Lake Washington County Park Project

Lake Washington County
Park
Management Plan
Max Dornfeld, Tyler Bastyr, Luke Kraus-Schlichtmann, Jon Hagen, Jack Liesch & Mike Frey
12/6/2013

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Lake WashingtonCountyParkManagementPlan
Table of Contents
Park Description………………………………………………………………………………...1
Lake Washington County Park Mission and Vision Statement …………………………..........2
Mission Statement……………………………………………………………………....2
Vision Statement ………………………………………………………………….........2
Chapter 1: The Planning Process and Public Involvement……………………………………..3
Purpose of Public Involvement…………………………………………………………3
Summary of Possible Public Involvement Strategies……………………………..........3
Recommended Public Involvement Strategy …………………………………………..6
Chapter 2: Regional Analysis…………………………………………………………………...7
Natural Resources ……………………………………………………………………...8
Demographics……………………………………………………………………...........8
Public Outdoor Recreation Opportunities ……………………………………….........10
Roles for Lake Washington County Park……………………………………………...12
Chapter 3: Resource Management……………………………………………………….…….13
The Park’s Resource Management Goals and Actions………………………..……….13
Management Zones Development for the Park with Target Benefits………………….14
Two Ecological Regions of Lake Washington County Park…………………………...16
Pre-European Settlement Vegetation and Species…………………………..………….17
Existing Natural Resources and Importance of LAWCON……………………….…...19
Existing Cultural Resources and Minnesota’s Field Archaeology Act………………...21
Chapter 4: Recreation and Visitor Management……………………………………………….22
Introduction…………………………………………………………………………….22
Personal and Community Benefits……………………………………………………..22
Proposed Management Zones…………………………………………………………..23
Recreation Resource Management Goals………………………………………………24
Summary of Existing Recreation Resources……………………………………………24
Future of the Park..................................................................................................….......25
Chapter 5: Interpretive Services…………………………………………………………….......26
Current Interpretive Opportunities………………………...……………………………26
New Interpretation…… …………………………………………………………….......27

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Chapter 6: Administration and Implementation……………………………………………........31
Current Administrative Structure ..........................................................................……...31
Recommended Administrative Structure and Implementation…………………………..32
Steps for Implementation ………………………………………………………………..33
References Cited…………………………………………………………………………………35
Appendix A………………………………………………………………………………………36

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Tables
Table 1: Major Stakeholder Groups and their Interest in the Park……………………………… 5
Table 2: Stakeholder Groups and Methods Used............................................................................6
Table 3: Local County’s Demographics…………………………………………………………. 9
Table 4: City Parks…………...…………………………………………………………………………...10
Table 5: County Parks…………………………………………………………………………...10
Table 6: State Parks………………………………………………………………………….…..10
Table 7: Lakes and Rivers in the Region………………………………………………………...10
Table 8: Blue Earth County Camping……………………………………………………………11
Table 9: Waseca County Camping……………………………………………………………….11
Table 10: Le Sueur County Camping………………………………………………….................12
Table 11: Management Zones, Goals and Benefits……………………………………………...13
Table 12: Animal Species ……………………………………..…………………………………18
Table 13: Endangered or Threatened Species in Southern Minnesota …………………………19
Table 14: Fish Species in Lake Washington……………………………………………………..20

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Figures
Figure 1: Management Zones……………………………………………………………………14
Figure 2: Ecological Regions of Minnesota……………………………………………………..16
Figure 3: Lake Washington Existing Cultural Resources……………………………………….21
Figure 4: Administration Staff Structure………………………………………………………. 32

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Park Description
Lake Washington County Park is a 164 acre county park located on the northwestern
corner of Lake Washington in Le Sueur County, Minnesota. The initial land purchased for the
park was in 1974 by Le Sueur County from the Bauer estate for $85,000, making Lake
Washington County Park relatively young. Having nearby rural communities such as Mankato
and St. Peter makes the park one of the most popular recreational lakes in the Mankato area.
With the exception, of two Minnesota DNR owned and maintained public accesses, Lake
Washington County Park is the only public land on the shores of Lake Washington. Over 700
privately owned seasonal or permanent homes with shoreline on the 1,487 acre lake. The park
includes, 2,000 feet of undeveloped lake frontage set aside for study and research.
Lake Washington County Park has many great attributes to offer its visitors. When you
enter the park is the location in which the most human-to-human interaction occurs due to the
fact that this is where the camp sites are located. There are 23 electrical and nine none electrical
camp sites in this area. There is also a picnic area, playground, and a bathroom/shower house for
visitors to use. In Lake Washington County Park there are many great trails that visitors can go
on to enjoy the sights and sounds of nature.

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Lake Washington County Park Missionand Vision Statements
MissionStatement:
The mission of Lake Washington County Park is to enrich the quality of life for the
community and preserve the natural and cultural heritage of the County through provision of
outstanding trails, open space, natural areas and recreational opportunities within a friendly
setting.
Vision Statement:
Lake Washington County Park should be a natural area that provides:
• Opportunities to see and hear native wildlife;
• Protection of important natural and cultural resources;
• A variety of appropriate recreational opportunities (e.g., land and water; and special events)
• Appropriate recreational facilities (e.g, signage, trails, restrooms, interpretive center, etc.);
• A natural barrier between adjacent roads and the park’s recreational facilities;
• Restored native prairie and forest, beach and creek where agricultural land now exists;
• Effective interpretation and environmental education opportunities;
• Encourage opportunities to attain target personal, community, economic and environmental
benefits, such as opportunities for fun, relaxation and environmental education; and
• Opportunities for continued public involvement in decisions made about management of the
park.

