Friends of Island Lake Rain Garden

City

Shoreview, Minnesota

Completion Date

2015

Cost

EST. $10,000

Phase

Complete

Water Body

Island Lake

Funding Sources

City of Shoreview, Rice Creek Watershed District, Friends of Island Lake

Partners

City of Shoreview, Rice Creek Watershed District, Friends of Island Lake

Since 2002, Island Lake has been on Minnesota’s impaired waters list due to excess nutrients causing algae blooms. The lake was delisted in 2024 following efforts and projects like this rain garden!

Island Lake, spanning 58.76 acres, was impaired due to phosphorus-fueled algae blooms from stormwater runoff. To address these issues, several projects were implemented between 2010 and 2015. On the south basin, two rain gardens and a stormwater treatment system were installed on Milton Street, co-funded by the RCWD and the city of Shoreview. In the north basin at Victoria Village, a large rain garden was constructed to manage parking lot runoff.

Rain gardens help improve water quality by capturing and infiltrating stormwater, allowing plants and microbes to absorb phosphorus, reducing its content before it reaches the lake. These initiatives were supported by the Island Lake Association, the city of Shoreview, and the Victoria Village Homeowners Association (HOA).

RCWD awarded funds from its Water Quality Grant program.

Shoreview Press Newspaper Article April 2024: Island Lake may be removed from impaired waters list