BY DEANNA BOSS
I live across the street from Lake Nokomis on the west side. This past month I’ve dealt with three episodes of water in my previously dry basement.
I couldn’t determine the source of the problem since the obvious causes (clogged gutters, faulty landscaping, roof damage, defective water heater, etc.) were quickly ruled out. Through discussions with friends and neighbors I realized my new wet basement could be a symptom of a much bigger concern. After additional research I came across the coverage in this publication regarding Lake Hiawatha and the Hiawatha Golf Course. It’s time to connect the entire Nokomis-Hiawatha community to identify problems and work towards solutions.
All of the grassy areas around the west side of Nokomis and parks adjacent to the lake have standing water. What used to be beautiful lawns filled with activities like Frisbee, touch football, picnics and flying kites are now swampy areas that obstruct the views of the lake for residents and visitors. The other day I decided to actually walk on an area that was mowed and was shocked—it wasn’t like walking on a lawn. I was walking on what felt like a giant sponge. In the process of this experiment my husband rolled his ankle—the lawn is that unstable!
Anyone who has spent any time in the area—either as a resident or someone who frequents Lake Nokomis—can see the lake is very high, even though we haven’t had the large amounts of rain that normally create high water levels. According to the DNR’s data Minneapolis’ average precipitation for April, May and June is actually the lowest it’s been in years (I went back to 2013). The “small beach” on the east side of the lake is now an extra- tiny beach—there is almost no sand to be seen. I’m sure this isn’t a new problem and I’m embarrassed that as a resident I didn’t take a more active role in asking about this earlier. Worse, I’m disappointed that elected officials and governing bodies haven’t addressed water issues at Nokomis sooner.
I reached out to my council member (John Quincy), the council member for the east side of Lake Nokomis (Andrew Johnson), and the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board commissioner for the area (Steffanie Musich). In the course of corresponding I was also connected to the director of Surface Water and Sewers for the City of Minneapolis (Katrina Kessler). I posted my concerns to the popular neighborhood forums Next Door and e-Democracy.org. The best response I received was through Commissioner Musich’s post to Next Door quoting Ms. Kessler:
“I just want to let people know that from the city end we are looking into this question [could groundwater be causing wet basements in Hale]. This effort includes looking at park board records of the Nokomis Lake level and working with the DNR to understand what information is available about the groundwater level in that area, as well as understanding what is known about regional groundwater movement. We will follow up with you all when we know more.”
Something is wrong. Right now I can’t say definitively why the lake is so high, why there is standing water everywhere or why my basement is starting to flood. I am not an engineer or a hydrologist. I am a taxpayer and a resident. I hope that as a community we are able to find answers and work together with our elected official and government agencies to find solutions that keep Minneapolis a safe place to live and play.
To help us approach our leaders with meaningful information please take this brief survey http://bit.ly/NokomisHiawathaFlooding. Thank you.
About the Author
An almost lifelong resident of Minneapolis (we forgive the four years she spent in St. Paul), Deanna Boss loves all things 612. She’s the operations manager at a public relations agency headquartered in the North Loop of Minneapolis. When she’s not working you can find her volunteering for Our Lady of Peace Catholic School, Pearl Park or another organization related to her kids’ activities. As a former member of the Hale-Page-Diamond Lake Board and 2010 candidate for the Minnesota House of Representatives, Deanna takes community involvement seriously, knowing that we all play a role in keeping our neighborhoods strong.
