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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019 Env. Resources Annual ReportIndex Preface: 2019 Grant Dollars Received I. Projects • Urban Water Conservation Program • South Creek Restoration at Hamburg Ave • South Creek Hydrodynamic Separator • Woodland Management with Goats at East Community Woods • Organics Drop Site II. Lake Management • Citizen Assisted Monitoring Program • Prevention and Control of Aquatic Invasive Species • East Lake Carp Assessment • Annual Lake Studies III. Lake Updates • Lake Marion • Orchard Lake IV. Education and Volunteer Activities • Youth Outreach and Activities • Outreach and Volunteer Activities • Watershed Cleanup Day and Earth Day Celebration V. Miscellaneous • Natural Area Maintenance • Waste Reduction Activities • Wetland Conservation Act • Erosion and Sediment Control and Stormwater Management 2019 Grant Dollars Received Project Partner(s) Dollars Received Funding Source Irrigation Audits Vermillion River Joint Powers Organization (VRWJPO) $2,590 VRWJPO South Creek Restoration at Hamburg Ave VRWJPO, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MnDNR) $254,010 MnDNR Conservation Partners Legacy Grant Hydrodynamic Separator VRWJPO, Board of Water and Soil Resources $222,000 Clean Water Fund Organics Drop Site Dakota County $54,883 Dakota County Citizen Assisted Monitoring Program Metropolitan Council, Black Dog Watershed Management Organization (Black Dog WMO) $1,520 Black Dog WMO Prevention and Control of Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Dakota County $19,527 Dakota County AIS Grant East Lake Carp Assessment Dakota County, VRWJPO $10,072 Dakota County AIS Grant and VRWJPO Total Grant Dollars Received $564,602 I. Projects 2019 was the second year of the Urban Water Conservation Program—an initiative to reduce urban water usage by optimizing private irrigation system efficiency through a partnership with the Vermillion River Watershed Joint Powers Organiza- tion (VRWJPO). This year, the program was expanded to complete irrigation audits on four homeowners associations (HOAs). In addition, those HOAs that participat- ed in the 2018 Program, were able to request cost-share dollars (up to $2,000) to implement high water saving system improvements. Audits included reviewing system components (controllers, sprinkler heads, rain sensing technology) and scheduling practices. Following the audits, HOAs were provided a list of items that could be implemented to: 1) Preserve water within local groundwater aquifers 2) Reduce the potential for pollutants to enter area waters through runoff 3) Save annual HOA irrigation costs. Overview City of Lakeville: $5,665 Vermillion River JPO: $2,590 HOA Cost: $1,230 _________________________ Project Cost: $9,485 Funding Practices  Water conservation  Sustainable suburban landscapes  Civic engagement and education Project Benefits  Protection of groundwater supplies  Reduced need for City infrastructure additions  Reduction in stormwater needing treatment  Reduced private irrigation costs Partners  VRWJPO  Bracketts Crossing HOA  Dodd Marsh HOA  Fieldstone Creek HOA  Rock Island HOA  Century Ridge HOA  Orchard Meadows HOA Contractor  BNR Irrigation Services Timeline  Audits conducted Aug.– Sept., 2019  Improvements implemented by Sept. 2020 One broken sprinkler head can waste thousands of gallons of water per week Legend Municipal Boundary Transportation Interstate County Audit Participant^_ Stream Lake Public Waterway Vermillion River Watershed F (Left) Sprinkler heads that are misaligned waste water while not watering the intended landscape. Universally, the audit contractor recommended HOAs modify irrigation contracts to include proactive system maintenance to avoid these types of system malfunctions. (Above) At Dodd Marsh HOA, installing a smart controller on their irrigation system could yield an estimated 22% water use reduction with a return on investment (ROI) of 1.5-2 years. (Above) At Rock Island HOA, fixing sprinkler heads that were found during the audit to be broken/ malfunctioning could yield an estimated 10% water use reduction with an ROI of 1.25 years. (Above) At Fieldstone Creek HOA, installing a smart controller, fixing broken/malfunctioning sprinkler heads and rebuilding zones to de- fine scheduling for varying microclimates could yield an estimated 45% water use reduction with a ROI of <1 year. (Above) Sprinklers watering non- maintained vegetation account for sig- nificant water waste. (Right) At Bracketts Crossing HOA, installing a smart controller on their irrigation system could yield an estimated 22% reduction with an ROI of 3.5-5 years. Through a partnership with the Vermillion River Watershed Joint Powers Organization (VRWJPO), the City restored approximately 1,400 linear feet of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) designated trout stream near the intersection of Hamburg Ave and Lakeville Blvd. In addition, six acres of previously cropped agricultural land was converted to native vegetation to provide an enhanced stream buffer. Restoration and stabilization was achieved using bioengineering, limiting the need to obtain materials from offsite. Overview Practices  Stream restoration  Water quality enhancement  Fisheries protection  Habitat creation Benefits  Nonpoint pollution reduction (sediment and phosphorus)  Promotion of trout populations  Promotion of pollinator habitat  Restoration of an impaired water Partners  VRWJPO  MN DNR Contractor  Wenck Engineering  Sunram Construction Timeline  Construction initiation— August  Final stabilization— September Project made possible with funding assistance from Minnesota’s Clean Water Fund 3 Funding City of Lakeville: $38,950 Grant funding: $282,000 ______________________ Project Cost: $320,950 3 1 2 1 2 (Below) Root wads and tree pins stabilize previously eroding channel banks. (Left) Prior to the restoration, debris had obstructed the natural stream flow path and the channel did not have fixed, stabilized banks. (Below) A rock dam was installed to return the channel to a more natural flow path and provide additional trout spawning habitat. (Above) Tree pins positioned in the channel slow water, direct flow and provide fish habitat. Rip rap installed in the drainageway that enters that discharges to the stream settles sediment from the water column. (Left and Right) High flows under the Hamburg Ave