1998
by Shirley Kysilko
Right in the Twin Cities Metro area, we have a little gem of a creek that lots of people from novices to pros like to canoe or kayak. Minnehaha Creek runs 22 miles from Grays Bay on Lake Minnetonka to the Minnehaha Falls. There are times when the creek is blocked by fallen trees or debris piling up, and to a certain extent this is to be expected and contributes to a more challenging trip. However, sometimes these blockages can be downright dangerous. The debris that has clogged the culvert under Highway 169, leaves you with the choice of possibly getting trapped on a strainer in the culvert or portaging over the highway. If you encounter similar problems on the creek that could be a real hazard to paddlers, you can report them to the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District, which has the responsibility for monitoring the creek and surrounding watershed. You can reach them by phone at 612/471-0590, by e-mail at admin@mnwatershed.org, or by mail at 2500 Shadywood Road, Excelsior, MN, 55331.
The Minnehaha Creek Watershed District has a 24-hour phone hot line during the months that the creek is flowing. You will be able to find out how many cubic feet per second will be released at Gray's Bay the next day. The number to call is 612/471-0590. If the rate of flow is more than 100cfs, paddling is possible. If the rate of flow is greater than 150 cfs, paddling will possibly be lots of fun!
