Funding

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This page provides information on funding sources and funding opportunities for stormwater projects, as well as a list of currently funded and previously funded projects.

Funding sources

• Clean Water Land and Legacy Amendment: Funds are available for stormwater projects through the Board of Water and Soil Resources. Check the web site for information on availability of funding and also examples of stormwater projects that have been funded with Clean Water Land and Legacy Amendment funding.

• State of Minnesota Watershed Project Funding: Funding opportunities for watershed projects around the state are available through federal and state funds. These funds are awarded through either competitive watershed grants (such as Federal Section 319 and State Clean Water Partnership) or non-competitive (for Clean Water Fund dollars) processes. For information about other water-related funding opportunities at the MPCA, please visit Financial Assistance Grants and Loans.

• The Clean Water Revolving Fund, also known as the Clean Water State Revolving Fund or simply SRF, is established under the Federal Clean Water Act and state law to make loans to for both point source (wastewater and stormwater) and nonpoint source water pollution control projects. The PFA prepares an annual Intended Use Plan (IUP) based on a Project Priority List developed by the MPCA. The IUP describes the projects and activities eligible for funding during the state fiscal year. This fund includes an allocation for green projects. For more information, see the Wastewater and Stormwater Financial Assistance page.

• Watershed Districts: Cost share programs are available through many watershed districts. Contact your local watershed district to find out if you are eligible for project funding. Contact the Minnesota Association of Watershed Districts for more information.

• Soil and Water Conservation Districts: Cost share programs for stormwater projects may be available through your local soil and water conservation district. Contact the Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts.

Funded projects

• October, 2014: Clean Water Partnership grant and loan was awarded to the City of Winnebago for a green infrastructure project that will address water storage and illegal and illicit connections in a 25 block reconstruction project. Contact Chris Ziegler at cziegler@cityofwinnebago.com for additional information.
• October, 2014: Clean Water Partnership grant was awarded to Prior Lake-Spring Lake Watershed District for infiltration areas and a sedimentation pond enhancement. Contact Diane Lynch at dlynch@plslwd.org for more information.
• October, 2014: Clean Water Partnership grant was awarded to the Aitkin County Soil and Water Conservation District for rain gardens, vegetated filter strips, rain barrels and permeable pavers. Contact Janet Smude at smude.aitkinswcd@gmail.com for more information.
• In April, 2014, the US EPA awarded a technical assistance grant to the City of St. Paul to help produce a green infrastructure feasibility study for a waterfront park in the vacated industrial area undergoing redevelopment. For additional information: http://water.epa.gov/infrastructure/greeninfrastructure/gi_support.cfm#Technical Assistance or contact Wes Saunders-Pearce with the City of St. Paul: 651-266-9112
• On February 20, 2014, the US EPA announced a $250,000 grant to the City of Duluth to help reduce the flow of stormwater into Lake Superior Basin.
• On January 22, 2014 the Board of Water and Soil Resources Board approved the FY 2014 clean water fund recipients. To see a list of stormwater projects, click on this link. File:Clean Water Legacy Stormwater Projects 2014.docx To see a complete list of projects that were funded, go to the list of funded projects. Links to some of the stormwater projects are shown below.
  • Rice Creek Watershed projects - Clear Lake Stormwater Project; Golden Lake Iron-Enhanced Sand Filter Project; Middle Rice Creek Restoration.

Currently funded projects

• Rain Water Reuse and Valuation Investigation - 2014 - 2016

Sponsor: University of Minnesota Department of Earth Sciences

Contact: Scott Alexander, 612-626-4164 or alexa017@umn.edu

Funding source: Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund $300,000

Purpose Design, install, and monitor a rainwater reuse system for use in evaporative chiller systems and identify other potential applications for rainwater reuse systems.

• Forest Lake Stormwater Filtration Retrofit — 2013

Sponsor: Comfort Lake-Forest Lake Watershed District

Contact: Watershed Administrator, 651-209-9753, or Comfort Lake Forest Lake Watershed District

Funding source: Clean Water Partnership Grant $143,025

Purpose: This project will implement a stormwater retrofit of an existing stormwater pond and shoreline stabilization project in the Hilo Lane development, circa 1970s, located on the south shore of Forest Lake. Stormwater treatment for this 14 acre tributary drainage area comprised of residential land uses will include bio-filtration, iron enhanced sand filtration, channel stabilization and shoreline stabilization. The estimated nutrient reduction from the project is almost 12 pounds per year of total phosphorous.

• Assessing and Improving Pollution Prevention by Swales

Sponsor: MN Department of Transportation

Contact: Barbara Loida, MNDOT 651-366-3760

Funding source: Local Road Research Board $ 314,000

Purpose: This research will document the pollution prevention available through infiltration into the soil of swales and develop practical soil modifications which will make it possible to utilize existing right-of-way to meet permit requirements. The research will also develop methods to remove dissolved phosphorus and heavy metals in swales. Maintenance requirements will also be documented, demonstrating another advantage in using swales for pollution prevention and for runoff volume control.