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Chapter 1: The Planning Process and Public Involvement
Purpose of Public Involvement
Public involvement in the development of Lake Washington County Park management
plan is crucial in maintaining communication between park administration and its users.
Communication with the public will increase involvement during the planning and
implementation of the management plan. This will add to the overall satisfaction of the users
who use Lake Washington Park.
Public involvement is key during the planning process, due to the fact that the general
public is the people who will be using the facility day in and day out. The public is the primary
funding source for the implementation of a management plan and the public will be the
continuous users and visitors of Lake Washington County Park. There are numerous levels of
public involvement during the planning process. One of the most effective ways to get the public
involved is to delegate power to them by using them as consultants and developing partnerships.
The rationale behind involving the public to develop a plan for Lake Washington County
Park is the better the park for the users through stakeholder groups. A way this is done is through
motivators for public participation. Some of the motivators for the users and stakeholders are:
they own it, pay for it, and are welcome to use it. As it is their and the agency wants to get the
users input, build a sense of trust with them and give them a sense of ownership for the park.
Summary of Possible Public Involvement Strategies
The levels of participation range from active participation for the citizens to
nonparticipation. This spectrum has a very wide range for involvement of citizens in the decision
making process. The total involvement of citizens is not up to them in the end it is up to the
agency and how much the agency wants the citizens to be involved.

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When working with the public, it is important to recognize that there are numerous
stakeholders involved during the planning process. The stakeholders can be broken up into
separate groups. The groups fall into levels of involvement depending on the experience. The
groups with more expertise are included in the Technical Advisory Group. Members of this
group would include but would not be limited to: the DNR and Local Government. Those with
more of an open opinion will be included in the Citizen Advisory Group. Members of this group
would include but would not be limited to: park users, residents, and the general public.
Correlation between these two groups will lead to a more balanced and efficient planning
process.
The Technical Advisory Group will be held accountable for providing support and aiding
in the decisions of the Citizens Advisory Group. The Citizens Advisory Group will act as
spokesperson for the general public on issues dealing with the wants and needs that benefit the
people now and future generations that follow. The Citizens Advisory Group will also provide
the Technical Advisory Group with thoughts and suggestions from the remaining stakeholders
that may not otherwise have a say in the planning process.
Both Advisory Groups can benefit from the use of public involvement techniques. One of
the techniques includes written communication, which involves mailings, newsletters and public
service announcements. The second technique involves the collection of information; this can be
done one of two ways. One of the ways would be through public surveys and the second way
being focus groups. The third technique involves holding field trips, being involved with
festivals and being the host of a local event.

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Stakeholder Group Interest in the Park
General Public
They own it or have a sense of ownership for the
park.
Neighbors
They live near the park and it is of easy access for
them.
Managers
Managers have a sense of ownership; they feel it
is their job to take care of it.
Current Users
Current Users are the ones who use it most often
and want to take care of it.
Businesses
The park brings people to the area which brings
the people to their business.
DNR
Want to take care of the park to not exceed the
Limits of Acceptable Change (LAC).
Local Government
The park brings in new money to the area.
Clubs
They have a sense of pride while using and
maintaining the park.
Latent Users
Are the owners of land and want to see it being
used for a good cause. Also want to see the park
used for their recreational opportunities.
Table 1: Major Stakeholder Groups and Their Interest in the Park
Table 1 shows the major stakeholder groups in the area of Lake Washington County
Park. The stakeholders range from the general public to local government and businesses. The
table breaks down each stakeholder group’s specific interest in the park and why they want to be
involved in the decisions made to and for the park.

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Stakeholders
Involvement
Technique(s) at the
Start of the Process
Involvement
Technique(s) during
the Middle of the
Process
Involvement
Technique(s) at the
End of the Process
Users
-Advisory Group
-Media
-Electric Networks
-Public Hearings
-Advisory Group
-Workshops
-Focus Groups
-Advisory Group
-Polls
-Review and
Comment on Drafted
Documents
Managers
-Advisory Group
-Workshops
-Public Meetings
-Public Hearings
-Advisory Group
-Task Force
-Workshops
-Review and
Comment on Drafted
Documents
-Advisory Group
-Conflict Resolution
Techniques
-Surveys
-Interviews
-Polls
Neighbors
-Advisory Group
-Surveys
-Brochures
-Interviews
-Polls
-Electronic Network
-Media
-Public Hearings
-Advisory Group
Techniques
-Focus Groups
-Surveys
-Advisory Group
-Polls
-Review and
Comment on Drafted
Documents
Government
-Advisory Group
-Stakeholder
Collaboration
-Partnerships
-Workshops
-Advisory Group
-Review and
Comment on Drafted
Documents
-Task Forces
-Advisory Group
-Surveys
-Interviews
-Stakeholder
Collaboration
-Partnerships
Techniques
Table 2: Stakeholder Groups and Methods Used
Recommended Public Involvement Strategy
There are several approaches that can be taken in order to get the public involved during
the planning process. The first approach to get the public involved would be with the use of
media. Through the use of media larger numbers of the public can be reached and informed
about Lake Washington County Park and the issues being faced. The use of media will provide
dates and times throughout the project for which the public can meet and speak their mind on

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how they feel the park should be used. The second approach would be to hold multiple hearings
throughout the project. The rationale for holding multiple meetings is to reach out to the greatest
number of the public possible. The meetings will give information, allow time for the public to
be heard or vent on how they feel Lake Washington County Park should be used. After the
public hearings the third approach to get the public involved would be to establish focus groups.
The focus groups will be used to get diverse ideas, actions or plans of the stakeholders. After
hearing from the focus groups, workshops and volunteer opportunities can be formed. The
rationale for this is to see what groups care the most and are willing to spend the most time to see
that their needs are met. Polls, surveys and interviews will be conducted to gather a general
consensus of what is being designed. Finally stakeholder collaboration partnerships will be
formed to carry out the plans made and to make sure they are implemented properly.
Through the application of various public involvement techniques, stakeholder groups
can provide collaborative decisions that play a major role in the planning of Lake Washington
County Park. The involvement of Technical Advisory Group and Citizen Advisory Groups
allows for the best possible solutions and development of the park by enabling citizens but
providing support and aiding in the decisions of the public.
Chapter 2: Regional Analysis
Lake Washington County Park provides recreation opportunities for people of all types to
enjoy but what else is there around the park that makes this location special? There are several
different types of natural resources in this region that help determine what kind of public outdoor
recreation is available. There is a wide range of different types of people living around this area
that benefit from the opportunities that Lake Washington County Park provides. The park plays a
high role for people to benefit from the opportunities provided but there are some areas that are

