Gray’s Bay Dam Open
The Minnehaha Creek Watershed District (MCWD) opened Gray’s Bay Dam on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, in accordance with Zone 2 of the Dam’s operating plan. From April through mid-May, the operating plan provides a large degree of flexibility in operations, to accommodate variable spring snowmelt and rainfall patterns.
Following recent precipitation, the Dam was opened to a discharge rate of 50 cubic feet per second (cfs), to balance inflows from the upper watershed with Lake Minnetonka’s level and flows in Minnehaha Creek. Discharge has been incrementally adjusted since opening, as water levels declined due to evaporation over the past several days.
Based on water levels, a dry and sunny near-term forecast, and the time of year, dam discharge was adjusted to 12 cfs on Friday, May 1, which is the minimum discharge rate given current conditions, according to the operating plan. This provides base flow to the Creek while balancing evaporation on the Lake.
End-of-April Storm Elevated Water Levels
April 2026 ended with a rainfall event that produced over 1 inch of precipitation across the watershed starting late Sunday, April 26, and continuing through Monday, April 27. Most of the watershed received approximately 1.5 inches of rainfall, with some parts of the upper watershed receiving closer to 2 inches. This late-April storm represented one of the year’s most significant precipitation events to date, accounting for nearly one-fifth of the year’s to-date rainfall.
The storm elevated water levels across the watershed. Lake Minnetonka’s level rose more than 3 inches, reaching 929.28 feet by the end of Monday. Flows in Minnehaha Creek increased with the rainfall, peaking at 67 cfs at Hiawatha Avenue on Monday before subsiding.
Following the storm, MCWD opened the Dam. Water levels have since stabilized, with the Lake sitting at approximately 929.21 feet, 2.28 inches below its Ordinary High Water Level (OHWL), and the Creek flowing at 51 cfs at Hiawatha Avenue. MCWD will continue to evaluate water levels, along with short- and long-term precipitation forecasts, to determine discharge rates that align with the operating plan’s goals.
Also in this update
- 2026 Precipitation Trends and Forecasts
- Majority of April Precipitation Fell During Two Rainfall Events
- Current Water Levels
- Gray’s Bay Dam Operations
- Water Level Resources