Adopt Resolution #16-06-108 Accepting the Mississippi River Shoreline Inventory Completed by the Anoka Conservation District (Project #16-19)

In December, 2015, the City Council authorized a contract with the Anoka Conservation District (ACD) to conduct a shoreline inventory along the Mississippi River. The inventory would essentially be an extension of a previous inventory the ACD completed of the pool above the Coon Rapids Dam. The ACD completed the inventory in mid-December, 2015, under ideal conditions as the water level was low, vegetation was dormant (provided better visuals of the bank), and snow had not yet accumulated. 

The inventory covered just under six (6) miles of riverbank and found ten (10) locations with either severe or very severe erosion conditions. Site Profiles for each of these areas were created that identifies the erosion length, estimated soil loss (tons per year), and potential solutions. Note that many of the potential solutions include a combination of hard armarment (rip-rap) and bioengineering (use of native, deep rooted vegetation, cedar revetments and/or live staking). The identified potential solutions are only preliminary and would require further analysis and design prior to being implemented. The report also includes an atlas of over 1,000 images of the riverbank that illustrate the bank conditions for the entire stretch of river through Ramsey.

One of the most informing outcomes of the inventory is the estimated amount of sediment loading to the river due to active erosion. It was estimated that if the ten (10) most severe sites of active erosion (rated as severe or very severe) were stabilized, it would reduce the amount of sediment entering the river by 5,148 tons per year.

The ten (10) most severe sites are a combination of both publicly owned (Anoka County) and privately owned lands. Anoka County Parks contributed fifty percent (50%) of the cost to have this inventory completed and has received the report as well.  They have demonstrated their desire to stabilize riverbanks elsewhere, as evidenced by one of their most recent projects along the Rum River (Rum River Central Park). The City can utilize this data to prioritize sites and attempt to connect with the impacted property owners to begin exploring potential solutions. The baseline data, along with targeted and committed property owners, likely will help leverage grant dollars for stabilization projects.

At the April 18, 2016 Environmental Policy Board meeting, a member of the ACD was in attendance and provided an overview of the inventory and report.  The EPB was pleased with the thoroughness of the inventory and report and thought it provided a good baseline set of data that could be beneficial in seeking grant funds to try and address the severe and most severe erosion areas along the riverbank.

This project was jointly funded by the City of Ramsey and Anoka County Parks.

The Environmental Policy Board recommends accepting the Mississippi River Bank Condition Inventory prepared by the Anoka Conservation District.

Motion to adopt Resolution #16-06-108 accepting the Mississippi River Bank Condition Inventory prepared by the Anoka Conservation District.