Schmidt Lake Neighborhood of Raingardens

The Schmidt Lake Improvement Association worked with Metro Blooms in 2011 and again in 2019 to protect water quality in the Schmidt Lake Watershed. Schmidt Lake flows to Bass Lake and ultimately to Shingle Creek, thereby affecting downstream water quality. The goal of this project was to intercept rainwater runoff from residences that flowed to Schmidt Lake and infiltrate runoff through vegetated shoreline buffers or raingardens. This would protect water quality and provide habitat for pollinators around this urban lake. In 2019, the project resulted in eight new raingardens and shoreline buffers; 610 native plants were installed. Hennepin County provided part of the funding, and the Conservation Corps partnered with us in installation.