Small town hopes residents change their ways — warning inaction could cost them their lake

Leaders in a small Minnesota town are asking residents to do something deeply outside their nature: confront neighbors who are doing their yardwork the wrong way.

Residents in Sleepy Eye are being asked to tell their neighbors to not mow their grass into the streets in order to help stop a smelly, toxic algae bloom that’s closed down the city’s lake.

“We get it — awkward conversations aren’t fun. But neither is canceling events, closing beaches, or disappointing kids and visitors," the Sleepy Eye Area Chamber of Commerce said in a post last week.

“Remind them it’s not just grass — it’s what could cost us our lake," the post said.

The beach at Sleepy Eye Lake has been closed since July 29, the second time this year, because of a blue-green algae bloom.

Cyanobacteria outbreaks — also called blue-green algae blooms — have been known to kill pet dogs and sicken children, who are more vulnerable to the toxins.

These outbreaks have been increasing in nearly every part of the country over the last 20 years.

Sleepy Eye Lake doesn’t typically have algae outbreaks, city manager Bob Elston said.

But this year the city closed down the beach at Sleepy Eye Lake on July 9 before reopening it nine days later, then re-closing it on July 25.

“We can’t quite shake it,” Elston said.

There’s been a “perfect storm” of factors that led to the bloom at Sleepy Eye Lake, Elston said, listing high temperatures, low winds and heavy rain in June and July that washed nutrients into the lake.

The outbreak could lead to the cancellation of the city’s annual water-skiing event, the Chamber of Commerce post said.

“We all love our lake & beach,” the post said. “Visitors love our lake & beach. We all also enjoy the Summerfest ski show. But we’ve got to do better … as all are in trouble."