Kayaking on Bush Lake

Hyland Park (S. Schmalowsky)

Parks & Trails

Map

Discovery Point is the headquarters of the Nine Mile Creek Watershed District and a unique educational facility. Visitors can learn about best practices in water management and conservation.

Exploring Discovery PointVisit Discovery Point to see, touch, and move through landscape elements that showcase stormwater best management practices. If you need help once you’ve gathered ideas for your own property, stop inside the building to find resources or talk to knowledgeable staff. At Discovery Point, you will find examples of:• Raingardens• Permeablepavers• Reinforcedturf• Acistern• Habitatrestoration• Nativeplantsandcultivars

Restoring the LandscapeAt Discovery Point, the District is clearing buckthorn and other invasive plants to restore the native plant community. The goals of the landscape restoration are:• Toshowtheprocessofinvasivespeciescontrol• Tobeateachingsitefortherestorationof

upland native plant communities• Todemonstratenativelandscapemanagement

processes, techniques, and expenses

Learning OpportunitiesOur education programs help you understand your role in keeping lakes and creeks clean. Programs teach about water-friendly home landscaping, raingardens, outdoor recreation, and more. Family friendly programs, homeowner workshops, and trainings are offered year-round, all around the District. Learn more at: www.ninemilecreek.org

Key Name1 Bush Lake Beach2 Moir Park3 Normandale Lake

Park4 Penn Lake Park5 RichardsonNature

Center6 Tierney’s Woods Park7 Bredesen Park8 Centennial Lakes

Park9 RoslandPark10 WalnutRidgePark11 Anderson Lakes Park

Preserve12 Birch Island Park13 Bryant Lake Park14 Cardinal Creek

Conservation Area15 Lake Smetana Park16 Lone Lake Park17 Shady Oak Beach18 Central Park19 Valley Park20 AdamsHillPark

Featured Parks

Discovery PointExplore Discovery Point

Restoring the Landscape

Learning Opportunities

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Nine Mile Creek Watershed DistrictTrail Mapabout UsThe Nine Mile Creek Watershed District is a local government organization that works to protect, manage and enhance the water resources in our boundaries for the benefit of all.

We cover the land area draining to Nine Mile Creek – about 50 square miles including parts of Bloomington, Eden Prairie, Edina, Hopkins, Minnetonka, and Richfield.

(Map Cover Photo by R. Gottsleben)

project DescriptionsNine Mile Creek restoration: HopkinsIn 2013, the District completed the Nine Mile Creek Streambank Restoration project in Hopkins. The project stabilized the creek banks using native plants and other naturalized engineering techniques. The District also reestablished the natural meandering form of the creek. All these practices help to prevent erosion. A section of the Nine Mile Creek Regional Trail was also built in partnership with the City of Hopkins and Three Rivers Park District.

raingardens: lone lake parkRaingardens collect and filter polluted stormwater runoff before it reaches lakes and creeks. At Lone Lake Park, four raingardens protect the lake from pollution coming off nearby streets and parking lots. These raingardens not only help keep the lake healthy, but also provide pollinator habitat and add beauty to the park.

alum Treatment: Bryant lakeHigh phosphorus levels were causing excessive algae growth in Bryant Lake. In 2008, the District did a project on the lake, called an Alum treatment, to improve water quality and boating and fishing conditions. Water clarity increased and phosphorous and algae levels decreased because of this project and an upstream wetland restoration.

Shoreline restoration: Bush lakeIn 2000, the District and the City of Bloomington installed an outlet pump in Bush Lake that releases water when there are flood conditions. During this time, the District began to restore the shoreline by letting seeds in the soil naturally sprout. Today, the District is protecting the native plants around the lake by actively managing for invasive species, in partnership with the city. Because of this, there are plant species found at Bush Lake that are rarely (or never) found at other metro lakes.

Featured parksKey Name Address Description

Hiking Trails

Biking Trails

Bath-room Beach

Boat Launch

Fishing Pier

Picnic Area

Play-ground

Have you visited?