culvert eroded and overwidened the channel. Brush mattresses, sourced onsite, were installed and seeded to stabilize the channel and provide fish habitat. Before Channel bypass facilitates erosion After Rock dam promotes channel sinuosity Rock riffle slows water, adds oxygen and provides habitat Through a partnership with the Vermillion River Watershed Joint Powers Organization (VRWJPO), the City implemented a hydrodynamic separator near the intersection of Lakeville Blvd and Heron Way. This stormwater water quality device settles out suspended solids (sediment) to increase water clarity within the downstream DNR classified trout stream, South Creek. The device is projected to remove 7,200 lbs of sediment per year of operation. Phosphorus attached to sediment particles is also removed as part of the water quality treatment. Overview Funding City of Lakeville: $ 56,000 Grant funding: $ 222,000 ____________________ Project Cost: $ 278,000 Practices  Stormwater retrofit  Enhancement of South Creek riparian corridor  TMDL reductions Benefits  Nonpoint pollution reduction  Protection of trout stream  Protection of unimpaired water (South Creek) Partners  Vermillion River Watershed Joint Powers Organization  Board of Water and Soil Resources Contractor  Peterson Companies, Inc. Timeline  Project implemented Fall, 2019 Project made possible with funding assistance from Minnesota’s Clean Water Fund Legend Municipal Boundary Lake Stream Public Waterway Vermillion River Watershed Project Location Transportation Interstate County F Device can hold up to 8.7 yd3 of sediment South Creek is the only trout stream in Lakeville! (Above) Well points were installed to dewater the area for device installation. (Above) The new structure is connected to the existing 72” pipe via the above 30” pipe. (Left) An example drawing showing the overall function of the hydrodynamic separator. (Above) Concrete bypass structures will house the cylindrical baffle (seen at right), as well as direct the previously installed stormwater pipe (sized at 72 inches) for water quality treatment. (Above) The cylindrical baffle uses gravity separation to settle out sediment from stormwater directed into the structure. Overview Practices  Sustainable Woodland Management Project Benefits • Stunting buckthorn and other invasive species  Promote natural man- agement of woodland  Education on chemical free options for wood- land management Timeline  Goats were on property from 9/9 to 9/25/19 Contractor • Goat Dispatch Fence Installation Environmental Resources staff worked with Goat Dispatch to control buckthorn and other invasive species in the woodland at East Community Park in Septem- ber, 2019. The timing and location was a great opportunity to try goat grazing. Chemical management that had taken place in previous years was not affecting the buckthorn, or other invasive species to the extent needed. To avoid having to use a brush mower again for this area, it was decided to try goat grazing. Goat grazing is an environmentally conscious way to control buckthorn as it greatly reduces chemical use yet manages buckthorn plants. Grazing by goats at different times of year effects buckthorn differently. Grazing in September removes all the leaves and this significantly weakens the plant by forcing the plant to use energy to try and regrow leaves when it should be spending it’s time absorbing sunlight and pulling the energy to it’s roots. The buckthorn will come back in 2020, but with continued management at various times, we should be able to keep the population of buckthorn and other invasive species in-check. Images on the back page illustrate the before grazing and after grazing of a few areas in the woods. The effects were very dramatic in person. Goats making headway 9/16/19 Goats arriving at park Around 100 goats were used to manage 9 acres of woods Goats being herded into woods Filming educational video Before goat management After goat management Before goat management After goat management Overview Practices  Waste Reduction  Compost Creation Project Benefits  Reducing participant’s trash by 1/3  Reducing pressure on landfill space  Creating nutrient rich compost for soil amend- ments Timeline  Began October 1, 2019  No end date scheduled Partner • Dakota County In 2019, the City of Lakeville partnered with Dakota County to install an Organ- ics Drop Site location at the Water Treatment Facility. The County is responsi- ble for the cost of the site creation, waste pick up costs, as well as purchasing compostable bags. The City is responsible for day to day operations, mainte- nance required for the facility, and promotion of the site for Lakeville residents. The Organics Drop Site, available for to all Dakota County residents, opened on October 1, 2019. Prior to opening, County staff conducted a food waste reduc- tion challenge for area residents to promote wasting less. There were 37 Lake- ville residents who participated in the challenge out of 54 participants. Just be- fore the Organics Drop Site opened, the County also held 3 meetings in Lake- ville to educate the public on what belongs in the organics bin and what is trash. There were 82 in attendance at those meetings. Before the drop site opened in Lakeville, there were 523 participants signed up to use the site. Residents are now able to take their organic waste to the drop site, including: - all food waste (including bones) - greasy pizza boxes - pet hair - compostable plates and utensils - house plant clippings - listed items This waste is picked up twice weekly and taken to be turned into compost at local compost processing sites. Participation is free and compostable bags are provided to the residents at the drop site. Participants are able to reduce their home trash by 1/3 by using this program and instead of more landfill space be- ing taken-up, the waste is turned into nutrient rich soil that is a valuable re- source that can be used by many. • In 2019, there was approximately 7.5 yards of organics weekly • This equates to 2,303 lbs/week, or 15 tons of organic waste diverted from landfill in 2019 • At that rate, this site’s yearly amount is 59.88 tons Over 720 people signed-up for the drop-site in 2019 Construction of Drop Site Bins delivered Message board near entrance Red star marks the location of the Organics Drop Site at the Water Treatment Facility II. Lake Management Each year, the City of Lakeville participates in