10b. 1997 Water Quality Improvement Projects.CITY OF job
CHANHASSEN
690 COULTER DRIVE • P.O. BOX 147 • CHANHASSEN, MINNESOTA 55317
(612) 937 -1900 • FAX (612) 937 -5739
MEMORANDUM
TO: Don Ashworth, City Manager
FROM: Phillip Elkin, Water Resources Coordinator
DATE: January 21, 1997
SUBJ: 1997 Water Quality Improvement Projects
The following memo is a recommendation for awarding the City's contract for 1997 Water
Quality Projects that were approved as a part of the 1997 budget. I have also taken this
opportunity to list the goals for the Surface Water Management and Lake Management programs
for 1997. .
1997 SWMP Projects
This year the focus of SWMP funds will be priority water quality projects on Lake Minnewashta,
as identified by the city's surface water management plan. The goal is to construct five water
treatment ponds in developed areas, but the scope of the project may change, as we explore the
property owner's willingness to be part of the project. We are also hoping to receive additional
funding from the Minnehaha Watershed District.
Award of Contract
As you may recall, a request for proposals went out to four engineering firms to bid on services
for these projects. Bonestroo and BRW have done similar projects for the City in the past, and I
added MSA and OSM to keep the bidding competitive. The proposals were evaluated on an 80
point scale base on the following criteria:
• Past record of experience and performance.
• Qualifications of the Staff assigned to the program.
• Cost.
• Time and Schedule to complete the project.
• References.
October 10, 1995
Page 2
Based on the above criteria, I recommend that MSA be selected as the engineer for these
projects. Their $17,560 proposal was well below the other proposals and they have experience
in related projects and a competent staff to complete the projects.
Lakes
In 1997 we will continue to write management plans for the remaining lakes in the City: Lucy,
Ann, Susan, Rice Marsh and St. Joe. We also want to continue education on Lakeshore
landscaping or aquascaping, by sending newsletters out to all city riparian lot owners. Other
possibilities include an alum treatment of Lake Susan and milfoil workshops.
Wetlands
One of the changes in the Wetland Conservation Act revised in 1996 allows city's to develop
their own wetland policies and to administer these policies without consulting State regulatory
agencies. To do this however, we need to revise our wetland inventory and assign a wetland
function rating system. While, this functional value system will help the City gain independence
from the State, the amount of wetland rulings in the city puts a low priority on this task.
Bluff Creek Management Plan
This year we will petition the Riley- Purgatory-Bluff Creek Watershed District for a levy to fund
projects identified in the Bluff Creek Management Plan. Once this petition has been submitted,
I will be managing these projects for the watershed district. The City also has $100,000 which
was awarded through a Twin Cities Water Quality Initiative Grant. I will be writing a work
proposal for this money and managing the projects as they are identified, bid and completed. In
addition we will continue to solicit additional funding of private sources to acquire land and
build trails as identified in the management plan.
We also hope to complete the Holly Lane water quality project from 1996. This project hit a
snag this fall when the primary homeowner did not want an easement over the affected property.
In 1997 we will also initiate a monitoring program to measure the effectiveness of NURP ponds
built in the past with the SWMP utility funds.
In addition to these items, I will continue to act as the City's LGU, reviewing any issues dealing
with wetland alterations or mitigation.
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