When 35W Construction Swallowed Powderhorn Lake
The harm that the construction of Highway 35W inflicted on South Minneapolis is well known. It destroyed hundreds of homes and did lasting damage to the historic southside African American community in the Central, Bryant and Kingfield neighborhoods . I have also long heard neighborhood lore that the construction of 35W destroyed an underground spring which fed Powderhorn Lake, contributing to the lake's poor water quality. I spent time researching this story to better understand what may have happened. To understand the ongoing water quality issues faced by Powderhorn Lake it can be helpful to understand the lake's natural history as well as the environmental impacts of the city that grew up around the lake. The glacial drift left behind by the last ice age covers an older underground topography of more ancient valleys and rivers. Powderhorn lake is home to an ancient Mississippi river tributary valley that flows south to Lake Hiawatha. Powderhorn Lake is natur...