Draft NRMP Section 2 Section 2: Background
Introduction
This section provides a background information related to Golden Valley's location within the
Twin Cities Metro Area. It also provides a brief discussion of the natural conditions found below,
within, and at the surface of the city's landscape. This includes topics on geology, hydrology,
soils, pre-European settlement vegetation, wildlife and existing land use.
Since the plan is intended to guide natural resource management practices including public
outreach and education programs and funding procurement, this section also includes a
discussion of existing management efforts.
Location
The City of Golden Valley is a well-established first ring suburb located in Hennepin County
(Figure 2.0). It is bordered by the cities of New Hope, Crystal, and Robbinsdale to the north,
Minneapolis to the east, St. Louis Park to the south and west and Plymouth to the west.
Figure 2.0: Location Map
Mata
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County
Ramsey
County
City W
Golden Why
Carve'
County
D,Aora
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County
Golden Valley Natural Resources Management Plan 2015 Background Page 9
Natural Resources
The City of Golden Valley contains a rich stock of natural resources that contribute to the
community's character, health and quality of life. Preservation, conservation and enhancement
of these resources are critical to the community.
The City's natural resources include air, water, and land, and a range of soil types including
those that are suitable for woodland, forest and native prairie management and enhancement,
native plant communities, diverse wildlife, and a number of lakes, streams, and wetlands.
To gain a better understanding of Golden Valley's natural resources, a brief discussion of
resources that that lie below the ground (geological features), in the ground (soil characteristic)
and on the ground (water bodies, streams and wetlands, and vegetation)are included in this
section.
Bedrock Geology
Below everything that is visible at the surface of the earth is a continuous, complex layer of solid
rock known as "bedrock". Typically, bedrock is covered by water, ice, snow, soil, loose
sediments, vegetation and man-made structures. Bedrock is seen at the surface of the
landscape as "outcrops," and occasionally observed as road cuts or through excavation. It is
the bedrock materials that provide insight into the history of the earth. It also helps to define the
structural character of the landscape and provides the beautiful scenic views when exposed as
can be seen driving along the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers.
Figure 2.1 shows the bedrock underlying the majority of Golden Valley to consist of St. Peter
Sandstone, a soft pure quartz sand layer sandwiched between the Prairie du Chien group,
(hard limestone/dolomite) and Platteville & Glenwood formations (finer grained and softer
limestone).
(Geologic Profile to be placed here)
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Figure 2.1: Bedrock Geology
L-..- .
Cay of Golden Valley Limits igl,
Bedrock geologyIR
NB Praire du Chen Group
Platteville aid Glenwood Formations
St Peter Sandstone
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Platteville and Glenwood Formations
The Platteville bedrock formation is composed of fine-grained limestone containing thin partings
of shale and underlain by a thin layer of green, sandy shale of the Glenwood Formation. These
formations range in thickness between 5 and 30 feet.
St. Peter Sandstone
St. Peter Sandstone is composed of fine-to medium-grained quartz sandstone towards the
upper half of the layer and multi-colored beds of mudstone, siltstone, and shale with very course
sandstone embedded within. This layer's average thickness is about 150 feet.
Prairie du Chien Group
This bedrock unit is a dolomite that tends to vary a great deal in thickness because its top layer
is highly erodible. However, its average thickness is about 120 feet.
Golden Valley Natural Resources Management Plan 2015 Background Page 11
Surficial Geology
As with most of Minnesota, the Golden Valley landscape was formed by continental glaciers that
covered large portions of Minnesota through multiple advances and retreats. . The movement of
the advancing glaciers, followed by periods of melting, create a topography of gently rolling to
steep hills, wetlands, and lakes. The glaciers are named by the various lobes, and the extent
that they advanced. Golden Valley includes material left behind from the Des Moines and
Grantsburg advances. Holocene deposits are those that formed after the glaciers had
retreated, and include accumulation of organic material in extensive wetlands, and material
placed by flowing water. The surficial deposits associated with the most recent glacial and post
glacial periods are identified in Figure 2.2.
Figure 2.2: Surficial Geology
1fLegend Grantsburg$ i.obe
IIMIM Oty or GoNen vatby pmts .O:t:Conp�• .i
Geomorphology Class 11111 RAN wnagacw DA caror > . *
um Heeg 511 n,,,C.t.co....
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Des Moines Lobe °Nome Oep«,n
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Slopes
Identifying steep slopes within the city are important because they typically limit the amount,
type, and location of development. However, they also provide opportunities for open space
conservation and wildlife habitat enhancement, as this may be the most suitable land use for
areas that are too steep to be developed.
Golden Valley is predominantly characterized by slopes ranging between 2 to 12%(Figure 2.3).
The steepest slopes (18-30%) occur primarily on the eastern edge of the city with a larger area
concentration near the northeast corner just north and east of Mary Hills Nature Area. The only
area on the west side of the city with steep slopes is located just south of General Mills
Research Nature Area.
Figure 2.3: Slopes
Legend
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Soils and Soil Textures
Approximately half of the soils within the City are mapped as Urban Land, which indicates that it
has been disturbed through cut and fill activities, or has been replaced with other material and is
Golden Valley Natural Resources Management Plan 2015 Background Page 13
not the soil that originally formed in that location. Where native soils remain, they tend to be
composed of loam (an equal mixture of sands, silts, and clays) or coarser material (sandy loam,
loamy sand, and loamy fine sand). This reflects the glacial origination of the soils, and the
subsequent deposition of materials following glacial retreat. Muck soils are present along
historic waterways and older wetland complexes.
