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<br /> <br />Summary <br />This Implementation Roadmap Preview highlights the key findings and near-term project priorities that <br />will be included in the Long Lake Creek Subwatershed Implementation Roadmap, set to be completed in <br />early 2021. The roadmap is a result of a collaborative planning process to identify feasible and cost- <br />effective projects that create healthier and more vibrant communities within the Long Lake Creek <br />Subwatershed. <br /> <br />Purpose <br />The Cities of Long Lake, Medina, and Orono; Long Lake Waters Association (LLWA); and Minnehaha <br />Creek Watershed District (MCWD or District) have agreed to work together towards a common goal of <br />improving water quality within the Long Lake Creek Subwatershed. The partners aim to restore the five <br />impaired lakes in the system to meet state water quality standards, providing fishable and swimmable <br />lakes that underpin the quality of life in their surrounding communities. <br />To support this effort, the District has led the development of a science-driven “implementation <br />roadmap” that identifies the highest-impact and most feasible projects to achieve this vision. By working <br />together to develop and follow a shared implementation plan, the partners will be able to leverage each <br />other’s resources and have greater success at securing grant funding to support the work. <br />This Implementation Roadmap Preview has been developed as an interim deliverable to provide an <br />overview of the findings and recommendations for the city councils. The full roadmap will be finalized in <br />early 2021 and will include three main components: <br />1. data, methodology, and findings from the subwatershed assessment <br />2. prioritized projects, costs, and benefits <br />3. recommended action steps, roles, timeline, and funding strategy for implementation <br /> <br />Background <br />Five lakes within the Long Lake Creek Subwatershed are impaired for excess nutrients including Holy <br />Name, School, Wolsfeld, Long, and Tanager (see Figure 1). In 2014, the MN Pollution Control Agency <br />(MPCA) completed the Upper Minnehaha Creek Watershed Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Study <br />which sets pollutant reduction goals needed to meet water quality standards so that each lake is <br />suitable for recreational use and can support aquatic life. The TMDL assigned load reduction <br />requirements to the Cities of Medina, Orono, and Long Lake that must be met as part of the cities’ <br />Municipal Separate Stormsewer System (MS4) permits. <br />In 2016, the three cities adopted resolutions to work together to pursue grant funding and implement <br />projects to improve water quality and address TMDL requirements (Attachment A). The cities recognized <br />that taking a coordinated and collaborative approach could increase their chances of success. In parallel, <br />the Long Lake Waters Association (LLWA), a non-profit entity composed of residents throughout the <br />Long Lake Creek Subwatershed, formed to protect and enhance water quality within the subwatershed. <br />Between 2016 and 2018, the cities and LLWA began to engage the District in efforts to manage carp in <br />Long Lake as a strategy to improve water quality. As a regional unit of government spanning the three <br />cities, the District assumed the role of convener to help coordinate and guide the efforts of the <br />partnership. The group agreed that a holistic and data-driven approach was needed in order to identify <br />and pursue the most cost-effective projects to improve water quality.