Amelia Pond and Twin Lakes Ponds Project Amelia and Twin Lakes Park stormwater ponds maintenance dredging scheduled to maintain water quality benefits to Lake Nokomis and Cedar Lake.

Project Update

Due to the unseasonably warm weather, the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District (MCWD) will no longer be completing maintenance dredging of Amelia and Twin Lakes Park Stormwater Ponds this winter. MCWD is considering rescheduling this project for Winter 2025.

Routine dredging ensures the continued function of the ponds, which collect and treat runoff to protect water quality in the area’s lakes. However, to protect the ponds and their surrounding ecosystems, the dredging contractor must operate with frozen conditions. Therefore, the dredging project is postponed until further notice. Postponement will not negatively impact the water quality of the ponds’ receiving water bodies. MCWD is updating its project webpage to reflect this update.

Background

As part of its mission to permanently preserve, protect, maintain, improve and enhance its natural resources the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) is continually working on projects to improve the water quality of the lakes and creeks found within the park system. Water quality improvement projects that benefit these public waters are also conducted by the City of Minneapolis, Watershed Districts and surrounding cities in partnership with the MPRB.

Minnehaha Creek Watershed District (MCWD) recently performed an analysis that determined both the Amelia and Twin Lakes Park ponds are due for routine maintenance dredging. Amelia Pond is located in the Minneapolis parks, southwest of Lake Nokomis, and Twin Lakes Park Ponds are in St. Louis Park. MCWD in partnership with the MPRB, the City of Minneapolis, and the City of St. Louis Park, has scheduled dredging of the Amelia and Twin Lakes Park stormwater ponds this winter. The project, once started, should take 4-6 weeks to complete. Dredging involves the removal of accumulated sediment from the bottom of the ponds. Trucks will be hauling sediment, and there is potential for temporary path closures at Lake Nokomis Regional Park. Disturbed vegetation will be restored in the spring.

Stormwater ponds are designed to provide water quality benefits and must be maintained to continue to capture runoff that contains sediment, nutrients, and other pollutants. These ponds slow down stormwater, allowing pollutants to settle out before the water flows into the connected water body. Amelia Pond was built in 2001 to protect the water quality of Lake Nokomis by capturing stormwater runoff from the surrounding 307 acres and allowing sediment and pollutants to settle to the bottom of the pond before the water enter Lake Nokomis. The Twin Lakes Park Pond, built in 1996, was constructed to protect the water quality of Cedar Lake by treating runoff from the surrounding 1,390 acres before the water flows into Twin Lakes, which then drains to Cedar Lake.

For more information including project management contacts, status, and timeline see the MCWD Amelia Pond and Twin Lakes Ponds Project Page.