The Bassett Creek watershed begins in Cover Photo by Dan Johnson WHO WE ARE western Plymouth where ponds, wetlands, and AND WHAT WE DO swales or ditches drain to Plymouth Creek, The Bassett Creek Watershed which flows southeasterly before emptying into Management Commission the western side of Medicine Lake. (BCWMC) works to protect and Bassett Creek emerges from the southern Numerous pollutants are carried in the storm- improve the condition of lakes, edge of Medicine Lake and flows south and LIGHTEN YOUR STEP BE PART OF THE SOLUTION 7. TURN THE FLOW AROUND Trumpeter Swans: Photo by Dan Johnson water runoff, including: Lawn fertilizers, nutrients Direct a downspout back into your yard away from driveways Did you know the average home uses 100,000 streams, wetlands, and ponds then east, picking up water from the Sweeney from decaying grass clippings and leaves, pesticides, Twelve easy things you can do at home! and sidewalks where it can run off your property. Make a within its borders. The BCWMC Lake Branch and the North Branch of Bassett gallons of water per year? That’s 274 gallons a day. shallow depression away from your foundation where But that’s just the start. Each of us is a consumer of 1. BE A STORM DRAIN GOALIE downspout water can accumulate and soak in the ground. is a cooperative organization among the nine Rain water gets away from us too quickly sometimes (that must Creek before entering a tunnel and traveling 2.4 Better yet, save that water in a rain barrel and use the reservoir water on a far grander scale. Water is used to be why it’s always running). And with it goes grass clippings, cities within the watershed and it uses a miles underground to the . The for watering landscape plants in dry times. three-pronged approach to managing water produce the food we eat and the beverages we fertilizer and anything else that can run off our rooftops, watershed of Bassett Creek is a small part of the drink. It’s used in the production of energy. It’s used driveways, and sidewalks. If left to accumulate—and combine resources: projects, policy, and education. with trash and other waste—these organics will find their way 8. TAKE A KID FISHING! larger Mississippi River Basin. in the creation of the goods and services we buy Life isn’t all about work. Those who most appreciate the need through storm drains into our lakes and rivers. Keep your hard Examples of some BCWMC projects include for water protection and water conservation are those who and rely on every day. Combine all these elements surfaces and street front clear of clippings, leaves and fertil- restoring stream banks to eliminate erosion learn its value through experience. The MN DNR Fishing in the and you can arrive at your watershed footprint. izer over spray. Regularly inspect your local storm drain and WILDLIFE CORNER Neighborhood (FIN) program has designated Wirth Lake in and improve habitat, installing ponds to treat remove debris where possible. Bassett Creek and its watershed are home Your watershed footprint is a measure of how much a great catch for your planned outing. Wet a line. stormwater before it enters a lake or stream, to a vast number of animals, birds, fish and water you use every day. A smaller watershed and improving lake outlet structures to better footprint means you’re taking action to conserve Photo by Dan Johnson 2. CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM insects. A variety of migratory birds and Use fertilizers, weed killers and sidewalk salt sparingly. Each 9. CONSERVE, CONSERVE, CONSERVE Swap out a shower fixture with a water saving shower head. manage flows and improve infrastructure. Monarch Butterfly: Photo by Dan Johnson water today so that we all may have enough clean have negative ecosystem impacts that work against clean water. waterfowl stop on area lakes each fall and toxins from coal-tar driveway sealants, oil from Or how about turning off the water while you brush your teeth? Fertilize? Cut out the late fall application, it’s most susceptible BCWMC policies include requirements for water resources tomorrow. leaking cars, pet waste, and salt, sand and other Want more? Save up for that low volume toilet. Trade in the spring. If you’re really lucky, you might cross to runoff. Got weeds? Spot treat and look for organic stormwater management when a site is garbage disposal for organics composting. Wash your clothes paths with a rare Blanding’s turtle or trumpeter deicers. In creeks and lakes, these pollutants alternatives. In the winter, shovel early, shovel often. Save the only when they need washing, not after every wearing. developed or redeveloped. And, the BCWMC accumulate and result in poor water quality— salt for the baked potato. swan. TREAT YOUR CURB You can do this. uses a variety of avenues to educate watershed Medicine Lake is a birding hot spot with LIKE A SHORELINE affecting aesthetics and recreational enjoyment of residents on ways they can help improve water the lakes as well as impacting the health of fish, 3. PICK UP AFTER YOUR PET more than 120 different species of birds identi- Since we all live in a watershed, it’s Yes, you’ve heard it before, but it does make a difference. It’s no 10. THINK OUTSIDE THE SINK

insects, birds and their habitats. Saving water can come in the form of installing compact quality in their communities. fied there within the last few years. Forest important to know some basics: Sometimes it’s stretch that small habit changes done by many people over time fluorescent light bulbs, cutting back on the meat you consume WATERSHED have a big impact on improving local water resources. wildlife like deer, raccoons, skunk, squirrel, obvious our property drains to a particular body of or even adding organic recycling to your waste mix. All have

WATER WE SHARE water; sometimes it’s not. Those living in the Bassett CHALLENGES AHEAD an impact on your daily water demand.

