Hansen Park Comprehensive Water Management Project

City

New Brighton, Minnesota

Completion Date

2019

Cost

$4,800,000

Phase

Complete

Water Body

Pike Lake, Long Lake

Funding Sources

Clean Water Fund Grant, Rice Creek Watershed District

Partners

City of New Brighton, Ramsey County, BWSR

RCWD received a $3 million Clean Water Fund Grant to implement the Long Lake Targeted Watershed Demonstration Project, aimed at cleaning up Long Lake. One of the projects within this initiative is the Hansen Park Comprehensive Water Management Project, which focuses on water quality and flood control enhancements in Hansen Park. 

The park is traversed by Ramsey County Ditch 2, carrying stormwater runoff from an urban area to Pike Lake and Long Lake in New Brighton. A dam was constructed in 1969 by the City of New Brighton, creating a 6.5-acre pond to improve water quality and control flooding in Pike Lake and Long Lake. However, over the years, sediment accumulation has reduced the pond’s capacity and degraded its surrounding wildlife habitat. The park is frequently flooded, rendering it unusable for the public even after minor rainstorms. Studies in 2009 and 2012 identified the park and its pond as prime locations for water quality improvement and flood control projects in the Ramsey County Ditch 2 drainage area.

Key components included dredging and reconstruction of the Hansen Park pond to increase capacity, improve water quality, and prevent flooding. The pond outlet was replaced to lower the water level and mitigate flooding. The pond’s size was expanded by 2.25 acres, contaminated sediment was removed, and an Iron-Enhanced Sand Filter (IESF) was installed to remove phosphorus and reduce algae blooms in downstream Pike Lake and Long Lake. 

The project successfully decreased downstream phosphorus loading to Pike Lake and Long Lake by 150 to 200 lbs. annually and added 27.4 AF (acre-feet) or 8.9 million gallons of additional flood storage within the park.

The project also involved revegetation plans to support wildlife habitat, growth of native aquatic plants, and incorporation of native plants throughout the project site. Park trails were reconstructed as needed to reduce the frequency and duration of flooding.

The total cost of the project is estimated at $4.8 million, with $1.54 million from the Clean Water Fund grant.

Ongoing maintenance of the native vegetation areas around the pond will be carried out by the RCWD in the coming years.