Jun 11, 2010 05:17PM

British Petroleum and Lake Minnetonka

Estimate of the oil spilled to date: 63 million gallons. Estimate of water in the Gulf: 643,000,000,000,000,000 gallons. I figured a 1/10,000,000,000 ratio.

1/195,000,000: odds of winning the Powerball jackpot. Comparing the percentage of Deepwater Horizon oil in the Gulf, to the odds of winning the Powerball, I get 6.3 X 10 to the 10th versus 1.95 X 10 to the 8th.

So if you played the Powerball, one ticket at a time, and at same time examined a gallon of water from the gulf, one gallon at a time. You'd be 31 more times likely to win the Powerball than to find that that gallon of water just examined was actually Deepwater Horizon oil.

Doing more calculations about the BP oil spill, I came up with this: Lake Minnetonka is 1.3 X 10 to the 11th power gallons of water. Using the 1/10,000,000,000 ratio from before, we then have 1.3 X 10 to the 1st power gallons of oil in Lake Minnetonka or 13 gallons of oil. This series of connected lakes is a little less than 23 square miles in area. I sure hope I am not off by a factor of 10 or 100.

Mar 31, 2010 07:20AM

Langdon Bay is Ice Out

The Bay is cleared. March 31st is the official date this year for 'Ice Out'.

Past dates for Ice Outs:
2009     4/06
2008     4/20
2007     3/28

Today I received a call from the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District. They may be planning a mapping of the lake bottom for this year. We also talked about why the creek started flowing so early this year. This was a common thing this year for other creeks I was told. It's an interesting question. What causes creeks to resume flowing early, before there has been much snow melting.

Mar 29, 2010 06:46PM

Langdon Bay update

The Bay is hinting at going Ice Out. The rock thrown on the ice test though showed that the ice is still pretty thick. The minnows have returned in force and seem to be doing well. The creek is still flowing at a good pace. My estimate is 10 gallons a second.

Mar 28, 2010 12:02PM

H & R Block

Today's festivities at the tax office included a review of a new client's tax return from the prior year. He used H & R Block, though it wasn't the one in Mound, Minnesota. To see what I found click on the link. It's hard for me to believe that someone charges this much.

Mar 23, 2010 07:39PM

5th Annual Westonka Horticulture Day

This just in. Seems like a fun time:

Mar 23, 2010 07:24PM

Sollie's Creek Update

The Creek has been flowing for about a month now which is quite unusual. In most years a dry Fall season means that the creek will stop flowing for the year and only resume in the Spring as the the snow melt runs into Langdon Bay. This year was different as with only minimal snow melt, the Creek started flowing while temperatures were still cold . My guess is something caused the bay level to rise, perhaps global warming or heavy snow sitting on the ice.

The flow of the creek has been strong and my guess is a constant 20 gallons per second. No Carp, Catfish, Sunfish or Minnows have been observed so far this year in the creek.

Sep 03, 2009 12:00PM

Minnetonka Drive-In

From the Lakeshore Weekly News:

"(David) Bennyhoff, who started working at the drive-in when he was nine years old, said that after the repainting he did this year the drive-in looks just like it did in 1961, when his parents opened it as an A&W.

It runs the same, too. The car hops still take orders, and the frosted root beer is still served along with the burgers and onion rings. Most of what's on the menu is made from scratch."

http://www.weeklynews.com/main.asp?SectionID=10&SubSectionID=10&ArticleID=6497

I think we are fortunate that we still have this perhaps historic business in our area. The root beer still tastes great. It is one of the few  real drive-ins left around here. According to me, a real drive-in has a speaker that you talk into to place your order.

Aug 07, 2009 02:31PM

Langdon Bay Fishing Report

It's been a slow Summer for fishing on the bay. Fish are not hitting on corn, leeches or lures. The fish tally for the year is zero. Perhaps it all has to do with the winter kill that ended so many carps lives? One theory I heard about winter kills is that thick snow cover on the lake leads to low sunlight penetration into the water. While the fish give off carbon dioxide, the plants lacking sunlight, do not give off oxygen. The bay was oxygen depleted, so the theory goes. (I wonder if the death of the fish, also kills plants, as they are co-dependent?) Carp might be thought of as survivors, and their death might indicate other species having a similar demise. There was no observed annual carp run into the bay this year. Sollies Creek which connects the bay to Lake Minnetonka has been dry most the year. Bay levels are lower than average, but not extremely so.