Met Council’s Citizen Assisted Monitoring Program (CAMP). CAMP’s purpose is to empower local residents and staff to track local water quality trends. As part of the program, surface water monitoring is conducted bi-weekly on Marion, Orchard, Kingsley, Lee, Valley and East lakes. Samples are analyzed for indicators of algae growth potential (nitrogen, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a). At each sampling event, surface water tempera- ture and water transparency are also observed. For each monitoring parameter, the Met Council assigns a unique grade based on the lake ’s ability to meet state water quality standards. The table below reflects the grades assigned to Lakeville lakes over the past three years of monitoring. Overview Historic Transparency Averages Legend Municipal Boundary Stream Public Waterway Lake CAMP LakeGF Transportation Interstate County F Practices  Water quality monitoring  Public education and engagement Benefits  Directs City water quality improvement initiatives  Water quality protec- tion Partners  Metropolitan Council  Local lake residents  Black Dog Watershed Management Organization Timeline  Bi-weekly April— October Lake Year Transparency Avg (m) Grade Kingsley 2017 2.9 B 2018 3.1 A 2019 3.4 A East 2017 0.8 D 2018 0.6 F 2019 1 D Lee 2017 2 C 2018 1.6 C 2019 2.5 B Orchard 2017 3 A 2018 2.4 B 2019 2.4 B Marion 2017 2.5 B 2018 2.3 B 2019 2.1 C Valley 2017 1.3 C 2018 0.7 D 2019 0.7 D City of Lakeville: $3,040 Black Dog WMO: $1,520 ______________________ Project Cost: $4,560 Funding (Left) Lotus lily pads on Lee Lake. This rare lily pad variety boasts large white flowers and grows above the water surface. (Above) This painted turtle was found crossing the road next to Kingsley Lake. Luckily, staff were nearby to return it to the water. (Above) Staff utilize a canoe to reach the deep spot of East Lake for water quality sampling (part of the standard sampling proce- dure). (Above) Blue green algae bloomed on Valley Lake in 2019, leading staff to a decision to convert the beach to pollinator habitat. (Above) The view from a shoreline restoration in bloom on Valley Lake. (Right) Kingsley Lake set record lake levels due to heavy rainfall coupled with beaver activity. In 2019 the City of Lakeville was awarded funds from the Dakota County Aquatic Invasive Grant (AIS) Program for various AIS activities. The following activities on Lake Marion and Orchard Lake were funded via the grant: 1) Watercraft inspections 2) Monthly targeted AIS searches 3) Treatment of curlyleaf pondweed (CLP) and Eurasian watermilfoil (EWM) Overview Watercraft Inspection Data Total Inspections: 4,651 Drain plugs not removed upon arrival: 19 AIS found upon arrival: 23 Zebra mussels found: 0! Eurasian Watermilfoil Treated 0 acres warranted treatment! Curlyleaf Pondweed Treated Marion: 0.75 acres Orchard: 5.49 acres While the City was awarded funds to treat EWM, populations were observed at levels that did not warrant treatment. This finding was significant, because in 2018 EWM was treated using a method said to have a treatment effect lasting 2-3 years. Practices  Watercraft inspections  Vegetation and habitat monitoring  AIS treatment Benefits  Watercraft decontamination  Education and outreach  AIS rapid response  Promotion of native species through invasive removal Partners  Dakota County  Department of Natural Resources Contractors  Blue Water Science  PLM Lake and Land Management Corp  Waterfront Restorations Timeline  Watercraft inspections: May 10—Sept. 2 (Fri- Sun and holidays)  Curlyleaf treatments: May 20 Grant Funding : $19,527 City of Lakeville: $10,687 ______________________ Project Cost: $30,214 Funding (Above) CLP delineation results on Lake Marion. Treatment areas shown in orange. (Above) Lake Marion EWM delineation. Populations did not warrant treatment this year. (Above) CLP delineation results for Orchard Lake. Treated areas shown outlined in orange. (Above) AIS searches on Marion and Orchard were conducted via snorkeling and diving, focused along public accesses and other points with high amounts of substrate that AIS could settle on. (Right) A look at another AIS search site at Orchard Lake. (Left) A watercraft inspector stationed at Orchard Lake. Common carp, an aquatic invasive species (AIS), are often associated with poor water quality in lakes (when biomass is >100 kg/ha). In 2018, the City and Vermillion River Watershed Joint Powers Organization (VRWJPO) began tracking carp abundance and movement within East Lake. Carp biomass was found to be 155 kg/ ha; however, results were inconclusive regarding migration patterns. In 2019, radio tags were implanted in 114 carp and an antenna (able to detect tagged carp) was installed at the lake outlet. Results found that 54% of tagged carp moved from East Lake into the downstream North Creek (tributary to the Vermillion River), with most movement taking place between mid-May to early June. Due to this finding, the City is reviewing possible management strategies of the AIS popula- tion. Potential management strategies may include: selective carp removal, installation of a fish barrier (electric or other), or a combination of both practices. Overview Grant Funding: $7,372 VRWJPO: $2,700 City of Lakeville: $4,672 ________________________ Project Cost: $14,744 Funding Legend Lake Municipal Boundary Stream Public Waterway Vermillion River Watershed Project LocationFTransportation County Interstate Practices  AIS tracking and population analysis  Fisheries research Project Benefits  Informed fisheries management  Informed water quality initiatives Partners  Vermillion River Watershed Joint Powers Organization  Dakota County Contractor  Carp Solutions, LLC Timeline  Electrofishing and PIT implantation—April  Carp tracking—May— December The antenna data logger was housed in a weatherproof box The antenna was installed with carp detectors in front of each outlet pipe Solar panels powered the devices Bluegills (and other game fish) keep carp populations low by eating carp eggs and larvae Goldfish (known to negatively affect water quality) are also found in East Lake (Above) Carp Solutions staff conducted electrofishing in order to implant carp with PIT tags. (Above) The antenna detects those fish implanted with PIT tags, allowing staff to deduce a migration habit. (Below) A total of 2,730 carp were caught during elec- trofishing. Goldfish were also observed. (Left) A PIT tag is installed in a carp. Each PIT tag contains a unique identification number. Antenna (Above) A map of the study area. Carp able to migrate into North Creek are also free to migrate to the downstream Vermillion River. The City funds annual lake projects on Marion, Lee, Orchard, East and Valley lakes. 