Rice Lake State Park
Encyclopedia
Rice Lake State Park is a 1071 acres (4 km²) state park
of Minnesota
, USA, just east of Owatonna
. Park lands entirely surround Rice Lake, an important stopping point for migrating waterfowl. The lake covers 750 acres (303.5 ha) with an average depth of 3 foot (0.9144 m).
laid down 500 million years ago as organic sediments settled to the bottom of a shallow sea that covered much of the Midwest
. This limestone is entirely covered by glacial till
deposited during the Kansan glaciation
400,000 years ago. As those glaciers were retreating, a block of ice broke off and remained embedded in the till. The ice melted, forming a kettle which became Rice Lake. 10,000 years ago the more recent Wisconsin glaciation
missed Rice Lake, passing to the west of the park. Meltwater from that glacier eroded streambeds into the Kansan till.
Rice Lake is the headwaters of the South Branch, Middle Fork of the Zumbro River
. This east flowing stream was the lake's original outlet. After the Wisconsin glacier passed, the land to the west was lowered and a second outlet formed that flowed west into another watershed. This outlet feeds the Straight River
, a tributary of the Cannon River.
In historical times Rice Lake may have been as much as 55 feet (17 m) deep, but has filled in considerably due to human influence and the process of eutrophication
. Today Rice Lake is ringed with marsh vegetation. The marshy, shallow nature of the lake, as well as its being the only large lake in the area, make it ideal for migrating waterfowl. Whistling swans
, Canada
and snow geese
, diving duck
s, western
and pied-billed grebes
, and black terns
are frequent visitors.
The park lands are covered in a hardwood forest of maple
, basswood, elm
, and oak
, with some meadow openings. However this is not representative of the area's pre-settlement vegetation, which would have been oak savanna
with somewhat denser tree growth on the east side of the lake. The water buffered the eastern shore against wildfire
s burning in from the prairie to the southwest.
Wild rice
grows naturally in the lake, hence its English name. Native Americans
in the area harvested the rice as an important food source. The Treaty of Mendota
in 1851 opened up southern Minnesota to European settlement. In 1854 the town of Rice Lake arose on the northeast shore of the lake, along an important stagecoach
route. The town was expected to grow significantly for a rail line was planned to pass through, but the line was ultimately laid farther south and Rice Lake was soon abandoned. The one surviving structure from the town of Rice Lake is a Methodist
church built in 1857, which still stands in the northeast corner of the state park.
Rice Lake's other outlets were dammed and diked in the 1870s to channel more flow down the eastern outlet to power a mill in Wasioja
. Nevertheless the water level would periodically drop too low to run the mill, and it went out of business, later burning down in 1891. Most of the water control structures remained in place, however, limiting outflow and resulting in eutrophication
from accumulated agricultural runoff. Rice Lake grew progressively shallower as it filled in with dead vegetation.
In the 20th century Rice Lake became a recreational destination in the area, for although it was filling in, it was one of the few lakes in southeastern Minnesota. The Izaak Walton League
owned 50 acres (202,343 m²) on the north shore, and another fishing and hunting club owned other lakefront. In 1961 the newspaper editor in Claremont
, Dana Hinckley, sparked strong local interest in creating a state park around Rice Lake. The idea was appealing for several factors. Owatonna had lost part of Kaplan Woods State Park to construction of Interstate 35
, and the Owatonna swimming pool was crowded. Residents expected that the state would dredge Rice Lake to improve boating and swimming. With such support, legislation creating Rice Lake State Park passed in 1963. That same year the shrunken Kaplan Woods State Park was transferred to Owatonna as a city park, known today as Kaplan's Woods Parkway.
The actual purchase of lots from their various private owners proceeded more slowly than local enthusiasm would have indicated. Several owners were reluctant to sell, but by 1967 recreational facilities had been installed in the north central part of the park, mostly on the former Izaak Walton League property. Inholding
s have been acquired periodically over the years, but the dream of dredging Rice Lake proved unfeasible. Moreover the mud, algae, and leeches compromised the lake’s appeal as a swimming destination. However as Rice Lake has become less appealing for human activities, it has become more appealing to waterfowl. Rice Lake State Park has reinvented itself as a birdwatching
destination.
State park
State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the federated state level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, or recreational...
of Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, USA, just east of Owatonna
Owatonna, Minnesota
Owatonna is a city in Steele County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 25,599 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Steele County. Owatonna is home to the Steele County Fairgrounds, which hosts the Steele County Free Fair in August....
. Park lands entirely surround Rice Lake, an important stopping point for migrating waterfowl. The lake covers 750 acres (303.5 ha) with an average depth of 3 foot (0.9144 m).
Natural history
The park's bedrock is limestoneLimestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
laid down 500 million years ago as organic sediments settled to the bottom of a shallow sea that covered much of the Midwest
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
. This limestone is entirely covered by glacial till
Till
thumb|right|Closeup of glacial till. Note that the larger grains in the till are completely surrounded by the matrix of finer material , and this characteristic, known as matrix support, is diagnostic of till....
deposited during the Kansan glaciation
Kansan glaciation
The Kansan glaciation or Kansan glacial was glacial stage and part of an early conceptual climatic and chronological framework composed of four glacial and interglacial stages.-History:...