1 Bush Lake Beach 9140 E Bush Lake Rd Swimming beach. Parking pass required. Volleyball court and concessions. *Note: motors may not exceed 6 horsepower.

x x Seasonal x @ West Bush Lake Park*

x x x

2 Moir Park 10320 Morgan Ave S Paved and unpaved trails follow Nine Mile Creek to the Minnesota River. Disc golf, grills and picnic shelters. Trails connect to Harrison Picnic Grounds and Central Park.

x Seasonal x x

3 Normandale Lake Park

8470 Chalet Rd 1.9 miles of paved walking and bike trails around lake. Community events held at the bandshell. *Note: motors may not exceed 6 horsepower.

x x x x* x

4 Penn Lake Park 1925 W 86th St Picnic area that overlooks shoreline garden. Canoe only

x

5 Richardson Nature Center

8737 E Bush Lake Rd Play areas, live animals, and programs. Paved and unpaved trails wind through prairies, forests and wetlands. Part of Three Rivers Park District trail system.

x x x x x

6 Tierney’s Woods Park

8163 Highwood Dr 1.8 miles of unpaved trail travel through forests and wetlands. Part of the Three Rivers Park District.

x

7 Bredesen Park 5901 Olinger Blvd 2 miles of walking and biking trails offer views of Nine Mile Creek and scenic woods. Connects to Three Rivers Park District Regional Trail system.

x x x

8 Centennial Lakes Park

7499 France Ave S Paddleboats and ice skate rental. Mini golf and lawn games. 1.5 miles of paved trails circle the lake.

x x

9 Rosland Park 4300 W 66th St 1.1 miles of trail wind around Lake Cornelia. Tennis courts, baseball fields, volleyball, disc golf, and grills.

x x x x

10 Walnut Ridge Park 5801 Londonderry Rd A half mile walking path. Baseball field, tennis court, and ice rink. Connects to Three Rivers Park District Regional Trail system.

x Seasonal x

11 Anderson Lakes Park Preserve

9800 Anderson Lakes Pkwy

Operated by the Three Rivers Park District. Unpaved hiking trails. x

12 Birch Island Park 6225 Eden Prairie Rd Unpaved hiking trails through woods. Connects to Birch Island Woods Conservation Area and Three Rivers Park District Regional Trail system.

x x x

13 Bryant Lake Park 6800 Rowland Rd Disc golf, swimming beach, boat rentals, dog park, and geocaching. Operated by the Three Rivers Park District.

x x x x x x x x

14 Cardinal Creek Conservation Area

Park at Discovery Point (12800 Gerard Dr)

Boardwalks and turf trails wind around Cardinal Creek Wetland. x

15 Lake Smetana Park 7620 Smetana Ln 1.6 miles of paved trail around the lake. Picnic shelters and lake overlooks. x x x x x16 Lone Lake Park 5624 Shady Oak Rd 1.6 miles of trails. Multiple sport areas and a skatepark. Raingardens in lower

parking lot. Trail access to Bryant Lake Park, Shady Oak Lake and Three Rivers Park District Regional Trail system.

x x Seasonal Canoe only

x x x

17 Shady Oak Beach 5200 Shady Oak Rd Swimming beach with playground. Entrance fees charged. Sand volleyball court and canoe rentals. Connects to Three Rivers Park District Regional Trail system.

x x Seasonal x Canoe only

x x x

18 Central Park 101 16th Ave S Soccer fields, softball fields, tennis courts, sand volleyball court, and ice rink. x x x19 Valley Park 700 8th St S Multiple sports areas, including an archery range. Ice rink and sledding hill.

Connects to the Three Rivers Park District Regional Trail system.x x x x x

20 Adams Hill Park 7200 Washburn Ave S 0.6 miles of walking trails. Basketball and volleyball court. x x

n Bloomington n Edina n Eden Prairie n Minnetonka n Hopkins n Richfield

You Can Help!Scoop the poopClean up after your pet and put it in the garbage can. Pet waste left on the grass or the street can wash down stormdrains and pollute the nearest waterbody with bacteria.

Clean up Grass ClippingsKeep leaves and grass clippings off streets and sidewalks. They feed algae growth, making lakes green in the summer. Sweep or blow any clippings in the street back into your yard.

reduce Your Salt UseAlways shovel before you salt. Salt harms aquatic life and can’t be removed from our lakes and creek. There should be about 3” between salt granules when you apply, and when it is colder than 15° F apply a small amount of sand for traction instead.

What We DoWe work in collaboration with our partners and community stakeholders, always using sound science to guide decision making. We do many types of work including:

• Large-scaleprojectstoprotectandimprovewaterquality in the creek and lakes

• Waterqualitymonitoringtounderstandthehealthof the waterbodies

• Presentingeducationalprograms,workshops,andtrainings

• Awardinggrantsforprojectsthatprotectourwaterbodies

• Managingstormwateratconstructionsitesthrough permitting

For more information about us, visit www.ninemilecreek.org.

12800 Gerard Dr Eden Prairie, MN 55346Telephone: (952) 835-2078 www.ninemilecreek.org

Sledding at Bredesen park (E.Daughton)

Catching dragonflies at lone lake park

Volunteers pick up trash at Bush lake park