Agenda - Public Works Committee - 03/31/2015

Home

Updated Surface Water Management Plan (SWMP) City of Ramsey, Minnesota The 2014 complaints were also studied. Staff determined that the majority of these complaints would require additional study, these areas could not be drained without causing high water problems on downstream properties. The City wide storm water model is being used in the review of possible solutions to these problems. The Public Works Committee of the City Council has discussed stormwater ponding concerns several times in 2014 and 2015. Staff is preparing a feasibility study on potential solutions to be brought back to City Council for review. C. Impacts of Water Quality and Quantity Management Practices on Recreation Opportunities The current City ordinances together with the LRRWMO, County, regional, state and federal rules and laws are designed to protect the existing land and water resources within the City of Ramsey. The City believes that it can allow continued development while maintaining or improving its resources including water quality and recreation opportunities. With the implementation of this plan and the recommended policy and ordinance changes, the developers will be responsible for protecting water quality, mitigating the runoff quantity and ensuring that there will continue to be recreation opportunities in Ramsey. In addition, the City's Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan is designed to educate the public to better protect the city's water resources, to implement temporary and permanent erosion and sediment controls for new developments, to ensure good housekeeping of the City's municipal operations, and to detect and eliminate illicit discharges. D. Impacts of Stormwater Discharges on Water Quality and Fish and Wildlife Resources As stated in C above, the current and proposed ordinances and the City's SWPPP are designed to protect the existing land and water resources within the City of Ramsey. This includes measures that are designed to maintain or improve the habitat of the fish and wildlife throughout the area. E. Impacts of Soil Erosion on Water Quality and Quantity As part of the City-wide SWPPP and MS4 permit, the City established an erosion and sediment control ordinance governing construction practices. The City will also evaluate existing erosion control problem areas that may not be associated with recent construction and formulate mitigation plans to rectify those issues. Given increased regulation of the typical causes of soil erosion and sediment transport, it is anticipated impacts of soil erosion on water quality in the Ramsey area will be greatly diminished. The SWPPP and MS4 permit also call for the annual inspection of required structural BMPs (structural BMPs are physical devices designed to trap or filter pollutants from runoff or reduce runoff velocities; an example being silt fence). Maintenance is included in the City's annual budget to ensure that structural BMPs continue to work and provide the design storage needed to ensure continued flood mitigation. F General Impact of Land Use Practices As stated in Section VI.B, increases in impervious surfacing will require mitigation to reduce the impacts related to change in permeability from the natural Anoka Sand Plain conditions. The preferred mitigation method is to encourage infiltration to duplicate the existing condition. In addition to infiltration, the City will consider low impact Section VI March 20, 2015 Page 49