2019 funded projects included: • Aquatic plant surveys • Fish stocking and trap netting • Peripheral stormwater pond sampling • Shoreline inventory. These activities, coupled with fisheries and water quality monitoring, assist in diagnosing lake health and informing lake management activities. In addition, in 2019: Overview  Lee Lake: Two environmental manholes were installed as part of the street reconstruction project.  Valley Lake: The City sponsored a swimmer’s itch treatment to combat blue-green algae.  Lake Marion: Those locations that had Eurasian watermilfoil (EWM) treated with a method said to have lasting effects of 2-3 years in 2018 did not produce nuisance EWM populations.  East Lake: Common carp were confirmed to travel freely between the lake and North Creek, leading staff to begin considering carp management options. Funding Project Cost: $36,300 Practices  Water quality monitoring  Vegetation and habitat monitoring  Fisheries enhancement Benefits  Water quality enhancement  Long term monitoring database  Aquatic invasive species rapid response Contractor  Blue Water Science Timeline  Aquatic plant surveys: early and late summer  Reuse ponds: once monthly May—Sept.  Fish stocking: Sept. \ Stream Public Waterway Legend Municipal Boundary Lake Transportation Interstate County UTpo Stormwater Monitoring Location nm Aquatic Plant Survey Location Shoreline Survey Location [¡Fish Stocking/Trap Netting Location F Native species are increasing in Orchard Lake Water quality in Lee Lake is improving (Left) 1,000 fingerling largemouth bass were stocked in Lee Lake in an effort to lessen species that degrade water quality. (Above) Water lilies on Lake Marion. (Above) Trap nets were placed in four ponds around East Lake to assess carp nursery habitability. Pond species included bullheads, crappies, bluegills and sunfish; no carp were found. (Above) Native sago pondweed found in East Lake. (Above) Valley Lake has seen poorer water quality in recent years, leading to staff adopting new management tactics. (Above) A shoreline inventory on Orchard Lake compared shoreline data from 2006 to 2020. III. Lake Updates In 2019, the City (with funding assistance from the Dakota County Aquatic Invasive Species Grant) funded aquatic plant surveys, Aquatic Invasive Species searches and watercraft inspections on Lake Marion. The following highlights those and additional activities that the City sponsored on Lake Marion in 2019: Overview Curlyleaf Pondweed (CLP) The early season CLP delineation showed 0.75 acres that the potential to produce heavy growth. These areas were located adjacent and across the lake from the public boat access. Both of these areas were treated. This number was down 0.25 of an acre compared to last year’s growth. Eurasian Watermilfoil (EWM) The early season EWM delineation showed no areas of heavy growth warranting treatment. The later season EWM delineation mimicked these findings. This was significantly down compared to last year’s surveys, which war- ranted a treatment of 11.09 acres. In 2018, the City sponsored a treatment using a chemical said to have lasting treatment effects of up to 3 years. Native Plants Northern watermilfoil and flatstem pondweed are two native species that are thriving in Lake Marion. In 2018, the two most common aquatic plants were coontail followed by EWM (invasive). In 2019, the two most common aquatic plants were coontail followed by flatstem pondweed (both natives). Plant populations in Marion appear stable, with 16 submerged and 1 floatingleaf species. Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Searches Lake Marion was listed as infested with zebra mussels in 2017. Following treatment through a partnership with Dakota County, Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Geological Survey, the City has sponsored annual lake AIS searches. Since the 2017 treatment, no zebra mussels have been found. Juno Trail Natural Resource & Management Plan (NRMP) In 2019, the City finalized the Juno Trail NRMP. The NRMP details opportunities for natural resource enhancement along the south and west shorelines of Lake Marion. Projects are presented as relat- ed to Casperson Park and the public boat launch, Juno Trailway & Juno Trail- head, and potential areas for partnership along private shoreline. Water Quality Lake Marion has maintained stable unimpaired water quality since 1994. The 5-year average for transparency is 2.3 meters; shallow lakes (as Marion is classified according to the MPCA) maintain unimpaired status as long as transparency is > 1.0 meters. The total phosphorus 5-year average is 24 parts per billion (unimpaired if <60 parts per billion). The 5-year average for chlorophyll-a (an algae indicator) is 13 parts per billion (unimpaired if <20 parts per billion). Watercraft Inspections 2019 was the second year the City partnered with Dakota County to sponsor Level 1 watercraft in- spections on Lake Marion. This year, 3,355 inspec- tions took place on Lake Marion, which was the highest number of inspections to take place in all of Dakota County. In 2019, the City (with funding assistance from the Dakota County Aquatic Invasive Species Grant) funded aquatic plant surveys, Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) searches and watercraft inspections on Orchard Lake. The following details highlight from those and other activities that took place on the lake in 2019: Overview Curlyleaf Pondweed (CLP) The early season CLP delineation showed 5.49 acres that the potential to produce heavy growth. This area was located at the southeast side of the lake. 2019’s CLP growth was up 2.51 acres from last year. Eurasian Watermilfoil (EWM) The early season EWM delineation showed only 4 areas where EWM was present at all (and at low density levels). The later season EWM delineation mimicked these findings, resulting in no EWM warranting treatment this year. In 2018, the City sponsored treatment on 2.12 acres of EWM. Native Plants Chara and coontail were the two most dominant plants in Orchard Lake in 2019. The number of submerged plant species found varied from 12-13 from early to late summer surveys. This