Casey Lake Shoreline

Paving the way for native wildflowers & clean water at Casey Lake.

Casey Lake is an 11-acre shallow lake in the headwaters of the Phalen Chain of Lakes. Nearly half of its shores within North St. Paul’s Casey Lake Park. In 2007, the City of North St. Paul realigned the walking path to expand the shoreline buffer and approached the District for assistance with ecological restoration along 900 feet of shoreline.
Before restoration, Casey Lake’s shoreline was dominated by a mixture of turfgrass and invasive plant species and was subject to frequent mowing. The shoreline was eroding, with cut banks present along many sections of the lake’s edge. The instability of the shoreline caused soil and nutrients to wash into the lake, further impacting water quality. The plants present did little to stabilize the shore while providing minimal aesthetic or habitat value.
To address these concerns, the District moved forward with restoration planning. The goals for the project were to reduce shoreline erosion, improve water quality, increase habitat value, create water access, and enhance the overall health of the Casey Lake ecosystem. To achieve this, we opted to introduce a wide variety of native grasses, sedges, and wildflowers to stabilize the shoreline and add aesthetic appeal throughout the year.