DNR Authorizies Removal of Illegal Dam

According to an email, address to Ted Young from Minnesota DNR area Hydrologist, Cliff Bentley, the dam located at the outlet of Poplar Lake is clearly illegal and as such should be remove. Bentley's email is as follows:

"Ted, This is a follow-up to our telephone conversation in
which we discussed the removal of an illegal waterway obstruction on Poplar Lake
in Cook County. The obstruction is located at the SE end of the lake where
it outlets into a bay known as Little Ollie Lake. The obstruction serves as a dam
between the main body of Poplar Lake and the Little Ollie bay, and was
constructed without DNR Waters authorization by placing rocks held together with
concrete between two peninsulas of land.

As of this date the DNR has not been able to determine who is responsible for the illegal construction of the dam. As we discussed, since the dam is illegal and would not have been authorized if a permit had been applied for, it should be removed.

We are attempting to identify the responsible party and require that they
perform the removal. Until that time, you and/or Jim Ross (or anyone with an
inclination to do so) are free to remove the dam as long as you do not trespass
on private property in order to reach the structure.P lease note that I am only
advising you that it is not illegal to remove the structure, I am not suggesting
or recommending that you do so. If you were to decide to remove the structure,
all non-natural material (ie, concrete) should be removed from the lake and
disposed of in an appropriate manner (not on the adjacent private
property).

Cliff Bentley DNR Waters - Area Hydrologist1568 Highway 2Two Harbors, MN
55616phone: (218) 834-6623fax : (218) 834-6639e-mail: cliff.bentley@dnr.state.mn.us."

On the strength of this email, several Little Ollie Lake property owners have agreed to remove the dam if the person responsible for it is not apprehended shortly.