Dirtiest Lake In Minnesota Gets Over 7 Tons Of Bird Poop Every Year

Well, this is just disgusting! There's a lake in Minnesota that is facing a unique issue. Over 14,000 pounds of bird poop drop into the lake every fall. The pollution makes it so bad that residents can't even swim in the lake, and they're looking for solutions.

Lake Augusta - Mendota Heights, Minnesota

Lake Augusta in Mendota Heights is one of the dirtiest lakes in Minnesota, but it's not from man-made pollution. It's because of migrating birds that are drawn to the Twin Cities ' lakes. They haven't always been a problem, but environmental changes have made this lake more appealing.

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Migrating birds are the issue.

Cormorants migrate each fall, and they nest in the dead trees that line Lake Augusta. It hasn't always been this way, but water levels rose in the lake, killing the trees. The dead trees are still standing and are a perfect spot for the migrating birds to roost.

Read More: Deepest Lake In Minnesota Isn't Really A Lake + Was Used By NASA

Thousands of cormorants nest at the lake and poop in it, releasing 14,500 pounds of bird poop into the lake. The bird poop is the source of phosphorus that is contaminating the lake.

Residents Search For Solutions

Nearby residents are asking officials to come up with a solution. There are several options, but none of them are quick fixes. The City of Mendota Heights has weighed options such as harassing the birds with noise and strobe lights, culling the population, or removing the trees.

The problem with trying to scare away the birds is the proximity to the Minneapolis - St. Paul Airport. Thousands of birds could lead to a bird strike with an airplane.

So far, the best solution they've come up with is removing the dead trees and cleaning up the lake, but that would require significant funding. It could take years to see any results from any effort.

Read more about it from Kare 11.