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could be improved. We’ll see how all these factors contribute to the recreation opportunities
around the area as well what it means for Lake Washington County Park.
Natural Resources
The natural resources of the area in and around Lake Washington County Park determine
what types of recreation opportunities that may be available. The region around the park consists
of a couple of different types of landscapes. There are plenty of corn, hay, and soy bean farmers
around the region that have little groupings of trees with rivers and streams running through it as
well. Areas that are not domesticated with homes or farmland will have a mixture of different
types of natural resources. Rolling hills is constant throughout the region with having landscape
consist of prairie potholes, deciduous trees, lakes, rivers, and wetlands. There is a clash between
two different biomes that occur in this region even though it would be hard to spot because of all
the farming. Both the prairie pothole and the deciduous trees ecosystems collide in the Lake
Washington County Park region. Some trees that are native to the area include maple, oaks,
basswood, and some cottonwoods. In the park there are rows of walnut trees that were planted
and are not native to the region. These natural resources help provide the people of this region
with opportunities to recreate however they would like too.
Demographics
The people who live in the region of Lake Washington County Park benefit from the
parks service more than anyone. Therefore it is very important to understand the demographics
of this region so we can satisfy the needs of those who use the park more frequently than
outsiders.

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County: Population: Sex: Race: Median
Income:
High School
Diploma:
Blue
Earth
65,091 50.3% Males
49.7% Females
92.8% White
3.1% Black
2.3% Asian
1.8% Other
$48,911 93.1%
Le Sueur 27,703 50.5% Males
49.5% Females
95.5% White
0.3% Black
0.6% Asian
3.6% Other
$58,074 90.4%
Waseca 19,136 46.9% Males
53.1% Females
93.7% White
2.0% Black
0.7% Asian
3.6% Other
$52,357 91.5%
Sibley 15,226 50.2% Males
49.8% Females
94.8% White
0.3% Black
0.6% Asian
4.3% Other
$52,482 86.9%
Nicollet 37,727 50.0% Males
50.0% Females
93.7% White
2.0% Black
1.3% Asian
3.0% Other
$59,877 93.0%
Table 3: Local County’s Demographics
This demographic analysis shows how many and what different types of people live near
Lake Washington County Park. Since a majority of the park’s visitors are people that live in the
local area we can now draw up ideas of the people’s wants and needs for recreation. It is very
important that we understand who our clienteles are before we can make any decisions.
Differences in sex, race, and income play a vital role in which recreation people partake in.
Making sure that we have a good balance of these different recreation opportunities will help in
park attendance as well as satisfaction of using the park. To see what recreation opportunities
that the park should offer you first have to take a look at what other opportunities there are
around the region for recreation purposes. A couple of barriers that prevent people from
enjoying outdoor recreation from most to least common are: not having the time for it, level of
awareness, and the area is too developed and too noisy. Since people don’t have a lot of free

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time to enjoy outdoor recreation it is important to have a place close and relevant to their
preferred recreation choice.
Public Outdoor Recreation Opportunities
Since there is a lot of rivers and lakes to recreate with around this region typically people
enjoy being out on the water. With plenty of parks that are created around this region it makes it
easy for people to find a place close by. In order for us to come up with recreation ideas for
Lake Washington County Park we first have to take a look at what this region already offers for
recreation.
City Parks:
Blue Earth Le Sueur Waseca Nicollet Sibley
7 6 16 8 4
Table 4: City Parks
County Parks:
Blue Earth Le Sueur Waseca Sibley Nicollet
15 12 14 3 2
Table 5: County Parks
State Parks Found in the Region:
Minneopa State Park
Sakatah Lake State Park
Table 6: State Parks
Lakes and Rivers Found in Region:
County Lakes Major
Rivers
Parks Along Rivers and
Lakes
Access Sites Camping
Blue Earth 54 6 6 43 6
Le Sueur 59 3 8 46 5
Waseca 24 2 3 20 5
Sibley 26 2 3 15 0
Nicollet 13 4 2 19 0
Table 7: Lakes and Rivers in the Region

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Blue Earth County Camping:
Park Size Features Recreation RV/Total
Campsites
Location
Bray Park
and
Campground
102
Acres
Bathhouses, Water,
Dump Station, Electric
Hookups, Fire
Rings/Grills, Picnic
Shelters and Tables,
Interpretive Centers,
Caretakers, Restrooms
Fishing Dock, 1.4
Mile Long Trail,
Boat Launch,
Playground, Some
Playground
Equipment, Swim
Beaches
44/53 Madison
Lake
Daly Park
and
Campground
93
Acres
Bathhouses, Electric
Hookups, Water,
Dump Station, Fire
Shelters/Tables,
Caretakers, Restrooms
Boat Ramp, Fishing
Docks, Disk Golf
Course, Swimming
Beach Tennis Court,
Horseshoes,
Volleyball,
Playground
Equipment,
Canoe/Kayaks
Rental, 0.5 Mile
Long Trail
67/86 Lura Lake
Rapidan
Dam Park
38
Acres
Water, Fire
Shelters/Tables,
Caretakers,
Restrooms, Firewood,
Ice, Bait
Fishing, Canoe
Launch, Play
Equipment,
Playground, Red
Jacket Trail
14/20 Ripidan
Dam
Minneopa
State Park
1145
Acres
Picnic Shelters/Tables,
Electrical Hookups,
Historic Site, Native
Prairie, Dump Station,
Geological
Information, Waterfall
Hiking and Cross
Country Skiing
Trails, Volleyball,
Horseshoes, Fishing,
Photography,
Visitor Center
61 Minnesota
River in
Mankato
Table 8: Blue Earth County Camping
Waseca County Camping:
Park Size Features Recreation Campsites Location
Sakatah
State Park
842
Acres
Electrical Hookups,
Restrooms,
Bathhouses, Dump
Station
Hiking Trails, Groomed
Cross Country Skiing
and Snowmobile Trails,
Canoe/Kayak Rentals,
Boat Ramp,
62 Cannon
River near
Waterville
Table 9: Waseca County Camping

