Coon Creek Park Stream Restoration in Andover
The Coon Creek Watershed District (CCWD) in partnership with the City of Andover has completed a stream restoration project in the Coon Creek Park area.
Goal
The project goal is to improve Coon Creek water quality and aquatic life to help meet state and federal standards required under the Clean Water Act. This will be done by reducing streambank erosion and improving habitat both in and along Coon Creek. Multiple sites had sand & sediment eroding from the creek banks into the creek. This is a problem because extra sand in the channel reduces the ability of the channel to contain water especially during large and intense rainstorms. The sand & sediment particles can also have pollutants attached to them.
The three main goals are:
1) Reduce sediment and nutrient pollution coming from streambank erosion
2) Allow the creek to flow with better connection to its floodplain
3) Enhance habitat in and along the creek for native species.
Click here for the 2022 All Details Grant Report
Project Viewing
Click here for a drone video (YouTube) showing a view of the project area and its components!
Project Updates
This project is complete!
Construction Report (pdf)
9/22/22 Engagement event – Watershed Walk interpretive tour
8/4/22 Signage installation
7/1/22 Summer 2022 Vegetation restoration
6/1/22 Contractor is working to complete site construction by June 30, 2022
3/24/22 Construction is substantially completed! Our contractor will finish site and vegetation restoration later this spring as weather conditions allow
11/15/21 until Spring 2022 – Construction to occur in sections
10/11/21 – Sunram Construction, Inc, was awarded the project
10/1/2021 -Bid opening at the CCWD office
8/16/2021 – Project design is completed and project is out for bid
Click here to link to our Project Open House recording on YouTube
Funding
Coon Creek Watershed District budgeted funds and was also awarded a $395,000 Clean Water Fund grant administered by the MN Board of Water and Soil Resources
Click here for the 2021 All Details Grant Report
Click here for the 2020 All Details Grant Report
How It Works
Our contractor installed rock that was covered with coconut fiber erosion control blankets and planted with native plants. This is called vegetated rock riprap. This stops erosion and protects from future erosion.
Work was done in the creek channel itself and along the banks within Coon Creek Park:
- The center portion of the creek bottom was excavated up to 2 feet to provide needed flood protection to upstream properties.
- The non-excavated portion of the creek was left at its current elevation, creating a floodplain bench. Floodplain benches accommodate higher flows while keeping the creek within a channel. This provides floodplain protection, stability for drainage, and more diversity of habitats.
- To prevent erosion in the construction area, the contractor:
Placed coconut fiber (coir) blocks along the deepened channel edge
Installed coir blanket over areas of bare soil
Planted deep rooted, native, pollinator-friendly vegetation
- In addition to the native plantings for erosion control, a pollinator garden was installed.