number has been steadily increasing; only 9 submerged plant species were observed when surveys first began in 1995. AIS Searches As neighboring Lake Marion was listed as infested with zebra mussels in 2017, Orchard Lake is considered a lake with high infestation potential. Due to this nature, the City (partnering with Dakota County), has sponsored monthly (May-Oct) AIS searches since 2018. In 2019, no zebra mussels or other AIS of concern were found. Shoreline Inventory A shoreline inventory conducted in September compared 2019 shoreline conditions to those observed in 2001 and 2006 (past inventories). Since 2001, there has been a gradual increase in shoreline buffers, with nearly half of the properties having a natural shoreline condition of >75%. Studies show that when a greater number of lakeside properties exist in a natural shoreline condition, an increase in aquatic plant diversity and fish and animal habitat is observed. Water Quality Orchard Lake has seen significant improvements in water quality since 1980. The 5-year average for transparency is 2.7 meters; deep lakes (as Orchard is classified according to the MPCA) maintain unimpaired status as long as transparency is > 1.4 meters. The total phosphorus 5-year average is 18 parts per billion (unimpaired if <40 parts per billion). The 5-year average for chlorophyll-a (an algae indicator) is 6 parts per billion (unimpaired if <14 parts per billion). Watercraft Inspections 2019 was the second year the City partnered with Dakota County to sponsor Level 1 watercraft in- spections on Orchard Lake. This year, 1,296 inspec- tions took place at the Orchard Lake public boat launch. These inspections acted to assist recreators with removing aquatic vegetation from boats prior- to and following lake use, and educate them on their role in preventing the spread of AIS. IV. Education and Volunteer Activities Environmental Resources staff conducts various education activities throughout the year. These outreach efforts are a great way to connect with students to help foster the environmental connection to the natural resources of Lakeville. These activities also meet the City’s state requirements. The following outreach and activities were completed in 2019. Overview Practices  Education for students Project Benefits  Baseline knowledge to promote better environmental stewardship in the Lakeville community such as: -protect water quality -conserve water -support of local plants and wildlife -promote waste reduction and increase recycling  Community Connectivity Timeline  Year Round Partnerships  Area School Districts  Park & Recreation Dept. Environmental Resources staff served as judges for North Trial Elementary’s Science Fair. Staff spoke to 65 stu- dents about their projects and pro- vided feedback and questions to determine who would proceed to the regional competition. Nature Detectives July 9 & 11 This year marked the 10th annual Nature Detectives camp at Ritter Farm Park. Over 30 kids, ages 5 to 12 attended both days of the camp, which was the largest attendance to date. Participants used their detective senses along with bug nets, bug boxes, dip nets, sorting trays, and field microscope to locate and temporarily capture insects and wildlife. Kids were able to get up close to many toads, frogs, and insects as Environ- mental Resources staff helped the kids explore the water, forest and prairie. There has now been over 163 participants who’ve attended this program, with several kids attending over multiple years. Emphasis on water quality is always a major component of this class to meet state requirements. North Trail Elementary Science Fair March 7 Starting at dusk, staff led 45 youth and adults around Ritter Farm Park while teaching frog and owl calls. Attendees practiced their newly acquired skills while visiting the wetlands and walking in the woods. Ritter Farm Park After Dark May 17 Impact Academy at Orchard Lake Water Presentations May 29 Staff worked with teacher Michelle Johnson to present to ~ 150 students about Lakeville surface waters and what they can do to protect it. 3,395 youth reached in 2019 Metro Area Children’s Water Festival September 25 Puppet Wagon—Summer Skip the Drip completed a fourth season of pup- pet shows with the Park & Recreation’s Puppet Wagon, reaching a total of 2,613 attendees in 2019. 76 shows oc- curred between June to August at 13 locations. Imagine a Day Without Water October 18 The Metro Children’s Water Festival (CWF) provides area fourth graders hands-on opportunities to learn about water’s importance to people and our natural envi- ronment. This year, ̴70 students learned about the process required for water treatment at the City’s Cleaning Dirty Water: How Easy is it? learning station. The station incorporated the CWF’s theme of: ‘Water Connects Everyone and Every- thing on Earth’ by having kids try to make polluted water clean again. The City participated in this national event by hosting Water Treatment Facility Tours and ed- ucating attendees about water conservation, stormwater pollu- tion and water quality. Approximately 60 were in attendance at the event. Lakeville South Capstone Projects April 19; October 31 Century Middle School Environmental Engineering Activity December 2 & 3 Future Lego League October 7—Trash Robot; December 12—Animal Bridges Two girl scouts, Gabi and Autumn, earned their Girl Scout Silver Award by coming up with designs and creating insect hotels. Once the insect hotels were built, they recruited friends and family members to install them in three different locations in Ritter Farm and Casperson Park. For over 5 years Environmental Resources have been assisting Lakeville South students complete a senior capstone project by man- aging buckthorn in the city proper- ty just south of the school near the creek, ponding, and infiltration areas. In 2019, four students worked in the area to remove buckthorn in spring and fall. Girl Scout Silver Award Project September 5 Staff taught twelve 6th grade physical science classes for two days at Century Mid- dle School presenting about development in relation to natural resources through a staff created activity that directly applies to school curriculum. Students did well grasping concepts and putting them into action. Staff reached ~340 students. Environmen- tal Resources staff met with two Future Lego League groups to assist them by answering questions to complete their