Winds of change coming to Hurricane Lake

Winds of change are headed for Hurricane Lake in Cottonwood County, thanks to a habitat improvement project led by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Ducks Unlimited (DU) and Ann Township.

Once a quality waterfowl lake, the 225-acre shallow lake located within the Hurricane Wildlife Management Area has become seriously degraded in recent years due to high water levels, an increasing rough fish population and nutrient-laden run-off. The project involves installing a water control structure on the WMA that will allow for periodic lake drawdowns, then re-establishing aquatic vegetation.

“Without healthy aquatic vegetation, a shallow lake will soon become turbid and be of little value to waterfowl and other wildlife species,” explained Randy Markl, DNR wildlife manager at Windom.
“Drawdowns are an effective strategy for restoring aquatic plants and improving water quality in shallow basins.”

An over-population of undesirable fish species in wetlands and shallow lakes can disturb the aquatic ecology of these systems by consuming aquatic vertebrates, excreting nutrients, and causing turbidity that impairs water quality.

Temporary drawdowns can create fish winterkill conditions where needed and also give lake bottom soils a chance to dry out, solidify, and bind nutrients, providing an excellent substrate for plant growth.

DU conducted an engineering study for the project and designed the water control structure and an underground pipeline to handle water discharge from the lake. Adjacent landowner Ken Engen donated an easement to the DNR to install the pipeline, while Ann Township gave permission to replace a failing culvert under a township road to facilitate outflow.

The culvert will be replaced first, followed by work on the structure. The drawdown is expected to begin sometime in August and the lake could be dry by this fall. While the total drawdown will continue at least through next summer, water levels will continue to be held low until aquatic vegetation is established.

Jon Schneider, DU manager of Conservation Projects for Minnesota, applauded the joint effort to restore yet another shallow lake in the state’s prairie pothole region. “We have worked often and successfully with the Minnesota DNR on projects of this nature over the years,” Schneider said. “The Hurricane Lake project is just one more example of what private and public organizations can accomplish when they pool their resources and work cooperatively.”