Lake Aesthetic and User Recreation Index
for Lake Hiawatha
The 55-acre lake in the 266-acre park has a fishing dock and a beach. The park is a popular choice for soccer, softball, horseshoes, basketball and tennis.
Lake Hiawatha has low aquatic plant growth and excellent aesthetics but doesn’t meet the criteria for a public beach.
The Lake Aesthetic and User Recreation Index (LAURI) was developed by the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board to give the public information about the recreational suitability of Minneapolis lakes In 2009 the LAURI was changed to give a more accurate, and science based indicator for the public.
The revised LAURI has five indices:
The LAURI was developed to provide recreational users with an additional source of information about the status of MPRB lakes. Aesthetics can be difficult to evaluate since they are dependent on one’s own experience and preferences. But LAURI provides lake users with an easily understandable recreational suitability indicator for MPRB lakes that incorporates aesthetics and the health of the lake. Data is collected during the growing season (May to September).