project, or to critique their completed projects and ask questions to get ready for their competition ( ̴18 people). Environmental Resources staff conducts various outreach activities throughout the year. These outreach efforts are a great way to connect with residents & businesses to help foster the environmental connection to the natural resources of Lakeville. These activities also meet the State’s permit requirements. The following activities were completed in 2019. Overview Practices  Education for adults Project Benefits  Baseline knowledge to promote better environmental stewardship in the Lakeville community such as: -protect water quality -conserve water -support of local plants and wildlife -promote waste reduction and increase recycling  Community Connectivity Timeline  Year Round Partnerships  Dakota County Soil & Water Conservation District  Dakota County The City of Lakeville has been involved with Dakota County Soil and Water Con- servation District’s Landscaping for Clean Water program since it’s debut in 2007. Environmental Resources staff coordinates workshop logistics, assists in project design, as well as attends some site visits. The program helps residents understand stormwater runoff from their property and the positive impacts they can make by planting a raingarden, native garden, or shoreline restoration. The program consists of a free introductory workshop and then interested resi- dents can attend design workshops that produce site specific plans and the pos- sibility of receiving a $250 grant to install a practice on their property. The clas- ses are held throughout Dakota County from March—June annually. In 2019, there were 32 participants at the Lakeville introductory class, 32 at de- sign, with 5 raingardens and 1 native garden installed in Lakeville. This program is for all Dakota County residents. After 13 years, there have been 4,618 partici- pants and 575 projects installed in the county. Landscaping for Clean Water Introduction: April 8 Design: April 15 & 17 Lakeville LCW Intro class on 4/9/19. Lakeville raingarden planted in 2009. Over 73 projects have been installed in Lakeville since 2007 Fall Nature Walk for Active Adults September 19 Lakeville Landscape Home & Garden Show March 9 Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Drop-off Day May 4 Environmental Resources staff took shifts at this heavily attended event sharing information to attendees about the upcoming Landscaping for Clean Water workshops, signing up groups to participate in Watershed Cleanup Day, and answering questions. Approx. 3,000 people attend annually. Environmental Resources staff assisted with HHW drop-off day by directing vehicles to drop-off locations throughout the site at the Central Mainte- nance Facility on May 4. Residents of Dakota County were able to drop-off HHW, along with mattresses, paper shredding, electronics, small & large ap- pliances as well as eyeglasses this year. There were 1,075 cars counted. Environmental Resources staff partnered with the Heritage Center to offer nature walks for Active Adults. The first ever walk occurred on Sep- tember 19 at East Community Park where participants were able to see the goats that were there performing woodland management. This event was well received by the 5 attendees. The City of Lakeville hosted two meetings for those interested in participating in the City of Lakeville’s Organics Drop Site at the Water Treatment Facility that be- came operational on October 1, 2020. Dakota County staff lead the meetings. Both meetings were well attended with 37 attendees on 9/25 and 33 on 9/30. Topics at the meeting inclurded how to use the site and specifics about what is accepted and not accepted at the drop-site. Organics Drop-off Meetings with Dakota County September 25 & 30 Buckthorn Bust at Casperson Park October 12 The Lake Marion Association organized and carried out their 2nd Annual Buckthorn Bust at Casperson Park. There were 12 attendees at the bust that took place for 6 hours. Parks Maintenance staff also used 13 man hours to chip the removed buckthorn. Overview Practices  Volunteer event for all ages • Removal of pollutants from watershed • Education event Project Benefits  Promote community stewardship  Waste removal along roadsides, parks, neighborhoods, trails, ponds, wetlands and waterways  Education on a wide variety of environmental topics Timeline  Event held on April 27, 2019  Cleanup from 8-11 am  Celebration 11 am-1 pm Partners • Volunteers are recruited from many agencies and specialties to provide education stations at the Earth Day Celebration (on back) Jaguar Avenue Residents Environmental Resources staff have been coordinating the Watershed Cleanup Day and Earth Day Celebration since 2008. The event has grown from attend- ance of 351 attendees in 2007 to over 1,400 people (80 groups) in 2019, that volunteered to remove trash throughout Lakeville. The weather was rainy and cool on April 27, but many volunteers braved the weather and conducted their pickup as planned. Groups who signed up for the event consisted of church groups, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, school groups, environmental groups, businesses, as well as several families and individuals. The Earth Day Celebration education portion of the event started at 11 am and continued until 1 pm. There were 19 education stations at the event this year. Earth friendly prizes that promote positive environmental support were earned through participation in the educational activities and by answering environmental related questions. Thank you! All Watershed Cleanup Day volunteers, Dicks Sanitation, Waste Management, Police Reserves, Kevin & Ashley Miller, Mallory Peterson, PR&N Board members: Tom Goodwin, Lindsay Haneman, Jim Storms (& Helen), Patty Zuzek, Holly Weberg, Nick Thompson; all contributing Lakeville staff who work to help us field calls, setup, conduct the event, cleanup, and bag pickup! Lakeville Friends of the Environment -water station with compostable cups Schiffelly Earth Day Puppet Show Zoomobile -armadillo also in top right Police reserves lunch serving crew Over 600 people attended the Earth Day Celebration Dakota Valley Recycling - recycling/waste reduction Lakeville Forester - tree information and services Blue Water Science - local surface water info Metropolitan Mosquito Control District - information on mosquitos Dakota County Recycling (Master Water