WHITE BEAR LAKE — A dry creek now winds between the Lake Grove townhouses and funnels excess water to several new raingardens.
Grants from the Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District are helping the homeowners beautify their yards with landscaping that remedies flooding problems, reduces stormwater runoff and provides other ecological and financial benefits.
The 41-unit townhouse development is located in the area of County Road E, Highland Avenue and Auger Avenue. Last week, its homeowners association completed the second of two landscaping projects.
Monthly dues from the homeowners funded half of each project. The other half was funded by the Watershed District’s Best Management Practices Cost Share Program.
The Watershed District sets aside $250,000 each year to help public or private landowners within its boundaries with projects that protect water or other natural resources. Examples of eligible projects include pervious pavement, green roofs, native habitat restoration and rain barrels.
The goal is to help landowners help the district protect the watershed, said Julie Vigness-Pint, who coordinates the district’s grant program.
“We can’t do it all, we need as much help as we can get, ” she said.
The district will match funding up to $2,500 for individual homeowners and up to $30,000 for commercial or multi-family properties. Grants are awarded monthly and funding is still available for 2010.
The Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed includes portions of Vadnais Heights, Gem Lake, White Bear Lake and White Bear Township — mostly south of County Road E. Other White Bear area watershed organizations — Rice Creek Watershed District and Vadnais Lake Area Water Management Organization — also have similar cost share grant programs.
Lake Grove resident Donna Barnes learned about the grants from the city of White Bear Lake newsletter and spearheaded the applications for her neighborhood.
In 2008 the association had to remove an aging swimming pool. The Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed Disrict provided half of the $15,000 needed to re-landscape the former pool area with native plants and mulch.
This summer the association and Watershed District split the nearly $30,000 cost for the dry creek and raingardens.
For both projects they contracted with Linder’s to design and install the landscaping.
Lake Grove Association President Mark Triplett said the new installations are intended to correct problems with standing water and erosion in an environmentally friendly manner.
Instead of flooding the turf or draining into the sewers, excess rainwater now is channeled to the dry creek. The recessed rock pathway leads to several raingardens — recessed gardens with native plants where the collected stormwater can filter into the ground.
The low-maintenance gardens are designed to absorb the water within two days — before mosquito eggs can hatch.
Due to their extensive root systems, native plants also can sustain dry periods and rarely require watering. Lake Grove is using its sprinkling system less and decided to forgo prior plans to expand its system.
The homeowners also hope the creek and gardens will increase their complex’s curb appeal.
“We want to be good neighbors and we want to increase the value of our properties,” Triplett said.
There are several environmental benefits, including reduced water usage and providing a natural habitat for wildlife. The gardens don’t need fertilizer or insecticides. And preventing excess water from reaching the storm sewers helps keep the lakes clean.
The homeowners association hopes to install additional raingardens or other native plantings in coming years.
Vigness-Pint said the Watershed District also recently approved a cost share grant to help another White Bear Lake homeowner install a raingarden. The district also is in discussions with officials at Willow Lake Elementary about a grant to help install butterfly gardens and other natural landscaping on the school grounds. According to Vigness-Pint, the additions would remedy erosion and provide student learning opportunities.
Kristine Goodrich can be reached at 651-407-1233 or vadnaisheightsnews@presspubs.com.
Cost share grants
For more information about Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District Best Management Practices Cost Share Program, visit rwmwd.org or call Julie Vigness-Pint at 651-792-7959.
For info about Rice Creek Watershed District’s Water Quality Best Management Practices Cost Share Program, visit ricecreek.org. Ramsey County residents also can call Ryan Johnson at 651-266-7275 and Washington County residents can call Pete Young at 651-275-1136 extension 21.
For Vadnais Lake Area Water Management Organization’s Cost Share Program, visit vlawmo.org or call Kristine Jenson at 651-204-6074.
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