Do you see that shimmer on the water? That’s Gem Lake. This unique basin sits in the southeast corner of VLAWMO. I want to tell you about this jewel of a city.
Gem Lake truly lives up to its name. It’s ideally located close to downtown St. Paul and Minneapolis. The city was incorporated in 1959. Since then, there has been a tradition of protecting local history. The city also protects its natural environment.
Gem Lake’s quiet residential neighborhoods are appealing. Its thriving commercial district makes it a special place. It is great to live and work in Gem Lake. Residents are just minutes from recreation. They are close to shopping, restaurants, and entertainment venues. Families have a wide choice of public and private schools.
The Gem Lake subwatershed is interesting. It does not drain outside its boundary. Water falling in the Gem Lake subwatershed stays there. It doesn’t drain to any other area within VLAWMO. The south end of Gem Lake is wetland. The north gets as deep as 14 feet. It exhibits deep lake characteristics.
Keep in mind that the lake is completely surrounded by private property. There is no public access to Gem Lake. Monitoring has been performed on the lake since 2005. Water quality has increased by a good margin since 2009. There has been a decrease in total phosphorus and chlorophyll A.
It is believed that Highway 61 road reconstruction improved stormwater inflow. This would have increased Gem Lake’s water quality. As of 2018, Gem Lake has been delisted from the Minnesota state impaired waters list.
According to the 2020 census, the population was 528. The city has a total area of 1.14 square miles. 1.08 square miles is land. 0.06 square miles is water.
The residents here value their city. They work hard to maintain its beauty. The unique City of Gem Lake is a great place to visit. It’s a great place to call home. It is truly a jewel of Minnesota.