CRWD Summer 2014 Newsletter

News from Capitol Region Watershed District August 2014

Watershed District.

Baseball and rainwater reuse ‘team up’ at Lowertown Ballpark

Established in 1998, CRWD

by Lindsay VanPatten

Our mission is to protect, manage and improve the water resources of Capitol Region

covers 40 square miles and includes portions of the cities of Falcon Heights, Lauderdale, Maplewood, Roseville and Saint Paul. Located within Ramsey County, it has a population of 225,000 people. The District drains to the Mississippi River, also its primary water resource.

Como Lake, Crosby Lake, Loeb Lake and Lake McCarrons are also located in the District.

Board of Managers: Joe Collins, President Mary Texer, Vice President Seitu Jones, Secretary Mike Thienes, Treasurer Shirley Reider, Board Manager Mark Doneux, Administrator CRWD Programs: Permitting Education and Outreach Water Quality Monitoring Grants Capital Improvement Projects

The St. Paul Saints will move out of Midway Stadium into the new Lowertown Regional Ballpark in spring 2015. The Saints, known for their innovative ways of engaging the crowd, take that creativity to a new level with the use of many sustainable features at the new stadium including solar panels, green infrastructure landscaping and a rainwater harvesting and reuse system.

There are typically few opportunities to incorporate large scale rainwater reuse in CRWD, particularly in a public facility. The stormwater reuse portion of the project

Construction of Lowertown Ballpark, spring 2014.

was awarded a $325,000 CRWD 2014 Special Grant. Here’s how it works: With goals to reduce runoff from the site and reuse as much water as possible, rainwater is captured from the adjacent Green Line Operations and Maintenance building and reused to water plants and flush toilets. The water is stored in a 27,000 gallon cistern underground and cleaned by a filtering system and UV light. This is one of the first projects in Minnesota to reuse rainwater for plumbing purposes.

“Harvesting rainwater between properties, and using it for multiple purposes, displays an extraordinary demonstration of commitment to sustainable water resources,” said Wes Saunders-Pearce, City of Saint Paul water resource coordinator.

Landscape plans for the site include rain gardens, tree trenches and swales that also soak up stormwater. The location of the stadium, with its view of the Mississippi River and the Capitol, reminds us that clean water projects like this protect our precious lakes and rivers.

Architectural rendering of Lowertown Ballpark, courtesy of Saint Paul Parks and Recreation.

Capitol Region Watershed District 1410 Energy Park Drive, Suite 4 • St. Paul, MN 55108 • 651-644-8888 • www.capitolregionwd.org

1410 Energy Park Drive, Suite 4

H2O Hero: Michelle Ulrich

St. Paul, MN 55108 651-644-8888

Saint Paul

651-644-8894 fax www.capitolregionwd.org

Michelle Ulrich has been a member of CRWD’s Citizen Advisory Committee since 2007. She lives in the Macalester Groveland neighborhood of Saint Paul and when she noticed that a bump-out curb was being installed on Lincoln Avenue, she saw an opportunity for a curb-cut rain garden that would treat stormwater instead of the concrete that was planned. Michelle organized her neighbors and worked with Saint Paul Public Works and CRWD staff to get the rain garden installed, planted and maintained.

Like us on Facebook!

Thank you Michelle for helping protect our water resources!

Boulevard rain garden on Lincoln Ave. in Saint Paul.

WHAT’S NEW

Moos Family Speaker Series on Water Resources presents… eries on Water Resources presents…

SEPTEMBER 18, 2014

‘Dwindling Groundwater water Reserves as Viewed from Space’ Reserves as Viewed tics and Space Administration – has two satellites that constantly raction of regions around the world. Groundwater seeping into from Space’ t of them alters the mass of the Earth in those places. The satellites

e sky, detecting changes in water storage.

Join us for a fascinating re by Dr. Jay Famiglietti, professor lecture aby Dr. Jay and of California, Irvine and senior water scientist Famiglietti, a professor pulsion Laboratory. He leads research on and hydrologist at the ed by those satellites.

University of California, world’s major aquifers – in India, the Middle Irvine Valley and senior water igh Plains and Central aquifers in the scientist the NASA/ depleted, likely never to beatreplaced, ” he says.

Cal Tech Jet Propulsion t www.freshwater.org/lectures Laboratory. He leads t. Paul Student Center on Theater research groundwater 7:00 p.m. changes recorded by o the public. those satellites. hwater.org

University of Minnesota Citizen Advisory Committee St. Paul Student Center Theater

To register go to www.freshwater.org

FALL 2014 CONSTRUCTION Curtiss Pond Improvement Project Construction to improve Curtiss Pond in Falcon Heights will begin in September. Work will reduce flooding issues in the park by providing a better way for water to soak into the ground.

The project will be complete after restoration planting in spring 2015.

Highland Ravine Stabilization Project In September, CRWD will work on the ravine between Edgcumbe Rd. and Lexington Pkwy. in Saint Paul. Improvements will slow rainwater runoff, prevent erosion of the ravine and minimize pollution to the Mississippi River.

Work is expected to be complete in November.

2 Capitol Region Watershed District August 2014