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rk.,/ A. ITEM 5.1. <br /> Memorandum <br /> ey of <br /> Elk1' River TO: PLANNING COMMISSION <br /> FROM: STEPHEN ROHLF, BUILDING <br /> & ZONING ADMINISTRATOR <br /> DATE: MARCH 24, 1998 lj <br /> SUBJECT: LAKE ORONO IMPROVEMENT <br /> PROJECT CU-98 <br /> BACKGROUND <br /> Lake Orono is basically a wide spot in the Elk River first created in the 1850s to provide <br /> mechanical hydropower to run saw mills. The lake was then enlarge to its current <br /> configuration in 1915 when a new dam was constructed to generate electricity from <br /> hydropower. <br /> Lake Orono has an extremely large watershed to lake ration at 12,000 to 1. The Elk <br /> River Watershed drains 40% of Benton County and 70% of Sherburne County. <br /> • Approximately 400,000 acres of watershed drain into a lake of less than 300 acres with an <br /> average depth of little more than 5 feet. <br /> The residency time for water entering the lake, or time water remains in the lake, is also <br /> extremely short at 3 or 4 days. These are factors that need to be understood when <br /> considering a lake improvement project. <br /> The Lake Orono Improvement Association, an organization made up of lake owners, has <br /> been concerned about the water quality and sedimentation in Lake Orono for a number of <br /> years. In May of 1995, the Lake Orono Sedimentation Task Force was established to <br /> look at the concerns regarding the lake. The Task Force is made up of members from the <br /> lake association with city staff support. <br /> It was decided that additional expertise was needed to really understand the issues and <br /> Wenck and Associates out of Maple Plain were hired in June of 1996 to aid in conducting <br /> a formal lake study. The Lake Orono Sedimentation and Water Quality Study was <br /> completed in October of 1997 with Wenck's help. <br /> In December of 1997 the Lake Orono Sedimentation Task Force presented the lake study <br /> to the Elk River City Council. The task force also requested a lake improvement project <br /> based on the conclusions and recommendations in the study (pages 16 & 17 of the <br /> attached study). The improvement project is what triggers the conditional use permit <br /> • process. <br /> 13065 Orono Parkway • P.O. Box 490 • Elk River, MN 55330 • TDD &Phone: (612) 441-7420 • Fax: (612) 441-7425 <br />