Lake Minnetonka reached a record 931.11 feet on June 23, 2014, and the dam at Gray's Bay could not control the level for 83 days. Rising lake water is flood, which standard homeowners policies generally exclude; falling rain damage may differ. Ask your insurer in writing what your own policy says.
Key takeaways
- Lake Minnetonka's record level is 931.11 feet, reached on June 23, 2014, more than seven inches above the previous record, according to Minnehaha Creek Watershed District reporting and news coverage.
- The Gray's Bay Dam could not control the lake for 83 consecutive days in 2014, a wake restriction covered the whole lake, and basements flooded and roads went under water.
- Minnesota Department of Commerce guidance, as relayed by news outlets, says standard homeowners policies do not cover flood from rising surface water, while damage from falling rain may be covered; your policy wording decides.
- A separate flood policy has a 30-day waiting period, per a Commerce release as reprinted, so it cannot be bought after the water is already rising.
- This page tells you what to ask an insurer, not what a policy covers; neither this site nor Plymouth Water Damage Restoration can promise a claim outcome.
What happened on Lake Minnetonka in June 2014?
Lake Minnetonka peaked at a record 931.11 feet on June 23, 2014, more than seven inches above the previous record. The dam at Gray's Bay could not control the level for 83 consecutive days, a lakewide wake restriction followed, and basements flooded and roads went under, per watershed district and news reports.
The figures on this page come from search-result snippets of the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District's 2014 flood report and of news coverage, not from a full reading of those documents. They agree with each other on the record level and on the length of the high-water period, and those are the only numbers we print.
A level of 931.11 feet is a height above sea level, not a depth of water in a yard. How much water reaches a particular house depends on how far its lowest floor sits above the lake, how close it is to the shore and what the ground and drainage do between the two. The record tells you what the lake can do. It does not tell you what happened on any given street, and we do not have sourced damage totals for individual lake cities, so we do not offer any.
Why can a lake stay high for weeks after the rain stops?
A lake rises when more water flows in than flows out, and the outflow is limited by the dam and the creek below it. Lake Minnetonka drains through the Gray's Bay Dam toward Minnehaha Creek, and in 2014 the dam could not control levels for 83 straight days.
A lake is slow. Rain falls on a large surrounding watershed and arrives through streams, storm sewers and groundwater for days afterward. The outlet can only pass so much water, and a creek downstream has its own limits. When inflow stays above outflow, the level climbs, and when the two come back into balance, it falls slowly.
The same slow movement shows up underground. High lake and creek levels raise the water table nearby, and basements below that level can seep through floors and wall joints and push sump pumps harder. Nobody has to see lake water in a yard for a basement to take water. That is the reason a lakeside neighbourhood can have wet lower levels while the street above looks fine.
Is flood damage the same as rain damage for insurance?
No. In Minnesota Department of Commerce guidance as relayed in the news, flood means rising surface water, which standard homeowners policies do not cover, while damage from falling rain may be covered. Which category a loss falls into, and what your policy says about it, is something to ask your insurer.
The distinction is about where the water came from and how it arrived, not how bad it looks. Lake water that rises over a shoreline and enters a house is rising surface water. Rain that falls through a damaged roof or is driven through a window is falling water. A sump pump that fails during a storm and a sewer that backs up are different again, and standard policies usually treat those as exclusions unless an endorsement was added.
Lake Minnetonka high water is the clearest illustration. It is a natural, slow-moving flood event, not a burst pipe. That is the reason this page spends more time on the questions to ask than on any claim of coverage. We do not read policies, and a policy can differ from the general guidance in ways that matter.
Language matters too. The Commerce tips relayed through a legislator's newsletter advise being careful about the word flood when describing a loss to an insurer, and about describing exactly what happened. That is not about gaming a claim. It is about not mislabelling a falling-rain or pipe loss as something it was not. Describe the water source plainly and let the insurer classify it.
| Water source | How such losses are commonly described | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Lake or river water rising onto the property | Flood (rising surface water) | Do I have a flood policy, and when did it take effect? |
| Rain falling through a damaged roof or window | Falling rain, which may be covered | Does my policy cover wind-driven rain, and does the opening have to be storm-caused? |
| Meltwater seeping through a foundation | Often treated as surface or ground water | How does my policy classify seepage through walls and floors? |
| Sump pump failure or sewer backup | Usually excluded unless an endorsement was added | Do I have a water backup endorsement, and what is its limit? |
| Burst or frozen pipe | Typically a covered type of loss, with conditions | What heat or occupancy conditions apply to my policy? |
| Ice dam water entering the house | Water entering from the roof; classification varies | How does my policy treat ice dam leaks, and what documentation do you want? |
What does the 30-day flood policy waiting period mean?
A Commerce release, as reprinted, says flood policies have a 30-day waiting period before they take effect. That means a policy bought when the lake is already rising generally will not respond to that event. Anyone living near a lake or creek should ask about flood cover during a dry month, not a wet one.
The waiting period is the single most practical fact in this guide, because it cannot be fixed after the fact. A person who notices high water on a Tuesday and calls an agent on Wednesday is calling too late to be covered for that rise. The time to ask is in winter, or any quiet stretch, well before spring melt and summer storms.
We saw the 30 days only in a reprinted Commerce release and did not open the federal flood program's own pages, so confirm the current rules and the cost of a policy with an agent. We have no sourced prices for Minnesota flood policies and print none.
One headline we saw put the share of Minnesota homes with flood insurance at about half of one percent. We could not verify that figure and do not rely on it. What we can say without a number is that many homeowners assume cover they do not have, which is the reason the question is worth asking.
What should you ask your insurer or agent about lake and creek exposure?
