A branch of the Vermillion River that runs through the southern sections of Lakeville and Farmington is known as
South Creek. A portion of South Creek and contributing streams are designated trout waters by the Minnesota
Department of Natural Resources (DNR). This spring a segment of South Creek east of Cedar Avenue in Lakeville
was restored to improve trout habitat.
Historically this segment of South Creek was ditched and straightened. Through the efforts of Jason Moeckel,
Stream Habitat Specialist with the DNR, a restoration plan was developed which placed meanders back into the stream. All total there were 38 meanders constructed over a one-quarter mile stretch of South Creek. Each meander includes a "pool" where water depths are approximately four foot in depth and a "riffle" where the stream is less than a foot in depth which creates a faster stream flow for trout prior to the next pool.
The restoration project also included the placement of two root wads into each meander of the stream (see
picture). Root wads are root systems still attached to approximately eight feet of the tree trunk which are then
driven into the stream bank to stabilize the meander and create habitat for trout (see photo of installing a root
wad). Large stone boulders were also used on each meander to stabilize the stream bank and improve trout habitat. In addition, approximately 3,000 trees were planted along the stream corridor to introduce shading and obtain a cooling effect for the stream.
This project would not have been made possible without assistance from the City of Lakeville, Dakota County
Highway Department, DNR, Trout Unlimited, and students from Lakeville High School who assisted with the tree
plantings. In conjunction with the City of Lakeville, another quarter-mile stretch of South Creek is scheduled
for similar improvements in the fall of 2000.
