LAKE MINNETONKA Julia Casparriello and

Lee Copeland

A Brief Description

• Area of 14,000 Acres

• Ecologically diverse

• Besides lakeshore residents, Lake Minetonka is frequented by much of the surrounding population

• Besides aesthetic values, high recreational value to the area

• The Lake Minnetonka Conservation District

• determines lake policies

• responsible for enforcement of policies

The LMCD

Market Failures

• Overuse: the side effects– pollution– erosion– milfoil infestation

Market Failures Cont.

• Safety– beach safety– boating accidents

• speeding

• intoxicated boaters

Market Failures cont.

• Enforcement and Policing the Lake– Noise Pollution– Sale of boating permits– Provides security to lake users– Controls overuse and safety

Policy Options

• The milfoil problem– high clean-up costs– preventing spread is our focus

• monitoring public launches– mandating boat-cleaning– imposing fines on violators

• The overuse problem– Control usage without inconveniencing lakeshore

residents– Thus, our focus is on parking

More Policy Options

• Police force is necessary– enforcing policies of the LMCD– maintaining optimal level of benefits received

from the resource

Bringing Lake Minnetonka to Efficiency