Morningside Flood Infrastructure Project

Share Morningside Flood Infrastructure Project on Facebook Share Morningside Flood Infrastructure Project on Twitter Share Morningside Flood Infrastructure Project on Linkedin Email Morningside Flood Infrastructure Project link

This project has been completed and this project page will no longer be updated. Please contact staff with any questions or comments. Thank you.

The Morningside Neighborhood has several low and landlocked areas prone to flooding. Climate change has already increased the risk of flooding and will continue to do so. This project helps the community be more resilient to flooding. Project benefits are balanced across the neighborhood and there is no increase in risk to any property.

Ponds, pipes and a surface swale will be used to safely move and store floodwaters. An expanded pipe and swale will provide overflow from the Lynn/Kipling inundation area and the Grimes Avenue low point, and an expanded and reconfigured pipe network and minor grade changes will move water away from homes. Weber Pond and the Lynn/Kipling Pond will be expanded and lowered. About six acres of trees will be removed in Weber Woods to accommodate the larger ponds.

The flood infrastructure project also includes:

  • Natural resources restoration in upland areas.
  • Nature trails and bridge crossings at two locations at Weber Park.
  • Improved pedestrian access to the park with some ADA-compliant paths in Weber Park.
  • Rebuilt sports fields in impacted areas with new turf and irrigation systems.

The flood infrastructure project coincides with planned roadway reconstruction in the neighborhood in 2022 and 2023.

The Morningside Neighborhood has several low and landlocked areas prone to flooding. Climate change has already increased the risk of flooding and will continue to do so. This project helps the community be more resilient to flooding. Project benefits are balanced across the neighborhood and there is no increase in risk to any property.

Ponds, pipes and a surface swale will be used to safely move and store floodwaters. An expanded pipe and swale will provide overflow from the Lynn/Kipling inundation area and the Grimes Avenue low point, and an expanded and reconfigured pipe network and minor grade changes will move water away from homes. Weber Pond and the Lynn/Kipling Pond will be expanded and lowered. About six acres of trees will be removed in Weber Woods to accommodate the larger ponds.

The flood infrastructure project also includes:

  • Natural resources restoration in upland areas.
  • Nature trails and bridge crossings at two locations at Weber Park.
  • Improved pedestrian access to the park with some ADA-compliant paths in Weber Park.
  • Rebuilt sports fields in impacted areas with new turf and irrigation systems.

The flood infrastructure project coincides with planned roadway reconstruction in the neighborhood in 2022 and 2023.

This project has been completed and this project page will no longer be updated. Please contact staff with any questions or comments. Thank you.

  • Initial Design Open House - August 17th

    Share Initial Design Open House - August 17th on Facebook Share Initial Design Open House - August 17th on Twitter Share Initial Design Open House - August 17th on Linkedin Email Initial Design Open House - August 17th link

    See and share your input on the initial design of flood infrastructure in the Morningside Neighborhood.

    4-6 p.m. Tuesday, August 17th at Weber Park (4115 Grimes Ave S.)

    Materials will also be posted on the project website.

  • Survey work continues

    Share Survey work continues on Facebook Share Survey work continues on Twitter Share Survey work continues on Linkedin Email Survey work continues link

    Survey of the streets, parks, utilities, and other public spaces is mostly complete. More survey of home elevations is expected in the next couple of weeks. Surveyors will be in the neighborhood walking onto boulevards and front and backyards to obtain ground elevations and elevations of low openings (doors and tops of window wells). People conducting this work will be clearly marked in orange construction vests.

    You may also see crews routinely collecting data from groundwater monitoring wells in the park and other public areas.

  • Historical Aerial Photos

    Share Historical Aerial Photos on Facebook Share Historical Aerial Photos on Twitter Share Historical Aerial Photos on Linkedin Email Historical Aerial Photos link

    Historical aerial photos show the neighborhood before and after Weber Pond and the inundation area between Lynn and Kipling were constructed.

    Available for download in the Photo Gallery.

    1967

    1971



  • Weber Pond sample collection

    Share Weber Pond sample collection on Facebook Share Weber Pond sample collection on Twitter Share Weber Pond sample collection on Linkedin Email Weber Pond sample collection link

    **UPDATE** This work has been rescheduled for the first week in June.

    Sediment sample collection is planned for next week. You can expect to see two people in a small boat on Weber Pond collecting samples from the pond bottom. The information will be used to plan proper disposal of excavated material.

  • The Field Work Begins

    Share The Field Work Begins on Facebook Share The Field Work Begins on Twitter Share The Field Work Begins on Linkedin Email The Field Work Begins link

    Field work is well underway. Crews have been out working on a tree inventory and ecological resources survey in the park, woods, and pond areas.

    Over the next month, surveyors will be in the neighborhood walking onto boulevards and front and backyards to obtain ground elevations and elevations of low openings (doors and tops of window wells). People conducting this work will be clearly marked in vests with Sunde company logos.

    Also this month, crews will be out drilling groundwater monitoring wells and collecting soil borings in the park, right-of-way, and easement areas.

  • City Council Approved

    Share City Council Approved on Facebook Share City Council Approved on Twitter Share City Council Approved on Linkedin Email City Council Approved link

    City Council approved the staff recommendation with no changes. This means the concept design developed in this phase will move into a detailed engineering and landscape design phase.

    Council members and staff acknowledged the participation from the neighborhood and could identify specific examples of how input added value. Thanks!

  • April 20th City Council meeting and decision

    Share April 20th City Council meeting and decision on Facebook Share April 20th City Council meeting and decision on Twitter Share April 20th City Council meeting and decision on Linkedin Email April 20th City Council meeting and decision link

    City Council will receive a staff report and make a decision.

    Staff is recommending the following actions;

    1. Approve the strategy, design goals, considerations and opportunities detailed in the staff report. The staff recommendation is consistent with the "Bigger" option.
    2. Approve budget modification to include estimated design professional services costs in 2021 of $1.4M, construction professional services in 2022 of $0.6M, and capital expenses in 2022 of $9.5M, and in 2023 of $0.5M.
    3. Approve request for purchase for engineering services for $1,204,000. This would take the concept design developed in this phase and move it through the detailed engineering and landscape design phase.
    4. Approve the public participation plan for the park and open space landscape aesthetics choices.


    Meeting packet materials will be posted online Friday. You can access them here.

    You can watch the meeting live or at a later time on Edina TV or online.

  • Decision day moved to April 20th

    Share Decision day moved to April 20th on Facebook Share Decision day moved to April 20th on Twitter Share Decision day moved to April 20th on Linkedin Email Decision day moved to April 20th link

    We need a little more time to get the staff report pulled together. We intend to bring it to the April 20th City Council meeting.

  • Council Decision - April 6th

    Share Council Decision - April 6th on Facebook Share Council Decision - April 6th on Twitter Share Council Decision - April 6th on Linkedin Email Council Decision - April 6th link

    At their April 6th meeting, City Council will consider the staff recommendation and make a decision. Staff is preparing a scope of service for infrastructure design and park landscape architecture consistent with the preliminary report.

  • Preliminary Report - Finalized

    Share Preliminary Report - Finalized on Facebook Share Preliminary Report - Finalized on Twitter Share Preliminary Report - Finalized on Linkedin Email Preliminary Report - Finalized link

    The preliminary report to City Council has been finalized and submitted. Staff will present it to the City Council at their March 16th Work Session meeting.

    We made some small changes to wording and phrasing for clarity, but otherwise there were no major changes from the DRAFT version we shared with you earlier.

    You can review the finalized preliminary report in the Document section.