400,000 years ago. As those glaciers were retreating, a block of ice broke off and remained embedded in the till. The ice melted, forming a kettle which became Rice Lake. 10,000 years ago the more recent Wisconsin glaciation
Wisconsin glaciation
The last glacial period was the most recent glacial period within the current ice age occurring during the last years of the Pleistocene, from approximately 110,000 to 10,000 years ago....
missed Rice Lake, passing to the west of the park. Meltwater from that glacier eroded streambeds into the Kansan till.
Rice Lake is the headwaters of the South Branch, Middle Fork of the Zumbro River
Zumbro River
The Zumbro River is a tributary of the Mississippi River in the Driftless Area of southeastern Minnesota in the United States. It is about 50 mi long from the confluence of its principal tributaries and drains a watershed of 1,428 sq mi...
. This east flowing stream was the lake's original outlet. After the Wisconsin glacier passed, the land to the west was lowered and a second outlet formed that flowed west into another watershed. This outlet feeds the Straight River
Straight River (southern Minnesota)
The Straight River is a tributary of the Cannon River, 45 miles long, in southeastern Minnesota in the United States. Via the Cannon River, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining an area of approximately 450 square miles in an agricultural region.Its name is a...
, a tributary of the Cannon River.
In historical times Rice Lake may have been as much as 55 feet (17 m) deep, but has filled in considerably due to human influence and the process of eutrophication
Eutrophication
Eutrophication or more precisely hypertrophication, is the movement of a body of water′s trophic status in the direction of increasing plant biomass, by the addition of artificial or natural substances, such as nitrates and phosphates, through fertilizers or sewage, to an aquatic system...
. Today Rice Lake is ringed with marsh vegetation. The marshy, shallow nature of the lake, as well as its being the only large lake in the area, make it ideal for migrating waterfowl. Whistling swans
Bewick's Swan
The Tundra Swan is a small Holarctic swan. The two taxa within it are usually regarded as conspecific, but are also sometimes split into two species, Cygnus bewickii of the Palaearctic and the Whistling Swan, C. columbianus proper, of the Nearctic...
, Canada
Canada Goose
The Canada Goose is a wild goose belonging to the genus Branta, which is native to arctic and temperate regions of North America, having a black head and neck, white patches on the face, and a brownish-gray body....
and snow geese
Snow Goose
The Snow Goose , also known as the Blue Goose, is a North American species of goose. Its name derives from the typically white plumage. The genus of this bird is disputed...
, diving duck
Diving duck
The diving ducks, commonly called pochards or scaups, are a category of duck which feed by diving beneath the surface of the water. They are part of the diverse and very large Anatidae family that includes ducks, geese, and swans....
s, western
Western Grebe
The Western Grebe, , is a species in the grebe family of water birds. Folk names include "dabchick", "swan grebe" and "swan-necked grebe"....
and pied-billed grebes
Pied-billed Grebe
The Pied-billed Grebe is a species of the grebe family of water birds. Since the Atitlán Grebe, Podilymbus gigas, has become extinct, it is the sole extant member of the genus Podilymbus.-Description:...
, and black terns
Black Tern
The Black Tern, Chlidonias niger, is a small tern generally found in or near inland water in Europe and North America. As its name suggests, it has predominantly dark plumage.- Description :...
are frequent visitors.
The park lands are covered in a hardwood forest of maple
Maple
Acer is a genus of trees or shrubs commonly known as maple.Maples are variously classified in a family of their own, the Aceraceae, or together with the Hippocastanaceae included in the family Sapindaceae. Modern classifications, including the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group system, favour inclusion in...
, basswood, elm
Elm
Elms are deciduous and semi-deciduous trees comprising the genus Ulmus in the plant family Ulmaceae. The dozens of species are found in temperate and tropical-montane regions of North America and Eurasia, ranging southward into Indonesia. Elms are components of many kinds of natural forests...
, and oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
, with some meadow openings. However this is not representative of the area's pre-settlement vegetation, which would have been oak savanna
Oak savanna
An oak savanna is a type of savanna, or lightly forested grassland, where oaks are the dominant tree species. These savannas were maintained historically through wildfires set by lightning, grazing, low precipitation, poor soil, and/or fires set by Native Americans...
with somewhat denser tree growth on the east side of the lake. The water buffered the eastern shore against wildfire
Wildfire
A wildfire is any uncontrolled fire in combustible vegetation that occurs in the countryside or a wilderness area. Other names such as brush fire, bushfire, forest fire, desert fire, grass fire, hill fire, squirrel fire, vegetation fire, veldfire, and wilkjjofire may be used to describe the same...
s burning in from the prairie to the southwest.
