Wetlands and Ponds

With more than 900 wetlands, ponds and lakes, Eden Prairie is rich in water resources.

They support birds and amphibians, clean water as it infiltrates through the wetland vegetation and soils, and act as sponges to hold water and prevent flooding during heavy rain falls. Marshes, ponds and swamps are something to preserve and protect.

Wetlands

Identifying wetlands can be a challenge, as they are not always wet. To be defined as a wetland, the area needs to hold water at or near the surface only a few days within the growing season. The amount of moisture in a wetland can vary greatly during the year; some wetlands never have surface water. Also, some places in the City may have wetland vegetation, yet not be defined as a wetland. A wetland specialist is needed to make these determinations. For more information on lakes, please see the Lake Management page of the website.

Local Government Unit

The City of Eden Prairie is the Local Government Unit (LGU) in those areas covered by the Lower Minnesota River and Riley Purgatory Bluff Creek watershed districts. The Nine Mile Creek Watershed District acts as the LGU for the northeastern portion of the City.

An LGU is a city or watershed district which has administrative responsibility over the land and administers Minnesota Wetland Conservation Act Regulations (or WCA). The City’s wetland protection requirements are outlined in City Code Section 11.51.

If you are applying for a wetland determination or wetland delineation no-loss decision, the City's Application for Review of Wetland Determinations must be completed and submitted for review. Documentation required for uploading with the application includes:

Joint Permit Application
Sampling Location Diagram
Wetland Delineation or Determination Report
Buffer Strip Evaluation Report

Mosquitoes

The Metropolitan Mosquito Control District (MMCD) provides a variety of services including spraying or treating for mosquitoes, conducting surveys for mosquito population areas, monitoring of deer tick populations, public education regarding Lyme and other tick-borne diseases, and public education, with emphasis on ways to reduce risk of mosquito and tick-borne diseases.

Contact the City's water resources coordinator with questions about the City's wetlands and ponds.

Related Information

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