Featured speakers: 

Anna Brown from MCWD will update us on Schutz Lake Quality and what we can do to continue restoration and improvement. 

Cody from Waterfront Services will provide information on mechanical devices for weed management and the importance of removing vegetation before it decays. 

Debbie Kraft on Freshwater Society's Master Water Steward Program and capstone project on storm water management on Schultz Lake. 

Lake Stewardship Community Plan of 2017:

At our 4/6/17 meeting with the MCWD, we heard from MCWD and Jen Kader of Freshwater Society. 

Thanks for your care of Schutz Lake.

In the Spring 2017 newsletter, we provided some contacts from MCWD for Beaver Control. 

If you've used any of the services below, please let us know of your results. We'll pass the info onto all.

Although beaver lodges and dams filter sediment and pollutants from the water, their activity can cause very high water and excessive amount of tree loss. Trapping is an option for beaver control. Listed below are a few people who have trapped for MCWD previously. For your information, the MnDNR does require trappers to be licensed and for their traps to be kill traps (i.e., the beavers are not live-trapped and relocated.) Often, beavers live in multi-generation family groups and female beavers can have litters of 3-5 kits each year, so trapping may need to occur for several weeks to decrease the population and discourage their activity.

 

Wildlife Removal Services: Michael Tucker, email:  [email protected]; phone: 952-884-3707

                

CWC - Conleys Wildlife Control: Scott Conley; phone: 952-212-0843

 

Steve Ruchti, email:  [email protected]; phone: 612-750-4028

The City has a National Pollutant Discharge and Elimination System (NPDES) storm water permit through the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) which is renewed every five years. The permitting program gives owners or operators of municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s), like the City of Victoria, approval to discharge storm water to lakes, rivers and wetlands in Minnesota. As part of the permit requirements, the City must inspect and maintain each of the storm water system components, including ponds, to ensure the system is working properly and effectively. In November, 2016 the City hired a Consultant to provide a customized version of the Storm Water Asset Management Program (SWAMP) to allow the City to more effectively manage its storm water system, annually allocate budget, and meet MS4 requirements.

 

During the approval process for recent development occurring near Schutz Lake, residents informed the City Council that water quality of the lake is a concern.  The City used SWAMP to review the effectiveness of the ponds directly adjacent to Schutz Lake. The St Moritz Pond (Pond 9) near the intersection of St Moritz and Rolling Acres Road was identified to be approximately 50% full of sediment and had reached a point where it would exponentially degrade with time if sediment was not removed.

On December 11, 2017, the City Council approved a quote from a Contractor to complete the necessary improvements to Pond 9 which included minor tree removal, sediment removal, minor grading around the pond, outlet structure replacement, and restoration. Work was completed early this year to ensure the pond continues to function as it was originally designed and to improve the removal of Total Phosphorous (TP) and Total Suspended Solids (TSS).