Chain of Lakes Stormwater Retrofit Assessment Best Management Practices

In 2010, Legislation allocated Clean Water Fund (CWF) dollars to the Anoka Conservation District to initiate an 11 county metro subwatershed assessment program. The purpose of subwatershed assessments is to improve water quality, increase groundwater recharge and reduce runoff volumes. These goals are achieved by identifying opportunities in the subwatersheds most contributing to the degradation of the high priority water bodies and developing designs for Best Management Practices (BMPs) that treat stormwater runoff. Using a similar protocol, the Chisago Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) is working on a Rural Subwatershed assessment to determine a list of identified practices in the rural portions of the Chisago Lakes Watershed. This assessment will have a list of top practices including: gully stabilizations, waterways, buffer strips and feedlot improvements. In 2011/2012, the SWCD was successful in applying for CWF grants to install projects identified through subwatershed assessments. Continued funding of this program will allow the SWCD to build on the momentum that has resulted from the completion of the subwatershed assessments and the Chisago Lakes Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy and to continue installing BMPs that will result in cleaner water throughout the Chisago Lakes watershed.