Autumn Wetland Basin Near Lake Minnetonka

Autumn Wetland Basin Near Lake Minnetonka
An overhead view of a small wetland basin in Deephaven shows the transition into late fall around Lake Minnetonka. Seasonal drawdown has exposed the cracked mudflats around the pond’s edge, while a layer of duckweed or algae collects in the remaining water at the center — a common pattern in shallow basins fed by spring runoff and intermittent groundwater. Surrounding hardwoods and pines move through peak color, forming the dense forest cover typical of the Minnetonka shoreline communities, where preserved ravines, lowlands, and wooded parcels give the area its distinctive mix of lakefront development and natural habitat.

An overhead view of a small wetland basin in Deephaven shows the transition into late fall around Lake Minnetonka. Seasonal drawdown has exposed the cracked mudflats around the pond’s edge, while a layer of duckweed or algae collects in the remaining water at the center — a common pattern in shallow basins fed by spring runoff and intermittent groundwater. Surrounding hardwoods and pines move through peak color, forming the dense forest cover typical of the Minnetonka shoreline communities, where preserved ravines, lowlands, and wooded parcels give the area its distinctive mix of lakefront development and natural habitat.

Cottagewood, Deephaven, Minnesota, United States of America
Photo taken in October 2022. © Chad Davis