Agenda - Council Work Session - 02/23/2021

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There are many public waters within the LRRWMO (see Figure 2-8); the LRRMWO lacks the capacity to monitor and manage all of these resources. Therefore, the LRRWMO has classified the following public waters as LRRWMO priority waters: • Round Lake • Grass Lake (Sunfish Lake) • Rogers Lake • Rum River These waters have been classified as priority waters due to a combination of recreational use and value, ecological function and quality, and local priorities. As priority waters, the LRRWMO has established measurable goals for these resources (see Section 4.1) and identified implementation activities (see Table 5-1) to manage these resources. The LRRWMO also cooperates with the Anoka Conservation District (ACD), MPCA, and others to monitor the water quality of these resources. Omission of a waterbody from the LRRWMO priority waters list does not prevent or prohibit the LRRWMO from taking action to manage these waterbodies, if need should arise. Wetlands in the LRRWMO are important community and ecological assets. Wetlands provide recreational value, runoff storage and retention, nutrient and sediment reduction, groundwater recharge, and wildlife habitat benefits. To protect these valuable resources, the LRRWMO and its member cities cooperate to manage wetlands to achieve no net loss of acreage, functions, and value. Within the watershed, the LRRWMO serves as the Local Government Unit (LGU) responsible for administration of the Wetland Conservation Act (WCA) (except for on Minnesota Department of Transportation projects). The LRRWMO's wetland permitting role is discussed in greater detail in Section 5.3.2.1. More information about WCA guidance is provided at the BWSR website: tt• : sr.st t . n. s/ -tl n ►.s-r- I; ti - The US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) maintains an inventory of wetlands known as the National Wetland Inventory (NWI). Wetlands identified in the NWI are presented in Figure 2-9. The NWI is periodically updated and was last updated for the area of the LRRWMO in 2013. The City of Ramsey has completed a detailed wetlands inventory (284 wetlands), including functions and values assessment (using MnRAM 3.0 methodology). Additional detail is available in the Ramsey Surface Water Management Plan (2018). Wetlands within the cities of Andover and Anoka are inventoried on an individual basis as part of development proposals. The LRRWMO requires functional values of wetlands to be assessed on a case by case basis, by each municipality, for any wetland impacts proposed in the watershed, including projects requiring an LRRWMO permit (see Section 5.3.2.1.). The LRRWMO requires the Minnesota Routine Assessment Method for Evaluating Wetland Functions (MnRAM), version 3.2 or the most current version, is to be used to identify the functional value of wetlands within the watershed. Information about wetland functional assessment is available from BWSR are: sr.st.t . s/ -tl; n•s/ r / 2-24 x. t 1