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Le Sueur County Camping:
Park Size Features Recreation Campsites Location
Lake
Washington
County
Park
166
Acres
Electrical Hookups,
Restrooms, Dump
Station, Fire
Shelter/Tables,
Bathhouses, Water
Canoe Access, Hiking
Trails, Playground,
Playground
Equipment, Education
Center, Fishing, Cross
Country Skiing
28 East Side of
Washington
Lake
Table 10: Le Sueur County Camping
Role for Lake Washington County Park
From the information above you can gather that there are several parks other than Lake
Washington County Park where people can both camp and recreate. It depends on the type of
environment that the visitor is looking for. There is a range of parks that provide little to a lot of
outdoor recreational opportunities. Lake Washington County Park has a range of trails that are
located along a prairie, deciduous forest, and farmland areas along Lake Washington. Lake
Washington County Park is the only park in Le Sueur County that provides camping along with
other outdoor recreational opportunities. Reaching the people in the area to come and visit the
park will depend on what way to reach the range of demographics. Lake Washington County
Park is a medium sized park that provides some camping but not an overcrowding number.
Although there are some outdoor recreational opportunities provided there could be more to help
benefit the park even more. For most of the community the park provides a place to for bird
watching, hiking, canoe and fishing, and cross country skiing during the winter. It is used as a
place for people to get out and enjoy the simplistic forms of outdoor recreation with beautiful
scenery. It gives the region a more open range to get away from the busy life and loud noise.
The visitor can decide whether or not they want to stay a couple of days to enjoy the beauty of
the park with RV and tent camping or they can come to visit the park for a few hours.

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Chapter 3: Resource Management
Managaement
Zone
Target Benefits Resource
Management
Goals
Recreation
Management
Goals
Interpretive
Goals
Rural -Positive changes
in mood and
emotion
-Social bonding
-Family bonding
-Preservation of
cultural and
historical sites
-Maintenance of
physical facilities
-Improve
campground
-Create safe
environment
-Improve
facilities
-Focus on
motorized
camping
-Increase
recreation
opportunities
-Improve
recreation
equipment
-Increase
knowledge of the
park.
-Increase
visitation to the
park.
-Educational
tours
Roaded Natural -Nature
appreciation
-environmental
awareness and
understanding
-Sense of
freedom
-Preservation of
natural sites
-Smooth
transition
between zones
-Improve trails
-Improve natural
habitat
-Increase
recreation
opportunities
-Improve water
access
-create
atmosphere that
creates
togetherness
-Connect people
with nature
-Inform
restoration about
the park to the
public.
-Increase trail
system
awareness.
Table 11: Management Zone, Goals and Benefits
The Park’s Resource Management Goals and Actions
Lake Washington County Park is broken down into two zones, rural and roaded natural.
The purpose of having two zones is to provide a proportionate diversity in the park. The reason
for having two zones is because the park is not of size to provide more than two zones. The two
zones have specific benefits, resource, recreation, and interpretive goals to successfully establish
one from the other.
Resource management goals for the rural zone include, but are not limited to, improving
the campground by planting trees in between sites to provide a little more privacy for campers.
Creating a safe environment is an important piece to the plan by providing safety guidelines and
rules for the campsites and park as a whole. The improved facilities will also allow for campers

14
to have sanitary water houses and a defined purpose for the opportunities provided. They will be
cleaned regularly and maintenance up keep will be provided as needed.
The resource management goals for the roaded natural zone include, but are not limited
to, smooth transition between zones; this will be done by planting native vegetation and trees
around the boarder. Improvement of trails is important to keep our users safe and satisfied by
keeping the trails well maintained. With the improvement of the natural habitat the removal of
invasive vegetation, trees, and plants will give the area a more local feel and improve the
ecosystem.
Management Zones Developedfor the Park with Target Benefits
Figure 1: Management Zones

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The first zone is labeled as rural because there is a main road leading right up the
entrance of the campsite which will make it nearly impossible to avoid traffic noise. The
campsite holds 23 sites with electric hook-ups and 9 primitive sites. The campground also has a
dump station, picnic shelter, shower house, and playground. Also, there will be a well-known
presence of human-to-human interaction in this area due to the vehicles entering and campsites
being near one another. The rural area will provide opportunities to participate in social and
family bonding as well as recreational opportunities and equipment rental to enhance the
experience. There is also going to be a lake access for canoes and a building that was used as an
interpretation center. Target benefits for the rural zone include positive change in mood and
emotion, promoting social and family bonding, and not to forget the upkeep of our facilities will
enhance campers experience at Lake Washington County Park. The old steel bridge is located in
the rural zone and is planned to be left in its current location to preserve the cultural and
historical site.
The second zone is labeled as roaded natural; this is the majority of the park after you
pass through the rural zone. There is a smooth transition between the two zones. It is a natural
appearing environment with moderate evidence of the sights and sounds of humans, however
these evidence usually harmonize with the natural environment. The roaded natural zone is a
wooded area full of native vegetation and grasslands. On the east side of the roaded natural zone
the wooded area and grasslands meet up with the wetlands and lakeshore. This zone has a variety
of opportunities for people to experience the wilderness. There are trails throughout the zone,
guided tours, and potential to see wildlife. The target benefits will include nature appreciation,
environmental awareness and understanding, sense of freedom, and preservation of natural sites.
In this zone, the user is more in touch with nature which gives them a better sense of solitude. In

16
the roaded natural zone users need to be aware that this is a preserved area and fines will be
distributed to users that are found littering or destructing the wilderness.
All the goals and actions will be fused together, with the cooperation of the managers,
community, and the users to better the park. Along with having target benefits specifically for
each zone, there were some benefits that fall into both the rural and roaded natural zones. They
include, but are not limited to, stress relief for the visitors who come and enjoy the park. It gives
the community a sense of pride for the quality that the park holds. The park can give a greater
community involvement through stewardship of the park. With the park being an attractive
welcoming place to be in brings in new and past visitors which give a local and regional
economic growth. With the proposed combination of the applied benefits and goals we expect an
increase in overall user/management satisfaction.
Two Ecological Regions of Lake Washington County Park
Figure 2: Ecological Regions of Minnesota

