RCWD Updates and News – Summer 2025

It’s been a busy and productive year for our team at Rice Creek Watershed District, and we’re excited to share what we’ve been working on in 2025. Most projects will be long term and go into future years.

2025 Updates for each program Project, Water Quality, Outreach and Communications, Grants, Regulatory, and Public Drainage are broken into sections below.

District Budget

The RCWD Board is working on approving their 2026 budget. It should be finalized in early September 2025. We will post an update along with final budget documents on our website when that occurs.

Project and Grant Updates

Highway 61 Ponds – Bald Eagle Lake Protection
RCWD is looking for ways to improve performance of the Highway 61 stormwater ponds and evaluate retrofit options to further reduce phosphorus entering Bald Eagle Lake. The final report is due December 31, 2025.

Clear Lake Water Management – Eureka Ave, Forest Lake
We’re partnering with the Washington Conservation District to enhance shoreline stabilization alongside the City’s road reconstruction project. Construction is anticipated for spring 2026.

More info about Eureka Ave project here from City of Forest Lake

Old Central Ave Bridge, Fridley
Working with Anoka County, we’re exploring stormwater treatment and streambank stabilization options alongside the planned bridge replacement over Rice Creek. Final bridge design is expected in November 2025, with construction in 2027.

Clearwater Creek/JD3 Stabilization
To reduce sediment and nutrient transport to Peltier Lake, we’re using $108,900 in WBIF funding to do design a project that includes remeandering, two-stage ditch construction, and streambank stabilization. We’ll present to Centerville City Council in August 2025 and seek implementation funding once designs are complete.

Learn more about WBIF Program here.

Hardwood Creek/JD2 Storage Facility Study
One of our top climate resilience priorities, this project will evaluate stormwater storage to reduce peak flows during heavy rain events. We’ve secured a $50,000 BWSR Water Quality and Storage Grant, with final study completion due by the end of 2028.

Learn more about BWSR Water Quality and Storage Grant here.

Jones Lake Flood Mitigation & Water Quality Project
This major storage project will help reduce flooding and improve water quality, while enabling other high-priority projects in the area. We’ve secured $1.17 million from MPCA. Design and permitting are underway, with construction of Phase 1 planned before the June 2027 grant deadline.

Learn more about Jones Lake Flood Mitigation Project here.

Moore Lake Stormwater Resilience Analysis
We received $71,000 from MPCA to evaluate stormwater reuse and resilience strategies for Moore Lake in the City of Fridley. The analysis is underway and will wrap up by June 2026.

From large-scale flood reduction projects to on-the-ground shoreline improvements, our staff continue to work with cities, partners, and residents to protect and restore the lakes, rivers, and wetlands in our watershed.

Stormwater Management Grant 

5 projects awarded to 4 municipalities in 2025. 

2026 program documents currently under development – to be advertised this fall.

Watershed Based Implementation Funding

Project tracking dashboard for completed projects under development. 

After BWSR Board approval, expect update end of Aug/early Sept 2025 for process and timeline of 2026-27 funds.

New RCWD website page for WBIF information here.

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Water Quality Program

• RCWD staff and partners are monitoring water quality conditions on approximately 30 lakes this summer.  So far, lake water quality conditions are average.  Algae blooms are not as bad as 2024. 
• We are monitoring stream levels and water quality at approximately 12 sites. 
• The Centerville Lake Alum Project is half done.  Monitoring data show a major improvement in clarity, with very few and light algae blooms.  In 2024, phosphorus levels were the lowest on record (since 1980)! The project will wrap up in 2026. 
  • Centerville Lake Project Page Here
• Continued carp managed efforts in the Long Lake / Lino Chain of Lakes System.  The carp population remains down – approx. 80-90% lower that pre-management. 
  • We are also beginning to manage carp on Silver Lake in St Anthony / Columbia Heights. 
• Completed plant surveys on Otter and Bald Eagle Lakes, assisting the DNR with plant surveys.

