Bassett Creek Water Management Commission

Joint Advisory Group Meeting

January 23, 2001

Presentation Outline

• Background & history

• WMO responsibilities, planning & BWSR expectations - Doug Snyder

• Planning process - second generation plan

Background & History

• Location

• BCWMC responsibilities

• Funding

• Summary of past and planned activities

What is theBCWMC?

• 50 square mile watershed

• Nine members: Crystal, Golden Valley, Medicine Lake, Minneapolis, Minnetonka, New Hope, Plymouth, Robbinsdale and St. Louis Park

BCWMC...

• Originally the Bassett Creek Flood Control Commission - a joint powers organization formed in 1969

• Became BCWMC in 1984

• JPA gives BCWMC responsibility for surface water quality and quantity management and sets funding methods

BCWMC Responsibilities - Flood Control

• Reduce flooding alongBassett Creek trunksystem– Implement flood control projects– Monitor water levels– Establish flood levels & manage floodplains– Review development & redevelopment projects

BCWMC Responsibilities - Water Quality• Manage lake and stream water quality

• Set goals and policies

• Implement watershed management plansto improve water quality

• Monitor water quality

• Evaluate progress

Who Pays?

• Since 1969, administrative costs shared by

member cities - based on area and assessed

value

• Project costs shared based on area and assessed

value, with credit for lands provided

• Federal, State, and regional grants

Summary of Past and Planned Activities

• Flood control

• Water quality

monitoring & planning

• Implementation of water quality

improvement projects

Structural Flood Control Projects

• Bassett Creek Flood Control Project

– Tunnel construction

– Five major control structures

– Bassett Creek Park Pond

– Replacement of 10 street crossings

– Floodproofing of homes

Nonstructural Flood Control

• Flood plain management– Ultimate watershed land use– Regulate development

• Establish management areas– Preserve flood plains– Preserve storage

Water Quality Monitoring & Planning

• Lake monitoring

• Stream monitoring

• Water quality management

plan

Water Quality Implementation Features

• Developed overall water

quality management plan

• Adopted water quality

policy for developments

• Prepared watershed & lake management plans

• Prioritized water bodies and developed CIP

Water Quality Management Plan Water Quality Usage Categories

Level I: All activities including swimming

Level II: Recreational activities

Level III: Fishing

Level IV: Runoff management

Proposed Water Quality Improvement Projects• Medicine Lake $3,642,000

• Parker’s Lake $2,366,000

• Wirth Lake $ 237,000

• Sweeney Lake $1,243,000

• Twin Lake $ 53,000

• Westwood Lake $ 464,000

• Bassett Cr. Park Pond $1,102,000

Questions?

BWSR Presentation -Doug Snyder

Questions?

Planning Process

• Planning handbook

– Purpose and strategy

– Major issues

– Work plan

– Stakeholder involvement

Statement of Purpose & Strategy

• Why is it needed?

– Summarizes role of BCWMC in water

management

– Provides basic principles for the plan

Statement of Purpose & Strategy

• Major Topics

– Water resource management

– Local water management activity

assessment

– Public education and participation in water

management

Statement of Purpose & Strategy - Topics

• Water resource management

– Coordinate intercommunity

runoff planning &

design

– Quality of stormwater runoff

– Lake & stream management

Statement of Purpose & Strategy - Topics

• Local water management activity assessment

– Outcome-based goals

– Water quality monitoring

Statement of Purpose & Strategy - Topics

• Public education and participation in water

management

– Increase watershed awareness

– Work within existing programs

– Provide information to cities

Questions?

Planning Issues - General

• Effects of land use decisions

• Condition of the water resources and need for improvements

• Review/revise classification

• Role of Commission relative to other groups, organizations, agencies and boards

Planning Issues - Identified by Citizens, Cities and BCWMC

• Commission’s role in streambank erosion and maintenance

• Funding of improvement projects

• Evaluation and monitoring of BCWMC plan implementation

• Evaluate stream classification

• Public involvement

Planning Recommendations - Identified by Agencies

• Develop method for measuring success

• Identify natural resource restoration sites

• Document BMP retrofit opportunities

• Inventory open space sites and potential for restoration of upland and water resources

• Assess wetland functions and values

Planning Recommendations - Identified by Agencies...

• Adopt wetland buffer zone requirements

• Identify BMPs to buffer effects of impervious land cover

• Include quantifiable goals & policies

• Address Medicine Lake issues

• Take advantage of outside funding sources

Stakeholder Involvement

• Advisory groups (citizen, technical, policy)

• Public meetings/hearings

• Mailings

• Web page updates

• Commission workshops

Planning ProcessOrganizational Structure

Commission

Steering Committee

Citizens Advisory Group

Technical Advisory Group

PolicyAdvisory Group

Advisory Groups

• Appointed members

• Agency representatives

• Provide input to Commission and other

groups

Citizen Advisory Group

• Focus:– develop public education & involvement program– review draft program for evaluating plan

implementation

• Other tasks:– review BCWMC purpose and strategy– review problems/issues & goals/policies– review draft plan

Technical Advisory Group• Focus on technical issues:

– Review water quality goals and policies– Identify flooding issues– Establish method for monitoring and evaluating

BCWMC plan implementation– Define structural & nonstructural programs

• Other tasks:– Review draft plan

Policy Advisory Group

• Focus:– Evaluate purpose & strategy

– Review method for for monitoring and evaluating BCWMC plan implementation

– Define respective roles of cities and BCWMC in plan implementation

– Evaluate funding options

Questions?