Conservation Practices

What We Can Do to Help Restore Easter Lake

Diminishing Water Quality Since 1967 – Since its creation in 1967, Easter Lake has faced diminishing water quality as development in the area has increased. Overtime we have changed the landscape in the Easter Lake Watershed from prairie to farmland to a predominantly urban landscape. Through these changes we have altered hydrology significantly decreasing the landscape’s ability to effectively manage rainfall and flooding events.

Increasing Stormwater- Decreasing Water Quality – The urban landscape is ruled by impervious surfaces such as streets, parking lots, rooftops, and highly compacted soils. These impervious surfaces generate enormous amounts of stormwater runoff that flows off our houses, parking lots and streets into storm drains which lead directly into our streams and lakes. As stormwater travels it picks up pollutants and trash that are eventually deposited into the nearest stream or lake. Additionally, during summer months stormwater can be heated as it travels over hot concrete surfaces causing thermal pollution which can be harmful to fish and other aquatic species.

Urban stormwater runoff is also harmful because its ability to destabilize stream banks. During rainfall events large amounts of stormwater enters waterways in a very short amount of time. This stormwater is incredibly forceful and cuts away at stream banks sending sediment downstream. In Easter Lake, nearly 30% of lake volume has been lost because of siltation. About 60% of this sediment has come from stream bank erosion alone.

Minimize Your Impact – There are many ways we can help slow down and capture stormwater. Any amount of stormwater we slow down is a win for Easter Lake. Many of the conservation practices we focus on installing throughout the Easter Lake Watershed are called Rainscaping practices including things like rain gardens, rain barrels, and soil quality restoration.

Available Cost-Share – As part of the Easter Lake Watershed Project we offer up to 75% cost-share for conservation and Rainscaping Practices. To receive cost-share assistance prior approval must be granted before any installation work has occurred. See below for more information on these practices and the cost share process.