(Must be a county, city, township, watershed district, watershed management organization or joint powers organization.)

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1 2010 Proposal Form Minnesota Clean Water Partnership (CWP) Resource Investigation Project Implementation Project Doc Type: Proposal Proposal Deadline: 4:30 p.m. Friday, August 13, 2010 Review the 2010 CWP Grant Request for Proposal (RFP) at: Review the Clean Water Partnership Proposal Form Instructions on page 5 of this form. Submit a copy of this Proposal Form electronically via to: CWP.Grant.PCA@state.mn.us. Project Classification (Choose only one selection per line.) Check project type: Resource Investigation Implementation Check project category: Protection Restoration Both Project Title (Create a unique name that begins with the name of the water body and includes the activity 50-character maximum.) Project title: Blackhawk Lake and Thomas Lake Management Plans Sponsoring Organization (Must be a county, city, township, watershed district, watershed management organization or joint powers organization.) Sponsoring organization: Primary contact person: Street address: City of Eagan Eric Macbeth, Water Resources Coordinator 3830 Pilot Knob Rd City: Eagan State: MN Zip: Phone: Fax: emacbeth@cityofeagan.com Project Budget Projection Grant funds requested: $55,276 Loan funds requested $N/A Match funds, including cash and in-kind services: $56,610 Total project cost (sum of other 3 lines): $111,886 Project Location Major Watershed: Lower Minnesota 8-digit Hydrologic unit code: Blackhawk ( , ) Thomas Sub-watershed: Minnesota River Hydrologic unit code: ( , - GPS location: ) wq-cwp7-35e 6/8/10 Page 1 of 5

2 What type of water body does it affect? (check all that apply) Stream Lake River Other Water body name(s): Blackhawk Lake; Thomas Lake Basin (check all that apply): Lake Superior Lower Mississippi/Cedar Upper Mississippi Minnesota Rainy Red River Des Moines Missouri St. Croix Is the water of concern a drinking water source? Yes No If applicable, attach map of project area to proposal. Project Plan Information (Indicate Web page address, page numbers and effective dates of plans relating to this project.) Basin Plan for this Watershed: Comprehensive Local Water Plan: MPCA-approved TMDL Implementation Plan: Other plans that refer to this project work: Gun Club Lake Watershed Management Plan (2007) ( nagement%20plan.pdf) Water Quality & Wetland Management Plan, pp ; (2007) ( N/A N/A for both lakes Summary Information Introduction Since the early 1990s, the City of Eagan (City) has engaged in intense and sustained management of its lakes and their watersheds in a comprehensive effort to improve water quality by reducing in-lake total phosphorus (TP) concentrations. These efforts have included studies of Fish and Schwanz lakes that were sponsored in the mid-1990s by the MN Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) Clean Water Partnership Program. Through this proposed resource investigation and protection project, the City will prepare state-of-the-art water quality management plans for Blackhawk Lake (DNR# P) and Thomas Lake (DNR# P). These 40-acre lakes are central, significant features of their namesake Eagan parks, which are among the City s largest and among the most frequented by local and regional residents. Both lakes also are significant components of Eagan s stormwater management system. Similar to a TMDL effort, this proposed project will evaluate in-lake water quality, assess the TP loads affecting each system, and develop implementation plans to address needs. The ultimate objectives are to implement priority system improvement projects and activities consistent with the City s Water Quality & Wetland Management Plan (WQWMP) to benefit Eagan s third highest priority lakes. This proposed project follows recent efforts to complete for the top two priority lakes the Fish Lake Nutrient Impairment TMDL and Schwanz Lake Nutrient Management Plan (TMDL Project), which was also sponsored by a MPCA grant. Summary Water Quality Eagan s water resources program considers three parameters TP, chlorophyll a, and Secchi depth to represent basic lake water quality conditions. Thus, this proposed project will similarly focus on these parameters as they relate to MPCA shallow-lake eutrophication standards. According to data collected since 1991 by Eagan s long term monitoring program, Blackhawk Lake s water quality has hovered near the 60 parts per billion (ppb) TP standard and the 20 ppb chlorophyll a standard while averaging well below the 1 meter (m) Secchi depth standard. During the same period, Thomas Lake s water quality has downwardly trended to below all three shallow-lake standards. Although neither Blackhawk Lake nor Thomas Lake is included in the MPCA s Draft (d) list of impaired waters, the lake management plans developed by this project will be comprehensive, virtual TMDL studies and implementation plans. The plans will satisfy TMDL study and report requirements by: 1) quantifying the maximum TP loading that would allow water quality standards to be met and 2) identifying TP reduction (or stabilization) strategies for source areas in accordance with Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act. Project Outcomes The overall mission of Eagan s comprehensive water resources program is to protect and improve natural, aesthetic, and recreational qualities of its lakes and wetlands for enjoyment by local and regional residents. The plans developed by this proposed project will include the following specific sections: 1) Introduction of purpose, problem, etc.; 2) Summary of watershed and lake, including history, soils and geology, climate, watershed characteristics, lake morphometry and hydrology, historical water quality, fisheries status, aquatic vegetation, and water level; 3) Discussion of water quality standards (as above) and numeric targets; 4) Assessment and analysis of TP sources and contributions from urban stormwater, internal release, atmospheric deposition, and others; 5) Modeling water quality to source loads; 6) Development of a virtual TMDL, including waste load allocations, load allocations, and margin of safety, and discussion of future growth and anti degradation; 7) Public input and involvement in development of plan; and 8) Implementation strategy, including reasonable assurance and follow-up monitoring. The City s 20-year tradition of leadership and success in local water resources management translates to a high potential for success of wq-cwp7-35e 6/8/10 Page 2 of 5

