The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is an important government body that helps evaluate our state’s environment and provides important data that keeps track of significant points. But did you know that the MNDNR goes as far as measuring the date that Lake Minnetonka loses its ice each year?

When a lake has an “ice out,” it could mean a handful of things. The official definition listed on the DNR website establishes that defining an “ice out can vary from lake to lake,” and that “observers use consistent criteria from year to year when reporting lake ice out dates.” This could mean that no more ice is present on the lake, or it could mean that it’s possible to navigate between two different points on the body of water without ice impeding the way. For Lake Minnetonka, the general definition used involves the ability for travel to happen between any bay through all channels and to any shoreline without ice preventing movement.

Dating back to 1855, the MNDNR “lake ice in/out report” consists of several measurements that are published online for public research. Lake Minnetonka’s ice has been tracked for nearly 170 years, but there are a few key dates that have stood out in particular. The latest date the lake has seen the last of its ice was May 5, 2018 during an unseasonable spring that saw an April blizzard dump over 16 inches of snow. Back in 1878, however, the weather was a very different story. That year saw an ice out date of March 11, the earliest on record for Lake Minnetonka.

Regardless of the date that our lake loses its ice, this measure is important to mark the changing seasons and kick off the start of warmer weather. Take advantage of the winter while it lasts, but remember that we have open water right around the corner.