The Red Lake Watershed District and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources continue their efforts toward better water management of the Pine Lake watershed in Clearwater County.
One of several flood damage reduction projects in the
watershed district, the Pine Lake project will allow for water level management
throughout the year by constructing a new control structure on Pine Lake and
creating upstream retention basins to reduce flood damage at the lake and areas
downstream.
A 45 square-mile drainage area flows into Pine Lake.
Runoff causes rapid increases in lake levels in the spring and cabins have been
flooded in 13 of the last 33 years. Lower lake levels in late summer, fall and
winter can result in lake access issues for shoreland owners and may be
detrimental to over-wintering fish populations.
Recently, the watershed district and the DNR signed a
memorandum of understanding to seasonally hold water in the wetland located on the
Little Pine Lake Wildlife Management Area (WMA) as part of area flood damage
reduction efforts in the watershed. The WMA is located upstream from Pine Lake.
Under the memorandum, the watershed district will build a
new dam on the wetland on Little Pine Lake WMA and the DNR will use it to
manage water levels upstream to reduce flood damage and enhance wildlife
habitat. In late fall, the DNR will drop water levels 2 feet in anticipation of
holding upwards of 4 feet of water during a flood.
“Lower fall, and in drier years, lower spring water
levels would offer some natural resource enhancements,” said Dave Rave, Bemidji
DNR area wildlife supervisor. “Lower water levels will provide breeding and
migrating waterfowl and shorebird habitat. In very wet springs, we will hold
back water to minimize flooding at Crookston and other areas downstream.”
Better water management in this and other watersheds will
ensure that they work efficiently to meet local needs and also help address a
Red River basin region-wide goal, the Red River Basin Commission established to
reduce peak flows along the Red River of the North.
Landowners and other watershed partners attended public
meetings last July and provided input on the Pine Lake project, as well as a
similar project on the Four Legged Lake watershed. The project teams met in
August. The public input is now being used to determine the best options for
both projects.
“Public input has been helpful in determining suitable
alternatives for evaluation,” said Myron Jesme, Red River Watershed District
administrator. “We’re encouraged that the DNR and the Red Lake Watershed
District have signed an agreement that establishes authority and responsibility
for water level management on the Little Pine Wildlife Management Area.”
For more information on both Pine Lake and Four Legged
Lake Watershed projects and progress, visit www.redlakewatersed.org/.