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Lake Washington County Park is located nearby the border of two ecological regions.
The two regions are the Minnesota and North Eastern Iowa Morainal (MIM) to the east and the
North Central Glaciated Plains (CGP) to the west. These regions are important as they represent
the area where the long band of deciduous forest and woodland of the upper Midwest and the
plains of the west meet.
Pre-European Settlement Vegetation and Species
The MIM and CGP region looked very different before the Europeans settled. In the
MIM area sandy flat areas were dominated by prairie, savanna, and oak and aspen woodlands.
Woodland and forest dominated sites in this section where fire was more uncommon. Mesic
forests, forests with a well-balanced supply of moisture, were dominated by sugar maple,
basswood, American elm, and northern red oak. Floodplain forests can be found along the
valleys of the Minnesota River. In the CGP area, prairie was a big majority of the region.
Northern floodplain forest can also be found in this region along the Minnesota River. Some oak-
hickory forest can be found along drainages in the southern section of this region.
In both the MIM and CGP regions, fire was the most common natural disturbance to the
native vegetation. Droughty soils were present which didn’t help stop the fires. Floods and
tornadoes were also present, but were not as common as fires were. Today, the major
disturbances are logging and clearing the land for agriculture.

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Table 12: Animal Species
Table 9 shows the wildlife from each region that were present before the European
settlement and the wildlife that is present today. Many of the animals that were present in the
Pre-European time have changed to what they are today. A couple of the common animals that
you will find today are the white-tailed deer, gray squirrel, and the cottontail rabbit. The main
reason these animals have been so successful in the area is because the habitat is to their survival.
Also if they are hunted there are regulations to how many can be taken each year so they don’t
disappear from the area. This area use to be home to bison and elk, but are no longer present in
the wild in this region. Once the landscape changed from prairie/woodland mix to being
dominated by agriculture, it has caused some species to either become limited or disappear
completely. Table 10 shows the species in Southern Minnesota that are classified as rare by the
Minnesota DNR.
Minnesota and North Eastern Iowa Morainal North-Central Glaciated Plains
Pre-European Current Pre-European Current
Bison Coyote Bison Ringneck Pheasant
Elk Fox Elk Cottontail Rabbit
Coyote Prairie Chicken Antelope Jack Rabbit
Prairie Chicken Canada Goose Prairie Wolf Coyote
Canada Goose Sandhill Crane Waterfowl Red Fox
Wolf Prairie Chicken White-Tailed Deer
Fox Gray Squirrel
Jack Rabbit Wild Turkey

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Species Type Species Name
Status in Southern
Minnesota
Mammal Northern Long-Eared Bat Proposed as Endangered
Fish Topeka Shiner
Endangered and Critical
Habitat
Insects Karner Blue Butterfly Endangered
Mussel Higgins Eye Pearlymussel Endangered
Mussel Sheepnose Endangered
Plant
Minnesota Dwarf Trout
Lily
Endangered
Plant Leedy’s Roseroot Threatened
Plant Prairie Bush Clover Threatened
Plant
Western Prairie Fringed
Orchid
Threatened
Table 13: Endangered or Threatened Species in Southern Minnesota
Existing Natural Resources and Importance of LAWCON
The MIM section represents a long band of deciduous forest, woodland, and prairie. This
area stretches about 350 miles. Forests of silver maple occupy the active floodplains, while
forests of silver maple, cottonwood, box-elder, green ash, and elm occupy terraces that flood
infrequently. Much of the CGP region represents level to rolling till plains, moraines, lake plains,
and outwash plains. It is supported mainly by treeless areas. These landforms also support
smaller amounts of marsh, wetland prairie, and wet meadows.
Today Lake Washington County Park has a variety of land. The different pieces of land
include wetlands, wooded areas, grasslands, and leased land that is used for agriculture. The
wooded area is mostly deciduous and contains maple, oak, basswood, and some cottonwood
trees. There is a group of planted walnut trees near the middle of the park. They are planted in
rows which doesn’t give it a natural feel. The wetlands are along the east side of the park. This is
where the land meets up with Lake Washington. The park has roughly 2,000 total feet of
shoreline on the lake, which includes these wetlands. The agricultural land makes up a large

20
portion of the park as well. This land is leased to a private party and used to produce corn,
soybeans, and hay which rotate certain years by the farmer’s choice.
Lake Washington is a 1,487 acre lake that makes up the eastern boarder of much of Lake
Washington County Park (Appendix A). It is one of many lakes in the region. The lake is a
popular destination for recreation on the water and anyone who likes to fish. Two DNR owned
public accesses are available on the lake. One of which is located right down the road from Lake
Washington County Park. The lake is home to a variety of fish species as seen in the Table 11.
The fish populations are stable and they do stock the lake each year with walleye species in large
numbers.
Fish Species Found in Lake Washington
Bigmouth Buffalo Bowfin (dogfish) Golden Shiner White Crappie
Black Bullhead Brown Bullhead Largemouth Bass White Sucker
Black Crappie Common Carp Northern Pike Yellow Bullhead
Bluegill Freshwater Drum Walleye Yellow Perch
Table 14: Fish Species in Lake Washington
The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LAWCON) is important and very interesting to
Lake Washington County Park. It was utilized for the initial acquisition and development of the
park. It is also a possible source for future funding. In Section 6(f) of the Act requires all funded
lands to be retained and used solely for outdoor recreation. Any conversion of these lands to uses
other than outdoor recreation must be approved by the National Park Service. With that being
said, it is necessary for the agriculture land to be changed back to natural habitat or for the use of
outdoor recreation.
The resource management goals that we have stated earlier all influence better
recreational opportunities within the park. The goals create a safer and more appealing place to
be. This then gets more visitors to the park and enjoying what they like best.

