Organizations with which to work include a Lake Improvement District, a watershed district, a watershed management organization, a Soil and Water Conservation District, the county water planning office, a county ditch authority, Minnesota Extension, MN Dept. of Natural Resource, MN Pollution Control Agency, and Minnesota Waters.
Lake improvement targets include measures such as trophic state, pollutant levels (including TMDLs), storm/ditch drainages, health measures, water levels, invasive species, public access standards, and recreational carrying capacity. See a 2003 carrying capacity study from Wisconsin's Lake Ripley.
The NEMO program (Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials) lists two dozen staff who are available to work with cities.
Work with other organizations to determine quantitative/qualitative targets for lakes, streams, wetlands.
Report at least annually to community members on targets - which must include more than TMDLs - and the status of achieving them. Report use of citizen volunteer lake/stream monitors and the Wetland Health Evaluation Program volunteer monitors.
Report at least three years improvements toward the targets.
Implementation details: The City of Burnsville participates with the cities of Apple Valley, Lakeville, Eagan and Savage on the Black Dog Water Management Organization (BDWMO).
The organization is active with surface water management issues in the areas of these cities covered by the BDWMO. The BDWMO covers 17,730 acres or 27.7 sq. miles and 72% of the watershed lies within the City of Burnsville.
The City of Burnsville also has participants in CAMP. The Citizen-Assisted Monitoring Program (CAMP) is an Metropolitan Council Environmental Services--managed program for which citizen volunteers monitor the water quality of Twin Cities metro area. A total of 160 CAMP lakes were monitored in 2005.
In Burnsville, the following lakes are monitored: Alimagnet, Crystal, Earley, Keller, (South) Twin, Wood, and Sunset Pond. On a bi-weekly basis (April-October), each volunteer collects a surface water sample for laboratory analysis of total phosphorus, nitrogen, and chlorophyll-a, obtains a Secchi transparency measurement, and provides some user perception information about the lake's physical and recreational condition. The main purpose of CAMP is to provide the City with water quality information that will not only help us properly manage these resources, but will also help document water quality impacts and trends. Volunteers also increase their awareness of their lake's condition and some are even compelled to take a more active approach in protecting and managing their lakes.
For over nine years, Burnsville citizen volunteers have monitored wetlands through the Wetland Health Evaluation Program (WHEP), a nationally recognized program that operates primarily in Dakota and Hennepin Counties. Through the program, volunteer groups collect vital information about wetland health, including biological indicators such as vegetation and macroinvertebrates (tiny animals without backbones). Because of the programs strong protocol design and training, WHEP has been extremely successful at providing quality data to Burnsville and to the Pollution Control Agency. It also provides a unique educational experience for volunteers of all levels. For more information, visit the WHEP website.
The City of Burnsville also works with Lake Associations within Burnsville to determine water quality goals.
The water "grades", clarity levels, and other goals can be found in the Water Resources Management Plan attached. Additionally, the City publishes the status of water resources annually in the city newsletter, and also provides updates to the lake associations and watershed organizations.
Implementation details: The City of Austin works closely with the Cedar River Watershed District and local conservation groups in promoting and facilitating citizen education and shoreland and water quality management.
For more information contact: Janet Anderson (Elected official) | jkanderson@gofast.am | 507-433-1081
Implementation details: The City of Elk River works extensively with the Lake Orono Improvement Association on events, shoreland and water management, and citizen education. Elk River's "Environment Bound" television show has featured episodes about improving Lake Orono's water quality.
For more information contact: Rebecca Haug (City staff) | rhaug@ElkRiverMN.gov | 763-635-1068
Implementation details: In the Surface Waters Management plan the city lays out a goal of getting the impaired lakes within the area off of the Minnesota Pollution Control Impaired waters list.
Implementation details: THE MINNESOTA POLLUTION CONTROL AGENCY (MPCA) PREPARES TOTAL MAXIMUM DAILY REPORTS (TMDLs) THAT ASSIGN WASTE LOAD ALLOCATIONS (WLAs) FOR POLLUTANTS OF CONCERN TO POINT SOURCES DISCHARGING TO THE IMPAIRED WATER BODIES. THE CITY OF ROCHESTER IS A REGULATED POINT SOURCE BY VIRTURE OF ITS MUNICIPAL SEPARATE STORM SEWER SYSTEM (MS4) PERMIT AND MUST IMPLEMENT WASTE LOAD REDUCTIONS TO MEET THE WLA. AT THIS TIME, THROUGH ITS MS4 PERMIT, THE CITY OF ROCHESTER IS SUBJECT TO LOAD REDUCTIONS FOR FECAL COLIFORM BACTERIA. WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR, IT WILL ALSO BE SUBJECT TO LOAD REDUCTIONS FOR TURBIDITY.
