Gray’s Bay Dam Open
The Minnehaha Creek Watershed District opened the Gray’s Bay Dam on May 1, 2024, to a discharge of 115 cubic feet per second (cfs).
Following drought conditions in 2023, and an unseasonably warm and dry winter, recent rainfall has elevated Lake Minnetonka’s water level to 929.6 feet, just above the lake’s ordinary high-water (OHW) level of 929.4 feet. The current water levels and precipitation forecasts place the dam in Zone 2 of its operating plan. In accordance with the operating plan, the dam discharge level may vary in this zone based on water levels upstream and downstream, as well as short-term precipitation forecasts.
MCWD will continue to closely monitor water level data and coordinate short- and mid-term forecasts with the National Weather Service (NWS) to ensure the dam best serves the goals of its operating plan and the wellbeing of the watershed’s communities and ecosystems.
also in this update:
- 2024 Precipitation and 14-Day Outlook
- Current Water Levels
- Gray’s Bay Dam Operations
- Water Level Resources