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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 05.b• .1` Public Works June 2012 Lc:Deo/Ile Storm Response and Cleanup Early on the morning of Tuesday, June 19, Lakeville experienced a strong, fast moving storm that came with high winds and hail. In many areas of the county it was no more than a nuisance. It had moved out of the area within an hour. In Lakeville, however, it left behind downed trees, blocked roads, and power outages. Initial reports of storm damage came into the Public Works Department before the storm had ended and crews from the Public Works and Parks Departments were out into the worst of the areas before 5:30 a.m. that morning. The initial work focused on opening up blocked streets and assessing damage. Most of the streets were opened by mid - morning with exceptions due to downed power lines. Once the extent of the damage was known, contractors and rental equipment were brought in to augment City staff. Areas that were hardest hit were the areas around Dodd Park, south of Dodd Boulevard, the downtown area, and areas north and east of Lakeville South High School. Some City facilities suffered minor LAKEVILLE PUBLIC WORKS Christopher Petree, Director June 2012 1 damage as well. Storm c .� response efforts for the week immediately following the storm focused . on removing downed trees and cleaning up neighborhoods. Cleanup efforts during the following week focused on removal of cut limbs and branches that were brought out to the curb by residents. A storm damage assessment is ongoing to check and remove tree limbs damaged by the storm and determine the health of trees that suffered minor damage. City staff continues to check storm water outfalls and drainage areas to ensure downed trees and limbs will not impede the flow of storm water. City crews have been through the damage areas at least twice to pick up or chip - trees and vegetation left at the curb side. Residents are asked to have all remaining limbs and branches at the curbside no later than Monday, July 9, for final pickup. After that time, residents must take storm damaged items to drop off areas outside of Lakeville. For the latest updates on the City's storm cleanup efforts, visit the City's website. + Water Main Installation The street reconstruction project in the Valley Park area is well under way. One of the first things accomplished was the replacement of the water main on Galaxie Way between Franchise Avenue and 167 Street. The contractor had two crews working on the replacement, removing the old 2 water main section by section and installing the new plastic water main in its place. As a section of pipe was laid, crews immediately backfilled and compacted the area. The importance of this water main replacement was highlighted as crews pulled out the old pipe revealing 17 repairs in this relatively short, almost 1,400 foot, run of pipe. Residents were supplied with temporary water from a hydrant outside the work zone hooked directly into their home system. In all, the water main replacement along Galaxie Way took 4 days to install the temporary water. supply, 2 days to remove and install the new main and 2 days to make service connections to the 21 residents. Another day was spent in bacteria testing to make sure the main was clean and ready to deliver potable water. • Rain Garden Installation Rain gardens are not new to Lakeville. The Environmental Resources staff has been recommending their installation and benefits for several years and has designed and installed gardens at various locations in the City, most recently at North Park. Rain gardens are small gardens designed to infiltrate storm water runoff. On the surface, it looks like an attractive garden, but the soils and plantings chosen reduce the total suspended solids (TSS), phosphorus, and bacteria in the storm water which helps to improve the quality of the water that returns to the watershed. The North Park rain garden is approximately 2,000 square feet and is designed to infiltrate the first '/" of rainfall from 90% of the adjacent parking lot. The City received a grant partnership from the Dakota County Soil and Water Conservation District, which covers 65% of the cost of the rain garden installation. At the North Park rain garden there are 7 River birch trees, 35 Red -osier dogwood shrubs, 200 Karl Forester grasses, 3 200 Little bluestem grasses, and 70 Black -eyed Susans. The Lakeville Rotary provided a generous donation for the purchase of most of the plants and assisted in planting a portion of the garden as well. The importance of rain gardens for Lakeville is their capacity for improving the quality of storm water as it enters the storm system, contributing to green infrastructure, and promoting a sustainable community. 4