3 this proposed project. In 1991, Eagan s water quality program received the Twin Cities Metropolitan Council Policy Implementation Award. In 1996, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency presented the City its National First Place Award for an outstanding municipal stormwater control program. The primary measures of project success will be the extent to which the developed lake management plans sufficiently provide TMDL-like technical assessments, analyses, and modeling to quantify maximum TP loading and to identify specific reduction or stabilization strategies that can be implemented as necessary. The City will determine the project s technical successes mainly through feedback and reviews of the plans by ad hoc technical advisors from local and state agencies. Secondarily, the City will determine the project s sociopolitical successes according to the degree to which public stakeholders are involved in the plan development process and the project s budget and timelines are met. Water Plan and Agency Coordination Eagan s WQWMP established a system of ranking priority lakes. Blackhawk and Thomas lakes are the third highest priority, and their management plans are high priority System Improvement Projects and Activities (WQWMP, Table 9.1, p. 90). The Gun Club Lake Watershed Management Plan (GCLWMP) does not specifically prioritize both lakes because the Gun Club Lake Watershed Management Organization (GCLWMO) acknowledges its unique relationship with the City: Maintaining oversight responsibility while recognizing Eagan 89% of the watershed area has an active Water Resources Program and is a known leader in municipal water resource management. Similar to the successful process of the TMDL Project, the City will coordinate with various agencies and stakeholders in this proposed project. Watershed and City residents as well as representatives from Dakota County Soil and Water Conservation District, GCLWMO, Metropolitan Council, MN Board of Water and Soil Resources, MN Department of Natural Resources (MDNR), MN Department of Transportation, and MPCA will be encouraged to attend up to three public meetings during development of the plans and to provide technical and layperson feedback on the plans. Complementary Efforts Besides routine lake management activities (i.e., plant harvesting, water quality monitoring, and winter aeration), the City is not currently engaged in other water quality projects related to Blackhawk Lake or Thomas Lake. However, this proposed project will complement efforts in the near future. In 2011, the City is proposing $200,000 in its Water Quality Capital Improvement Plan (WQCIP) to remove sediment from water quality ponds adjacent to both lakes. Similar WQCIP maintenance projects will likely be proposed in 2012 and 2013, depending somewhat on this project s findings. Eagan s WQCIP projects are funded through dedicated accounts supported by stormwater utility fees from City residents and businesses and by cash dedications from land developers. Furthermore, the TMDL Project complements this proposed project because Fish Lake is upstream of Blackhawk Lake. Thus, the projected $600,000 in improvements the City implements this year to reduce TMDLrequired TP loads to Fish Lake will positively influence Blackhawk Lake. Similarly, because Thomas Lake drains toward Blackhawk Lake, management plans for these lakes are complementary. To date, no other external funding is being pursued to carry out this proposed project. Community Support In 1990, the Eagan City Council adopted a surface water quality management plan, making it one of the first Minnesota cities to do so, and approved a quarterly stormwater utility fee system to implement the water quality program. The stormwater utility fee translates literally into widespread, sustainable community support, but arguably the best testament to Eagan s long tradition of exemplary water resources management is expressed by City residents. In a 2005 scientific survey, 99% of Eagan residents said good water quality of City lakes was very or somewhat important, and nearly half said they visited Eagan parks with lakes at least 5 times per year. Since 2005, the City Council has annually proclaimed June as Eagan Lakes Appreciation Month, and on June 12, 2010 the City celebrated the 20 th anniversary of its program at Blackhawk Park during LakeFest 2010, which attracted 370 people. Over the years, the City has coordinated several stakeholder meetings and maintained relationships with Blackhawk Lake and Thomas Lake residents to dialogue specifically about urban shallow lakes and storm sewer systems and to facilitate cooperative aquatic plant management and potential lake homeowner associations. Demonstration Potential With numerous and seemingly unending development pressures, varying nonpoint source pollution control regulations, and increasing public expectations, many Minnesota cities are resource-limited and often forced to be reactive to those collective challenges while authentically attempting to protect and improve their priority lakes. This proposed project will employ an established and required process for impaired waters to address specific needs that ideally will prevent lake impairments. By focusing on pollutant loads to lakes that currently have not been assessed or are meeting state water quality standards, this project will demonstrate a voluntary and proactive nonpoint source approach that very likely would translate into long-term cost savings for cities. This will be particularly relevant to cities that are nearly or completely built-out, such as Eagan, and have limited opportunities to implement best management practices. This project likely also will be highly valuable to growing communities endowed with priority waters that are proactively focused and seek to balance growth and resource protection. Significance, Priority, Maximizing Protection Blackhawk Lake and Thomas Lake are state public water lakes that are central, significant features of their namesake Eagan parks, which are among the City s largest and among the most frequented by local and regional residents. Blackhawk Park (93 acres) and Thomas Lake Park (71 acres) have many amenities, including parking lots, pavilions, shoreland trails and fishing areas, fishing piers, lake information kiosks, canoe accesses, and undeveloped woodlands. Thomas Lake Park also has a 20-acre native prairie and natural wetlands area. Both lakes shorelines are about equally owned by the City and private landowners. Because these lakes are significant components of Eagan s stormwater management system, their watersheds are quite large. The technical assessments, analyses, and modeling of this proposed project will maximize protection of the lakes by targeting the City s future implementation efforts to appropriate geographic source areas and effective best management strategies. wq-cwp7-35e 6/8/10 Page 3 of 5