21
Existing Cultural Resources and Minnesota’s Field Archaeology Act
Figure 3: Lake Washington Existing Cultural Resources
Figure 3 shows the areas where cultural resources have been found in Lake Washington
County Park. There are five archaeological sites, which are not currently active, listed with the
Minnesota Historical Society. In the past, pottery shards and arrowheads have been found on the
sites from the Woodland Indians. Under the Minnesota Field Archaeology Act (MS 138.31-
138.41) nothing may be built on top of known or suspected archaeological sites. If management
has a development plan, they have to submit it to the State Archaeologist, the Minnesota
Historical Society and the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council. Anything found on the area, the
State Archaeologist has ownership, custody and use of the objects and data recovered. As the
manager it is best to leave the sites alone and allow for natural resources to grow as they please.
It is also good for interpretation to show visitors the sites.

22
Chapter 4: Recreation and Visitor Management
Introduction
While visiting Lake Washington County Park visitors will have many recreational
opportunities. Users will take away many benefits for their personal wellbeing as well as
community and socially. Implementing two management zones in the park will help manage all
of these opportunities to their fullest potential. In this section you will read about these benefits
as well as some recreational resource goals that we have for the park. We will also go over the
recreational opportunities that are available in the park, along with some of the recreation
opportunities that we hope to provide in the future.
Personal and Community Benefits
Lake Washington County Park provides plenty of personal and community benefits. One
of the personal benefits that you gain from coming to Lake Washington County Park is having
positive changes in your mood and emotion. The reason why this is one of the benefits is because
being out either in the rural zone at the campground or being in the roaded natural zone out in
nature, you will gain positive feelings. Another personal benefit that you will receive from being
at Lake Washington County Park is having an area that you can relieve some stress. This park
provides enough space where you can sit quietly or be near everyone, which ever will provide
the most stress relieve in one’s life. Being out in the roaded natural zone of the park will also
provide a sense of freedom, appreciation of nature and environmental awareness and
understanding. Having 156 acres of land provides enough space where someone can get away
from everyday life by enjoying one of the many recreational opportunities the park provides.

23
Lake Washington County Park not only provides many personal benefits to someone it
also provides many social and community benefits. The first social benefit that it provides is it is
an area for great social bonding. This benefit is more based out of the rural zone of the park
because this is where most of the social interactions between people will be occurring but it can
also happen in the roaded natural zone as well. Another social benefit the park provides is family
bonding. The park is very family orientated and welcomes all who want to use it, even pets.
Providing a park that the community is proud of is one of the benefits that the park will also
bring. With this the community can almost make a name for it-self. Having an area that is well
maintained and clean will bring people to the bark. With this there will be greater community
involvement. If the park is a great place to come and visit this will bring in people from all
around the state and area. With this local community’s will benefit economically.
Proposed Management Zones
For the management of Lake Washington County Park we will be implementing a two
zone management technique. The first management zone will be a rural area. This will have the
campground and most of the recreational facilities and equipment. The second zone will be a
roaded natural area. This will consist of most of the trail systems, wooded areas, grass lands and
wetlands of the park. The reason why we are splitting the park up into two zones is because we
feel that there are enough differences in the management techniques that we are going to use to
have two zones. In the rural zone we are going to be focusing more on a recreational side of
management. In the roaded natural zone we are going to be focusing on a natural nature feeling
management type.

24
Recreation Resource Management Goals
Lake Washington County Park has many management goals that they are trying to
provide. The first goal for the park is to provide opportunities to see and hear native wildlife. We
feel like this is important because when out in a park like this one being able to see and hear
wildlife creates that extra experience that you can only get outside of the city. Also it is
important to the wildlife to have an area big enough that they can comfortably live in. Another
goal that the park has is the protection of natural and cultural resources. This is important to the
recreational part of it because the memories that people make here biased on the land and the
resources we have are important to keep for future generations. The last two goals of the
recreational part of piece are to provide an appropriate amount of recreational opportunities and
have appropriate recreational facilities. We want our park to have the most available recreational
opportunities while not having too many, our visitors are overwhelming with them. We feel like
we should provide well marked trail systems along with the correct amount of facilities to handle
our recreational opportunities.
Summary of Existing Recreation Resources
Lake Washington County Park provides a ton of recreational opportunities for its visitors.
In the rural zone the park has thirty one campsites in total, available for use. There are twenty
two sites with electricity (six with 50-amp service, the rest are 30-amp), six sites without and
three primitive sites. Also there is a Picnic shelter, a dump station, a shower/ washroom facility,
water supplies and a walking trail around the camp site. There also is a playground, basketball
hoop, and interpretive center available for people to rent out.

25
In the roaded natural zone, for the summer/ warmer months the park offers a walking trail
throughout the wooded area and grassland. This is great to go on hikes through the woods or
maybe even bird watching. There is no motorized vehicles welcome on the trails, although
mountain bikes are welcome. There also is a canoe launch to the east side of the parking lot as
you come in. Like previously stated there are no public boat launches in the park but there are
two available on the else ware. In the winter months the trails are open for cross country skiers
and people who want to go snow shoeing.
Over all, the park provides a good selection of recreational opportunities for visitors. The
park fulfills their goals of management, vision statement and target benefits that they want their
visitors to have. Providing two zones people can get the connection with nature as well as a
stress reliever. Also visitors are able to recreate in ways that will provide them with the most
benefits quite easily with the amount of recreational opportunities provided in the area.
Future of the Park
Some of the other recreational opportunities that we are trying to provide in the future of
the park are a mountain bike trail, better marked and easier accessed trails, volleyball courts,
reopening of interpretive center, improved campsites and equipment available for rental. With
having the park opened all year will provide different types of equipment available for use. Some
of the equipment that will be available in the winter months will be snow shoes and cross
country skies. In the summer months, there will be different types of balls, canoes, kayaks just as
some examples.

