Agenda - Council - 12/08/2015 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Orr Uission: To work together to resposihty grow our community, and to provide quality, cost-effective, and efficient government ierwlcea. CC Regular Session 7. 2. Meeting Date: 12/08/2015 By: Michael Healy, Community Development Information Title: Discuss Follow Up of Recent Erosion Site Visit on Mississippi River and Consider Authorizing a Shoreline Inventory of Erosion Concerns along the Mississippi River Purpose/Background: Purpose The purpose of this case is to recap a recent site visit of a property along Mississippi River with potential erosion issues. The site visit was at the request of the Property Owner. As a primary outcome of that discussion, Anoka Conservation District recommended that a shoreline inventory be completed in order to better position the community for other funding sources to aide property owners implement erosion stabilization projects. Thorough documentation of the erosion problem could prove important if the City and/or the Anoka Conservation District are going to attempt to secure competitive grant dollars for erosion mitigation efforts. The Anoka Conservation District recently completed a shoreline inventory of a portion of the shoreline upstream of the Coon Rapids Dam, including both the Mississippi and Rum Rivers within the Coon Rapids Dam Pool. This inventory stopped just short of the borders of the City of Ramsey. This study was aimed at measuring the erosion impacts of a new program begun in the winter of 2012-2013 to keep water levels elevated all year long in the Coon Rapids Dam pool to halt the spread of invasive carp species. The Anoka Conservation District has quoted the City of Ramsey a price of $5,000 to extend the study to cover all of the Mississippi River properties within the city. This cost would include $1,500 to complete a photo inventory of the river and $3,500 to compile a formal report. One of the included deliverables would be an atlas showing all of the pictures of the entire riverbank. The $5,000 payment would be a lump sum and the Anoka Conservation District would be responsible for any cost overruns. Staff has contacted Anoka County Parks to to consider contributing financially to the project due to their interest in better understanding erosion issues at Mississippi West Regional Park. Anoka County Parks has expressed a willingness to be a partner and discussion continues regarding the appropriate share of funding from the City and Anoka County Parks. The Anoka Conservation District has indicated that the best time to complete such an inventory is during leaf -off conditions prior to significant snow accumulation so that the erosion would be completely visible. Background The owners of several properties along the Mississippi River recently invited the Ramsey City Council to visit their properties to witness severe erosion that has been occurring. The property owners report that erosion has intensified in recent years and that their individual efforts to combat it have been both expensive and ineffective as long-term solutions. According to the property owners, plantings aimed at mitigating erosion have been washed away within a