KATRINA PROSS
St. Paul Pioneer Press
WHITE BEAR LAKE, Minnesota: At Admiral D’s, a tavern and boat-rental business tucked in along White Bear Lake’s west shore near Lion’s Park, business is good this summer. Customers wanting to get out on the popular Ramsey County lake are renting more pontoons and boats, according to manager Heather Toot. It helps to have water levels back to normal – allowing the business more dock space for watercraft.
“The water level does make a difference for us,” Toot said. Water levels have rebounded in recent years at White Bear Lake, hitting a high mark this summer not seen in more than 15 years, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported. Currently, levels at the lake are up about six feet from a record low of 918.84 feet in 2013. They’ve reached more than 925 feet this summer – the highest level since 2003. Many credit several seasons of higher-than-normal rainfall.
Normal water levels mean better access and enjoyment of the lake and more business for those that depend on the summer season.
LAWSUIT CONTINUES
A lawsuit brought by property owners and residents against the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources still looms. In their suit, property owners say the DNR shirked its duty to protect the lake by allowing too much water to be pumped out through underground wells. The DNR asserts that while groundwater use affects lake levels, the main culprit of low levels was low rainfall totals.
The Minnesota Supreme Court agreed in July to review the case later this year, following a Court of Appeals ruling that reversed the original verdict, which found the DNR’s actions unlawful.
THE LEVELS TODAY
Bill Foussard, who owns the White Bear Lake Country Inn and Rudy’s Red-Eye Grill just two blocks away from the lake, said his business has improved since lake levels have returned to normal levels.
“The lake is an incredible asset to the city. Having the water back to what it was is wonderful,” Foussard said. The season saw increased activity on the lake, said Ellen Hiniker, the city manager for White Bear Lake. “This summer has been really fun to see all the activity on the lake. You can feel positive energy and certainly we’re all very happy to see it at the levels it’s at right now. It’s a great place to be, it’s beautiful,” Hiniker said.
Owners and managers of restaurants, hotels and marinas along the lake say they’ve seen an uptick in business with the return of normal water levels. “Now, things are vibrant and there are a lot more people here on the lake with smiles on their faces,” said Jason Brown, who manages the city of White Bear Lake’s marina. Located just across the street from White Bear Lake, Acqua Restaurant and Bar has seen a steady uptick in customers over the years, according to owner Daron Close.
Close, who also owns Mizu Japanese, a neighboring restaurant, said he believed this was not only due to the lake’s rising water levels but also because the marina has new paths and boardwalks. “Lots of people come here just to hang out,” he said.
WHEN THE LEVELS WERE LOW
Tom Snell, director of the White Bear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, which comprises about 400 businesses and community leaders, said that the lake has a consequential impact on business. The low water of 2013 resulted in fewer visitors. When the levels were low, Snell said, property values by the lake decreased by about $75 million.
“When the levels were down, it was depressing, and the marinas were half empty. The lake was full of weeds, and it was an ugly sight,” Brown said. Ramsey County Beach, one of the largest beaches in the area, was closed in 2008 and didn’t re-open until 2017.
“There’s a whole generation of kids who didn’t grow up with that beach because it was closed for a decade,” said Jim Markoe, a board member of the White Bear Lake Restoration Association, one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit.
A LAKE WITH COMMUNITY SIGNIFICANCE
Many agree the lake is of vital importance to the city and its residents. “White Bear Lake defines really what our communities are about. It’s hard to put into words, but it’s the legacy of our area. It has both an economic piece and also an emotional piece,’” Snell said. Sara Hanson, executive director of the White Bear Lake Area Historical Society, said the lake has drawn and connected people to the area for decades.
“There is no shortage of lakes in Minnesota, but this one is special,” Hanson said. “With water levels rebounding, things are more optimistic, more positive. When the levels are down, something feels off, and it’s not as happy of a place. The lake is the soul of the community. When it suffers, we all do.”
White Bear Lake residents say the town has a deep-rooted community, and many stay and live in the area for decades or for their whole lives. “White Bear Lake is a clean lake that’s surrounded by a wonderful community, which is why I’ve lived here my whole life, and I’ve never left,” said Brown, the marina manager.
LOOKING AHEAD
The state Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments for the case this fall. While lake levels have returned, Markoe said that the levels will inevitably go down again and that levels are only up now because of seasons of high rainfall.
Markoe said that several studies about the lake have been conducted in recent years, and have concluded that groundwater pumping is lowering the lake levels. “The science is conclusive. This problem is not solved; it has only been masked temporarily by seasons of heavy rainfall. People have been optimistic and enjoying the lake this summer, but I have full knowledge that the levels will go down,” he said.
The DNR maintains that while groundwater pumping contributed to the lake levels going down, it was primarily due to dry seasons with little rainfall, said Jason Moeckel, the ecological and water resources division manager for the DNR. Moeckel said the DNR’s use of groundwater meets the state’s sustainability standards, and that the lake’s levels normally fluctuate.
Hiniker said the city, which intervened in the case on behalf of the DNR, is prioritizing water conservation regardless of the outcome of the lawsuit. “We’re continuing to promote water conservation because regardless of the outcome of the case, that’s something that we feel really strongly about,” she said. AP
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