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Get Involved - Lake Improvements

Clear and Loon Lakes
Clear Lake

The City of Waseca is priviledged to have two major lakes within its borders.  The largest, Clear Lake, is located on the east side of town.  It is approximately 650 acres in size and is a regional attraction for fishing and recreation.  The other, Loon Lake, is near the west edge of town.  It is a relatively shallow lake and is much smaller at only about 80 acres in size.

Unfortunately, both Clear and Loon Lakes are on the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) Impaired Waters List.  (To view our lakes, click on the following link: MPCA Impaired Waters Map Viewer)  Excessive nutrients from goose droppings, pet waste, and phosphorous rich stormwater runoff, have led to water quality issues.  In addition, invasive species (Curly-leaf pondweed and Eurasian watermilfoil) are well established and choking out native species.  

GET INVOLVED IN IMPROVING OUR LOCAL LAKES:

  • Do what you can to keep pollutants (oil, gas, salt, deicers, paint, cleaners, fertilizers, chemicals, grass clippings, pet waste, sediment, etc.) from entering our storm sewers, which dump directly into our local lakes
  • DO NOT feed the geese! (Goose droppings are polluting our lakes and adjacent parks)
  • Participate in a Clean-Up Event:
    - Annual Waseca Lakes & Parks Clean-Up: 
       Saturday, April 20th from 9:00 AM to Noon.  Meet at the Maplewood Park Pavilion at 9:00 AM for a light breakfast and to get your clean-up area assignment.  Hot dogs, chips, and drinks will be served from 11:00 AM - Noon upon returning to Maplewood.  Go to wasecalakes.org for more information.
    - Annual Clear Lake Post Ice Fishing Clean-Up:
       TBD every March, contact Marty at 521-2566 for more information 
  • Adopt a Drain: Go to mn.adopt-a-drain.org to help keep our storm drains clean and clear
  • Conserve Water & Reduce Runoff: Purchase a 40+ gallon rain barrel and apply for a $10.00 rebate (limit 4 per household)
  • If you are a shoreline landowner, contact the WLA to learn more about discouraging visiting geese and/or treating your near shore area for invasive weeds: (Curly-leaf pondweed and Eurasian watermilfoil)
  • Join, or get involved with, the Waseca Lakes Association (WLA) or Clean River Partners (formerly Cannon River Watershed Partnership)