Lake Aesthetic and User Recreation Index
for Powderhorn Lake
This 12-acre lake is in one of the largest parks in the Minneapolis system. The park is host to many events including the Powderhorn Arts Festival.
Powderhorn has few aquatic plants due most likely to the poor water clarity. It has an excellent rating in aesthetics. There is no swimming beach so no public health rating is provided.
The Lake Aesthetic and User Recreation Index (LAURI) was developed by the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board to give the public information about the recreational suitability of Minneapolis lakes. Lakes were scored in 4 areas:
The figure above presents the average score Powderhorn Lake received in each category from May to June in 2005. LAURI was field tested in 2004 for the first time.
The LAURI was developed to provide recreational users with an additional source of information about the status of MPRB lakes. Aesthetics can be difficult to evaluate since they are dependent on one’s own experience and preferences. But LAURI provides lake users with an easily understandable recreational suitability indicator for MPRB lakes that incorporates aesthetics and the health of the lake. Data is collected during the growing season (May to September).
Hopefully, LAURI will be useful to users of the Minneapolis park system when making recreational decisions. Someone interested in walking or biking around a lake may use the aesthetic score. A swimmer may compare lakes based on the public health, aquatic plant, aesthetic and water clarity scores. A sailor or kayak user may be primarily concerned with the aquatic plant (recreational interference) score.
