Cottageville Park expansion

Projects

About the subwatershed

The Minnehaha Creek subwatershed encompasses all the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District (MCWD or District) downstream of the Grays Bay Dam and is commonly referred to as the "lower watershed." The cities of Plymouth, Wayzata, Minnetonka, St. Louis Park, Hopkins, Edina, Minneapolis, and Richfield have land within this subwatershed. The subwatershed, which includes the Minneapolis Chain of Lakes and Minnehaha Falls, is drained by the 22-mile long Minnehaha Creek and empties to the Mississippi River. Other major lakes in the subwatershed include Nokomis, Hiawatha, Diamond, and Powderhorn. Several other smaller lakes and wetlands dot the subwatershed.

While some of the lakes meet their water quality goals, five lakes have been designated impaired for excess nutrients. Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) studies to diagnose the source of those excess nutrients have been completed and approved for Nokomis and Hiawatha for reducing nutrient loading and achieving water quality goals. The remaining three will be addressed when the MPCA cycles back to the Twin Cities area in 2020. Other concerns within the subwatershed are impairments for chloride, dissolved oxygen, fish and macroinvertebrate IBI, and bacteria.

Read the Minnehaha Creek Subwatershed Plan from the MCWD Watershed Management Plan.

Cottageville Park expansion

Project Status:

Completed

Year Completed:

2015

About this project:

Bench along creek at Cottageville Park Cottageville Park, which was hidden from public view and faced issues of crime and wear for years, has been expanded into a community amenity that features a restored Minnehaha Creek. The project, which transformed Cottageville Park into a crown jewel of the Blake Road corridor, was made possible by an innovative partnership between the City of Hopkins, Minnehaha Creek Watershed District, the Blake Road Corridor Collaborative and the Clean Water, Land & Legacy Fund. It is part of Minnehaha Creek Greenway, a stretch of more than 109 acres of continuous green space constructed or planned for construction along Minnehaha Creek in the area.

The project is part of a larger mission to restore Minnehaha Creek through its most heavily urbanized portion. By acting in partnership, the City of Hopkins and MCWD are able to leverage funds to better achieve each organization's goals. The MCWD also received a $483,000 grant from the Clean Water Land & Legacy Fund to help fund the water quality improvements.

Minnehaha Creek benefits

Treats 22 acres of polluted stormwater that previously flowed untreated into Minnehaha Creek
Keeps 26 pounds of phosphorus per year from entering Minnehaha Creek (1 pound of phosphorus can equal up to 500 pounds of algae)
Keeps 2.8 tons of sediment from entering Minnehaha Creek per year
Uses vegetation to restore 400 feet of streambank, reducing erosion and catching stormwater before it enters the creek
Improves habitat for fish and wildlife
Opens up creek to the community where it was previously hidden