Lake Auburn

There are many lakes in Victoria, at least a dozen, so when record rain hits as it did in June, there is a lot of high water in Victoria.  According to Elaine Williams, a resident on 78th Street, and the rain gauge in her garden, Victoria received 13.2 inches of rain in June 2014 from beginning to end.

High Water in Victoria

Lake Zumbra

Stieger Lake

Downtown Wetland Turns Into Lake

Lake Virginia

MN State Hwy 101

Editor Sue

Email:  Sue@PrintsPublishing.com

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Osprey High and Dry

On the first day of summer this year — Saturday, June 21st, only two days after the 5” to 6” rain event on June 19th — campers and visitors at the Lake Auburn Campground played in the swollen Lake Auburn.

On the previous day, however, Friday morning, June 20th, the place was empty.

Campers come out mainly on weekends.

Fishermen would have some trouble navigating this pier down the road …

… as well as the docks right next door to the swimming beach.

Rushing water in the nearby creek spoke of heavy rains on June 19th.

At least fifteen homeowners on the inland of Lake Zumbra, visible in the background of this photo, had water problems.

The public launch on this south side of Lake Zumbra also had high water but it did not keep away fishermen in high waders.

The Public Works Department of the City of Victoria filled 2,000 sandbags with 45 tons of sand to help homeowners minimize damage to their homes.

Some of Victoria’s lift stations failed and Public Works was forced to bypass them and pour sewage into nearby ditches.  This is a new restroom facility and the Lake Zumbra public launch.

Located in the vicinity of the annual Ice Fishing Contest, this area of Stieger Lake remains a popular fishing site year round, even during flooding times.

Not all docks float, but most boats do, and fresh high water can lend itself to new favorite fishing spots.

The fishing pier at Stieger Lake remained high and d ry.

Unlike the boat launch .

See the reflections in the walkway?

Located on the Lake Virginia side of the channel connecting to Lake Minnetonka, the walkway is covered with water.  The fishing couple didn’t allow high water to upset their fishing plans for the day.

The boat launch in that location was also under water.

This wetland area — which has never before been this wet — treats water from a 250-acre drainage area that eventually ends up in Stieger Lake.

It was only last year, in February 2013, that the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District, worked on this wetland area in a project that included excavation, importing of top soil, construction of two weirs of steel and concrete, and establishing native vegetation.

Located on the south side of Hwy 5, between the Victoria Fire Station and Midwest Dentistry, the wetland turned into what resembled another Victoria lake on Friday, June 20th, 2014.

This is the first time we’ve seen a State Highway — this is Minnesota Hwy 101 south of Wayzata — closed because of high water.

This osprey was bobbing his head up and down into the nest, most likely feeding his young ones.

The nest is located at the entrance to the Lowry Nature Center in Victoria. 

99% of the osprey diet is fish, which explains why they hang around Victoria.

Bet this guy doesn’t have water in his basement.