Figure 2.4: Soil Texture
Legend -0 & �,u-:.,;..
Imo ca of Golden Valet'Units .1 e�Jl i:"
SSUROO SOIL-TEXTURE DESCRIPTION 'Ali.
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Golden Valley Natural Resources Management Plan 2015 Background Page 14
Hydrology
Watersheds and Surficial Hydrology
The primary waterway within Golden Valley is Bassett Creek, which has a large watershed
encompassing more than 40 square miles within the cities of Crystal, Golden Valley, Medicine
Lake, Minneapolis, Minnetonka, New Hope, Plymouth, Robbinsdale and St. Louis Park. The
Bassett Creek watershed includes the main branch of Bassett Creek,which originates at the
outlet of Medicine Lake, and the Sweeney Lake branch of Bassett Creek,which flows through
Sweeney Lake, and joins the main stem within Theodore Wirth Park(Figure 2.5).
In a small portion of the city, generally located so4�sast of 1394 and Highway 100, is a 93 acre I1,
area that is part of the Minnehaha Creek watershed.Both Bassett Creek and Minnehaha Creek
drain into the Mississippi River.
Golden Valley's water resources include Bassett Craelc sklaffer streams and tares to
Bassett Creek, Sweeney, Twin, and Wirth Lakes, and wetlands (Figure 2.5).
Floodplains are importaoheical features, as they are the primary interface between the
aquatic and terrestri. ' dats. dplains tend,frjt seasonal wetlands, and areas that are
protected from develosr rnt and 40spachment,Sla they allow a safe place for seasonal
flooding, which protects Ito- ;Cs - es, andbifrastructure. Floodplains are based on the
s
%atad
elevation of exp:''.,-t to occur within a`defined frequency of occurrence. From a
regulatory standpoint, flopdplains a defined as the elevation of water for precipitation events to
occur on a frequency of every,400 :000 years. These two designated floodplains have been
identified on ROT 2.5
*ti r
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Figure 2.5: Watersheds, Water Resources, and floodplains
(still need to show floodplain &wetlands here)
-
Legend
Watershed Name g
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i Lake blame,
.,:m Meaain,Lake
v.^.neaena Creek
7 an Creek
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S
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e
w
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Pre-European settlement Vegetative
Prior to European settlement, native prairie, oak woodlands and savannas, marshes, floodplain
forests, and woodlands were the dominant plant communities in Golden Valley. After
settlement, and prior to the establishment of the City Charter, the majority of the landscape was
cultivated farmland and open fields, with remnant wetland and wet prairies (Figure 2.6). At the
scale these maps were made, smaller lakes were generally not included, although Sweeney,
Twin, and Wirth lakes were certainly present historically.
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Figure 2.6 Pre-European Settlement Land Cover
Legend
I ts.= •.-.,ic,n V,tI v1.rnrts
Presettlement Vegetation
.-,... a-- ....uak maple.
oasswaoo.rackory)/
-Lakes(open water)
—Oak openngs ana barrens
_Net Pone
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.lira • y,<1:.. ' :y.Y '.' : ___
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Table 2.1 shows a breakdown of land cover types by total acres and percent. Historically, the
land was primarily covered by oak openings and barrens with remnants of Big Woods and Wet
Prairie land covers.
Table 2.1 Distribution of Land Cover Acres
Pre European Vegetation Acres Percent of Total
Oak openings and barrens 5,377 80%
Wet Prairie 921 13%
Lakes(open water) 304 5%
Big Woods- Hardwoods(oak, maple, basswood, hickory) 145 2%
TOTAL ACRES 6,747 100%
Golden Valley Natural Resources Management Plan 2015 Background Page 17
Wildlife
The City of Golden Valley lies in a region of historic suburban growth and is a mature first ring
suburb. The city contains a mixture of primarily single family residential development, in
conjunction with concentrations of retail, industrial, and corporate offices. Open spaces and
nature areas are present throughout the community, and much like the lots and boulevards, are
dominated by mature trees.
The City of Golden Valley provides great opportunity for watching wildlife. Common animals that
can be seen in Golden Valley are typical urban species,including numerous songbirds, small
mammals, deer, and fish. Species such as deer,tanada geese,Waterfowl, squirrels, rabbits,
coyote, raccoons, turkey, and skunks have increased in this area since:these animals do well
around moderate human development. Other species have declined for the same reasons.
Management recommendations for wildlife in the cityare provided below. In general,
appropriate management of the open spaces will help improve populations of desirable native
animals and improve citizen relationships with wildlife in general.Wildlife can become nuisance,
when they are overpopulated,or degrade the natural areas or property. Education on wildlife,
and management isessential for positive results.,
The Natural Heritage Information System database is used by the state of Minnesota to track
occurrences of rare plants and animals, and unique or critical habitats. Within Golden Valley, a
tamarack swamp located in Theodore Wirth Park Is identified,for example. Occurrences of rare
plants haveoccurred, but theonly recent occurrence is that of dwarf trout lilies which are
transplanted individuals located within the Wirth Park. Rare animals have been observed,
including trumpeter swans(Cygnus buccinator), Blanding's turtle (Emydoidea blandingil), and
bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus),which have been observed in the aquatic habitats near Wirth
Park. Peregrine falcons(Falco peregrinus) have been observed within Golden Valley, although
they do not nest within the city limits.
Preservation of high quality natural areas will provide spaces for wildlife, which in turn provides
opportunities for residents to observe wildlife. A positive correlation exists between the size and
quality of the habitat, and the populations and quality of the associated wildlife.
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