Brown's Creek Thermal Load Reduction
Brown's Creek is the namesake of Brown's Creek Watershed District (BCWD) and a designated metro trout stream. But in recent years the stream hasn't been home to as many trout and cold-water insects as we would hope. The creek is too warm and too muddy.
Brown's Creek Watershed District has partnered with Oak Glen Golf Course to restore 1,300 linear feet of Brown's Creek as it flows through the golf course adding more than two acres of native buffer along the stream bank. This project began in 2011 with a $210,000 Clean Water Fund grant. After the project is complete in June 2012, Brown's Creek will be six degrees cooler on the warmest days, bringing the water temperature from lethal to tolerable and thus increasing the stream's ability to support trout reproduction.
Nicole Clapp
(g) $2,330,000 the first year and $1,830,000 the second year are for grants to implement stream bank, stream channel, and shoreline protection, and restoration projects to protect water quality. Of this amount, $330,000 the first year and $330,000 the second year may be used for technical assistance and grants to establish a conservation drainage program in consultation with the Board of Water and Soil Resources and the Drainage Work Group that consists of pilot projects to retrofit existing drainage systems with water quality improvement practices, evaluate outcomes, and provide outreach to landowners, public drainage authorities, drainage engineers and contractors, and others. Of this amount, $500,000 the first year is for a grant to Hennepin County for riparian restoration and stream bank stabilization in the ten primary stream systems in Hennepin County in order to protect, enhance, and help restore the water quality of the streams and downstream receiving waters. The county shall work with watershed districts and water management organizations to identify and prioritize projects. To the extent possible, the county shall employ youth through the Minnesota Conservation Corps and Tree Trust to plant trees and shrubs to reduce erosion and stabilize stream banks. This appropriation must be matched by nonstate sources, including in-kind contributions (2011 - Shoreland Improvement)
After the project is complete in June 2012, Brown's Creek will be six degrees cooler on the warmest days, bringing the water temperature from lethal to tolerable and thus increasing the stream's ability to support trout reproduction.
The project was completed in June 2012, resulting in Brown's Creek being six degrees cooler on the warmest days, bringing the water temperature from lethal to tolerable and thus increasing the stream's ability to support trout reproduction.