HomeMy WebLinkAboutLake_Pamela_SummaryLake Pamela
Watershed District: Minnehaha CreekPublic water ID: 27067500
2000-2002
Minnehaha Creek Watershed District completes projects to
address poor water quality in Pamela Lake and Minnehaha Creek.
Actions include:
Dredging the lake to
increase the average depth
and create about 1.2 acres
of deep-water habitat
Dredging the two major storm
sewer outlets and constructing
sediment-settling basins at
those outlets to capture and
settle pollutants from storm
sewer runoff before it drains
into the wetland
Building three settling ponds
in the northern part of the
park to receive and clean
stormwater runoff from
stormwater drains
Water quality data was collected by the
Met Council's Citizen-Assisted
Monitoring Program and made available
by the Minnesota Pollution Control
Agency. Data is available for six of the
years between 2005 and 2015.
Summer-average highs and lows of
water quality parameters over those
years are provided at left.
The available data shows that Lake
Pamela 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.
Lake Pamela is a 7-acre DNR-protected wetland located in
the south end of Pamela Park, just west of France Avenue
between 58th and 62nd streets.
Lake Pamela sits in the 62-acre Pamela Park.
The park features playground equipment with
benches and grassy areas for picnics. There are
also soccer elds, softball elds, tennis courts,
a batting cage, and an ice rink in the winter.
Non-motorized boats only.
Amenities:
7 acres
(surface area)
0.6 miles
(shoreline)
276 acres
(drainage area)
History and Management of Lake Pamela
How You Can Help
Steps that you can take to
help Lake Pamela include:
1 2 3 RESIDENTIALWETLAND
2022
The land use in this
watershed is primarily
low-density residential.
PARK
1961
A ood-control ditch is
constructed from Pamela
Park north toward 58th
Street, eventually connecting
to Minnehaha Creek.
1996
The rst of annual
permits for algae control
issued by the MN DNR.
Water Quality
8 feet
(Max depth)
3.4 feet
(Average depth)
1950s1930s 2021
Denotes current Lake Pamela drainage area;
historical drainage areas may have varied
Recent water quality data
Algae Level
(Chlorophyll-a)
Total Phosphorous
Levels
213
194
10
5160 g/L
20 g/L
State goalsHighestLowest
Water
Clarity
France Ave S
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
1.1 Meters
0.5 Meters