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Outreach and Communications Program

Sponsored and completed 2 Blue Thumb workshops this spring, with two more coming this fall.

– Rain Garden Workshop, September 24 @ 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm

– Shoreline Planting Workshop, October 1 @ 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm *FREE for RCWD residents

Sponsored a U of M AIS Detector workshop.

Students, with help from RCWD, Growing Green Hearts, and Anoka SWCD, designed, planted, and will maintain a native plant rain garden.

Supported and promoted Anoka SWCD Pollinator Pathway Grant and distributed grant funding to our Anoka County communities.

Supported an art project at Moore Lake Park with City of Fridley. Installation occurring this summer.

Completed and installed multiple new project signs. Currently working on additional ones to be installed in early 2026.

Planned an Iron-Enhanced Sand Filter Initiative for professional staff with Freshwater. That will take place this fall and through 2026.

Planning City/County Partner meeting for late fall 2025. Partners will receive an email invitation once scheduled.

Growing Green Heart Partnership – Native Prairie Plants Are Superheroes Relay at High View Middle School, Hayes Elementary, and Centennial Library, along with community engagement at: Christ the King Lutheran Church (New Brighton), PCOTW Church (Shoreview) and Hayes Elementary (Fridley).

Shoreline Campaign – In partnership with MN Lakes and Rivers Advocates, we supported an education campaign on natural shoreline protection to reduce runoff and pollution.

This outreach program works hand-in-hand with our regulatory, grants, and water resource programs to inform and educate our partners and communities about all ongoing work, projects, and grant opportunities you’ve read about in this newsletter.

Read more about outreach activities and events here.

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Water Quality & Mini Grants Program

Water Quality Grants

Grants Awarded: 10

Project Types: Curb-cut raingardens, shoreline stabilization/restoration, backyard raingarden & slope stabilization.

Pollutant Reductions: 64,982 cubic feet stormwater/year, 6,415.89 lbs TSS/year, 4.18 lbs phosphorus/year (≈2,087.5 lbs algae prevented).

• 2025 has been a standout year. Between combined efforts of targeted outreach and community engagement, the program has seen an increase in requests for site consultations and a variety of larger, community based projects.
• New outreach signs for completed projects was designed for the program and RCWD staff have been working to distribute the new signs to grant recipients to further the education and outreach to the public surrounding these projects.
• Funds remain for additional 2025 projects.

Mini Grants

Grants Awarded: 40 ($500 reimbursement each).

Project Types: Raingardens, native plantings, lawn-to-native conversions, rain barrels, stormwater education/materials.

Pollinator Partnership

• Partnered with Anoka Conservation District to secure an $10,000 for RCWD’s Mini Grant Program through the North Metro Pollinator Pathways grant which was awarded to Anoka Conservation District.
• This partnership created 20 more mini grant awards for 2025 in the RCWD Anoka County area and has fostered great partnership amongst local government agencies and communities.

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Regulatory Program

Our regulatory staff have been hard at work, an increase in work compared to this time last year:

• New permit applications are up 60%, with projects ranging from commercial and industrial developments to shoreline improvements and utility upgrades.
  • Online Permit Application Here
• Permits issued have increased 21%.
• Active site inspections are up 33%, averaging about three sites per day in 2025.
• Permit closures have risen 37%.

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Public Drainage Program

ACD 5362, Branch 5 & 6 Repair Project – Planned for construction in 2026, pending final order from the Board.

• Minor maintenance projects and right-of-way mowing continue throughout the construction season.

District Facilities

Lake Johanna Outlet Structure – Design is set to begin in late 2025, with construction in 2026.

Iron Enhanced Sand Filter maintenance and repairs at Hansen Park and Bald Eagle Lake occurred in spring/summer 2025. Maintenance to continue.

District Facility Decommissioning 

Working through list of District Facilities previously identified as no longer meeting District goals.