Cultural history
Wild rice
Wild rice is four species of grasses forming the genus Zizania, and the grain which can be harvested from them. The grain was historically gathered and eaten in both North America and China...
grows naturally in the lake, hence its English name. Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
in the area harvested the rice as an important food source. The Treaty of Mendota
Treaty of Mendota
The Treaty of Mendota was signed in Mendota, Minnesota on August 5, 1851 between the United States federal government and the Sioux tribes of Minnesota ....
in 1851 opened up southern Minnesota to European settlement. In 1854 the town of Rice Lake arose on the northeast shore of the lake, along an important stagecoach
Stagecoach
A stagecoach is a type of covered wagon for passengers and goods, strongly sprung and drawn by four horses, usually four-in-hand. Widely used before the introduction of railway transport, it made regular trips between stages or stations, which were places of rest provided for stagecoach travelers...
route. The town was expected to grow significantly for a rail line was planned to pass through, but the line was ultimately laid farther south and Rice Lake was soon abandoned. The one surviving structure from the town of Rice Lake is a Methodist
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
church built in 1857, which still stands in the northeast corner of the state park.
Rice Lake's other outlets were dammed and diked in the 1870s to channel more flow down the eastern outlet to power a mill in Wasioja
Wasioja Township, Minnesota
Wasioja Township is a township in Dodge County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 963 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 36.1 square miles , all of it land.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were...
. Nevertheless the water level would periodically drop too low to run the mill, and it went out of business, later burning down in 1891. Most of the water control structures remained in place, however, limiting outflow and resulting in eutrophication
Eutrophication
Eutrophication or more precisely hypertrophication, is the movement of a body of water′s trophic status in the direction of increasing plant biomass, by the addition of artificial or natural substances, such as nitrates and phosphates, through fertilizers or sewage, to an aquatic system...
from accumulated agricultural runoff. Rice Lake grew progressively shallower as it filled in with dead vegetation.
In the 20th century Rice Lake became a recreational destination in the area, for although it was filling in, it was one of the few lakes in southeastern Minnesota. The Izaak Walton League
Izaak Walton League
The Izaak Walton League is an American environmental organization founded in 1922 that promotes natural resource protection and outdoor recreation. The organization was founded in Chicago, Illinois by a group of sportsmen who wished to protect fishing opportunities for future generations...
owned 50 acres (202,343 m²) on the north shore, and another fishing and hunting club owned other lakefront. In 1961 the newspaper editor in Claremont
Claremont, Minnesota
Claremont is a city in Dodge County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 548 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:...
, Dana Hinckley, sparked strong local interest in creating a state park around Rice Lake. The idea was appealing for several factors. Owatonna had lost part of Kaplan Woods State Park to construction of Interstate 35
Interstate 35
Interstate 35 is a north–south Interstate Highway in the central United States. I-35 stretches from Laredo, Texas, on the U.S.-Mexico border to Duluth, Minnesota, at Minnesota Highway 61 and 26th Avenue East. Many interstates used to have splits or spurs indicated with suffixed letters , but I-35...
, and the Owatonna swimming pool was crowded. Residents expected that the state would dredge Rice Lake to improve boating and swimming. With such support, legislation creating Rice Lake State Park passed in 1963. That same year the shrunken Kaplan Woods State Park was transferred to Owatonna as a city park, known today as Kaplan's Woods Parkway.
The actual purchase of lots from their various private owners proceeded more slowly than local enthusiasm would have indicated. Several owners were reluctant to sell, but by 1967 recreational facilities had been installed in the north central part of the park, mostly on the former Izaak Walton League property. Inholding
Inholding
An inholding is privately owned land inside the boundary of a national park, national forest, state park, or similar publicly owned, protected area...
s have been acquired periodically over the years, but the dream of dredging Rice Lake proved unfeasible. Moreover the mud, algae, and leeches compromised the lake’s appeal as a swimming destination. However as Rice Lake has become less appealing for human activities, it has become more appealing to waterfowl. Rice Lake State Park has reinvented itself as a birdwatching
Birdwatching
Birdwatching or birding is the observation of birds as a recreational activity. It can be done with the naked eye, through a visual enhancement device like binoculars and telescopes, or by listening for bird sounds. Birding often involves a significant auditory component, as many bird species are...
destination.
Recreation
- Boating: Boat launch. Due to shallowness, canoes and kayaks are recommended. Rental canoes available.
- Camping:
- Drive-in campground with 42 sites (16 with electrical hookups, 1 handicap accessible).
- 5 walk-in campsites.
- 4 cart-in campsites on lakeshore.
- 5 canoe-in campsites on south shore of lake.
- 2 group camps, for up to 40 and 20 people.
- Trails: The park has 4 miles (6 km) of hiking trails. In winter 3.5 miles (5.6 km) are groomed for cross-country skiing and 1.5 miles (2.4 km) for snowmobiling.
- Rice Lake is unsuited to fishing or swimming but Bullheads are predominate.