Wetland Vegetation Treatment Program
Introduction
This policy provides the basis for treatment of wetlands for algae and aquatic vegetation and establishes incentives for property owners around the wetland to take steps that protect water quality of private wetlands. The City’s participation in funding of wetland vegetation and algae treatment will be conditional on property owners around a wetland implementing on-site mitigation.
Determining When to Treat Wetlands
The City complies with the Minnesota DNR’s permitting process when treating Bloomington wetlands. The City will only apply for a DNR permit to treat wetlands for vegetation and algae when it is needed to control swimmer’s itch or leeches, dense growths of aquatic vegetation that would interfere with watercraft, swimming or other normal recreational uses, excessive filamentous algae, excessive plankton algae, or purple loosestrife.
Location and Types of Treatments
City staff will initiate Normandale Lake, Bush Lake, Washburn Pond and Smith Pond treatments.
For other wetlands, the City will only apply for DNR permits and treat wetlands when petitioned by a majority of the abutting owners and when a majority of the owners directly abutting the wetland agree to implement the on-site mitigation measures identified below.
The City intends to protect recreational use on Bloomington’s lakes and ponds without seriously interfering with the natural environment. Therefore the City adopts the DNR’s recommendations to limit the amount of chemical used and frequency of application to the smallest amount that is normally expected to be effective. Typically this means one or two chemical applications per summer.
The City will work with the DNR, other State, Federal and Local agencies and private companies to
remain current with effective EPA approved herbicides and other control methods.
On-Site Mitigation
Residents owning property abutting both public and private wetlands are encouraged to implement
on-site mitigation measures. These measures reduce the amount of nutrients reaching the wetland
from the immediate watershed and therefore will mitigate growth of aquatic vegetation and algae.
- Establish and maintain a native vegetative buffer zone as recommended in the City’s Wetland Protection and Management Plan;
- Compost or mulch grass clippings and leaves. Do not dump them near the wetland, in the
street, or near a storm drain; - Agree to comply with other urban landscape best management practices.
Cost Sharing for Aquatic Weed Treatment
When the majority of property owners abutting a wetland petition for its treatment, the City will pay for the cost of aquatic vegetation treatment including obtaining a DNR permit, the chemicals and the cost of City staff or a contractor to apply the chemicals according to the following schedule:
- If less than 50% of the abutting owners commit to on-site mitigation, the City will not treat the
pond - When more than 50% but less than 100% of the abutting property owners commit to on-site
mitigation, the City will pay half of the cost and all abutting property owners will share the
other half of the cost. - When 100% of the abutting property owners commit to on-site mitigation, the City will pay the
total cost of treatment.
Adopted by the City Council on August 2, 2004
The City’s pond treatment program exists to provide residents an avenue to request the City to manage nuisance aquatic vegetation and algae. The program requires participation and commitments by the majority of property owners surrounding a respective pond. A pond that has never been a part of the program must be evaluated for a growing season before being considered for inclusion within the program.
For more information on the Pond Treatment Program, please contact the City’s Water Resources Specialist:
Jack Distel
952-563-8748
jdistel@BloomingtonMN.gov
Restrictions on Public Waters
Under Minnesota law, aquatic plants growing in public waters are the property of the state. Because of their value to the lake ecosystem, they may not be destroyed or transplanted except under specific circumstances, as described in the MN DNR’s Aquatic Plant Management Program.
Cost share program participation requirements
To summarize the Wetland Vegetation Treatment Policy, the City will pay for the cost of herbicide application and will coordinate the application of herbicide in ponds according to the following schedule:
- If less than 50% of the abutting owners commit to on-site mitigation, the City will not treat the pond.
- When more than 50%, but less than 100%, of the abutting property owners commit to on-site mitigation, the City will pay half the cost.
- When 100% of the abutting property owners commit to on-site mitigation, the City will pay the total cost of treatment.
Petition Process
It is the responsibility of local residents to secure commitments from the respective property owners of a specific pond. It may be helpful for petitioning property owners to elect a representative of their choosing who will organize the petition process and will serve as the main contact for the City. An online petition form must be signed and submitted by more than 50% of property owners before July 15th for a pond to be considered. Signatures do not carry over into following years. Residents may contact the City, using the contact information above, to receive an update on which properties have or have not submitted a petition.
Following the submission of a petition, a confirmation email will be sent to all participating property owners. For petitions with commitments made by more than 50% of property owners, a subsequent inspection of onsite mitigation practices will be carried out by City staff. The results of that inspection will inform on the cost share schedule, described above. All participating residents will be notified on the results.
It is the responsibility of the residents to secure any match funding required by the application process. Click the following link to access the petition form.
Introduction
Under the City of Bloomington’s Wetland Vegetation Treatment Policy, the City will share in the cost of treating a wetland only when owners abutting the wetland commit to implementing specific measures to help improve the wetland’s water quality. The cost sharing options are listed in the treatment policy.
To comply with the measures mentioned above, and owner must establish a native vegetative buffer, refrain from dumping yard waste near the shore or storm drains and comply with general urban landscape best management practices. Specific guidelines to meet these requirements are listed below:
1. Native Vegetative Buffer
- The minimum recommended buffer in the City’s Wetland Protection and Management Plan is 20 feet. However, since property sizes vary, we require a 5 – 10 ft buffer from the shore where possible. However, larger buffers are encouraged.
- To establish a proper buffer, the shoreline must be re-vegetated with native species. These are species that would have grown naturally had they not been removed to plant lawn. Simply letting your lawn grow along the shore does not meet compliance.
- Riprap, sand, boulders, and retaining walls are not acceptable substitutes for a vegetative buffer.
- Resources on how to plant a native buffer are listed below:
- DNR publication “Shoreline Alterations: Natural Buffers and Lakescaping” is available from the City or the Library.
- DNR website http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/backyard/index.html (hit shoreline management) has a variety of shoreline topics, including “Shoreline Alterations” publication.
- Restore Your Shore CD ROM (an interactive CD ROM to assist shoreland owners in implementing shoreland restoration and protection projects, produced by Department of Natural Resources 2002) is available from the City to check out or can be purchased from Minnesota’s Bookstore 1-800-657-3757.
- Visit the Lower Penn Lake Park Native Plant Restoration Site at 86th Street and Penn Avenue.
2. No Dumping near wetland, street or storm drain
- Keep grass clippings, leaves, and yard waste away from wetland and out of streets and storm drains.
- Grass clippings and mulched leaves provide additional nutrients to lawn.
- If collected, bag and set out for pick up or compost using a proper compost container.
- Storm drains are a direct, quick drainage to water body, keep your storm drain free of debris.
- Rake leaves near water as soon after they fall as possible (to prevent them from blowing into water). Never rake leaves or grass clippings into the street.
3. Comply with general urban landscape BMP’s
- Do not use fertilizer near the shore and make sure any fertilizer is phosphorus free (the middle number must be 0).
- Pick up pet waste from property as soon as possible and before it rains.
- Limit the amount of paved area on your property (to reduce the amount of water runoff).
- Plant bare areas to prevent soil erosion.
- Do not allow oil or other chemicals on driveways where they can wash to the storm drain (wipe up all spills).
- Wash cars on the lawn, rather than the driveway (to keep detergents out of the wetland).
- Keep rain gutters directed onto the lawn.
Contact Engineering at 952-563-4870 for questions regarding these compliance requirements.