Major lake makes monumental return after two decades on 'impaired water list': 'Absolutely the cleanest I've seen this lake'

The delisted lake previously had elevated phosphorus levels, which fueled plant and algae growth and left it green and unhealthy.

A Minnesota lake that has been on the state's impaired water list since 2004 has been cleaned up and is now safe for swimming, fishing, and water recreation.

Bone Lake, which spans about 221 acres near rural Scandia, Minnesota, was once so murky you couldn't see your toes when wading to your knees, as the news outlet Pioneer Press reported. Cleanup efforts have dramatically improved the quality of the water and made it welcoming to families again.

The delisted lake previously had elevated phosphorus levels, which fueled plant and algae growth and left it green and unhealthy. Excess phosphorus often comes from stormwater runoff from nearby farms and homes.

To clean up the lake, local watershed district officials identified sources of pollution and phosphorus in the area, as the East Metro Water website detailed. The officials then took steps such as removing nutrient-rich sediment from surrounding wetlands and planting buffers of vegetation to limit erosion and runoff.

The district also worked with a commercial fishing operation to remove invasive fish species and install a barrier to prevent certain fish from migrating to and breeding in wetlands, according to the Pioneer Press. Controlling the fish helped native aquatic plants to reestablish and improve the water quality naturally.

"Absolutely the cleanest I've seen this lake," Scott Noethe, who has fished at Bone Lake for decades, told the Press.

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This news from Minnesota is encouraging because it gives us hope for many other dirty lakes that have become unsafe to use. In Minnesota alone, there are 2,798 impaired bodies of water, the outlet reported. However, 27 of these lakes and streams will be removed from the impaired list this year because of significant water improvements.

Lakes worldwide, from the highly popular Lake of the Ozarks to remote Latvian lakes in northeastern Europe, are suffering from the effects of extreme weather changes and pollution. Cleanup efforts like those in Minnesota benefit human recreation, wildlife habitats, and a diverse and healthy balance in the ecosystem.

The delisting process often requires years of data to prove that restoration efforts are improving the water quality.

"It's a fairly new thing that lakes and streams have started coming off of the impaired-waters list," said Angie Hong, coordinator of the East Metro Water Education Program. "There were 52 delistings in 2022, which really marked the tide beginning to turn. Previously, only a handful of delistings had happened over a 20-year stretch of time."

Meanwhile, locals are looking forward to feeling safer while using the lake again.

"Thank you," wrote one Facebook user in response to the Pioneer Press article. "About time and money!!"

"Our family loves that little lake," another Facebooker commented.

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Major lake makes monumental return after two decades on 'impaired water list': 'Absolutely the cleanest I've seen this lake' first appeared on The Cool Down.