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Residents urge DNR inspection after floating grass clumps and possible gauge tampering at Lake Of The Woods
Summary
Residents and farmers told the Marshall County Drainage Board that large clumps of grass and shoreline material are floating in Lake Of The Woods after recent storms and that a PVC lake gauge may have been tampered with; the board said it lacks authority over the dam (owned by the DNR) but individual commissioners will seek a state inspection.
Farmers and residents told the Marshall County Drainage Board on July 20 that large clumps of grass, soil and shoreline material have been floating in Lake Of The Woods following recent storm events, and several asked the board to verify whether the lake gauge used to regulate the dam has been tampered with.
Farmer representative S5 (self-identified later in the record) said the local PVC gauge has been used for years to regulate summer lake levels under a long-standing court order and that someone appears to have gone onto the dam area and altered or otherwise interfered with that gauge. He asked the drainage board to authorize county staff or an engineer to check the gauge to confirm its integrity.
County attorney and board members noted the DNR owns the dam and key property around the structure and that jurisdiction over trespass, replacement of dam components and enforcement of a court order likely falls to state agencies or the courts, not the drainage board. Attorney S9 cautioned the board that policing a court order or pressing criminal trespass charges was outside its statutory purview and recommended citizen-initiated police reports or DNR involvement where appropriate.
Several residents (including Britney Parks and Annette Fox) described seeing large, solid clumps of grass and shoreline wash floating in the lake; commenters produced photos and offered to share video showing a person in the water near the gauge and others working on a bank. Residents said shoreline sloughing has left some drives temporarily underwater and suggested the board ask DNR to inspect the dam and gauge and to clarify who holds keys and authority to operate the structure under the court order.
Board members said the board has limited formal authority over DNR-owned infrastructure but that an individual commissioner (S8) offered to call state contacts and ask for an inspection. Staff said they would pass documented photos to state officials and that any permit or replacement of a gauge would require DNR involvement. The board did not vote or authorize county-funded enforcement or repairs during the public hearing; it advised residents to document impacts, consider filing police reports if they believe trespass occurred, and allow DNR to inspect the dam and gauge.
The board also noted a related complaint about sediment and grass islands from the Boomer/Balmer Ditch that may require Lake Preservation Act permits from DNR for removal, and suggested the affected residents pursue DNR permitting and discuss funding options with the state agency.