26
Some of the changes that will probably occur in the park will be improved walking trails
and better posting of signs throughout the park. We will put in a trail head at the end of the
parking lot showing the mapped areas of the park as well as what trails go to what areas. On the
trails there will be markings on where the trails lead incase if some people get twisted around in
the roaded natural zone. With this people will be able to access the lake a little better. Also we
are hoping on putting in volleyball courts as well as expand the playground that is currently there
with more improved equipment as well as its size. Another thing that we might look at in the
next fifty years is to put in a fishing pear on the east side of the park. This will provide an easy
opportunity for people who don’t have boats to be able to fish.
Chapter 5: Interpretive Services
Current Interpretive Opportunities
Currently, Lake Washington County Park offers minimal interpretive services. The
interpretive center, located within the roaded natural zone, was originally a center to provide a
learning experience for visitors at an individual based pace. Today, this center is for rental use
only, and offers little to no information about the park or the surrounding area. Along with the
interpretive center, remnants of past interpretive user trails and signs are visible throughout the
park, as seen in the roaded natural and semi-primitive motorized zones. These were once offered
as a self-guided tour of the park and offered information on plants, trees and various other parts
of the habitat. Currently, these signs are falling apart and provide no use at this time. Overall,
current interpretive services offer minimal educational opportunities for visitors of Lake
Washington County Park and visitors aren’t using the park for these interpretive opportunities at
the current time.

27
The National Association for Interpretation (NAI) defines interpretation as a mission
based communication process that forges emotional and intellectual connections between
interests of the audience and the inherent meaning in the resources. This being said, it is very
important that interpretive services are provided at Lake Washington County Park. The park will
provide a range of interpretive opportunities for all of our users throughout the rural and roaded
natural zones. The major interpretive opportunities provided for the users will include a website
online, an information booth as you enter the park, brochures, park and trail maps, park and trail
signage and scheduled educational tours.
New Interpretation
The information booth will assist all users with the option to learn about the park and
providing ideas and opportunities that will be available while attending the park. The information
booth is a personal informal delivery of interpretation. The booth will also provide different
maps users can take that show the park grounds and surrounding area. More specifically the
maps show visitors the different areas of the park, the management zone types and locations,
permitted camping locations and provided recreation activity locations.
Throughout the park will be numerous types of signs to direct users in the park. There
will be a sign on the outside of the information booth as you enter the park. This will include a
map with a map key of the entire park. It will also include arrows to point users in the right
direction for whatever they might be looking for. Along the trails will be signs posted with mini
maps to show them where they are and where they can go from how to reach their destination as
desired.
There will also be brochures that users will be able to take with them. The brochures are a
non-personal form of interpretation that allows users to explore their options free from outside

28
human interaction if they want to do it on their own. The brochures include rules and regulations
for the park users and campers as well as the rules per zone. Also provided in these are the
recreation opportunities and rental equipment availability such as the hours and any fees that
might apply.
Educational tours are available for users upon request. This is the parks personal and
formal delivery option for users to walk with another person or a group and for those who would
prefer not reading as they venture through the park. These tours will provide users with a better
idea of what Lake Washington County Park is about, what it has to offer and the history of the
park. The tours will require an appointment scheduled at least one day in advance to make sure
that there is a guide available. The only opportunity for a tour the day of request will be if there
are two booth workers and one is a tour guide.
The last interpretive opportunity is the Lake Washington County Park website. This
website will provide people on the web with everything they need to know. This includes
everything the park has to offer such as camping information, rules and regulations, mission
statement, fees, special dates, phone number, services offered, dates of operation, hours of
operations, employment opportunities and anything else you could think of.
Users with physical and mental disabilities are offered the same programs; however, it is
understood that not everyone is able to participate at the same mental and physical level so each
person’s ability will be taken into consideration and will be handled in a professional manner.
Users will be asked to provide information of disabilities prior to participation in any program so
the proper accommodations and modifications are made.
The interpretive staffing is very important for Lake Washington County Park to ensure
the users are provided with correct information and effective services. The parks interpretive

29
staff will vary according to season. All interpretive staff will be interviewed, hired, trained and
supervised by the park manager.
The interpretive booth will be open Monday through Friday from 9am - 5pm and
weekends from 9am – 2pm in the summer. There will be one or two workers in the booth
depending on how many campers the park expects according to reservations. There will be 4 or
more part time workers hired for this position in the summer. In the late spring and early fall the
attendants will only be present Thursday through Sunday from 10am to 2pm due to less users
attending the park. For holidays or special events there will be two staff members to assist the
larger groups. Booth attendant(s) will be knowledgeable of the entire park and are there to offer
assistance for any informational purpose that may be requested by users.
Tour guides and are hired as seasonal workers for the summer. There will be two guides
given the position so we will have one available as needed. Since the tour guide will be an
interpretive expert who is very familiar with the entire park they will also be offered to work at
the booth for extra hours since tours are not necessarily a daily operation. This person will be
able inform users of the mission and vision that Lake Washington County Park strives for and
how it is being achieved. He or she will be able to explain the difference and purpose between
the two zones, the types of animals and vegetation in the park, recreational opportunities, and the
history of the park and how it has come to its current state.
Interpretive techniques that will be used at Lake Washington County Park include
selecting the topic and themes considering the resources at hand, interests of the audience and the
desires of management. This should be relatively simple for our tour guides since they will be
interpretive experts and very knowledgeable of the park. Both guides and booth workers will be
able to connect tangibles (facts, giving an intellectual picture) to the intangibles (real life