4 Budget Information Project expenditure budget Complete the following table by listing the objectives that will comprise your project and estimated cost of each objective. Add additional rows as necessary. Objectives Funding types Grant Local cash In-kind Loan 1. Introduction/ Project kick-off $0 $1,552 $300 $0 $1, Background data review and summary $0 $7,812 $1,000 $0 $8, Lake WQ monitoring and data management $0 $2,400 $5,100 $0 $7, WQ standards and numeric targets $1,504 $0 $500 $0 $2, Estimate internal loading (rateof-release approach) $10,702 $0 $1,000 $0 $11, Modeling preparation/ assessment and analysis of TP sources $10,128 $0 $500 $0 $10, Watershed and lake response modeling $11,920 $0 $500 $0 $12, Development of allocations $3,674 $0 $500 $0 $4, Public involvement $4,000 $8,114 $2,000 $0 $14, Implementation plan section $10,848 $0 $500 $0 $11, Write lake management plans $2,500 $19,832 $2,000 $0 $24, Project administration $0 $0 $3,000 $0 $3,000 Total of program objectives: $55,276 $39,710 $16,900 $ 0 $111,886 *The project objective budget should address the cost of setting up monitoring stations, collecting monitoring data, reducing the data, public education, writing the diagnostic study and implementation plan, Best Management Practices (BMPs) activities, project administration, etc. Costs listed for each objective must be realistic. Total wq-cwp7-35e 6/8/10 Page 4 of 5

5 Project support budget Complete the following sections for all the sources of grant, loan, match money, and in-kind contributions for your project. The match requirement must be no less than the amount of the grant. Add additional rows as necessary. Project sponsors Cash contribution to project Project costs In-kind contribution to project Total project support A. Project sponsor contribution $37,310 $16,900 $54,210 B. Local contributing sponsors: Gun Club Lake Watershed Management Organization $2,400 $0 $2,400 B. Subtotal $2,400 $0 $2,400 C. State and/or federal contributing sponsors: (cannot be more than 20 percent of the total project costs.) C. Subtotal* $0 $0 $0 Total: All project sponsors (A+B+C) $39,710 $16,900 $56,610 Grant amount requested (cannot exceed $500,000): $55,276 $55,276 Loan amount requested (no maximum) $0 $0 Total cash Total in-kind Total project cost MPCA staff or resources cannot be used as match. Grand Totals $94,986 $16,900 $111,886 wq-cwp7-35e 6/8/10 Page 5 of 5

6 Blackhawk and Thomas Lakes Watersheds Fish Lake Blackhawk Lake Schwanz Lake Thomas Lake F Created By: EM Date: 08/12/10 L:\users\pubworks\sara\waterquality\projects\SubBasins_BlackhawkThomas.mxd Miles