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~ty of <br /> <br />ITEM <br /> <br />MEMORANDUM <br /> <br /> TO: <br />iver <br /> <br />MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL <br /> <br />STEPHEN ROHLF, BUILDING <br />& ZONING ADMINISTRATOR <br /> <br />DATE: <br /> <br />DECEMBER 15, 1997 <br /> <br />SUBJECT: LAKE ORONO STUDY AND <br /> RECOMMENDATION <br /> <br />LAKESTUDY <br /> <br />HISTORY <br />Since May of 1995, the Lake Orono Sedimentation Task Force has been meeting to study <br />the lake. The task force is made up of volunteer members of the Lake Orono <br />Improvement Association with city staff support. <br /> <br />It was decided that additional expertise was needed to complete a formal lake study. <br />Wenck and Associates out of Maple Plain, Minnesota were selected in June of 1996 to <br />provide this expertise. Funding for the study came from Sherbume County, Sherburne <br />County Soil and Water Conservation District, the Elk River Lions Club, the Elk River <br />American Legion, the Lake Orono Improvement Association and the City of Elk River. <br /> <br />The lake study, which includes water quality and sedimentation issues, was completed in <br />October of 1997. The City Council has already received a draft of this study, but the final <br />version is included with this memo. The information contained in the study should <br />include the necessary data to obtain permits from the various governmental agencies that <br />will be involved if a lake improvement project is ordered by the Council. <br /> <br />WATER QUALITY <br /> <br />Contaminates - Sediment samples were analyzed for heavy metals, pesticides, <br />herbicides, PCBs, semi-volatile organic compounds and other substances (see page #3 of <br />the study). No significant levels of these materials were found in the sediment of the <br />lake. This is significant both as a public health issue and as far as disposing of material <br />that is dredged from the lake. <br /> <br />Phosphorus - Phosphorus levels in Lake Orono are fairly high when compared to other <br />lakes, but they are not high for a river. Lake Orono is basically a wide spot in the Elk <br />River. The phosphorus levels observed are not surprising for a hardwood forest river like <br />the Elk River. Leaves falling in the lake and river alone will significantly elevate the <br />levels of phosphorus. For more details on phosphorus see page #13 of the study. <br /> <br /> fi~shrdoc\b&zXstever~lakeocc.doc <br /> <br />13065 Orono Parkway · P.O. Box 490 · Elk River, MN 55330 ° TDD & Phone: (612) 441-7420 · Fax: (612) 441-7425 <br /> <br /> <br />