Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-25-85 CCMPUBLIC HEARING FOR PUMPING OF LAKE JANE JULY 24, 1985 Mayor Morgan called the public hearing to order at 8:00 p.m. in the Council chambers. Present: Armstrong, Dunn, Christ, Acting Administrator Banister and City Engineer Bohrer. Absent: Mazzara Mayor Morgan addressed the present situation. There is approximatley 465 acre-feet of additional water above elevation 924 on Lake Jane and upstream on Lakes Olson, DeMontreville and Long. Allowing for average precipitation for the remainder of the year, the existing pump should be able to remove 450 acre-feet prior to freeze up on or about December 1, 1985. The City Engineer, Larry Bohrer, presented the proposal of the 1985 Auxiliary Pumping Program for Lake Jane. The purpose of this project is to remove approximately 300 acre feet of additional water so that Lake Jane is approximately elevation 922 prior to the 1986 spring snow melt. It is proposed to install an existing electric pump owned by the VBWD on the south shore of Lake Jane and by means of a forcemain, pump water into the Shafer Contracting gravel pit west of Jamaca Avenue. The estimated cost without contingencies is $14,500. The owners of the gravel pit, Shafer's Contracting Co., want three conditions met before allowing the pumping: a. Maintain access provided to gravel stockpiles. b. Do not allow pine trees to be inundated (elevation 928.5 shall not be exceeded). c. City to provide liability insurance or held harmless in case of a claim. There were backhoe excavations done on the site, and they indicated a perched water table at about elevation 925.5. Soil borings taken for VBWD Project 1001 indicate the pit was underlain with 10 feet to 40 feet of silt and clay. Standing water in the pit is evidence of the perched water table. By contrast, the water table in the landfill is about elevation 900. Since the gravel pit shows saturated soil at elevation 925.5 and all pumping must stop at 928.5 to protect the pine trees, there is insufficient head to drive the water horizontally to dispose of sufficient quantities of water. Surface storage below 928.5 is about 6 acre-feet. The planned pump would fill this in 1-112 to 2 days. Then, the pump would have to be shut off for an indefinite amount of time until water levels recede. Based on these findings, the proposal does not look feasible. PUBLIC HEARING MINUTES FOR LAKE JANE JULY 24, 1985 PAGE 2 The following are the alternatives that were suggested: ALTERNATIVE COST COMMENTS 1. Pump to Shafer Pit $14,500 tight underlying soils 2. Excavate Shafer Pit $35,000+ questionable feasibility 3. Excavate Shoreline --- questionable feasibility 4. Irrigate Cropland --- not feasbile, pump limitations 5. Pump to alternate $16,000- appears most feasible location 20,000 46 acre feet initial 3 acre feet/day a. underlying soils b. owner's concerns c. counties' concerns An area immediately south of the landfill was looked into and the property is owned by Mervin Nippoldt. The City Engineer had not been successful in reaching him. The Washington County Soil Survey indicates that this depression which is about eight acres in size should be able to percolate the amount of water necessary to be removed. There are about ninety days left in September, October and November that effective pumping can be done. This should come close to the 300 acre-feet of water that needs to be disposed of. Because this proposal is new and there was limited time for investigation, there are three unanswered questions. a. Underlying soils - Not much is known about the soils. Don't think there is a limiting layer under here like in the Shafer Pit, but need more investigation. b. Owner's concerns - have not been able to find out the owner's concerns. Do know that the land is rented out for agricultural purposes. There is small grain planted on there now and due to be harvested in about three weeks, so the land may be available at a crop standpoint. C. Counties' Concerns - there are two concerns. There may be some areas of trash in the old landfill that are below the present water table. Therefore a greater volume of water in the water table percolating may produce more leachate which will take a longer time to clean up. When you deposit a large amount of water in one.location, that creates a new slope on the ground water table and it may interfere with the operation of their system. They might have to operate that system longer to remove the same amount of contaminants. PUBLIC HEARING MINUTES FOR LAKE JANE JULY 24, 1985 PAGE 3 The cost for this pumping project would be $70 and up to $87 per benefited parcel. It is proposed to be assesed per parcel regardless