|
Lino Lakes Local Water Management Plan 46 November 2018 – WSB Project No. 02988-500 3. ASSESSMENT OF WATER RESOURCE-RELATED PROBLEMS AND ISSUES Issues, goals, and policies were developed for this Plan through a process of compiling issues and goals identified in plans and studies previously completed by the City and other local agencies. Primary sources of information were the previous Surface Water Management Plan, the City’s Comprehensive Plan, Resource Management Plans, and Watershed Management Plans of the RCWD and VLAWMO. The compiled goals and policies were refined by city staff and consultants for review by the City of Lino Lakes Environmental Board (whose purpose is to advise the city council in the use and management of its natural resources). The primary issues facing the City of Lino Lakes are: 1. Challenges in meeting stormwater volume reduction goals due to poor soils in the south and east regions of the City 2. Flood control issues in the Chain of Lakes 3. Antiquated public ditch systems without capacity for future development and stormwater runoff 3.1 Issues A detailed list of the City-wide and RMU-specific water resources issues facing the City of Lino Lakes is provided in Appendix B and summarized below. Water Rate and Quantity Issues Within the City of Lino Lakes, streams, lakes, and wetlands have been subjected to increased surface water runoff rates and volumes. Increased discharge rates and volumes have caused serious down-cutting and stream bank erosion in some areas. Increased runoff rates and volumes also contribute to flooding concerns and water quality concerns. These issues are likely to intensify in the future. The Metropolitan Council prepared and adopted a regional growth strategy that anticipates further urbanization of the City. In addition, transportation improvements in or near the City will facilitate and precipitate urbanization. The City of Lino Lakes is planning for development of 1,400 acres east of Peltier Lake, north of Main Street. Furthermore, the City of Hugo is planning for development of a 215-acre area; both areas are currently being drained by Anoka County Ditch 55 (ACD 55). Currently, precipitation events larger than 0.25-inch results in surface water ponding and surface water runoff within the ACD 55 drainage area (Houston Engineering 2013b). Without an alternative outlet or increased capacity, the development may be limited within the ACD 55 drainage area. This may exacerbate current flooding up stream in the ACD 55 system since ACD 55 restricts downstream flows and can only accommodate a small amount of flow. Sediment loads, and with it, pollutants and contaminants would also increase. Flow from the 215-acre area within the City of Hugo may be up to 62 cubic feet per second (cfs) during the 100-year 24-hour storm. Additionally, 54 cfs will be generated from the 534-acre area within Lino Lakes that is currently served by ACD 55. The ACD 55 infrastructure currently reaches capacity at 1-2 cfs. As a result, the City of Lino Lakes is pursuing a new conveyance system and outlet structure to Peltier Lake from the 1,400-acre development area, using the RCWD Comprehensive Stormwater Management Plan (CSMP) provisions. The CSMP was approved by the RCWD Board on June 27, 2018. Any development within the CSMP area will require RCWD review for compliance with the CSMP. Water Quality Issues Current data indicate that water bodies located within the City have water quality issues. Several City lakes, such as Bald Eagle, Peltier, George Watch, Marshan, Centerville, Reshanau, Baldwin and Rice are included in the MPCA’s impaired waters list. In addition, both Clearwater and Hardwood Creeks are also included on the 303(d) TMDL list due to biotic impairments. A TMDL was recently completed for the Upper Mississippi River to address the water quality standard for E. coli. Additionally, the City drains to Golden Lake, which has an approved TMDL for nutrients. Runoff carrying nutrient-rich sediment, road salts, and hydrocarbon-based contaminants is detrimental to the water quality of the City’s lakes, streams, rivers, and wetlands. Current water quality conditions present a potential stress to the diversity and population of fish and aquatic invertebrates and impact human uses of the resources. Improvement of these waters will require a watershed-wide solution because in many cases much of the drainage area originates upstream of the City. Additionally, it has been found that internal loading sources of phosphorus derived from the lake bed sediments in Peltier Lake are affecting the water quality of downstream water bodies. Wetland Management Issues Benefits attributed to wetlands include floodwater storage and retention, nutrient assimilation, sediment entrapment, ground water recharge, low flow augmentation, shoreland anchoring and erosion control, aesthetics, recreation, and education. Accordingly, the loss of high priority wetland acres, function and value (Figure 2-6) will have a direct negative effect on the City and its water resources.
|