History
The history of the lake dates back to the 1930’s when the Hazlett, Schwante and Budd Families knew the lake for its great fishing and the ability to swim around the island which is now know as the Ruth Sticker Estate. Ruth was one of the single largest supporters of SLPA and founder of the Marsh Wellness Center.
Shavers Lake was also known for its minnows and the kids in the neighborhood who would sell them to passengers on the trolley headed for Excelsior to fish on the Big Lake.
Founders of the Shaver's Lake Preservation Association:
Lois & Earl Mosiman Ruth Stricker Jack & Ruth Reed
Mary Hazlett Carolyn Schwantes Dick Kelley
Jack Bryant
These individuals knew the impact of putting development before environmental stewardship. With development came the pressure to build roads, houses, and infrastructure. Along side that development came the need to put stormwater runoff somewhere.
These individuals fought local and state governments efforts aimed at using the Shavers Lake to meet MPCA standards for stormwater runoff. We owe a debt of gratitude to these people who stood up to the cities, county, DNR, and MCWD. All who lost sight of the impact their decisions would have on Shavers Lake.
Even today some agencies take NO responsibility for their parts in the demise of the lake and the constant battle to keep Shavers Lake a thriving ecosystem for all its inhabitants.
1852 - 1970
1852 - How Shavers Lake got its name
1898 - 1st known house built on Shavers Lane
1938 - 2nd known existing home was built on Shavers Lane
1946 - 1st known existing home built on Copperwood Lane
1950 - Carolyn Schwantes family settled on the south shore and began to sell off property which ultimately became Breconwood and lots on Shaver's Lake Drive.
1953 - Maple Hill Road constructed, and first houses started to be built
1957 - Shavers Lake Drive constructed, and First Houses started to be built
1961 - Schoell and Madison report on expanding the amount of Stormwater runoff that will be dumped into Shavers Lake through the construction of a concrete storm sewer
1962 - First documented instance of Shavers Lake resident Richard Kelley beginning the process to control the weed population on Shavers Lake
1967 - MCWD created and given jurisdiction over Shavers Lake
1970 - 1980
1975 - Breconwood 1st phase construction completed
1976 - Schoell & Madison feasibility report for a solution to Chowens Corner - Shavers Lake Strom Drainage problem
1976 - Schoell & Madison letter to DNR requesting to set maximum water level on Shavers Lake per the request of City of Deephaven
1976 - "The Letter to The DNR" and about Shavers Lake by the 59 concerned residents - they were mobilizing neighbors to protect the lake
1976 - DNR response letter stating “Sediment Accumulation at points of discharge to Shavers Lake, are to be removed periodically by the agency responsible for maintenance of the drainage system”
1977 - MCWD letter stating development will have no effect on Shavers Lake
1977 - Schoell & Madison Engineering stating the OHWL was 931.5 in 1965 vs DNR proposal of 930.4
1977 - DNR establishes OHWL of 930.4
1977 - MCWD approves Chowen’s Corner Stormwater Project
1979 - DNR includes Shavers Lake in the legally mandated statewide public waters inventory, governed by DNR rules and regulations.
A body of water is generally considered a "lake" if it is larger than 10 acres, with smaller bodies of water being classified as ponds; meaning you need at least 10 acres to be considered a lake
A "public water" is generally any body of water 2.5 acres or larger within an incorporated city limit, or 10 acres or larger in rural areas.
According to the DNR rules Shavers Lake is officially a “Lake”, NOT a pond.
Chowen's Corner, City of Deephaven (June 1981) looking East down Minnetonka Blvd
1980 - 2000
1980 - The lake was almost lost to Cattails and on the verge of becoming a swamp
1983 - First Solicitation letter from Carolyn Schwantes and Mary Hazlett to raise $25,000 to curtail the Cattails
1983 - Progress letters from Carolyn Schwantes on the efforts to curtail the cattails on Shavers Lake and beginning discussion of the formation of the Shaver Lake Preservation association.
1984 - Shaver's Lake Preservation Association formed by Mancinos, Mosimans, Hazletts and Schwantes.
1984 - Lake Restoration retained to do the first chemical treatments to slow down the advancing invasive species
1989 - Freshwater foundation letter calling out cities policy decision to dump stormwater in Shavers Lake over the environmental impact it would have
1990 - City of Minnetonka installed 31 inch storm Sewer drains running from Breconwood north on 101 then into Shavers Lake
1990 - Freshwater Institute Supports SLPA with helping to fund massive cattail removal program
1992 - Earl Mosiman Letter on scraping and drowning Cattails Progress
1993 - Barr Engineering Report on Shavers Lake Water Quality and classification as a POND
View looking Northwest over the Breconwood tennis court
2000 - 2010
2004 - Shavers lake Preservation Association letter highlighting need to clean the muck out of the lake and the role the Bass and Crappy still played in maintaining the lake ecosystem. Request for volunteers and $95,000 to dredge the lake.