Ask whether your policy excludes flood, whether a separate flood policy is available for your address, how long it takes to take effect, and whether you have a water backup endorsement. Put the questions in writing, keep the replies and ask for a claim number as soon as any loss is reported.
Agents answer plain questions well, so put them plainly. These are written for a homeowner with a lower level or walkout near a lake, creek or pond, and none of them assumes a particular answer.
- Does my homeowners policy exclude flood or rising surface water, and where does it say so?
- Is a flood policy available for my address, and does anything about the property change that?
- How long is the waiting period, and what date would a policy start if I applied today?
- Do I have a water backup or sump overflow endorsement, and what is its limit?
- What does my policy say about seepage through foundation walls and floors?
- What documentation do you want after a loss: photographs, moisture readings, receipts, a drying log?
- Does the insurer have to approve the work before it starts, and does it pay a restoration company directly?
- If my lower level is finished, how does the policy treat flooring, drywall, built-ins and personal property there?
What happens inside a house when lake or high groundwater arrives?
Floodwater carries soil and bacteria, so porous materials it touches, such as carpet, pad, insulation and drywall, are usually removed, not dried in place. Structural drying then runs until framing and slab reach dry levels. The EPA advises drying water-damaged materials within 24 to 48 hours, which is hard to meet when water keeps coming back.
Lake water and floodwater are not clean. They pick up sediment, fuel, fertiliser and whatever else was on the ground, and a restoration company treats them as contaminated. The practical result is that porous materials in contact with them are usually cut out and discarded, and hard surfaces are cleaned and disinfected before drying begins.
Safety comes first. Water near electrical outlets, panels and appliances can energise a room, and fuel-burning equipment and its controls can be damaged by submersion. Stay out of a flooded lower level until power to it is off, and ask the utility or an electrician for help if the panel itself is wet. Plumbing and electrical repairs must be done by licensed trades.
Drying is the part people underestimate. The EPA advises drying water-damaged materials within 24 to 48 hours to head off mold, but that clock assumes the water stops. During a long high-water period, it may not. Pumping a basement while the lake outside is still above the floor is a temporary measure, because groundwater can refill it, and a crew will often tell you to wait on rebuild work until levels fall. Our structural drying and flood damage cleanup pages explain the process.
After drying, mold is the next risk. The guide on mold after water damage in Minnesota covers assessment, scope and what to ask.
How does this apply to Plymouth and the nearby lakes?
Plymouth is not on Lake Minnetonka, but it borders Medicine Lake and has Parkers Lake inside the city, and several communities we serve sit on Minnetonka itself. For Medicine Lake, a 2020 watershed review gave a 100-year floodplain elevation of 890.4 feet, with new lowest floors required two feet above it.
Plymouth began as a planned town on Parkers Lake, and a flood in 1857 destroyed that pioneer settlement, according to a local history. The city today is mostly 1970s-onward suburb and the water issues are more often basements, sump pumps and storm drainage than shoreline. We have no sourced Plymouth flood map information and give none.
Communities in our service area on or close to Lake Minnetonka include Wayzata, Excelsior, Spring Park, Mound and Minnetonka Beach. We have no sourced city-level damage figures for any of them from 2014 and do not suggest otherwise. Lakeshore owners there are the people for whom the questions above matter most. For basement water that has nothing to do with the lake, the guide to wet basements in the spring thaw is the better starting point.
What should you document and when should you call?
Photograph the water line and damaged contents before moving anything, note dates and times, keep receipts, and report the loss to your insurer promptly. If water is in the house, call a restoration company right away; crews are dispatched around the clock as fast as one is available.
Good records help in any claim. Take wide and close photographs, including the water line on walls, the make and model of damaged appliances and a list of belongings. Keep a simple diary of who you spoke to and when. Ask the insurer for a claim number, as the Commerce tips advise, and write it on everything.
Do not throw away damaged items before the insurer has had the chance to see them or has told you it does not need to. Photographs are usually the minimum, and some items are worth keeping a sample of.
When water is inside the house, call (833) 490-5225. Plymouth Water Damage Restoration connects callers with an independent local licensed company, and crews are dispatched as fast as one is available, day or night. We cannot promise an arrival time or tell you what an insurer will do. Ask the company for its price in writing before work begins, and ask what it needs from you for the insurer.
Frequently asked questions
How high did Lake Minnetonka get in 2014?
It peaked at 931.11 feet on June 23, 2014, a record more than seven inches above the previous one, according to Minnehaha Creek Watershed District reporting and news coverage. The Gray's Bay Dam could not control levels for 83 consecutive days, and a lakewide wake restriction followed.
Does homeowners insurance cover lake flooding?
In Minnesota Department of Commerce guidance as relayed in the news, standard homeowners policies do not cover flood from rising surface water. A separate flood policy is the usual route. Your own policy wording decides, so ask your insurer in writing what it excludes.
How long does a flood policy take to start?
A Commerce release, as reprinted, gives a 30-day waiting period. That means a policy bought as water is rising generally will not respond to that event, so ask an agent about flood cover during a quiet stretch.
Is rain damage covered when flood damage is not?
Commerce guidance as relayed says damage from falling rain may be covered where rising flood water is not. Whether your loss qualifies depends on how the water entered and on your policy. Describe the source plainly to the insurer and let it classify the loss.
Can a basement flood when the lake is not at my house?
Yes. High lake and creek levels can raise the water table nearby, and water can seep through floors and wall joints or overwhelm a sump pump. Seeing no lake water in the yard does not mean the lower level is safe.
Can you tell me what my claim will pay?
No. Neither this site nor Plymouth Water Damage Restoration can promise or predict an insurance outcome. We can connect you with an independent local licensed company and suggest questions to ask, but the policy and the insurer decide coverage.
Sources
This guide is general information for Hennepin County homeowners, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. Prices are estimates. See our disclaimer.