Clean Water Strategy

Water quality monitoring will begin this month at Lake Nancy, Otto Pond, Melody Lake, and Highlands Lake. The goal is to establish a baseline condition in these waterbodies which could inform future management actions. This complements the monitoring already underway by others at Arrowhead Lake, Indianhead Lake, Mirror Lake, Lake Cornelia, Lake Edina, Nine Mile Creek, and Minnehaha Creek.

Earlier this week the City Council adopted the 2025-2030 Capital Improvement Plan which included funding for several Clean Water Strategy initiatives. Staff will begin scoping these up over the next several months.

Here's what's on the docket for new/expansion in 2025:

• Expand street sweeping
• Establish a monitoring program to augment the efforts of our watershed district partners
• Establish a fisheries management plan to augment the efforts of our watershed district partners
• Feasibility study and prioritization for sediment phosphorus control treatments

Updates will be provided on this page.

Staff have proposed expanding existing and adding new programs to advance the Clean Water Strategy in the 2025-2030 Capital Improvement Plan. The City Council will consider adopting the 2025-2030 Capital Improvement Plan at their December 17th meeting.

The Clean Water Strategy Report is available in the Documents section.

City Council approved the Clean Water Strategy Vision (values and goals) at their April 16th meeting.

Staff will take the following next steps;

• Finalize the Clean Water Strategy report.
• Program Clean Water activities and coordinate with the capital improvement planning process in 2024.
• Pursue quick wins including resources for engaging residents in purple loosestrife control in 2024.
• Evaluate accountability tools to communicate the clean water strategy, actions, and progress toward the vision.

Staff is recommending that Council approve the Clean Water Strategy Vision as well as the supporting values and goals. These are unchanged from the Council’s preview last month.

Key takeaways from the March 19th meeting;

• Strong support for the vision and goals.
• Desire to see progress toward clean water and be proud of what we have for water resources.
• Health was a strong theme – both in terms of exposure to harmful algal blooms and more generally in terms of access to nature and mental health.
• Interest in details (budget, time horizons, outcomes) and accountability measures.
• Support for prioritizing waterbodies and focusing actions.
• Actions should be aligned with the vision. Actions need to be specific and justified with the desired value/goal.
• Help people do their part. Engage residents. Provide resources for people, particularly for those that want to take action in areas that aren’t city priorities.
• More information about the land management program and its crossover with clean water is desired.

Staff will make a recommendation and City Council will make a decision on the Clean Water Strategy Vision at their April 16th meeting.

Staff previewed the Vision at the Council's March 19th meeting. You can view the presentation and discussion here: https://www.edinamn.gov/746/Watch-a-City-Meeting

The proposed clean water vision is:

Edina’s waterbodies are in a healthy ecosystem equilibrium, where waters are clear, safe, and accessible.

Prevent pollution: We control pollutants at their source and help people do their part.

Mitigate pollution: We build, operate, and maintain infrastructure and take actions to capture and remove pollutants.

Protect and restore ecological processes: We protect and restore natural ecosystems on land and in water.

Check out the staff report in the documents section for more background information including the values and goals that this vision is built off of.

The proposed Clean Water Strategy vision was developed from these values and goals.

Ecosystems are in a healthy equilibrium; water is clear and environmental benefits are sustained.

• Water clarity improves as people use water friendly practices.

• Water is safe for human contact.

• Waters support native plants, insects, and animals consistent with an urban setting.

• Shorelines are stable and provide shelter for wildlife consistent with urban lands.

City actions align to do the most good towards measurable, desirable clean water outcomes leveraging creativity and innovation.

• The city uses an iterative ‘build, test, learn’ model to make progress.

• The city uses a systems approach in its implementation to consider cumulative benefits.

• The city performs active management to improve or maintain water clarity and chemistry at levels appropriate for urban waters.

• Pollution is managed towards achieving water resource conditions that meet standards and support community uses.

• In-lake management practices are applied towards achieving conditions that meet standards and support community uses.

• Clean water goals are pursued with consideration for multiple benefits and available resources.

People are connected to the land and water in reciprocity, both caring for nature and enjoying the benefits of a healthy environment.

• People access and interpret knowledge and guidance on urban clean water goals and behaviors that promote them.

• People pursue activities that promote clean water and natural resource stewardship.

• Waters are restored or maintained in conditions allowing for beneficial uses.

All people have access to water and the cultural values and environmental benefits they provide.

• Clean water actions prioritize waters with public access.

• Clean water strategies recognize the diverse ways people value and experience the city’s waters.

The staff report for the March 19th meeting has been posted to the Documents section. The City Council will receive a presentation previewing the proposed Clean Water Strategy Vision. They will not make a decision on the proposed vision at the March 19th meeting - staff intends to make a recommendation and ask City Council to make a decision at an upcoming meeting in spring 2024.

The March 19th meeting is not a public hearing and Community Comments during the Council Meeting cannot be related to an item on the current meeting agenda. If you want to connect with City Council on this topic, you may email the Mayor and all Council Members at CityCouncil@EdinaMN.gov or you may contact the Mayor or individual Council Members by phone, email or letter. Contact information is available at https://www.edinamn.gov/772/City-Council.