For Excellence in Ecosystems and Wetlands:
Indian Lake Restoration
Blue Earth County Board, Mankato, Minnesota

Restoration of Indian Lake began with the construction of a bypass (CSAH 90, or Mankato South Route) around the city of Mankato. Blue Earth County was required to mitigate impacts to wetlands either through creation or restoration. The natural choice was Indian Lake, a 50-acre basin one mile south of Mankato, Minnesota, which had been drained and farmed since 1920. Public involvement and agency coordination were key parts of the planning and design of the project. Multi-agency, multi-disciplinary teams provided more than the minimum mitigation for wetland impacts. The ecological success of the lake restoration depended also on the preservation of the surrounding uplands. Blue Earth County acquired 70 acres of forested valley uplands surrounding the lake. The resulting restoration project is a 120-acre regional park that will provide outstanding recreational and environmental resources for generations to come.

Project Contributors
Blue Earth County Highway Department
Blue Earth County Environmental Services Department
Minnesota Board of Water and Soils Resources
Blue Earth County Soil and Water Conservation District
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
Mankato Township Planning Advisory Committee
SRF Consulting Group, Inc.