Nine Mile Creek Stabilization and Habitat Restoration
The Nine Mile Creek watershed is a highly developed, urbanized watershed located in southern Hennepin County. The natural infiltration capacity of soils in the watershed has been diminished by significant coverage with hard surfaces such as streets, parking lots, and buildings. This leads to more rainfall making its way more quickly to Nine Mile Creek. As a result, Nine Mile Creek has experienced stream bank erosion and instream habitat loss due to increases in storm water runoff resulting in the creek to be listed on the State of Minnesota impaired waters list for biotic integrity. This means that the fish and other aquatic organisms expected to be found in a healthy creek are not present to the degree they should be. In addition to the increase in hard surfaces within the watershed, portions of Nine Mile Creek have also been channelized and straightened. This project will realign portions of Nine Mile Creek in its historical channel, restoring its meander pattern and in-stream habitat by utilizing bioengineering techniques.
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 (2010 - Shoreland Improvement)
The Nine Mile Creek Stabilization and Habitation Restoration Project resulted in the stabilization and re-meandering of 2,350 linear feet of Nine Mile Creek. The estimated outcomes for the project includes sediment reductions of 464 tons per year, Total Suspended Solids reductions of 47,648 pounds per year and total phosphorus reductions of 77 pounds per year.