30
examples to connect the audience with intellectual picture) by using universal concepts (ideas
likely to appeal to everyone, regardless of individual filters). When park users sign up for a tour
they will be asked to complete a short survey about the park and their personal life. Since most
tours are scheduled a day in advance this will give the guide an idea of how much the audience
already knows about the park, what they might have in common and what their personal interests
are.
The goals we want to achieve by providing users with these opportunities are split into
two categories, rural zone interpretive goals and roaded natural interpretive goals. The reason it
is divided is because we find each zone to be very important and realize that to be successful we
need to consider that each user may have different wants and needs per zone.
The rural interpretive goals begin by increasing knowledge of the park that users obtain.
This goal is important to apply so users know what the park has to offer, and leave with a better
understanding and excitement about the park as a whole. Increasing visitation to the park is
another important goal that is crucial to having a successful park. This is done by providing take
home brochures and maps that people can keep for information or share with others. Also will be
our website because the web has become very popular with upcoming generations making it the
easiest way to reach out to the community and initiate public involvement. The third goal
includes educational tours for users to walk the main area of the park and learn about the reason
the park was developed this way and how the annual costs influence limitations.
Connecting people with nature, informing the public of the restoration of the park, and
increasing trail systems are three recommendations to use as interpretive goals. The roaded
natural zone should include at least these three goals if not more if the parks reputation and
attendance is expected to improve. This piece of land is very important because the world is

31
developing and the natural lands are disappearing. It gives users the feeling of what natural wild
life is all about and maybe they will realize the beauty.
The goals in both zones connect to the vision statement as mentioned there will be the
opportunities to so and hear native wildlife, the informing users of the parks is an effective form
of interpretation and provides educational opportunities which will help to protect natural and
cultural resources and encourage returning and new users to participate in the fun and relaxation
with an opportunity to learn. The management actions are related since we will be providing an
information booth with interpretive attendant, brochures and maps as well as educational tours,
guided tours and different signage throughout the park all helping accomplish the goals. The
goals are also divided among the zones and interpretive opportunities can be done separately or
combined.
Chapter 6: Administration and Implementation
Current Administrative Structure
The current administrative structure at Lake Washington County Park is very simple. The
Le Sueur County Board of Commissioners is the Administrative agency that runs the operations
of management of the park along with the funding of the park. The county hires a part-time
employee to take care of the day-to-day operations and responsibilities with the park. Housing is
provided for the employee in exchange for the services he or she provides. Le Sueur County
doesn’t have any departments associated with parks and recreation or any tax levy for parks. To
get fund for the Lake Washington County Park, they collect from tax revenues, sale of crops
raised on the parkland, donations.

32
Recommended Administrative Structure and Implementation
The Administrative plan that we would like to implement would vastly change from the
original Administrative plan. We would like to keep the Le Sueur County Board of
Commissioners as the head chair of the park. With the changes being made in our proposal for
Lake Washington County Park, we would like to hire a few full-time positions. We would like to
start a Parks and Recreation department associated with Lake Washington County Park to bring
in more customers/campers. With the many parts that we would like to add to the park, there
would need to be a few more employees. The following chart is an example of employees
needed for operations.
Figure 4: Administration Staff Structure
Le Sueur county
Board of
Commisioners
Grounds
supervisor
Grounds
Employee
Office Employee
Park Manager

33
The Job description of each position is as followed:
Park Manager: The Park Manager will be in charge of the overall day-to-day operations of the
park. He/she will make sure the park is well kept and up to code on all parts of the park. He/she
will also be in charge to overlook the Grounds Supervisor, Grounds Employee, and Office
Employee. You will also be required to keep inventory on equipment rental, number of campers
and clientele within the park.
Grounds Supervisor: The Grounds Supervisor will be in charge of the up-keep and condition of
the park. He/she will make sure the paths/trails are kept clear of debris each day, parking
lot/campsites are clean and clear of garbage, and the grass is mowed and kept clean and clear of
garbage.
Grounds Employee: The Grounds Employee will assist the Grounds Supervisor. The everyday
duties will be assigned by the Grounds Supervisor. Some Duties may require heavy lifting,
mowing, weed whipping, and other various duties to keep the park safe and clean.
Office Employee: The Office Employee will be helping customers and campers with questions
and concerns. You will be required to sell camping passes and equipment rental…etc.
Experience with customers is preferred but not required.
Steps for Implementation
There are many steps to be made for Lake Washington County Park to get where we
would like it to be. The first few steps that need to be looked at are the overall look of the park.
The park needs to look more inviting for people to want to come and stay at the park. The
campsite then, needs to be updated. We would like to get and equipment shed built in place to

34
rent out various equipment to the guests. The many recommendations that we would like Lake
Washington County Park to consider will take some time to accomplish, but once accomplished
the future looks bright for the park.

35
References Cited
Blue Earth County, Minnesota. (2013). Official Website. Retrieved November 26, 2013 from
http://www.blueearthcountymn.gov
Brochu, L., Merriman, T. (2008). Personal Interpretation: Connecting Your Audience to
Heritage Resources. National Association for Interpretation.
Campgrounds in Le Sueur County, Minnesota. (2013). Parks. Retrieved November 26, 2013
from www.hikercentral.com
Explore Minnesota Tourism. (2013). Parks. Retrieved November 26, 2013 from
http://www.exploreminnesota.com
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. (2013). Lake Information Report. Retrieved
November 26, 2013 from
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/lakefind/showreport.html?downum=40011700
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. (2013). Land and Water Conservation Fund
(LAWCON). Retrieved November 24, 2013 from
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/aboutdnr/lawcon/index.html
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. (2013). Ecological Subsections of Minnesota.
Retrieved November 22, 2013 from http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/ecs/index.html
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. (2013). Public Recreation Information Maps.
Retrieved November 25, 2013 from http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/maps/prim.html
Minnesota Historical Society. (2013). Preservation Legislation. Retrieved November 26, 2013
from http://www.mnhs.org/shpo/review/legislation.htm
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. (2013, September 25). Minnesota Stormwater Manual.
Retrieved November 22, 2013 from
http://stormwater.pca.state.mn.us/index.php/Overview_of_basic_stormwater_concepts
Region 9 Regional Development Commission. (2013). County Profiles. Retrieved November 26,
2013 from http://www.rndc.org//
State Demographer’s Office. (2010). Minnesota Census Results. Retrieved November 25, 2013
from http://www.demography.state.mn.us/
US Census Bureau. (2010). US Department of Commerce. Retrieved November 25, 2013 from
http://www.census.gov/people
Waseca County, Minnesota. (2013). Parks. Retrieved November 26, 2013 from
http://www.co.waseca.mn.us

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Appendix A

Lake Washington County Park Project

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