Northwood Lake

About Northwood Lake

Northwood Lake is a very shallow 15-acre lake located on the northwest side of Northwood Park in New Hope. The lake is actually a dammed up section of the North Branch of Bassett Creek with a tributary watershed of approximately two square miles. Low density residential is the primary land use in the watershed, which includes areas of both New Hope and Plymouth. The outlet of the lake is a 10-foot-wide weir east of Boone Avenue.

Northwood Lake has exhibited high nutrient levels since 2000 and is listed in the MPCA's impaired waters list for high nutrients and chlorides. Curlyleaf pondweed, an aquatic invasive plant, is also present in the lake and was found at extremely high levels in 2019. The BCWMC and the City of New Hope implemented a multi-phase water quality improvement project in Northwood Park in 2016 and 2017 to reduce nutrient levels in the lake. The project was partially funded by a Clean Water Partnership grant from the MPCA, a Clean Water Fund grant from the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources, and the City of New Hope.

Quick Facts

Water Quality Data

Click thumbnails below to enlarge

Chlorophyll a

Water Clarity

Total Phosphorus

Links

• 2022 Northwood Lake Monitoring Report
• 2019 Northwood Lake Monitoring Report
• 2016 Northwood Lake Monitoring Report
• 2013 Lake Water Quality Study: Northwood Lake, North Rice Pond, and South Rice Pond
• 2009 Lake Water Quality Study: Sweeney Lake, Twin Lake, Northwood Lake, North Rice Pond, and South Rice Pond
• 2005 Lake Water Quality Study: Northwood Lake, Sweeney Lake, and Twin Lake
• 2000 and 2001 Water Quality Study: Crane Lake, Northwood Lake, South Rice Lake, Sweeney Lake, Parkers Lake, Westwood Lake, Wirth Lake, Medicine Lake, and Bassett Creek
• Metropolitan Council's 2015 Study of Water Quality in 164 Metro Area Lakes (excerpted for BCWMC lakes)

Projects