Go Blue! Diamond Lake Community Makeover 2010
In South Minneapolis, the water quality of Diamond Lake has suffered in recent decades. In fact, the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District's (MCWD) analysis of water testing results designated the water quality grade as F. This is largely a result of water that rolls off roofs, yards, and streets in the 690-acreDiamond Lake watershed and ends up in the lake - bringing pollutants, debris and dirt with it.
Concerned citizens worked with the statewide nonprofit Minnesota Waters (through the MCWD Watershed Association Initiative Program) to form the Friends of Diamond Lake. The lake association completed a lake management plan which includes a goal to champion projects by home owners to reduce storm-water runoff. The Friends of Diamond Lake got word that Hedberg Landscape and Masonry Supplies was looking for a neighborhood interested in doing an environmental community makeover project and asked the MCWD to partner with them in applying for Clean Water Fund grant money.
The resulting Go Blue! Diamond Lake Community Makeover Project is a program that provides property owners with up to 50 percent cost share for a variety of storm-water mitigation projects, including installation of raingardens, permeable pavers, rain barrels, trees and rainwater capture and reuse systems. Thirty-four individual households, Diamond Lake Lutheran Church, and the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board have all participated by installing one or more of these practices on their properties and have provided over 1,600 volunteer hours. The results are 25 raingardens, 14 permeable pavement systems, 22 rain barrels, 3 RainXchange capture and reuse systems, and 4 additional tree plantings. Once completed, the Go Blue! Project aims to reduce direct storm-water runoff to Diamond Lake by 1.5
million gallons each year.
Nicole Clapp
(b) $2,800,000 the first year and $3,124,000 the second year are for grants to watershed districts and watershed management organizations for: (i) structural or vegetative management practices that reduce storm water runoff from developed or disturbed lands to reduce the movement of sediment, nutrients, and pollutants or to leverage federal funds for restoration, protection, or enhancement of water quality in lakes, rivers, and streams and to protect groundwater and drinking water; and (ii) the installation of proven and effective water retention practices including, but not limited to, rain gardens and other vegetated infiltration basins and sediment control basins in order to keep water on the land. The projects must be of long-lasting public benefit, include a local match, and be consistent with TMDL implementation plans or local water management plans. Watershed district and watershed management organization staff and administration may be used for local match. Priority may be given to school projects that can be used to demonstrate water retention practices. Up to five percent may be used for administering the grants (2010 - Runoff Reduction)
This project resulted in the installation of 25 rain gardens, 14 permeable pavement systems, 22 rain barrels, 3 rain exchange capture and reuse systems, and 4 tree plantings. These will reduce stormwater runoff to Diamond Lake by approximately 1.5 million gallons each year. They will also reduce the amount of phosphorous entering the lake by 3 pounds per year. It is estimated that 1 lb. of phosphorous can produce around 500 pounds of algae.