2005 - First Lake Aspirators Purchased an Installed to help improve dissolved oxygen levels.
2005 - Woodland City council presentation on the status o Shavers Lake and the need for maintenance presented by Peter Davis and Cooper Ashley
2006 - The City of Minnetonka SWPPP (Storm Water Pollution Prevention Program) , required by MS4 regulations lists Shavers lake as a “Sediment Pond” in the Barr Engineering report table 3-2 page 59
2007 - Efforts to proactively manage the lake take turn for the worst with changes in DNR policy and practices
2008 - DNR Tickets SLPA for the Harvester for not putting the harvested weeds 100% above the OHWL.
2009 - SLPA reactivated after registration had expired
2010 - Shaver Lake Preservation Association – a perspective on lake management
2010 - 2015
2011 - SLPA Innovation Grant Application for Nutrient Negative Lake Program Turned Down by MCWD
2011 - Barr Engineering Report – Shavers Lake: Evaluation of Property for potential stormwater treatment site - environmental impact of the stormwater plan never addressed
2011 - Shavers Lake State of the Lake - even with 15 year high water levels, cattail encroachment continued
2011 - Ruth Stricker email on the revolving problems of Shavers lake.
2011 - City of Minnetonka email forwarding Barr Engineering Report on using Shavers Lake for stormwater runoff with no analysis on water quality
2012 - Shavers Lake Framing Report published – Dick Osgood
The predominant presenting problems in Shaver’s Lake are:
• Excessive and expanding cattails, including the un-navigable channel
• Excessive sediment accumulation
• Rooted submersed plants (like milfoil) interfering with recreation
• Excessive, untreated runoff
2012 - Shavers Lake Aquatic Plant Inventory published – Dick Osgood
2012 - SLPA Article Amendments OCT 4, 2012
2012 - Braun Intertec Soil Sample Report
2013 - Discharge of Untreated Storm Water into Shavers Lake – Summary of Facts
2013 - Peter Davis legislation efforts for Cattail control
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=anoh8nWRIUE
https://www.house.mn.gov/committees/minutes/88010/4926
https://citizenportal.ai/view/aclip/161262-6168f971/4/Minnesota/House-Environment-and-Natural-Resources-Policy-Committee-2/26/13-Clip-4
MN legislature presentation
2013 - Minnesota Governor enacts HF461 into state law giving Shaver's residents the ability to mechanically control cattails
2013 - City of Woodland presentation on Discharge of untreated storm water by municipalities into Shavers Lake
2013 - 5 year Lake Vegetation Management Plan (LVMP) Signed by SLPA and DNR
2013 - Experimental lake wide Cattail control program initiated
2014 - SLPA concerns over MCWD/DNR Control over Shavers Lake
2014 - DNR Meeting with concerns about Sediment buildup in Shavers Lake
2014 - Meeting with DNR, Lake Restoration, City of Deephaven, City of Minnetonka, City of Woodland, MCWD, Wren & Associates, SLPA – Discussion on how and who will address the sediment buildup in Shavers Lake
2014 - Lake Restoration Sediment Assessment Study
View looking south over Maple Hill Road
2015 - 2025
2015 - Last Time MCWD checked the water quality in Shavers Lake
https://minnehahacreek.org/explore/water-quality/
2017 - SLPA State of the Lake letter
2018 - MCWD Watershed Management Plan Published
(Shavers Lake was mentioned a total of 9 times)
4 times on maps (p391, p393, p396, p400)
2 times on water quality charts (p121, p122)
1 time on being a land locked lake in the Minnetonka Watershed (p131)
1 time for being monitored by City of Minnetonka (p49)
1 time for the City of Woodland making Shavers Lake Restoration a city priority (p601)
2018 - SLPA State of the Lake Letter
2018 - SLPA goes Inactive and registration expires with MN Secretary of State
2019 - City of Minnetonka Water Management Plan - Published
2019 - SLPA State of the Lake Letter
2021 - SLPA State of the Lake Letter
2023 - City of Minnetonka Water Management Plan - Amended
P121 - Actual depth of Shavers Lake is 18 feet. Depth to Muck level is approximately 7 feet
2025 - Present
2025 - Shaver Lake Preservation Association was incorporated under a 501c3 classification in the state of MN.
2025 - SLPA State of the Lake Letter
2025 - SLPA Lake update meeting 6-16-2025
2025 - Shavers Lake was added to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's list of monitored lakes and first submission of data was made on 7/18/2025 as part of the Volunteer Water Monitoring Program