Working Toward a Comprehensive Lake Management Plan
Update — November 1, 2009
Friends of Diamond Lake (FoDL) created history when the Lake Management Plan for Diamond Lake was approved by the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Wednesday, October 21.
It is the first management plan for any lake in the Minneapolis system. This ground breaking document will set the standard for future lake management plans in the City of Minneapolis.
The Lake Management Plan group incorporated the community issues and priorities identified in the March and April 2009 community sessions to create an inaugural Lake Management Plan for Diamond Lake. The plan was approved by the MPRB Operations and Environmental subcommittee October 7 and by the full MPRB October 21.
A downloadable (PDF) copy of the Diamond Lake Management plan is available here.
Background
A partnership of three Minnesota ecological organizations selected Friends of Diamond Lake (FoDL) as one of four citizen-led lake protection groups to participate in development of comprehensive lake mangement plans. Diamond Lake is the only Minneapols Lake selected for this program, and we hope our process and plan becomes a model for others.
Financial and operational support is provided by the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District (MCWD), Minnesota Waters, and the Initiative Foundation.
Representatives from three other neighborhood groups
partnered with the FoDL board in this 18- to 24-month process:
Hale-Page-
Diamond Lake Association (HPDL), Diamond
Lake Lutheran Church, and
the Minneapolis
Park and Recreation Board.
What is a Lake Managment Plan?
The Lake Management Plan is intended to create a record of historic and existing conditions and influences on Diamond Lake and to identify the goals of the Diamond Lake community. It is ultimately meant to help prioritize goals and guide citizen action and engagement in the priority action areas.
While state agencies and local units of government have a vital role and responsibility in managing surface waters and other natural resources, this Lake Management Plan is intended above all else to be an assessment of what we as citizens can influence, what our desired outcomes are, and how we will participate in preserving and protecting this valuable natural resource.
The plan is also intended to be a “living document.” As newer or better information becomes available, as we accomplish our goals, or discover that alternate strategies are needed, it is our intent to update this plan so that it continues to serve as a useful guide to future leaders.
Action Areas and Objectives
From the March and April community meetings, action areas were identified as priorities. Lake Mangement Plan objectives were developed from those action areas.
| Action Area | LMP Objective | |
1. Information on Diamond Lake is scattered through different agencies and organizations. Neighbors do not feel informed regarding the state of the lake.
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1. Establish a searchable and downloadable online data repository that can |
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2. Neighbors are concerned that water quality in Diamond Lake is deteriorating over time.
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2. Achieve measurable improvements in the health of the Diamond Lake ecosystem. |
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3. We don’t have a current scientifically comprehensive wildlife census to evaluate baseline conditions in Diamond Lake.
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3. Survey plants and animals in and around Diamond Lake. |
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4. Neighbors expressed an interest in taking actions to improve water quality; however, there is a lack the knowledge of what actions to take and specific information of how to implement these actions. |
4. Partner with Hale Page Diamond Lake Community Association (HPDL) and others to educate neighbors about what they can do with their properties to improve the Lake’s water quality.
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5. Neighbors have expressed concerns about the quality and safety of the existing trail on the east side of Diamond Lake.
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5. Improve the quality and safety of the existing trail. |
|
| 6. Existing dock is inadequate for water access and is not fully accessible. |
6. Improve existing canoe and kayak access. Upgrade access and observation platform to be fully accessible. |
Watershed Map Partner Organizations
Hale-Page-Diamond Lake Community Association
Initiative Foundation Healthy Lakes and Rivers Program
Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board
Minnehaha Creek Watershed District
Leadership Committee
Tim Brown, MPRB staff
Sue Buettgen, FoDL
Melanie Countryman, HPDL board
Scott Foss, FoDL
Stuart Goldstein, FoDL
Dan Heine, FoDL
Shelley Johnson, FoDL
Bob Lind, HPDL resident
Mary Martini, FoDL
Mary Moilanen, FoDL
Dave Oltmans, FoDL
Ken Oul, DLLC
Angie Timmons, HPDL board
Milestones
January and February 2009
With the support of the Minnehaha
Creek Watershed District and Minnesota
Waters, ten people from the partner groups
committed to facilitating the Lake Management Plan development process.
These volunteers participated in two day-long training sessions
conducted by the Initiative
Foundation Healthy Lakes and Rivers Program.
March 24, 2009 — Community Visioning Session
More than 60 people participated in the community visioning session
held at Diamond Lake Lutheran Church where residents of the
neighborhoods in the Diamond Lake Watershed were invited to
share their ideas, hopes, visions and concerns for the future
of Diamond Lake.
April 28, 2009 — Community Priority Setting Meeting
Following the Friends of Diamond Lake annual meeting at
Pearl Park, more than 30 community members prioritized potential
activities for protecting, restoring and improving Diamond Lake
and its watershed. (The possible actions had been identified at
the March Community Visioning session.)
October 21, 2009 — MPRB Approval
Following recommendations by the MPRB staff, and approval by the MPRB Operations and Environment Committee, the Lake Management Plan was approved by the full MPRB.