On the plus side, the bay is much cleaner this year with visibility of a foot or more not uncommon. Weed growth seems somewhat less than average, and I don't recall observing any pea soup conditions that are normal occurrences on the bay. Perhaps the cooler temperatures and low rainfall have caused some of this. Less rainfall may lead to less run off into the bay, that may contribute to plant growth.

The Blue herons have been around all year, and they are my bay health barometers. I may have heard a loon call this year, but was sadly unable to confirm a visit this year.

Apr 16, 2009 09:49AM

Fish Kill Creek

With the passing of April 15th, the East shore of Langdon Bay has quieted down quite a bit. Sollie's Creek/Langdon Bay Creek has been temporarily renamed Fish Kill Creek. Over a hundred carp did not survive the Winter and their final resting place is the creek that flows into Lost Lake. The DNR was notified of the fish kill, but no alarms were raised, and can less carp really be a bad thing? No sunnies, crappies or bullheads washed up with the carp and we hope they survived the Winter. I can report that the minnow traps are active and productive. Now we are looking for some rain with the hope that that will flush the creek. The lake level is still good though.

Apr 06, 2009 01:09PM

Langdon Bay Ice Out

It's official. April 6th is the Ice Out date for Langdon bay. I think the wind finished breaking up the ice on the South East side of the bay.

Apr 02, 2009 10:47AM

Sky Blue Water

Today saw the return to the area of Sky Blue Waters. Lake Langdon is approaching its official Ice Out, which is defined as being able to navigate a pontoon boat around the edge of the lake within 50 feet of the shoreline and being able to cross the lake both east to west and north to south. Yesterday saw a huge flock of Seagulls doing whatever is they do on the remaining ice and making quite a racket. They may have been attracted to the lake by the 100 or so dead carp seen floating along the shore today. Lake Langdon is for the most part shallow, and may have ran out of oxygen as a result of global warming during the Winter.

Mar 16, 2009 01:32PM

Sollie's Creek is Open

It's official, Sollie's Creek which crosses under Commerce Boulevard just North of Green T Accounting is open and flowing into Lost Lake. The annual carp run can't be far behind.

Feb 15, 2009 07:56PM

Andrews Sisters Memories

Here's a recent comment left on the blog:

"Back in the 1940's, as a kid, I used to lay down by the the water running out of a culvert and catch little minnows that would swim by. When I had enough of this I would go over to Pete Sollies store and he would give me a slice of meat or two and afterwards I would go the the next store and watch the blacksmith making something on his anvil.
There also would be a time or two when the Andrews Sisters would come to town in their 3 Cadillac convertibles and their secretary would have a Cadillac sedan. The sisters would also go roller skating upstairs at the building by Cooks bay. Some of the guys would roller skate with them but I was too shy. I graduated from Mound in 1948 so I have a few memories of the early days in Mound and it was a wonderful place to grow up in. I hope I can return this summer to see how everything has changed." - Jack Legus

I am sorry that I haven't spent much time with the blog lately as I've been busy. Check the recent comments please. The Westonka Blog is Head Quartered from 'The Sollie Store'.

One thing I've recently noticed is the shrinking of the Laker Newpaper. I wish them well and hope they continue to serve us as they have for so many years.

Jan 26, 2009 11:08AM

Auditors Road short cut

As we know, we do have traffic in Mound that finds us waiting at the stoplight at Commerce and Shoreline/Lynwood. When driving North on Commerce Boulevard with the intention of going East on Shoreline, we often find ourselves waiting at the stoplight, trying to make a right turn on red, but are blocked by someone waiting to go straight on the green light. There wasn't room for a right turn lane there, and I'd say the person going straight is in their proper lane, given what happens further up the road. A way to avoid this wait is to take Auditors Road and cut across to Shoreline Drive. I am not sure what the speed limit is on Auditors, but you'll save time and see what changes have occurred to what I think is called, Mound's new main street.

I wonder what the grand plan is for traffic flow on this subject? Do the planners envision most people taking this short cut, or would they rather they go up to the stoplight and turn East there?

Nov 23, 2008 12:19PM

Langdon Bay frozen over

Landon Bay has froze over for the year. Sollie's Creek that runs from the bay into Lost Lake is dry and has been for quite some time. The bay's level was lower than average during the latter half of 2008.  

