Dry Minnehaha Creek Turns Footpath
August 14, 1947: "The creek has been dry for several days and will remain that way until the rains come again. Normally the creek dries up in September or October, when the oversupply of aqua at Lake Minnetonka gives out. The dry spell, however, took Lake Minnetonka down early this year...Its appearance today harkens back to the thirsty years before 1942, when it was likely the creek would be dry all summer."
We may be experiencing a pretty significant drought this summer, but thanks to Gray's Bay Dam, our creek no longer dries out. The dam, built in 1979 and located at the outlet of Lake Minnetonka into Minnehaha Creek, reduces flooding, keeps water in the creek during dry periods, and protects the ecological health of both the lake and creek. Recently the dam was closed due to low lake levels caused by above average temperatures and below normal precipitation. Even recent rains were not enough to raise the lake's water levels.
Photo from the Minneapolis Newspaper Photograph Collection in the Hennepin County Library Digital Collections.
