Posted on June 13, 2018
By Karl Evers-Hillstrom, The Globe
Most people call it Sunset Bay. Those who have lived in Worthington for many years like to call it by its old name: Mudhole Bay.
The original name is appropriate, as the bay takes in large amounts of phosphorus and sediment from Lake Okabena every year, creating a deep, thick mud floor.
However, the bay is reportedly nearing the point where it will no longer be able to take in sediments, a worrying prospect for the health of Lake Okabena.
“The study that was done by the Okabena-Ocheda Watershed District (OOWD) said there was less than 10 years life expectancy on the purposefulness and usefulness of Sunset Bay,” Councilman Chad Cummings said. “Well, guess how many years ago that study was done? Almost 10 years ago.”
Councilmen Cummings and Alan Oberloh want to earmark more than $4 million of funds — to be collected from the next iteration of half-percent sales tax — to dredge four feet of mud, sludge and other collected sediments out of the bay, thus freeing it up to continue doing its job.
The two acknowledged that getting permitting from the state for the large-scale dredging operation would take some time. In the meantime, the city should pursue grants and partnerships to address the direct source of deposits draining into Lake Okabena, Oberloh said.
“Before we fix the problem, we need to look at the source, which is upstream, and get those items taken care of,” Oberloh said.
The idea comes from the recently created Lake Okabena Improvement Task Force, which includes interested parties such as the Lake Okabena Improvement Association, SW MN Fishing Club, OOWD and Bioverse, along with Cummings and Oberloh.
The group wants to make improvements to the lake to improve fishing, swimming and safety. Large amounts of phosphorus lead to toxic algae blooms, which cause damage to aquatic ecosystems and make humans and other animals ill.
Cummings later added that council does not intend to remove the grade that divides Sunset Bay and Lake Okabena, dispelling an apparent rumor.
Source: The Globe
