Agenda - Council - 02/10/2009 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Pollution Prevention! Good Housekeeping Street Sweeping, annual inspection of 20% of ponds and outfalls, annual inspection.of 100% of water quality treatment devices, maintenance of ponds and other BMPS The application materials indicated MS4s draining to impaired waters or restricted discharge waters would have to evaluate how to change their systems; however, specific requirements were not provided. The MPCA has published BMP summary sheets within the last 6 months outlining with details for these two classes of waters. The City of Ramsey drains to the Mississippi River and the Rum River. The Mississippi River from St Cloud to the Anoka City limits is protected from new or expanded stormwater discharges and is considered impaired because of mercury and PCB's found in fish tissue. The Rum River from Onamia to Madison and Rice Streets in Anoka is also protected from new or expanded stormwater discharges and is considered impaired because of mercury in fish tissue. Rogers Lake in the northeast comer of the city is also listed on the impaired waters list. The MPCA began reviewing our MS4 application in December 2008 and provided comments on the application. Revisions to the existing BMP summary sheets have been submitted for their review. Their comments also required including two new BMP summary sheets, Discharges to Impaired Waters and Discharges to Protected Waters. Ramsey Impacts: The MPCA selected 1988 as the year to start evaluating if new or expanded stormwater discharges to the Rum River or Mississippi Rivers were created. The Clean Water Act reauthorization occurred in 1988 so it was chosen as the benchmark year. The MPCA BMP Summary sheet suggests evaluating all discharges that have been created since that date and projecting to the year 2020 for discharges charges from future development. The MPCA is looking at these specific pollutants, increased stormwater volume, Total Suspended Solids (TSS) and Total Phosphorus (TP). The ponds created with developments were designed to reduce the TSS and TP in stormwater leaving the site. The volume reduction must be addressed through use of any or all of the following strategies: infiltration basins, Low Impact Development (LID), rain barrels, zoning or ordinance changes. Staff met with the MPCA regarding the permit for the County Pond Storm Sewer Outfall and also discussed the MS4 permit at the same time. The Surface Water Management Plan adopted in 2008 requires all future developments to limit the peak rate ofrunoffto 75% of the pre-development rate. The MPCA indicated this is a step in the right direction; however, volume control must also be addressed. Staff has been reviewing volume control strategies adopted by watershed districts in Minnesota and will be bringing options forward at a future meeting for review and discussion. The MPCA has indicated that they will consider a prudent and feasible argument for alternatives to eliminating the discharge if the city takes the following steps: . Incorporate infiltration and other practices in future developments to minimize the impact of new storm water runoff . Incorporate these practices in re-development of existing areas. . Include cost and environmental considerations in analysis of alternates. -186-