Eden Prairie is home to a wide diversity of water resources and protecting these resources is important. The City has initiated many projects over the years to protect and manage our lakes, wetlands, ponds and creeks.
The main planning document the City uses to manage water resources is the Local Water Management Plan [PDF] (LWMP), which was first completed in 2004 and updated in December 2008.
The LWMP was developed to consolidate information on the City’s overall surface water management objectives, including management of our lakes, wetlands, stormwater ponds and creeks. An Implementation Plan and Funding Plan are included in the LWMP. The City works with the three Watershed Districts within the City boundaries to manage and protect these resources.
The LWMP includes prioritization and allocation of resources. Water quality management objectives are prioritized based on a number of factors, including recreational usage and wildlife management.
For example, Round, Rice Marsh, Bryant and Birch Island Lakes were identified as “Aquatic Life & Recreation” lakes based on recreational use and aquatic life. Capital improvement projects were identified to maintain or improve the quality of these lakes.
The City also has a Comprehensive Wetland Protection and Management Plan that is used as a basis to inventory and define our wetlands and ponds as part of our stormwater permit program.
Recently the City and the Nine Mile Creek and Riley-Purgatory-Bluff Creek watershed districts implemented a series of projects for Round, Riley, Rice Marsh, Staring, Birch Island, Bryant and Anderson Lakes.
The City is also working with the Lower Minnesota River Watershed District on a bank stabilization project for Purgatory Creek and repair of erosion gullies that have formed due to stormwater runoff in areas that have very fine, sandy soils. These projects are funded through the stormwater utility and the respective watershed districts.
Contact the City's Environmental Coordinator with questions regarding the City's water quality planning.