Stewards) - food waste reduction, information on food challenge & compost site Hobby Bee Keepers - importance of pollinators Lakeville City Engineer and Utilities Supervisor - roundabout benefits, I & I detection, street sweeping, & info about equipment Dakota County Sheriff - brought a boat to promote proper AIS boat inspections Dakota County SWCD - Landscaping for Clean Water & Clean Water Pledge Metropolitan Council - groundwater protection Center for Global Environmental Education - Adopt-A-Drain program Vermillion River Watershed - watershed information and water conservation Waterfront Restoration & MN DNR - AIS identification & inspections University of Minnesota Extension - turf alternatives and water conservation Dakota Electric - energy saving information and tips V. Miscellaneous Many environmental projects are undertaken by Environmental Resources year- ly. Often there is a native vegetation component associated with those projects and maintenance is needed until the area is well established. There are also several natural areas throughout the city that are in need of maintenance to preserve the valuable habitat that it provides for local wildlife and water quality. If an area is determined as a valuable resource, and funding can be established, maintenance plans are determined. All areas are managed by a hired contrac- tor. Grants are frequently sought after to restore natural areas, manage existing areas, and create projects that improve stormwater quality and natural re- sources. Sentence to Serve crews are also utilized for dead thatch removal in spring and as needed for duties like rip rap maintenance, planting, and fence repair. Overview Practices  Vegetative Stabilization  Manage native plantings to reduce invasive species  Mechanical or chemical methods used Project Benefits  Stabilization of soils  Provide valuable habitat to native fauna  Uphold aesthetics  Control invasive species  Maintain designed storm- water function Timeline  Most work completed during the growing season before invasive species put out their seed  Buckthorn management mainly occurs at end, or after growing season, to not effect native species Locations of maintenance areas TYPE # OF SITES SIZE OF AREAS CONTRACTOR Raingardens and Small Areas 6 raingardens 3 shoreline resto. 1 pollinator garden 10 sites 1.01 acres 43,850 sq. ft. Prairie Restorations Prairie and Large Areas 5 native buffers 4 channel restorations 2 stormwater improvement 3 woodland 3 prairie 2 Japanese knotweed 19 sites 69 acres 2,953,368 sq. ft. Applied Ecological Services 70 acres of natural areas managed Funding Actual Total 2019: $25,842 '4 woodland management '4 wetland mitigation '4 storm water improvement '4 shoreline restoration '4 raingarden '4 prairie restoration '4 pollinator garden '4 native buffer '4 invasive species '4 channel restoration Casperson Park Rain Garden after spray July 18, 2019 Agriculture Field Area After Maintenance - August 5, 2019 East Lake Community Park Woodland After Goat Grazing Ritter Farm Park Hill Slope August 13, 2019 Shady Oak Grove Wetland Mitigation 2017 Ritter Farm Park Comparison of Japanese Knot- weed before treatment in 2017 to after treatment 2019 Valley Lake Pollinator Garden July 18 (above) September 16 (below) 2019 After hand weeding and mulching October 7, 2019 Reassessment of Woodland Area Overview Since 2017, the City of Lakeville has been partnering with Dakota Valley Recy- cling (DVR) to meet the County and State’s requirements for recycling and waste reduction. The following activities occurred in 2019. Holiday Light Collection Winter 2018/19 & Winter 2019/20 Environmental Resources & Liquor staff have been collecting holiday lights for 10 years (first collection year started in 2009). The col- lection dates start in mid-November and ex- tended to end of January annually. The col- lection began again in mid-November of 2019. All 4 Lakeville locations (City Hall + all 3 Liquor locations) requested additional bins for collecting at each location and addition- al gaylord boxes were also present at the Central Maintenance Facility where ProAct picked all Lakeville lights up from. Collection numbers from the winter 2019-20 collection keeps the City of Lakeville as the highest collector of holiday lights in this program for last two years. The 2019-20 collec- tion season had ten less partners than last year, but the total collection for Pro-Act was still 11,662 lbs. Practices  Waste Reduction  Organics Collection  Education Project Benefits  Reducing pressure on landfill space  Meet Dakota County’s Requirements  Meet State Recycling Goal of 75% Recycling Rate Timeline  Yearly Partner • Dakota Valley Recycling • Dakota County City Hall Waste Sort November 5 DVR staff conducted a waste sort of City Hall Waste. They collected 4 days of trash, 2 days of recycling, and 4 days of organics. The re- sults were put together in a packet of information for staff to review. • 76% of waste generated by staff at City Hall was either recycled or composted • Recycling was 97% clear of organics and trash • Organics waste was 92% clear of trash and recycling Staff is working with DVR in 2020 to continue to put out educational information to staff to further improve proper placement of waste. In 2019, 76.6 tons of waste was diverted from all measured Lake- ville waste reduction activities Collection Time Pounds of Lights Winter 2018-2019 2,856 Winter 2019-2020 3,233 Paper Shredding May 4 One paper shredding event is required in each city. We did our event with the HHW event and collected 11,000 lbs in 2019. Pumpkin Drop-off November 2-3 This was the 4th year that pumpkins were collected at the Lakeville police station. This year a record number of 28,900 lbs of pumpkins were collected. The 2018 weight was closer to 23,000 lbs. Shoe Recycling November 11-17 2019 was the third year that a shoe drop-off collection occurred at Ames Arena. Timing is coincided with America Recycles Day that occurs on November 15 each year. The actual Lakeville total weight collected is unknown, but is estimated to be around 2,000 lbs of shoes. In all four DVR cities, there was a total of 11,414 lbs of shoes collected. Mattress Collection May 4 (HHW) & June 1—July 31 (Certified Recycling) One mattress collection event is required for each city. We in- cluded mattress collection at the HHW event and collected 47. To reach more residents, a drop-off was set up with Certified Recycling in Burnsville and 61 mattresses and 36 box springs from Lakeville residents were collected. Estimated 10,548 lbs. Collection Events Waste Reduction Education & Outreach Publications to Lakeville’s 20,581 households: Spring: Placed Recycling basics and HHW advertisements in Lakeville Parks & Rec Brochure (advertising appliances, scrap metal, mattresses, and paper shredding collections). Fall: Published 2019 E-Guide, with “Beyond the Bin” information, household recycling guide, and RZ ad. Published ad for upcoming organics drop-site in Lakeville. Winter: DVR worked with Videographer Tim Sheehan to film two new Dive into Recycling videos – one about what to do with plastic bags, and the other about how to dispose of pharmaceuticals. Events: 4/27: Held a booth at Watershed Clean-up Day event. Played the recycling bean bag toss game (200 people). Organ- ics and recycling diversion at this event (~4 yards of organics and 2 yards of recycling collected). 