Sep 12, 2008 11:53AM

Auditors Road Complete

It seems like only yesterday, that work started on this improvement. Auditors looking North East as it runs into Shoreline.

Sep 05, 2008 11:52AM

Dakota Rail Regional Trail

The Dakota Rail Regional Trail (DRRT?) at Shadywood looking East. This picture is from a few weeks ago. Beyond, the trail looked ready for paving.

Aug 26, 2008 05:30PM

Seton Channel Bridge

The Dakota Rail Trail crossing Seton Channel. They are still working on this bridge, and the guard rails are temporary.

Aug 08, 2008 01:15PM

Dakota Rail Regional Trail

Recently this trail has had sections of it paved in Mound, Spring Park and Minnetrista. I think it's really transformed the areas it runs through. I've seen rollerbladers, skateboarders and cyclists using this new resource. It's ideal for biking because there really aren't any hills, and you're usually sheltered from the wind.

We are waiting for the part of the trail in Downtown Mound to be sorted out. Unfortunately, the drivers in Mound still don't seem to follow our Crosswalk rules. As I understand them, if any pedestrian or cyclist is in any part of a cross walk, all traffic must stop. What I see happening is drivers driving at 30 mph giving little thought to stopping. I can deal with this and accept it however, what about children? Are they going to be able to cross at a crosswalk safely, in Mound?

There are some drivers here and everywhere else too, that cause me to repeat almost daily to my son; "Never trust a car". "Even while in a cross walk, watch both ways and don't expect a car to stop." While I would like Mound to belong to the children, and not the reckless drivers, there isn't much I can do about it. The city could issue a few tickets, and perhaps it all ready does, and I am not saying they aren't concerned. We see the signs in the road near the crosswalks, and the police officer near Grandview during the school year, so I know there's some effort being made. Perhaps I am appealing to the reckless drivers here. Children have a different perspective, and aren't part of "driving competition" that sometimes occurs. They don't cut people off, they don't tailgate. they don't pass someone to save a minute of time, and they don't speed. They just want to get from one side of Shoreline or Commerce to the other. They don't always make decisions like we do. They need drivers to give them a break.

Also I've noticed on our newly paved trail something that has in occurred other localities as well. The trail has little stop signs for the cyclists in places. The meaning to me seems clear. Stop and proceed when safe to do so. Right next to the stop sign is a cross walk crossing the road, which implies traffic must stop for cyclists. So who has the right of way? It's confusing, even for an adult. If I had to go one way or the other, I'd say the cyclists should yield. I do understand painting a cross walk on the road probably makes things safer. I'd guess less confusing might have its own merits too. What to do? "Never trust a car."

OK, bad drivers aside, this is really an improvement to the area and the City had and has some role in accomplishing it. My son and I rode all the way out to the WRA Park last night, and it was an easy ride. The section going West of Mound is really nice and still rural. The fall colors ought to be great.

Jun 10, 2008 12:39PM

The British Broadcasting Corporation in Mound

Local author Tom Rockvam being interviewed by the British Broadcasting Corporation in front of Green T Accounting's building:

This building was owned by the Andrews Sisters uncles for many years who operated the Sollie Store that sold groceries. The BBC was in town this day filming a movie about the life and careers of the Andrews Sisters.

Jan 20, 2010 03:10AM

Mound Boys Fall in Overtime

Boys Varsity Hockey Litchfield 3, Mound 2 [OT] Record: 8-5-3 11/27/2009 Mound-Westonka 3, Virginia 0 11/28/2009 Mound-Westonka 1, Hibbing/Chisholm 3 12/04/2009 Warroad 5, Mound-Westonka 0 12/10/2009 Mound-Westonka 2, Rogers 1 12/12/2009 Providence Academy 2, Mound-Westonka 1 12/17/2009 Mound-Westonka 3, St. Michael-Albertville 1 12/19/2009 Faribault 0, Mound-Westonka 2 12/22/2009 St. Louis Park 1, Mound-Westonka 3 12/28/2009 Mound-Westonka 6, Delano / Rockford 3 12/29/2009 Mound-Westonka 2, [...]

Jan 19, 2010 05:59AM

Stars Down Wild

National Hockey League Wild 3, Stars 4 Score by period: MN Wild 0-1-2=3 Dallas Stars 1-3-0=4 ** box score **