Special Projects
weirs dam
The Lake Minnewawa Association along with the Lake Minnewawa Lake Improvement District have been discussing the installation of a weirs dam to the present dam on Lake Minnewawa.
The definition of a weirs or low head dam is: a fence or enclosure set across a waterway with one opening for letting fish in. Conversations with the Atkin fisheries has indicated there is a large walleye spawn in the creek below the dam. When the walleye are done spawning they have no choice but to go back down stream. There are also the walleye from Lake Minnewawa that move to the creek area in the spring for the purpose of spawning and get washed over the dam and have no means to return.
A weirs dam is a series of steps and pools that would allow the walleye to move back up into the lake.
On September 27, 2018 a site visit to the dam was made by Steve Bruesewitz and Greg Berg (Aitkin County Fisheries), Jeff Tillma (Stream Habitat Specialist), Steve Hughes (Aitkin County Soil and Water), Jeff Boyd (landowner), Tim Rinowski and John Montour (LMA Association), Pat Rath (LMA Lid), and Pat McGinn (BSLWAMP and lake resident). It was determined to be a very doable project that would be a great asset to our lake.
All the work would be done below the dam, and the height of the dam would not be changed. The only alteration to the dam structure would be a 12X12 slot cut into the dam to allow the fish access to Lake Minnewawa.
This project has a lot of steps to go through before any work can be started. The preliminary timeline is 18 to 24 months before machinery would begin to be moved to the site.
The Lake Minnewawa Association, Lake Improvement District, along with the DNR and fisheries will have meetings open to the public to discuss this project in detail.
Coming Projects
Loon Nesting Platforms
Public Landing Maintenance