The Blue Thumb Program offers seasonal workshop for homeowners to learn how to create rain gardens and use other means to capture rainwater on their property.

Their website maintains an up to date calendar of events.

http://www.bluethumb.org/calendar/

This is the story in the Pioneer Press.  aging-stormwater-retention-ponds-trouble-suburbs1

Here is basic information on stormwater ponds.

The whole purpose of stormwater ponds is to collect sediment.  The outflowing water is a little bit cleaner but not enough to stop the downstream areas from feeling the effects of dissolved toxic materials, oils, and nutrients.  Stormwater ponds come in two forms.  They are either completely man made by digging a hole in the ground, or they are the result of polluting an existing aquatic resource.  Lily Lake is like all other stormwater ponds in the City of White Bear Lake, a polluted aquatic resource.  These resources had clean water and a diverse and healthy ecosystem before pollution was piped into them.  They are in places where natural groundwater and surface flowages are present.  Removing stormwater pollution will not cause these resources to dry up.  On the contrary, the naturally clean water will once again be prominent and not overshadowed by the polluted water.

Who wrote, “If you are paying attention you should be outraged”? 

Significant momentum is occurring all across the White Bear Area with neighborhood organizations forming around their local water bodies to “take back the lakes” after years of onslaught from urban pollution. 

The Vadnais Lake Area Watershed Management Organization (VLAWMO) has been a leader in local scientific study on the quality of several resources, including Goose Lake and Lambert Creek.  This is inspiring to local citizen-scientists.  These long-neglected local resources are finally receiving the attention they deserve.  Restoring these water bodies will in turn provide the priceless opportunity for urban kids to develop a passion for fishing and valuing nature.

Long-time citizen leaders at Birch Lake have been well organized for a couple of years now.  They have witnessed irreverent onslaught after onslaught for many years and finally more formally organized to “take back the lake”.

An active citizen organization is also in the midst of their first season of citizen-scientist volunteer data collection on Priebe Lake.  The Priebe Lake Homeowners Association has a vision of seeing a resource like it was a couple of decades ago with crystal clear waters supported by known groundwater springs.  Currently the lake suffers from massive stormwater pipe outlets installed in the past 10-15 years.

The July 16, 2008 edition highlights the first to be listed of many polluted lakes and streams in the White Bear area. 

http://www.press-publications.com/articles/2008/07/22/white_bear_press/news/doc4874c64a1f99e476851352.txt

White Bear Lake, Minnesota.

April 2, 2008 White Bear Press features the citizen of the year award from Ramsey Washington Metro Watershed District to Cindy Johnson and her family.  Not only have they enjoyed keeping stormwater runoff water on their property by properly placed rain gardens, but they have gotten their neighbors into the act too.

 Hiner’s Pond is one of 12 water bodies in the City of White Bear Lake receiving pollutant discharges from city street storm sewers.  In addition to residents doing their part to help clean up Hiner’s Pond, the City will need to do their part too by diverting street water away from the catch basins and into rain gardens. 

As of late 2008, the City of White Bear Lake, with the city engineer being the responsible party, has been more than a year negligent on fulfilling the requirements of the SWPPP and so has still not been granted a current MS4 permit from the MPCA for managing the city’s stormwater.  No enforcement action is planned.  As of early 2008, the MPCA was in the midst of an enforcement action against the City of White Bear Lake for pollution discharge to White Bear Lake, and thus out of compliance with the project-specific SWPPP required for construction of the 2007 Lake Avenue trail and street.  The fines levied against the City have yet to be ascertained.

On APRIL 22, 2008 7PM the WHITE BEAR LAKE annual PUBLIC HEARING on the SWPPP took in many comments on the direction of stormwater management in the city.  By law, the comments, both written and oral, are to be responded to by city engineer Mark Burch, the signatory to the city’s SWPPP.  He must state the reasonablenesss of the comment and how the city is intending to address the issue.  All comments and responses will be submitted to the MPCA, along with the record of actions taken during the past year to reduce stormwater pollution.  MPCA has enforcement authority in situations where the SWPPP annual report is not meeting its intended goals.

 For more information on the MS4 program and SWPPP go to http://www.pca.state.mn.us/water/stormwater/stormwater-ms4.html

The following comes from the report http://www.nrdc.org/water/pollution/gutter/gutter.pdf

   Varney Lake and Lily Lake tested in 2007  The report says more extensive testing needed before preparing sediment disposal permits.  The findings imply significant long-term cost implications everytime the city has to clean out neighborhood ponds used for disposing of stormwater and the associated sediment from streets and driveways.

street_pollution_receiving_waters.pdf

By clicking on this file you will be able to view the natural lakes, ponds, and wetlands receiving street pollution in the City of White Bear Lake, Minnesota.  All of the white arrows pointing into lakes represent the pipes in and sometimes out. This is from the most recent City of White Bear Lake storm sewer map. Your comments are welcome for consideration in posting on the blog.

Church looks to blend into nature
Environmentally friendly expansion project in harmony with nature

Oct 02, 2007 – 11:36:20 CDT.

by Mike Morgan
Staff Writer

MAHTOMEDI – When White Bear Unitarian Universalist Church leaders realized they needed more space for their growing congregation, they decided to let the land be the landmark rather than the building.

The philosophy is evident as soon as one drives into the church’s new parking lot, which is lined by mature Oaks and punctuated by several tall trees that jut up from specially built islands of soil.

Saving as many trees as possible was just one of the ways the church made its nearly completed project as environmentally friendly as possible.

The parking lot also features a state-of-the-art storm water management system that uses porous pavement to filter water.

The trees that did have to be cut down were processed and used to make wall paneling inside the new sanctuary’s lobby. Leftover scraps are being made into furniture.

Instead of building a flashy new building, planners opted for a rustic look. Literally.

A special type of steel alloy was used for the outside walls, which will develop a deep reddish-brown coat of rust designed to blend into the woods behind the church.

“We love the site,” said Klay Eckles, a member of the congregation who helped plan the project. “Being in harmony with nature was one of our primary principals.”

Everything from storm water management to alternative energy was considered. Aesthetics were considered, too.

Services in the new building are held in front of a large window that offers a view of the woods and a creek that was built in conjunction with the expansion.

Eckles said church leaders’ green ambitions were embraced by the Rice Creek Watershed District and the city of Mahtomedi.

The watershed district provided funding for the parking lot system, which is the biggest of its kind in Minnesota and will serve as an example of the technology for developers thinking about using it in future projects.

Porous pavements have been used extensively in other parts of the country but not in Minnesota because of questions about how it responds to freeze-thaw cycles.

The church is hoping its system proves the technology works well and builders begin using it. The watershed district was eager to help the cause, Eckles said.

Filtering rain water where it lands is considered better for the environment than the traditional method of piping it into ponds because fewer pollutants get into the water.

Church members are happy the expanded parking lot is better for the environment but are also eager for its main purpose: Allowing more people to come to the church and participate in services and events.

Eckles said the church is an inclusive faith community where people from all sorts of religious backgrounds gather.

Unitarian Universalists value the interconnectedness of all existence and support service to the community, according to the church’s Web site.

People with all sorts of ideas and beliefs are welcome.

The church will dedicate its new building during an Oct. 14 ceremony. Call 651-426-2369 or visit www.whitebearunitarian.org for more information.

Mike Morgan can be reached at 651-407-1218 or whitebearnews@presspubs.com