• Permeable Pavement Systems-2012 to 2015

Sponsor:

Contact: Nelson Cruz, 651-366-3744

Funding source: Local Road Research Board $ 177,414

Purpose: The objective of this research is to summarize best practices for the hydraulic and structural design and maintenance of permeable asphalt, concrete, and interlocking concrete pavement systems in the State of Minnesota through reviewing the literature, contacting practitioners throughout the USA and other select countries who have experience with permeable asphalt and concrete, and identifying some of the unresolved issues dealing with full implementation of permeable pavements in the State of Minnesota.

• Sand and Long Lakes Protection Project-2013

Sponsor: Comfort Lake-Forest Lake Watershed District

Contact: Jim Shaver, 651-433-2150

Funding source: Clean Water Partnership Grant $ 132,000

Purpose: Implementation activities proposed as a part of the project include water quality monitoring, biotic surveys, sediment core sampling, mechanical treatment of curly-leaf pondweed, an iron enhanced sand filter, with a high capacity multi-stage weir and 40,000 pounds of iron filings and stakeholder involvement in the design process and educational presentations.

Previously funded projects

• Maplewood Mall - 2009-2012

Sponsor: Ramsey Washington Metro Watershed District

Contact: Cliff Aichinger, 651-792-7957; cliff@rwmwd.org

Funding sources: Section 319 grant-$500,000; Clean Water Fund Grants- $500,000 and $625,000; TMDL grant- $100,000; PFA SRF Loan- $1,200,000; Green Project Reserve Grant-$350,000

Purpose: The Kohlman Lake TMDL calls for the reduction of nutrients from watersheds and in-lake loading. One major source was the Maplewood Mall. The Districe identified that retrofitting the Mall parking areas to infiltrate or filter at least one inch of runoff would result in a large reduction in phosphorus to Kohlman Creek and the lake. BMPs include 55 rainwater gardens that filter 9 million galls of runoff, 6,733 square feet of permeable pavers that infiltrate 260,000 gallons of runoff, one cistern that holds 5,700 gallons of roof runoff and 375 trees that capture 11.2 million gallons of runoff. This is estimated to reduce phosphorus loading by 60% and reduce sediment loads by 90%.

For more information contact: Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District

• Assessing Enhanced Swales for Pollution Prevention - 2011

Sponsor: University of Minnesota

Contact: Dr. John Gulliver, 612-625-4080, gulli003@umn.edu

Funding source: EPA 319 grant $400,000

Purpose: This research will demonstrate the effectiveness of a new stormwater treatment system developed specifically for capturing dissolved phosphorus and heavy metals from roadway runoff.

• Fulda Phosphorus Reduction Initative - 2011

Sponsor: Heron Lake Watershed District

Contact: Jan Voit, 507-793-2462, jan.voit@mysmbs.com

Funding source: EPA 319 grant $12,600

Purpose: Through this effort, project sponsors will conduct a rain garden demonstration project to work with the community to address pollution concerns. This will be done by providing educational opportunities with the community to address pollution concerns. This will be done by providing education opportunities for students and the community to learn about native vegetation, water quality improvement, pollution reduction, and environmentally-friendly landscaping. This project will provide opportunities for students to learn about the importance of water quality improvemetn and how they can play a part in pollution reduction efforts.

• Sand Creek Stormwater Retrofit Project-2011

Sponsor: Coon Creek Watershed District

Contact: Jim Shaver, 651-433-2150, jshaver@cmscwd.org

Funding Source: Clean Water Partnership $83,650

Purpose: Installation of two of the four most cost-effective projects to reduce phosphorus, total suspended solids and stormwater runoff volumes in Sand Creek. The two BMPs installed were a new stormwater pond and a network of nine strategically placed curb cut rain garden retrofits. Estimated eighty percent reduction of TSS and fifty percent reduction of total phosphorus and six percent reduction of volume.

• Assessing Iron Enhanced Filtration Trenches-2011

Sponsor: City of Prior Lake

Contact: Pete Young, 952-447-9831, pyoung@cityofpriorlake.com

Funding Source: Federal 319 grant, $ 240,000

Purpose: Quantify the performance of full-scale, field installed, iron-enhanced filtration trenches which will provide critical design, construction and performance information for a practice that could be used to significantly reduce the dissolved phosphorus load entering wetlands, rivers, and lakes in Minnesota. This project will investigate the design of a new treatment system that utilizes a sand filter enhanced with iron shavings or steel wool around the perimeter and near the outlet of a wet detention basin.