4.a. Bottineau scoping booklet_comment letterBassett Creek Watershed Management Commission
7800 Golden Valley Road | Golden Valley, MN 55427 | www.bassettcreekwmo.org | Established 1968
Crystal | Golden Valley | Medicine Lake | Minneapolis | Minnetonka | New Hope | Plymouth | Robbinsdale | St. Louis Park
February 14, 2012
Mr. Brent Rusco
Bottineau Transitway Project Manager
Hennepin County
701 Fourth Avenue South, Suite 400
Minneapolis, MN 55415
Re: Bottineau Transitway Project Scoping for Draft EIS
BCWMC #2012-5
Dear Mr. Rusco:
Thank you for providing the Bassett Creek Watershed Management Commission (BCWMC) with the
opportunity to review the Bottineau Transitway Project Scoping Booklet and to provide comments on
the scoping for the Draft EIS. We also appreciated the invitation to attend the January 19, 2012
interagency scoping meeting. Although we did not attend the meeting, over the past few months
BCWMC staff met with project representatives on three occasions to discuss the project and concerns
that the BCWMC may have regarding the project.
On behalf of the BCWMC, we have reviewed the Scoping Booklet and offer the following comments
on the areas potentially impacted by the project that are within the BCWMC jurisdiction.
General/Background
Portions of two of the proposed alignment alternatives are located in the jurisdiction of the BCWMC:
Nearly all of Alternative D1, from about Russell Ave. N. in Minneapolis to the intersection of
Alternative D1 and D2 near the Robbinsdale/Crystal border. Stormwater runoff from this portion
of the route will discharge directly to Bassett Creek, or to Grimes Pond, North Rice Pond and
South Rice Pond (which eventually drain to Bassett Creek).
A portion of Alternative D2, between about 17th Ave. N. in Minneapolis and the
Robbinsdale/Minneapolis border. Stormwater runoff from this portion of the route will discharge
directly to Bassett Creek.
Floodplain Issues
The Alternative D1 route follows the Burlington-Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) railroad corridor. A portion
of this route in Golden Valley (and Wirth Park in particular) is located along the Main Stem of Bassett
Creek and South Rice Lake. In Robbinsdale the route is located along Grimes Pond, North Rice Lake and
South Rice Lake. The BCWMC’s 100-year floodplain elevation for Bassett Creek along the D1 route
ranges from elevation 826.0 ft. (NGVD29) at the upstream end of TH 55 to 832.0 ft. (NGVD29) at the
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February 14, 2012
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downstream side of Bassett Creek Drive. In addition, the BCWMCs 100-year floodplain elevation for
Grimes Pond/North Rice Lake is 838.0 ft (NGVD29) and for South Rice Lake is 831.5 ft (NGVD29).
During our meetings with project representatives, we discussed the potential of this project to result in
filling in the Bassett Creek floodplain, generally within Wirth Park, and in Grimes Pond/North Rice Pond.
As discussed, the BCWMC will not allow filling within the BCWMC-established floodplain without
mitigation. Proposals to fill within the floodplain must obtain BCWMC approval and provide
compensating storage (1:1 basis) and/or channel modifications so that the flood level is not increased at
any point along the creek due to fill. Floodplain management policies are listed in Section 5.2.2.2 of the
BCWMC’s 2004 Watershed Management Plan. Please also see the BCWMC’s submittal and design
requirements for projects (“Requirements for Improvements and Development Proposals,” 2008). These
documents can be found on the BCWMC website: www.bassettcreekwmo.org.
Runoff and Rate Control
The BCWMC regulates stormwater runoff discharges and volumes to minimize flood problems, flood
damages, and future costs of stormwater management systems. The Bottineau Transitway project has the
potential to significantly increase the amount of impervious surface in the Bassett Creek watershed.
Alternative D1 in particular, would increase the impervious surface in close proximity to the creek itself.
This will result in increased runoff rates if not controlled. Best management practices must be
implemented to ensure flood profiles are not increased along Bassett Creek.
Water Quality
The BCWMC and its member cities have committed significant resources to the improvement of the
quality of stormwater runoff reaching the Mississippi River, by reducing nonpoint source pollution
carried as stormwater runoff. The BCWMC strongly encourages the County to implement best
management practices to treat transitway runoff to ensure that the project does not increase pollutant-
loading to adjacent water bodies. The BCWMC’s water quality policies are listed in Section 4.2 of the
Watershed Management Plan.
The BCWMC expects the Bottineau Transitway project design to include stormwater treatment and
erosion control measures that will reduce the amount of phosphorus and sediment carried by stormwater
runoff to Bassett Creek. The BCWMC also expects the county to consider measures to minimize the
amount of increased impervious surfaces resulting from the project.
Additional pollutants of concern to the BCWMC include chloride from road salting, fuel, oils, metals and
construction runoff which could enter storm drains and downstream water resources. Adequate permanent
and temporary construction BMPs must be implemented as part of the project.
Please also see the BCWMC’s submittal and design requirements for projects (“Requirements for
Improvements and Development Proposals,” 2008). These documents can be found on the BCWMC
website: www.bassettcreekwmo.org.
Maintenance
Maintenance of stormwater management (water quality and flood control) features is critical to ensure
proper operation. The EA should describe the maintenance measures the county proposes to undertake to
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ensure the effectiveness of stormwater management features. The EA should also identify the parties
responsible for inspections, the parties responsible for maintenance, and the inspection and maintenance
schedules. The BCWMC is concerned that if these operation and maintenance responsibilities are not
clearly laid out, the responsibility will fall on the member cities or BCWMC to perform the duties.
Erosion Control
A BCWMC goal is to prevent erosion and sedimentation to the greatest extent possible to protect the
BCWMC’s water resources from increased sediment loading and associated water quality problems.
Temporary and permanent best management practices must be implemented to control construction and
post-development runoff from the site and erosion. Erosion and sediment control policies are listed in
Section 6.2 of the Watershed Management Plan. Please also see the BCWMC’s submittal and design
requirements for projects (“Requirements for Improvements and Development Proposals,” 2008). These
documents can be found on the BCWMC website: www.bassettcreekwmo.org.
Wetland Management
The BCWMC wetland goal is to achieve no net loss of wetlands in the Bassett Creek watershed in
conformance to the Minnesota Wetland Conservation Act (WCA) and associated rules (Minnesota rules
8420). Minneapolis and Golden Valley are the local governmental units (LGUs) responsible for
administering the WCA in their cities; BCWMC is the LGU for Robbinsdale. Potential wetland impacts
were discussed during our meetings with project representatives. Wetland management policies are listed
in Section 8.0 of the Watershed Management Plan. Please also see the BCWMC’s submittal and design
requirements for projects (“Requirements for Improvements and Development Proposals,” 2008). These
documents can be found on the BCWMC website: www.bassettcreekwmo.org.
The BCWMC recognizes the challenges of meeting the corridor’s transportation needs, and providing
transit alternatives in particular. The BCWMC appreciates the opportunity to provide these comments
early in the process and looks forward to working with you to restore and protect the health of the
BCWMC’s water resources. Again, thank you for the opportunity to review the Bottineau Transitway
Project Scoping Booklet. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions at 952-832-2813 or
kchandler@barr.com.
Sincerely,
Karen L. Chandler, P.E.
Barr Engineering Co.
Engineers for the Bassett Creek Watershed Management Commission
c: BCWMC Commissioners
Jeannine Clancy, City of Golden Valley
Lois Eberhart, City of Minneapolis
Richard McCoy, City of Robbinsdale
Rachael Crabb, Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board