New project aims to take Lily Lake off the Impaired Waters List
If you live in Stillwater, you’ve probably noticed the construction equipment and excavation work underway at Lily Lake Park along Greeley St.. This month, City of Stillwater and the Middle St. Croix Watershed Management Organization (MSCWMO) began constructing what might be best described as “the world’s biggest raingarden.” This regional infiltration basin will collect and filter stormwater from a large area of land that includes commercial and residential property, delivering it to Lily Lake cleaner and with less phosphorus.
After working for years to reduce stormwater runoff to Lily Lake through raingardens, gully stabilization projects, stormwater pond retrofits, and volunteer clean-up activities, this final project is expected to capture enough phosphorus to allow Lily Lake to be taken off of the state’s impaired waters list.