03/27/2013 Env Bd Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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3.9. Stormwater Management System Hydrologic boundaries do not stop at the municipal borders and orderly coordination between related municipalities is addressed in the Lino Lakes Resource Management Plan (RMP). Hydrologic boundary based, Resource Management Units (RMU) identified in the RMP are the basis for neighbor community coordination of shared water resources. The hydrologic modeling encompasses true watershed catchments even where the boundaries are outside the municipal boundaries. The modeling covers small portions of land area within North Oaks, Hugo, and Blaine, as well as all of Centerville. Ditches The State of Minnesota has established a set of rules to provide an opportunity for individual landowners to obtain drainage and to minimize the effects to downstream landowners. There are a variety of County Ditches (Nos. 8, 10, 22, 25, 32, 47, and 55) and one Judicial Ditch (No. 3) that run through the City. Both County and Judical Ditches are managed the same way. The naming is different because the systems were established under different protocols. The majority of the drainage system was constructed during the late 1800's and early 1900's. Over the decades, much of the system was minimally maintained by different ditch authorities. Today, many ditches function as straightened creeks within a partially or marginally drained wetland slough or riparian corridor. The major public ditch systems in Lino Lakes are: • Anoka County Ditch (ACD) 10 -22 -32 • ACD 25 • ACD 55 • ACD 72 Counties have authority for managing drainage systems (under Minnesota Statute §106A) within a County, or a Joint County Drainage Authority for drainage systems that are within two or more counties. Counties have the option to delegate authority over drainage systems to watershed districts, where they exist. Counties, when acting as the drainage authority, may establish, improve or repair drainage systems and similar activities related to drainage. However, these authorities are regulated by a variety of Federal and State agencies. In Lino Lakes, Anoka and Ramsey Counties have delegated the jurisdiction over all public ditches to the Rice Creek Watershed District (RCWD). Thus, the RCWD is the ditch authority for the purposes of implementing Minnesota Statute §103E (Drainage Law). The VLAWMO is a ditch authority for Ramsey County Ditches 13 and 14, however, the VLAWMO manages the ditch system as a stormwater system under Minnesota Statute § 103B.227, subdivision 7, not as a ditch system under Minnesota Statute §103E. There are three different types of drainage projects: establishment, improvements and repairs. An establishment refers to the original construction of the drainage ditch. An improvement will institute a change from the original construction, which usually means expanding the ditches' capacity. Repairs are intended to maintain a drainage ditch to its original construction or as subsequently improved. State law has established extensive procedures to manage these activities. Projects are begun by a petition brought forward by landowners wishing either a ditch be established, improved or repaired. Counties can initiate repairs if an inspection reveals that work is necessary. State law requires an annual inspection of each drainage system, public hearings, appointing of "viewers" to determine benefits and damages of the proposed project, and engineering reports. City of Lino Lakes SWMP 1 February 8, 2013 Draft 1 38 • • •