8.g) CMSCWMO Plan Amendment 3 4 15lMemorandum
To:
Kristina Handt, City Administrator
Reference:
Carnelian-Marine-St. Croix Watershed District (CMSCWD) Plan Amendment Review
Copies To:
Project No.:
15745.000
From:
Sherri Buss, Planner
Routing:
Date:
March 4, 2015
The Carnelian-Marine-St. Croix Watershed District is proposing to amend its 2010 Watershed Management Plan. The new plan will guide the activities of the District through 2020. This
memo summarizes the key changes and new items in the plan, particularly those that affect the City of Scandia and its water resources.
Scandia and the other local governments in the Watershed will be required to update their Local Water Management Plans within two years of the date when the CMSCWD Board adopts its 2020
Water Management Plan. The District will notify Scandia of the date of adoption and need to update the local plan. Scandia’s updated Local Water Management Plan will be incorporated
as a chapter in the next Comprehensive Plan that is due by the end of 2018.
The bullets below summarize some of the key changes and items in the CMSCWD’s proposed 2020 Management Plan.
The entire Resource Management Strategy chapter in the 2010 CMSCWD Plan has been replaced by a new chapter. This chapter provides the direction for the work of the District, and sets
its priorities for activities and projects.
The new Resource Management Strategy is consistent with Minnesota’s new statewide framework for water resources management called “One Watershed One Plan.” The new focus puts a higher
priority on protecting existing high quality resources, such as Big Marine Lake, than the 2010 plan. The previous plan focused strongly on identifying and addressing problems among
the District’s impaired resources. With many of the studies of impaired resources completed under the 2010 plan, the District can now take a broader view toward prioritizing its efforts.
The new Resource Management Strategy is designed help the District better prioritize its resources and implementation programs. The plan includes a detailed strategy for assessment,
monitoring and implementation that is based on the new priorities identified in the plan.
The proposed Strategy would also align the District’s priorities with the funding priorities for the State’s Legacy Land and Water Act, to help the District to compete for those funds.
Some lakes in Scandia will receive their first diagnostic studies under the new plan. These lakes were once part of the Marine Water Management Organization. That WMO no longer exists,
and its area became part of the CMSCWD several years ago. The diagnostic studies will help to put Alice, German, and Clear Lakes in Scandia on par with the other lakes in the District
in terms of basic knowledge about lake quality and concerns. The diagnostic studies were delayed while the District completed the studies of impaired lakes and streams that the MPCA
required and were completed under the 2010 plan.
The Implementation Program in the 2020 Plan includes several projects in Scandia:
The Loghouse Landing Partnership (funding increased over the previous plan)
Joint project on 197th Street with the City—a reconstruction of a degraded wetland was added to this project
Neighborhood Wide Small Lot Stormwater Management Project in Downtown Scandia
Bliss Addition Stormwater Management Studies
The 2020 Plan includes a focus on managing Aquatic Invasive Species. The District is hoping for support and participation by local communities to address this problem. Goose Lake in
Scandia is one of the lakes that could benefit. The city is supporting a District grant application for Goose Lake.
The 2020 Plan includes more regular monitoring and improvement projects for small streams within the district. Some of the small streams in Scandia that flow to the St. Croix, such
as Gilbertson’s Stream, are included in this effort.
The District is requesting comments on its Draft 2020 Management Plan. The comments are due by April 28. The City may consider sending comments to the District about the priorities
and projects in the new plan.