Implementation details: The City of St. Anthony works with Three Rivers Park District, RCWD, MWMO, Ramsey Conservation District, and the Silver Lake Homeowners Association to acheive water quality improvements at Silver Lake. The City annually provides a public meeting to present and solicite public input into their surface water management activities.
Implementation details: Yes. The MS4 permit from the MN Pollution Control Agency regulates stormwater discharge within the City. Annual reports and updates are submitted to both the State and given a hearing before the City Council.
For more information contact: Jessica Schaum (City staff) | jschaum@shoreviewmn.gov | 651-490-4665
Implementation details: The City follows TMDL requirements of its 4 watersheds, and regularly works toward improving water quality, and reducing our load. TMDL loads are reported to the public in the City's storm water pollution prevention program. Water quality communication and education is provided to residents in the storm water pollution prevention program, as well as in our bi-annual environmental newsletter.
Implementation details: The City of Woodbury and the three watershed districts with jurisdiction in the city, Ramsey Washington Metro Watershed District, South Washington Watershed District and Valley Branch Watershed District, all have adopted Surface Water Management Plans with goals for water bodies. The city has adopted numeric goals and reports the annual “lake grade” based on lake monitoring of the city lakes on the city website. The adopted goals should also be sufficient to address any impairments for lakes that are currently listed as impaired by the MPCA.
Implementation details: St. Cloud is an active member of the Central Minnesota Water Education Alliance (CMWEA) providing education outreach to promote water quality stewardship. It is a coalition of central Minnesota cities, counties and other organizations working in concert to provide consistent water quality educational message in a cost-effective manner. The ongoing public education campaign includes rain barrel sale, a video contest, a water blog, eco-graffiti, and a number of other innovative educational efforts.
Successful implementation of a lake or river management plan will achieve, at a minimum:
Increased and managed native vegetation in the shoreline zone.
Improved water quality.
Reduction of aquatic invasive species.
Increased or maintained healthy fish stocks.
Stabilized or increased property values and property tax receipts for the city. See a 2003 Bemidji State University study and discussion of property value increases per shoreland foot per increased foot of lake clarity.
Conversations and reporting about local water quality can result in potentially far-reaching benefits:
Better relationships among community members including farmers and outdoor enthusiasts.
Development of a common community vision grounded in trust among community members and focusing on a sustainable built and natural environment, and on sustainable land use.
Improved natural resource quality and tourism.
Optional for all cities
All Category A, B and C cities that have at least one public water body within their boundaries subject to Minnesota shoreland rules and that choose to implement this best practice must complete action 4 and at least one additional action.
All Category A, B and C cities that have no public water body within their boundaries subject to Minnesota shoreland rules and that choose to implement this best practice must complete at least one action.
summary
A city, working with another unit of government such as a watershed district, can take direct actions to improve the water quality of lakes, streams and wetlands within its boundaries. Implementing an existing TMDL implementation plan is one example. In addition, a number of other action options are found in other GreenStep best practices, for example, in the Stormwater Management best practice. And a number of actions to improve water quality are required through Minnesota's regulatory agencies.
In some cities and for some water bodies, however, the actions of shoreland owners and nearby farmers will be the most effective means toward water quality improvement, which bolsters property values and property tax receipts for the city. This best practice focuses on building community capacity for public involvement in watershed projects, where the city supports actions taken by local lake or river associations, farmers, city residents and other businesses.
greenstep advisor
Daniel Petrik, Land Use Specialist, MN Dept. of Natural Resources: 651/259-5697, Daniel.Petrik@state.mn.us
connection to state Policy
In 2008 the Minnesota State Legislature formally established the Star Lakes and Rivers program, which is now run by an independent board.
As TMDL (total maximum daily load) allocations for pollutants are established for specific water bodies in the state, implementation of this best practice is one means of implementing the TMDL plan to improve the water body.
The 2007 Minnesota Legislature directed the MN Dept. of Natural Resources to update statewide minimum shoreland development standards. Local government units (counties, cities, and towns) are responsible for the implementation, administration, and enforcement of shoreland management standards through their planning and zoning controls.
Minnesota Statutes allow local citizen initiatives to create lake improvement districts with taxing authority in order to address specific concerns within a lake watershed that cannot be addressed under normal governmental actions.
no. 19 
Best Practice Action 3
Successful implementation of a lake or river management plan will achieve, at a minimum: