In December, 2022, The Del Clark Projects Were Awarded The Minnesota Association Of Watershed Districts Project Of The Year!!

Funded through Minnesota Clean Water Funds made possible by Minnesota's Clean Water, Land, & Legacy Amendment and distributed by the Board of Water and Soil Resources

​- Project Abstract:

​​Del Clark Lake, just outside the city of Canby, is a regionally unique resource in the Lac qui Parle Watershed that provides valuable recreational, economic, and flood protection benefits for Canby and surrounding area. It is the only assessed waterbody in the watershed in full support of aquatic recreation. Stonehill Park, on the lake, contains a plethora of handicap accessible camping and recreation activities and hosts an estimated eight to ten thousand annual visitors through the gate. Del Clark is one of three flood control structures (R-1, R-4, R-6) that were constructed in the early 1980s. The structures protect the infrastructure of Canby and surrounding area, including the Drinking Water Supply Management Area MN-00460 north of Canby, from annual flooding. This grant contains both restoration and protection strategies aiming to maintain the quality of this rare and valuable resource in addition to restoring the recently impaired Canby Creek, which feeds into Del Clark Lake, consistent with the state’s non-point source management plan (Goal: Fund restoration & protection projects to restore/protect high priority). Canby Creek was assessed as a cold water use stream due to trout stocking and did not meet the threshold for aquatic life but was within the confidence interval. Three grade control structures will be implemented just upstream of Del Clark to protect against sediment and aid in regulating flows. An equal investment will be made in the contributing 20,150-acre watershed to further manage sediment delivery to Del Clark and Canby Creek. Value in upstream targeted source reduction and storage practices is evident as Canby Creek is the only trout stream in the Lac qui Parle Watershed and there is nearly 600 feet of fall, or 50 feet/mile, compared to 4 feet/mile beyond Canby. It is also anticipated the projects will reduce sediment transport beyond Del Clark Lake and contribute towards assisting with the Minnesota River Sediment Reduction Strategy.

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