by Tom Cox, Chair, Water Level Committee

On Saturday, May 29, 2004, Walt Kane reported that Ten Mile's water level at the DNR gauge in Long Bay was 1378.75" - 5 inches lower than its level last year on May 27; eight-tenths of an inch higher than it was on May 16, 2004; and 4.1 inches higher than it was on November 1 last fall. While earlier this spring The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Drought Monitor map at http://drought.unl.edu/dm/ classified our region of Minnesota as one of "severe drought," as of the Memorial Day weekend our classification was "moderate drought." Gail Becher's Phenology Calendar on Page 6 records Ten Mile ice-out on April 24. Ice-out last year was on April 25th, and in 2002 on April 24th. In October the DNR published the final version of its two-year study of the Ten Mile-Boy River-Birch Lake-Birch Lake Dam-Pleasant Lake hydrology and hydraulics. As expected, the DNR recommends that a new, fixed weir control structure be installed on the Birch Lake dam's existing sill. To date the County has not taken action on the DNR recommendation.