urbanMSP

I found this map of impaired waters in the Three Rivers area of coverage.

[IMG]//uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201809 ... f8a3b6.png[/IMG]

Damn all those creeks are considered impaired? I hope the work on the Minnehaha Greenway brings it closer to not impaired soon!

A danger of shrinking aging cities ... water staying in the pipes too long absorbing metals and growing bacteria.

https://theconversation.com/water-stays ... lth-116119

Our stormwater infrastructure is not up to the task of our new wetter climate.

http://www.startribune.com/increasing-s ... 558826472/

Increased erosion, shrinking beaches, wet basements, lakefront property underwater.

Fascinating how Vadnais Heights spent $70,000 to pump water out of a lake into an interstate stormwater retention pond for a few lake homes.

What’s the alternative? Asking earnestly.

Buying them out and forcing these houses off your tax rolls seems no cheaper/better.

Assuming this is a new normal, is the interstate retention pond drainage designed for an increase as a permanent addition to flow and capacity? I mean it drains somewhere too. I can see it being allowed as a temporary emergency.

One alternative is sending the affected properties the bill or a significant percentage of the bill.

It sounded like the cost for this came out of the city’s general fund as they didn’t have a dedicated stormwater fund. Whether this is a good investment I guess depends on how much revenue the properties are contributing to the general fund per year, or to a future stormwater fund.

Watershed politics seem more rife than other politics with “It’s never my fault. I shouldn’t have to do anything different. Someone else is to blame. And it is mismanagement that let it happen.”

Stories like this will get more interesting when a recession hits and cities and individuals have less funds. I also wouldn't be surprised if poorer communities face the same issues and get different responses from govt officials. I grew up in Blaine and many of the developments were built in pretty wet areas. They created drainage ponds in one large enough to label the place, "The Lakes," but we'll see if all that holds up.

This quick swing sure makes the White Bear Lake lawsuit seem ill advised. Yet it still drags on even though the lake is above average (OHW) this year.

https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/lakefind/sh ... d=82016700

It will be very interesting to see how long of a wetter period we enter into. The Colorado River water sharing agreement was first set during a period that was an anomaly and has rarely ever been that wet, but development since then has gone on with the assumption that watershed would go back.

The same concern could apply here, are we in a new climate of wetter or a new climate or dryer. I assume the mistake will be for development hungry exurbs with visions of suburban destinies will pressure to allow development as if the wet period is going to be a new normal and they should be allowed to draw groundwater as if.

For resiliency sake, my opinion is that we should draw groundwater based on the driest periods on record. We should develop surface property based on the wettest periods on record.

What’s the alternative? Asking earnestly.

Buying them out and forcing these houses off your tax rolls seems no cheaper/better.

Depends. How long will it take the property taxes from the 2-3 dozen single family homes around Twin Lake to pay for the $70,000 in expenses from this event? And how often will this happen? This event would cost each household like $2-3k, which they would complain about/fight paying, every time it floods like this.


We have to add in more wetlands throughout our different watershed systems. Buying out houses around our lakeshores and turning them into park/wetland space seems like a good place to start.

http://m.startribune.com/waterlogged-ne ... 560692742/

So I suppose we should get started on converting south Minneapolis back into wetlands too then?

If people are able to afford the $30,000 repair bills from rising water tables, and flood insurance rates, ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

But if they start demanding the collective bail them out and not expect the rest of us to request some concessions, I don’t think this will get far.

This video demonstrates a nifty tool that maps where water flows through the city storm water system and how long it takes to get there.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkjBKh9JSRo

Kinda cool.

Blaine found to have over-pumped groundwater causing homeowners to lose water in their own wells.

https://www.startribune.com/dnr-unpermi ... 600285751/