Summary
Halsted Bay’s water quality grade (D) is among the worst in the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District (MCWD) due in part to excessive nutrients. To help improve water quality in the area, the MCWD recently purchased the 112-acre Halverson Farm in Minnetrista, which drains into Six Mile Marsh and Creek shortly before it enters Halsted Bay.

The land features steep slopes that lead directly to the marsh, allowing eroded soil and other pollutants to flow into the marsh during rain storms. The District plans to plant prairie and oak savanna on the land to reduce the amount of polluted runoff. It’s also considering recreational elements, such as a spur from the existing Dakota Rail bicycle trail and a walking path that connects to the nearby Turtle Creek Housing Development. Consistent with the program’s policy to keep only the land it needs for its water quality goals, the District is evaluating options for possible residential development on a small portion of the property.

Bob and Jan Halverson owned the property for 36 years and took measures to control erosion. Knowing the environmental sensitivity of the parcel, the couple sold it to the District for below the market value as a gift to the community.

Property Info
• 112.5 acres
• Sits north of Six Mile Marsh
• Rolling topography with steep slopes
• Contains restorable wetlands
• Price: $2.25 million

Restoration Plans
• Prairie installation
• Savanna and oak woodland
• Spur from Dakota Rail bicycle trail
• Study possibility of regenerating maple-basswood forest by planting small patches• Staggered demolition of existing structures
• Educational signage

Outcomes
• Reduce phoshorus delivery into Six Mile Marsh and Halsted Bay by 75 to 240 pounds per year.
• Increase habitat
• Provide open space adjacent to Six Mile Marsh

About Six Mile Marsh

The Six Mile Creek begins at Pierson Lake in Laketown Township and flows 12 miles north through several lakes before entering Halsted Bay on the western end of Lake Minnetonka.

The sub-watershed is the most rural and undeveloped in the District, and agriculture is the most common land use. The creek is mainly comprised of ditches running through large wetland and marsh areas.

As a result, the creek is a major carrier of phosphorus and sediment into Halsted Bay, and is a major cause of its poor water quality. The Halverson property drains directly into the marsh shortly before it enters Halsted Bay, so reducing erosion and runoff from the property will positively impact water quality in Lake Minnetonka.

Resources

- Halverson Property fact sheet (PDF) 
- Powerpoint slides from Concept Plan public meeting, Nov. 9, 2011. (PDF) (You can also download the PowerPoint file, though it may take several minutes to load)
- "Conservation for Future Generations," Tonka Times Magazine feature on the project, September 2011
- "Public Invited to Hear Plans for MCWD Property in Minnetrista" (Press Release), Oct. 28, 2011
- Six Mile Marsh Subwatershed Plan. From the MCWD Comprehensive Plan, 2007