Background on Rice Lake drawdown needs
The lake is controlled by a dam on Elm Creek. This allows the Rice Lake Area Association and City of Maple Grove to control the lake level when necessary. The lake basin receives water from various sources (creeks, residential and commercial drainage systems, etc.) which cover over 100 square miles in the northwest Hennepin County area. High levels of phosphorous enter the lake from these many sources and contribute to accelerated and heavy weed growth. In some situations, this heavy weed growth impedes or halts navigation by water craft.
Rice Lake Association members have tried harvesting and spraying the weeds, but these solutions are only temporary and not very effective in covering such a broad area. A more efficient way of attacking the problem is by doing a drawdown in the winter months and exposing the lake bottom to the elements. A good hard freeze without snow cover, similar to what we've experienced most of this winter so far, could be very beneficial in stunting the growth of weeds for the next year and possible future years.
The Minnesota DNR has directed the RLAA to install and run an aeration system during the winter months to help sustain the fish life with extra oxygen (since the drawdown should be lowering the oxygen level with the reduced amount of water).
An aspirating surface level aerator was installed on Saturday, December 28th at the north central part of the lake and began running that week. The area is posted with signs warning of Thin Ice in the vicinity.
Recent oxygen level testings by the DNR have shown the oxygen levels to be very high this winter. This is even with the aeration system run on a minimum schedule only during the month of January. Plans call to maintain an area of open water around the aeration unit at all times during the winter, even though several other areas of natural open water have existed the entire winter up until this point in time.
As you can see in the following photos, wildlife is abundant during the winter months on Rice Lake. Many of the waterfowl have decided to remain during the winter since they have open water to forage through for food. If you get an opportunity, visit Rice Lake and feel free to see what the exposed lake bottom looks like.