of the actual size of the parcel. The benefit is determined to be the lowering of the lake levels and disposing of this excess water. The following questions were asked of the City Engineer: Councilwoman Armstrong questioned where the pipes would lie with the Nippoldt plan. Bohrer answered that the pipes would lie right along side the other two that are presently there and then turn south. Ken Sovereign, 4415 Olson Lake Trail, asked what is the feasibility of continuing the pump in the City Park Pond and sees this is not an alternative. Bohrer answered that there is a maximum elevation that we need to stay below on the City Park Pond and it is nearing its capacity. Scotty Lyall, 4515 Birchbark Lane, suggested another alternative. That is consideration of some core drilling in Hedges Pond to see whether we can go in there with a dragline and break the seal. There you would have the water contained and you would have control of the lake without a DNR Permit or Watershed Permit because you would be on private property. Bohrer had looked at this alternative, but questions the feasibility and the possi.bilty of getting large equipment in on Birchbark Lane and through the private property that is required. Also you would need a place to deposit the dirt once it has been dug. Might be able to find some information on the water wells in that area to see if they hit the same confining layer that we found along the south shore of Lake Jane. Councilman Christ - On the Nippoldt alternative would you use the existing culverts. Bohrer answered they would use the existing culverts and informed them that the general flow of water in this area is south. Chuck Taylor, 4677 Birchbark Lane, asked what is the ground elevation of the simple depression and the water table level there. Bohrer answered that the lowest spot is 926 and he does not know exactly what the water table is, but some of the sampling wells in the landfill which are very close are around 899 or 900. Nancy Hansen, 8024 Hill Trail, commented that if we are relying on the water to percolate out of City Park Pond and to percolate out of the Nippoldt property, could pumping into the Nippoldt property slow the absorption of the water from City Park Pond. Bohrer did not think so, because it looks like the majority of the water is going straight down. The following are positive comments or questions: PUBLIC HEARING MINUTES FOR LAKE JANE JULY 24, 1985 PAGE 4 Jim Weyer, 8991 Jane Road, would like to thank the City Council and the City Engineer for the excellent cooperation that they have given to this proposal and shows how responsive this body is to the needs of the people. He would like to encourage them to proceed with the feasibility of Alternative 5, pumping to an alternate location. Questions were brougt up on the assessment procedure. Some felt that this was an opportunity to help neighbors and thinks it should be shared with the rest of the community. Out of the 229 parcels to be assesed, how are they split up between the three lakes. The answer to that question was that it was equal per each of three lakes, but will be researched. Question was raised as to why wasn't the whole city of Lake Elmo assessed. This was answered that it is very difficult to say that the people that lived off of the lakes benefited by pumping Lake Jane. This could be done through an ad valorem type program. Chuck Taylor feels that as much as we don't like this pumping, it has been the only thing we have and to not give up until a permanent solution comes. The following.were negative comments: Ken Sovereign questioned the authority of the City to pump at all into any pond. If they do have the authority, he questions assessing anyone, except Lake Jane residents for such a project. The Lake DeMontreville, Olson Assoc.opposes any expenditures that the City will use for not solving the ultimate problem. They feel that the City should spend their time getting the deadlock out of the 509 Program and let the water build up and this would get it solved. Any interim plan will delay it. Bill Rowe, 8286 Hidden Bay Court N., stated that attempting to help our neighbors has allowed the watershed district to get off the hook without accomplishing anything, but they continue to get money from our assessments. Norm Purrington, 8000 Hill Trail, would like to see water moved out of Olson and DeMontreville into Jane and then out so there is some bounce for the Spring and then people from Olson and DeMontreville could see some benefit. The City Council will discuss and decide whether to act on this proposal or any of the new proposals at the August 6th Council meeting. l The public hearing was adjourned at 9:20 p.m.