4/29: Earth Day presentation with CLIMB Theater at Eastview Elementary (105 students). 5/16: Provided recycling & organics diversion at Taste of Lakeville event (~ 2 yards organics collected). 6/13: Gave a Food: Too Good to Waste presentation at the Lakeville Heritage Center. The presentation included handouts for tracking food waste, proper storage guides, and meal planners (15 attendees). 7/12: Provided recycling diversion at some Pan O Prog events and locations. 7/13: Provided organics & recycling diversion at the Pan O Prog Waffle Breakfast at the Fire Station (~ 4 yards of organics collected—see photo to right). 7/22: Gave a Decluttering presentation at the Lakeville Heritage Center (30 people). 10/12: Provided organics & recycling diversion at Heritage Center’s waffle breakfast (~ 4 yards of organics collected). 31.1 tons of waste diverted with items collected at HHW Event on 5/3 Estimated 2,334 lbs of waste diversion at events Environmental Resources staff serves as the City’s LGU (Local Governing Unit) and are tasked with implementing the Wetland Conservation Act (WCA) State Law that protects Minnesota’s wetlands. When a WCA application is received, it is reviewed by this process: 1. Review report and determine completeness. 2. Contact wetland contractor to revise any issues found. 3. Set up and conduct an on-site meeting. 4. Collect required fee. 5. Write and send out a Notice of Application (NOA) once everything is complete to all Technical Evaluation Panel (TEP) members: Dakota County Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Water and Soil Resources MN Department of Natural Resources Vermillion River Joint Powers Org. United States Army Corps of Engineers. 6. After a comment period of at least 15 working days, and if no issues have been found, a Notice of Decision is written and sent out. TEP meetings are called when there are potential issues during the review pro- cess. The LGU also responds to potential wetland violations with in the City as they arise and works with agencies to resolve violations. The overall goal of WCA is no-net loss of wetlands. To achieve this goal anyone looking to impact a wetland must follow a process of: 1. AVOIDANCE, and if that is not possible 2. MINIMIZE IMPACTS 3. REPLACE any lost wetlands via wetland banking. Overview Practices • Regulatory process to protect wetlands in Lakeville Benefits  Preserve wetlands and reduce impacts Protection of wetland results in: • Increase in water quality • Decrease in flooding • Public education and recreation & • Wildlife habitat Timeline  Year round, but mainly during the growing season April 15 to October 15 Over 45 acres of wetland reviewed in 2019 In 2019, there were 2.29 acres of wetland impact 1.88 associated with unavoidable impacts for development and 1.13 acres due to Co Rd 50 road im- pacts (replaced via the BWSR Road Bank) In 2019, staff reviewed: 11 wetland delineations; 11 approved 3 no-loss plans were approved 3 wetland replacement plans were approved Project Impact Replaced via Bank Pinnacle Reserve 0.494 acres 0.988 acres Summer’s Creek 0.106 acres 0.212 acres The Preserve at Avonlea 1.28 acres 2.55 acres 3 TEP meetings were held in 2019 2 Wetland violation investigations were resolved (Above) Resolved Wetland Violation Location of delineations in 2019 (Above) Wetland Review at Cedar Hills Development (Above) Wetland review at The Hilla Property The City, as a regulated municipal storm sewer system (MS4), oversees the implementatfon of local and state erosion and sediment control requirements. In additfon, the City is tasked with ensuring stormwater infrastructure is properly functfoning and maintained, including inspectfng a minimum of 20% of City owned ponds (>450). Erosion and sediment control compliance and stormwater infrastructure are tracked through constructfon stormwater inspectfons. Inspectfon reports (see example below) are distributed to the entfty performing the land disturbing actfvity and correctfve actfons are coordinated by City staff. In 2019, the following correctfve actfons including withholding building inspectfons on 54 lots. In additfon, City staff reviewed over 620 SWPPP Verificatfon Forms to ensure single family home builders had qualified staff to implement erosion control best management practfces. Overview The MPCA is still revising the new MS4 Permit Number of erosion control inspections 250 Practices  Stormwater management  Erosion and sediment control  Environmental compliance Benefits  Suspended solid concentratfon reductfon  Nutrient loading reductfon  Protectfng functfonality of City infrastructure Partner  Minnesota Pollutfon Control Agency (MPCA) Timeline  Erosion control inspectfons-year round  Pond Outiall inspectfons – fall (Left) An example erosion control plan. Those disturbing over 1 acre are required to obtain a NPDES permit; those who disturb <1 acre must submit a plan similar to the one on the left. (Above) Stockpiles and areas where grading has ceased for 14 days must have temporary cover implemented (seed and mulch or hydroseed/hydro mulched). (Above) Sediment in the street makes its way into storm drains, affectfng water quality in lakes and rivers. (Above) Sediment laden water must not be discharged from a constructfon site—to prevent this, builders often direct sediment-laden water into a vegetated area or equip dewatering hoses with silt socks. (Above) Concrete washout is toxic to plants, aquatfc organisms and contaminates groundwater.