to be highly
eutrophic—having excessive nutrients
(primarily phosphorus), which can lead to
algal blooms, lack of oxygen, and turbidity.
2013
Melody Lake is treated for
submerged aquatic
vegetation (invasive
Eurasian watermilfoil ) and
algae (both lamentous
and planktonic).
2015
Aeration system, purchased and installed
decades earlier by the Friends of Melody Lake
group, is shut off and abandoned in place when
the group elects not to pay for the service.
2015
General submerged plant
treatments stop with the
implementation of Edina's Lakes
and Ponds policy, which prioritizes
treatment based on a series of
factors, including water body size,
level of impairment, citizen
involvement, and public use.
2016
A lake-level management plan is
developed by the City of Edina to
dene the circumstances under
which Melody Lake will be
pumped. According to the plan, a
water level greater than 887 feet
will trigger pumping until the
elevation is lowered to 886 feet.
2018-2022
The City of Edina conducts aquatic plant
surveys. Nymphaea odorata, known as North
American white water lily or pond lily, is
found in each survey. This is a plant with
large, fragrant, white owers and at, round
leaves (up to 10 inches across) oating on the
water's surface or just beneath. Flowers open
early in the morning and close about noon.
2019
Curly-leaf pondweed
found and treated in
seven locations; no
curly-leaf pondweed
was found in the lake in
no curly-left pondweed
was found in the lake in
2018, 2020, or 2021.
2021
The City of Edina completes shoreline
restoration at Melody Lake Park, adding a
native plant buffer to stabilize the shoreline,
provide wildlife habitat, and manage invasive
plants. The restoration opens views and makes
it easier to access Melody Lake. A rock landing
was added at the shoreline for year-round use.
2022
The City of Edina
conducts an
aquatic plant
survey. Curly-leaf
pondweed is found
and treated.
1995
Friends of
Melody Lake, an
informal lake
group, organizes.
1986
Melody Lake treated
for excessive algae.
2016
Friends of Melody Lake
ofcially incorporated
Melody Lake, a landlocked basin, is located just west of
Highway 100 and north of Benton Drive. Water levels within
the lake are controlled by a pump installed to maintain
a consistent water elevation (approximately 887 feet). This
helps reduce the ood risk to nearby homes.
A 4-acre park with benches surrounds Lake Melody, offering
visitors a quiet place to walk and spot wildlife. Motorboats are
not allowed, except for emergency rescue or maintenance.
Amenities:
Land use 2022: Low-density residential and institutional
8 acres
(surface area)
0.9 miles
(shoreline)
176 acres
(drainage area)
History of Lake
How You Can Help
Steps that you can take to
help Melody Lake include:
Curly-leaf pondweed
Diverse aquatic vegetation is critical to the health of
Edina Lakes—providing food and shelter for sh and
waterfowl and improving water quality. Invasive plant
species within the lake are shown above.
Curly-leaf pondweed an be harmful to overall lake
health. The invasive plant grows under the ice during
the winter and is generally the rst pondweed to
come up in the spring. 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 depleting
oxygen.
Eurasian watermilfoil is a rooted, submerged aquatic
plant. Like curly-leaf pondweed, it outcompetes
native plants and does not provide suitable shelter,
food, or nesting habitat for native animals.
Aquatic PlantsWater Quality
Eurasian
watermilfoil
Water quality data for 2009 and 2010 was
collected by the Met Council's Citizen-Assisted
Monitoring Program (CAMP) and made available
by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
Summer-average highs and lows of water quality
parameters over those years are provided above.
The available data shows that Melody Lake fails to
meet the state's goals for water quality within
shallow lakes. Elevated total phosphorus levels
promote algal growth, which reduces water clarity.
Recent water quality data
State goalsHighestLowest
Algae Level
(Chlorophyll-a)
Total Phosphorous
Levels
20 g/L
60 g/L
164 82
140
61
Water Clarity
0.5 Meters
bluegill sunsh
white crappie
northern pike
Walleye
4.2 ft
Avg.
7 ftMaxLake depthSource: Fishbrain.com
100
Learn more about these strategies at minnehahacreek.org/education
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
1.0
Meters