Jones Lake Restoration & Watershed Resilience Project

City: New Brighton
Completion Date: Expected 2028
Cost: Approx. 7.6 Million
Phase: In Progress, Multiple Phases
Water Body: Jones Lake and surrounding watershed
Funding Sources: MPCA, Rice Creek Watershed District, New Brighton
Partners: New Brighton, MPCA

Project Updates – Updated October 2026

Check back here for construction timelines and future updates.

October 2026 – Construction plans for the Jones Lake sediment forebay and public drainage maintenance corridor access path were completed in August 2026. The project will realign Ramsey County Ditch 5 and construct a sediment forebay to capture sediment, improve water quality, and support long-term maintenance access.

The project is moving into the bidding phase, with a bid award recommendation anticipated for consideration by the RCWD Board of Managers on October 28, 2026.

Vegetation survey and report by Critical Connections in progress.

June 2026 – RCWD received $840,000 of MN Bonding Bill funds to supplement overall project costs. Here more here about Minnesota Bonding Bill 2026. The project is currently in the planning and development phase.

Before construction can occur:

Final engineering and design work must be completed.
Environmental reviews and permitting requirements must be satisfied.
Public meetings and hearings will be held.
Project funding and construction plans will be reviewed and finalized.

If approved, construction activities are not anticipated to begin until fall 2027 at the earliest.

July 2025 – RCWD Board authorized final design and permitting task order with Houston Engineering, Inc. for Phase 1. Design work is underway and construction is anticipated to begin in early 2027.

July 2025 – RCWD Board accepted a $1.17 million MPCA Stormwater Implementation Grant to cover some project costs.

July 2025 to June 2026 – Planning meetings, design creation, and project coordination with partners occurring between this time.

About The Jones Lake Restoration & Watershed Resilience Project

The Jones Lake Restoration & Watershed Resilience Project is a multi-phase, multi-benefit water quality improvement project.

It combines sediment management, water quality, restoration of aquatic and wetland habitat, and improvements to the infrastructure that manages water levels and stormwater flows. Together, these efforts are intended to support a healthier lake and wetland ecosystem while reducing flood risks for nearby neighborhoods, roads, businesses, and regional infrastructure.

Jones Lake in New Brighton, MN and surrounding watershed in Sept 2025.

Restore Lake and Wetland Function

Healthy lakes and wetlands provide important ecological functions, including wildlife habitat, water quality benefits, and natural water storage.

The project will address sediment accumulation in the lake and improve the long-term function of the Jones Lake system through dredging, outlet improvements, and vegetation restoration. Where incorporated into the approved project design, native plantings and invasive species management will help establish more resilient plant communities and improve habitat in the lake and wetland areas.

Improve Water Quality

Sediment and nutrient runoff can affect lake health, aquatic habitat, and downstream water bodies. Jones Lake drains into Long Lake and is part of a larger network of regional water bodies. The project includes a sediment forebay on the public drainage system to help capture sediment before it enters Jones Lake and the wetland areas.

Existing project estimates identify potential annual reductions of approximately 20,000 pounds of sediment and 78 pounds of phosphorus.

Natural Water Storage and Reduce Flood Risk

This project will improve the system’s ability to manage stormwater through outlet improvements, sediment management, and additional water storage capacity.

Existing project estimates identify approximately 6.4 million cubic feet of additional stormwater storage and potential flood-elevation reductions of up to 2 feet along the I-35W corridor.

These improvements can help reduce flood impacts to nearby homes, apartments, roads, and other critical infrastructure (This corridor serves over 40,000 residents and is home to homes, businesses, schools, and major roadways like I-35W and I-694!).

Build Long-Term Watershed Resilience

The project brings together restoration, water-quality improvements, and flood-risk reduction to address multiple challenges within the same watershed. By improving lake function and modernizing water-management infrastructure, the project can have lasting water and community benefits.

Community and Environmental Justice
This project serves racially diverse and economically disadvantaged neighborhoods, helping protect vulnerable communities from future flood risks while creating long-term climate resilience. It also supports environmental justice goals by investing in infrastructure where it’s most needed.

Jones Lake in New Brighton, MN and surrounding watershed in Sept 2025.

The project is being completed in phases to match available funding:

Phase 1 (2025–2026)
Supported by a $1.17 million MPCA Stormwater Implementation Grant and RCWD funds.
This phase includes final design, bid preparation, outlet replacement, sediment forebay construction, and initial dredging.
Phase 2 (Future)
Will complete remaining dredging and sediment removal, pending additional funding.

Project History and Planning

This project is part of a long-term, multi-phase flood mitigation strategy that began after the 2011 storm. RCWD worked closely with local partners through a Basic Water Management Project (BWMP) petition to develop a regional stormwater management plan.