Wave and ice action, boating activity, fluctuating water levels, sandy soil, and the removal of native shoreline vegetation are all common culprits of erosion on Anoka County's lakeshores. When mowing to the water's edge and clearing emergent vegetation drive erosion, restoring the native shoreline plant community alone can stabilize the lakeshore. Sometimes additional stabilization materials may be warranted. However, a wall of rock riprap is almost never needed to stabilize lakeshores. Too much rock creates a sterile environment in this ecologically vital transition zone between land and water. We achieve the best of both worlds by combining moderate rock with robust native vegetation.

A pollinator planting installed four years ago on a sunny and sandy slope at ACD's office is teeming with life as pollinators take advantage of its abundant blooms. It showcases the results of consistent watering, weeding, and supplemental plantings over the three critical years following the initial plug-planting effort. This area also contains a variety of additional flowering species that bloom during other seasons, along with grasses that provide habitat and shelter.

For more information, contact Breanna Keith, Restoration Ecologist, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

The Rice Creek Watershed District's (RCWD) Water Quality Grant Program annually funds projects benefitting priority local waterbodies. Eligible practices include lakeshore and streambank stabilizations, curb-cut rain gardens, stormwater treatment, agricultural practices, and wetland restorations. Cost share rates vary based on the type of project and the water quality benefits achieved. Learn more about this program HERE. If you are an Anoka County resident within the Rice Creek watershed boundaries, contact Breanna Keith at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for a free consultation.

If your property is not well-suited to a water quality improvement project but you're interested in improving native habitat on your property, consider applying for RCWD's Mini-Grant Program. 

The Minnesota Stormwater Research Council held its inaugural symposium, attended by government entities, engineering firms, and research institutions. The event offered valuable updates and discussions on the current science and management strategies for stormwater ponds.

Stormwater ponds are ubiquitous in the landscape, given their use as a go-to management practice since the 1980s. Some are entirely manmade, while others were retrofitted from natural wetlands. Initially, their primary purpose was to mitigate flooding. However, their water quality benefits were quickly realized – particularly their ability to capture solids (such as trash and sediment) and the pollutants that often accompany them. Today, significant effort is devoted to strategies that further enhance stormwater ponds' water quality benefits, most notably by reducing phosphorus levels. 

Research shows that some stormwater ponds provide minimal nutrient-reduction benefits or can even act as a source of phosphorus. A pond's performance in this realm is difficult to predict, monitor, and correct. While extensive monitoring of a pond's chemistry, biology, and hydrology will paint the clearest picture, sometimes simpler metrics such as duckweed abundance, wind shelter, volume, age, and soil composition can provide valuable insight. Where problems exist, best management practices, such as dredging or vegetation management, can help.

Pond maintenance is often logistically challenging and requires a coordinated effort. Partnerships among pond owners (typically cities or HOAs), adjacent landowners, private firms, and local government entities with expertise is often essential to improve pond function. Learn more about stormwater ponds HERE or by watching the "Our Stormwater Pond Connection" video. For more information, contact Breanna Keith, Water Resource Specialist, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

Advanced street sweeping studies are being completed by ACD staff to identify locations where strategically increasing the frequency of sweeping would result in the greatest water quality benefits to the Rum and Mississippi rivers. The highest priority areas for this effort are typically those with limited existing stormwater treatment and/or high roadside tree canopy cover, both of which contribute to increased pollutant loads in stormwater. 

The photo above shows a street sweeping prioritization map produced through the enhanced street sweeping analysis for the City of St. Francis; green indicates the highest priority streets, and red indicates the lowest, for achieving water quality improvements to the Rum River. These analyses are also being completed for portions of Ramsey, Andover, and Anoka. Detailed reports and recommendations will be provided to these cities upon the completion of these studies. For more information contact Breanna Keith, Water Resource Specialist, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..