Best Practice Action 19.1
GreenStep City Best Practices: Environmental Management
Surface Water No. 19
Improve local water bodies to sustain their long-term ecological function and community benefits.
Best Practice Action Detail
Best Practice Action 1
Consistently monitor surface water quality/clarity and report findings to community members.
- Learn more about the MPCA Citizen Lake and Citizen Stream Monitoring Programs and how community members can participate.
- Cities can reach out to find volunteers from schools/colleges, seniors, service/environmental groups, and can organize a community-wide event to collect stream/river samples.
- Water quality data is available from many sources including:
- Include light readings during monitoring, as this impacts the health of the aquatic ecosystem. Use the International Dark-Sky Association Accessible Applications for Measuring Light Pollution guide. See the GreenStep Dark Skies best practices for more.
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Confirm that a governmental entity (watershed district/organization, county, MPCA, DNR, MDH) is routinely sampling water quality/clarity in at least one location within the city/city’s watershed. |
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Post on the city website water quality/clarity data (or a link to data) available for the city/city’s watershed. |
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Recognize on the city website at least one person who is a volunteer water monitor, and assure that they are routinely sampling a river or lake or wetland in at least one location within the city/city’s watershed and sending results to the MPCA; include water quality data and descriptive narrative relevant to proposed projects that will be located in shoreland areas in staff reports for all land use applications (variances, CUPs, plats/PUDs, etc.). |
Who's doing it
Burnsville -
Date action report first entered:
Date of last report update:
Year action initially completed: 2018
Implementation details:
There are eight lakes within the City of Burnsville that are monitored by volunteers through the Metropolitan Council’s Citizen-Assisted Monitoring Program (CAMP). The volunteers collect water samples and water clarity and temperature data. The results are posted on Burnsville's website: https://www.burnsvillemn.gov/1598/Monitoring
Outcome measures/metrics/money saved:
Descriptive File: view file
Descriptive links: https://www.burnsvillemn.gov/1598/Monitoring
For more information contact:
Jason Ludwigson (Contractor) | JDLudwigson@gmail.com | 5073139633
Partners:
Hutchinson -
Date action report first entered:
Date of last report update:
Year action initially completed: 2003
Implementation details:
Our wastewater treatment facility volunteers to monitor 3 surface water sites through MPCA. These sites are monitored for clarity and other factors of quality. Samples are taken which are tested for pH and BOD. These findings are available on the MPCA website under Lake and stream water quality data.
Outcome measures/metrics/money saved:
Descriptive File:
Descriptive links: https://webapp.pca.state.mn.us/cmp/stations
For more information contact:
John Paulson (City staff) | jpaulson@ci.hutchinson.mn.us | 320-234-5682
Partners:
Plymouth -
Date action report first entered:
Date of last report update:
Year action initially completed: 2024
Implementation details:
Plymouth has a long history of monitoring surface water quality (since 2000 for some sites) and reports this information in our annual Surface Water Monitoring Report in June of each year for the prior year.
Outcome measures/metrics/money saved:
Descriptive File:
Descriptive links: https://www.plymouthmn.gov/departments/public-works/surface-water-resources/lakes-wetlands/water-quality-monitoring
For more information contact:
Ben Scharenbroich (City Staff) | bscharenbroich@plymouthmn.gov | 763-509-5527
Partners:
Coon Rapids -
Date action report first entered:
Date of last report update:
Year action initially completed: 2020
Implementation details:
The Coon Creek Watershed District and the Anoka Conservation District conduct monitoring/sampling in the city. We also have a lake area association (private residents) that monitor and perform projects on Crooked Lake (funded by the residents, grants, and cities of Andover & Coon Rapids).
Outcome measures/metrics/money saved:
Descriptive File:
Descriptive links:
For more information contact:
Olivia Dorow Hovland (City Staff) | odorowhovland@coonrapidsmn.gov | 763-767-6458
Partners:
Detroit Lakes -
Date action report first entered:
Date of last report update:
Year action initially completed: 2021
Implementation details:
PRWD does annual lake monitoring, including clarity and reports it to the public and LIDs.
Outcome measures/metrics/money saved:
Descriptive File:
Descriptive links:
For more information contact:
Kelcey Klemm (City Staff) | kklemm@cityofdetroitlakes.com | 2188475658
Partners:
Edina -
Date action report first entered:
Date of last report update:
Year action initially completed: 2012
Implementation details:
In partnership with our 2 watershed districts governing regions within City boundaries, the Nine-mile Creek Watershed District and Minnehaha Creek Watershed District provide and continuously document water quality and clarity monitoring data which is available to the public on each of the District's websites. Annual water monitoring reports are published each year and are made accessible to the public.
Outcome measures/metrics/money saved:
Descriptive File:
Descriptive links: https://www.ninemilecreek.org/whats-happening/lake-creek-monitoring/
For more information contact:
Grace Hancock (City Staff) | ghancock@edinamn.gov | (952)826-1621
Partners: Nine-mile Creek Watershed District, Minnehaha Creek Watershed District
Robbinsdale -
Date action report first entered:
Date of last report update:
Year action initially completed: Unknown
Implementation details:
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency routinely monitors water quality of the three lakes in Robbinsdale.
Outcome measures/metrics/money saved:
Descriptive File:
Descriptive links: https://arcg.is/DifbW
For more information contact:
Kayla Kirtz (City Staff) | kkirtz@ci.robbinsdale.mn.us | 763-233-5654
Partners: Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
Savage -
Date action report first entered:
Date of last report update:
Year action initially completed: 2000
Implementation details:
The City began monitoring the water quality in McColl Pond in 2020 and the City has been monitoring 4 stormwater ponds throughout the City starting in 2019. The Credit River and Eagle Creek are currently monitored by the Metropolitan Council since the early 200s. The City will evaluate the water quality data to help guide future decisions regarding the management and protection of its water resources.
Outcome measures/metrics/money saved:
The continuous monitoring at Eagle Creek and Credit River shows long-term water quality trends regarding stream flows and chlorides, which may make the City realize how changes in land use or land use practices might be impacting overall stream health, etc.
Descriptive File:
Descriptive links: Eagle Creek Monitoring Station: https://eims.metc.state.mn.us/Site/EA0008
Credit River Monitoring Station: https://eims.metc.state.mn.us/Site/CR0009
For more information contact:
Jesse Carlson (City Staff) | jcarlson@cityofsavage.com | 9528822686
Partners: Metropolitan Council, Scott Soil and Water Conservation District
West Saint Paul -
Date action report first entered:
Date of last report update:
Year action initially completed: 2018 plan published
Implementation details:
Local Surface Water Management Plan (Of 2040 plan)
Assessments and monitoring in stormwater basins and local ponds/lakes; See comprehensive plan
Assessments and monitoring in stormwater basins and local ponds/lakes; See comprehensive plan
Outcome measures/metrics/money saved:
Descriptive File:
Descriptive links: https://www.wspmn.gov/Search?searchPhrase=2018+Local+Surface+Water+Management+Plan+(pdf)
For more information contact:
Kristy Otte (Community Volunteer) | dr.otte2013@gmail.com | 6512076303
Partners:
Greenstep Advisor
Daniel Petrik, Land Use Specialist, MN Dept. of Natural Resources: 651/259-5697, Daniel.Petrik@state.mn.us