opossum and chipmunks abound. Also abun- 4. BUILD A RAIN GARDEN We all live in a watershed and watersheds dant are water loving mammals like beaver, Creek watershed may not be aware that runoff from Our lakes and streams today face difficult Rain gardens are simply gardens with depressions that are environmental challenges. Harmful terrestrial and designed to catch rainwater runoff in your yard, growing plants 11. GET INVOLVED CREEK come in all shapes and sizes. They cross county, Osprey: Photo by Dan Johnson Snapping Turtle: Photo by Ted Hoshal their property eventually gets to a lake or creek and There are plenty of things you can do with little effort and you

muskrat and mink. The occasional northern that tolerate getting partially flooded on occasion. They provide into the Mississippi River. Even if you live several aquatic invasive species have altered the ecosystems certainly don’t have to be a water scientist. Monitor a local lake state, and national boundaries. A watershed is river otter has even surfaced recently at beautiful landscaping and wildlife habitat. And, by soaking up blocks or miles from the nearest creek or lake, and have sometimes taken over uplands and waters. or wetland. Organize a fall clean-up. Learn to identify and an area of land that drains to a common lake, rain where it falls, they slow stormwater runoff, help prevent Medicine Lake. All these and many more play Increasing population density and development control invasive species. Join a lake or neighborhood BASSETT stream, or river. runoff from your property drains through erosion, and remove pollutants in the process.

an important role in a healthy watershed storm sewer pipes under your street—essentially have put pressure on open space and have increased association. Participate. It’s the way change begins.

ecosystem. turning every curb into a shoreline. hard surfaces. Parking lots, rooftops, and roadways 5. NATURALIZE YOUR SHORE You don’t have to live on a lake or creek to do this. Think 12. TELL A FRIEND Storm sewer systems are an important part of quickly shed water (rather than letting it soak into Share your changes with others. Tell them how easy it was. the of

of your street front as shoreline. Plant some native trees and the ground), carrying pollutants and increasing Help them get started. Make your efforts multiply.

city infrastructure. They are designed to protect shrubs. Create a buffer that attracts bees, birds and wildlife. structures and property from floods, by quickly and flows in our streams. Nutrients like phosphorous Reduce the size of your lawn. Remember you live in a efficiently conveying water from parking lots, from fertilizers and chlorides from road salt, watershed. We’re all in this together. SECRETS rooftops, and roads. Unlike the sanitary sewer accumulate and affect the ecological function of our CLEAN WATER systems that treat wastewater collected from lakes, streams and wetlands. These pollutants have 6. RECYCLE EXPIRED MEDICATIONS Never put these in the trash or flush them down the toilet. Look IS NO SECRET. inside the home, storm sewer systems do not treat degraded some of our lakes and streams such that for a secure Hennepin County medical waste recycling run off water before discharging it into a they no longer meet State water quality standards. container at a public facility near you. PASS IT ON! water body. Photo by Dan Johnson Deer Crossing: Photo by Dan Johnson

Eventually, a lack of jurisdictional authority HOW WELL DO YOU would pave the way for unsavory and ill- HIGHEST DIVER SECRETS of the BASSETT CREEK WATERSHED August 28, 1891 — World-famous high- KNOW YOUR BASSETT mannered crowds that would soon spell the diver Joseph Louvenmark dives 60 feet from a brewery and park’s demise. Its “No Hokus CREEK WATERSHED? platform on Keegan’s Lake (Wirth Lake) into 13 JOEL BASSETT GRANDEST SCHEME THE WILDEST RIDE, Bokus” and “Muenchner” brand beers were not feet of water. The dive was a delight for The secrets of the Bassett Creek In 1852, a fellow by the name of Joel enough to save this resort park from an early 1) Medicine Lake was once stocked with this NEVER COMPLETED ALMOST the crowds of uncanny fish in 1876. Watershed, a great resource Bean Bassett claimed 160 acres at the mouth Imagine getting in a boat on , In 1889, high-thinking Jacob Barge, the undoing. Not all was lost, however. The of a gently flowing stream on the west bank spectators watch- traveling over to Lake Calhoun, then through gentleman behind developing the Medicine Germania Brewery merged with the Frederick Photo courtesy of hiding in our own backyards... ing. Possibly, The Medicine Lake Collection 2) This famous park feature drew water from of the Lake of the Isles, cross over to Cedar Lake then Lake Park properties, incorporated the St. Paul Noerenberg Brewery, the John Orth Brewery upon leaving Wirth Lake beginning in 1917. Mississippi enter a canal that would take you all the way to and Minneapolis Rapid Transit Company and and the Heinrich Brewery to form the Minne- River across the water with FAMOUS SPRING WATERS Medicine Lake via Bassett Creek in Golden secured rights through Golden Valley for the apolis Brewing Company, which would become The next time you reach for a cold clear from a red chest and 3) This wildflower garden is the oldest of its MEMBER MUNICIPALITIES Valley’s Brookview Park. Between 1904 and construction of “an elevated road which has but home to world famous Golden Grain Belt beers. one, check the label on front. Glenwood St. Anthony. red face, an kind in America. 1911, a plan was hatched known as “Henry’s a single rail for the track.” Inglewood is a familiar local brand that Bassett began unknown spec- Plan” and was pushed by many. Surprisingly, this “monorail” was already MOST SPECTACULAR began bottling pure spring waters from the as a farmer tator may have 4) This famous tree is esti- The vision was to connect these lakes in the a proven design of the time with a similar line been the first to artesian wells along Bassett Creek in Minneapolis New but soon WALK OVER WATER mated at more than 315 years Plymouth Hope Crystal hopes of diverting water from Bassett Creek in constructed in South St. Paul. This Medicine starting in 1882. Glenwood and Inglewood were ventured to August 4, 1889 — In an effort to promote utter those now old and still stands along enough volume so that the spring flooding that Lake curiosity was never raised. separate springs running separate businesses ad- Robbinsdale lumber real estate sales at Medicine Lake Park, real famous words: the shores of Wirth Lake. often impacted Bassett Creek residents in North jacent to one another when they decided to pool milling. He estate speculator Jacob Barge holds a grand “That will leave Medicine Golden Minneapolis could be curbed. Water could be Image courtesy of the historic Minneapolis Tribune as resources and merge waters back in 1896. In Lake Valley was elected picnic. The a mark.” digitized by ProQuest LLC for the State of 5) Bassett Creek is bisected diverted to Minnehaha Creek so that addition to water, they were an early bottler of first probate finale is a by this important earthly dividing line. St Louis Minneapolis Minnehaha Falls could be guaranteed an ample seltzer waters and soft drinks, too. Park judge of high-wire FIRST PROFESSIONAL Minnetonka supply of water through dry spells. This plan performance Image Courtesy of the Hennepin History Museum Hennepin 6) This famous railroad crosses Bassett Creek was a contentious one. Years passed before it BALLPARK WITH A CREEK A NATIVE NAME County. He by Professor seven times, was the last independent railroad Crystal ...... ci.crystal.mn.us finally fell out of favor. The realization came RUNNING THROUGH IT was appointed Indian agent of the federal Granada, LESS FAMILIAR to develop in the state of Minnesota and is now Golden Valley...... goldenvalleymn.gov that neither creek could possibly benefit The Minnesota Twins Baseball Club faced government. who would Author Paul Durand’s life-long study of a popular biking trail. Medicine Lake ...... ci.medicine-lake.mn.us without causing even more problems along a challenge when constructing what would be Minneapolis ...... ci.minneapolis.mn.us He started a newspaper and formed stand on his Dakota Indian place names of Minnesota and both their courses. head on the their new home, Target Field. What appeared to parts of North and South Dakota, Wisconsin and 7) This long-time Minneapolis Aquatennial Minnetonka...... eminnetonka.com a couple of railroads. He was a flour New Hope ...... ci.new-hope.mn.us wire stretched be an ordinary Minneapolis parking lot had a Iowa is presented in his book, Where the Waters event was held on a floating stage and featured miller. In fact, he was just about one Plymouth ...... plymouthmn.gov Photo Courtesy of the Minnesota Historical Society across Med- hidden secret buried below: The Bassett Creek Gather and the Rivers Meet. His research notes the synchronized swimmers and divers. of the most important persons in tunnel. Engineers went to work to design a Robbinsdale...... robbinsdalemn.com the early formation of the new city icine Lake. Dakota name for Bassett Creek: St Louis Park ...... stlouispark.org FIRST BREWERY PARK It’s unknown foundation that would accommodate the of Minneapolis. But one thing he September 18, 1887 — Germania Park existing creek tunnel. Today, Target Field “HA-HA WA-KPA-DAN [Pronounced didn’t do was choose the name to this day K-ah Ha Wa KPA dan] (1) to laugh, bubble and springs from the wild eastern shores of whether this is recognized as a leader in green design with Bassett’s Creek. A school Keegan’s Lake (Wirth Lake), a dream of many water conservation features that reduce curl—the general term for a waterfalls teacher by the name of Mary performance (2) creek. This creek was so named because of Minneapolis ice baron Herman Westphal. went over and recycle water. Schofield, the first school Photograph courtesy of the Minnesota Twins its proximity to St. Anthony Falls. The French Situated just outside the early Minneapolis city without a Image courtesy of the Library of Congress teacher in Minneapolis, limits, this most impressive new adult called it “Petite Rivière des Chutes.” applied that brand. splash. It is believed that Professor Granada playground would feature the new Germania (perhaps not a true professor) continued his

Association brewery, a dance hall and beautiful Photo Courtesy of The Medicine Lake Collection

´ ´ Follies Aqua The 7) Line Luce 6) parallel 45th The 5)

Images Courtesy of The Medicine Lake Collection career as Herr Granada, one of the most HA-HA WA-KPA-DAN Bassett Creek as known by the Mdewakanton Dakota Oak Rockwood The 4) Garden Wildflower Butler Eloise The 3)

lakeside park and gardens. dazzling high-wire acts of his time. 1) California Salmon 2) The Loring Cascade Loring The 2) Salmon California 1) ANSWERS