Residents living near St. Paul's Como Lake say the water is a big part of what attracted them to the neighborhood.
But for many years, the lake's condition — which typically included a thick, stinking mat of algae and invasive aquatic plants by midsummer — dampened the appeal.
"Sometimes it was just nasty," longtime resident Gordy Wrobel said. "There was a time when it was so bad, I stopped coming."
But Como Lake is looking — and smelling — a lot better these days. Years of chemical treatments and other efforts ranging from better stormwater management to community cleanups have improved the water quality and appearance of one of St. Paul's signature lakes, a standout in a city less known for its bodies of water than its neighbor across the river.
There's even more planned for Como Lake this summer, from new recreational amenities to novel environmental efforts. The Capitol Region Watershed District — which formed in 1998 at the behest of a group of residents concerned about Como Lake — will conduct its first-ever invasive carp harvest in August and September.
"The lake has dramatically improved over the last several years," said Bob Fossum, the watershed district's monitoring and research division manager. "There's been a significant effort by a number of organizations and community groups. It's truly been a community effort."
Environmental efforts are ongoing
Como Lake started out as "a natural wetland system with some open water," Fossum said. It was deepened into a lake more than a century ago, and it now measures 68 acres with a maximum depth of 15 feet. It's home to populations of bluegill, crappie, bass and catfish, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.