Lower Sand Creek Corridor Restoration Project
The Lower Sand Creek Corridor Restoration Project was awarded funding from the US EPA 319 Grant Program and from the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) through the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment to the Coon Creek Watershed District (CCWD).
The $195,158 Clean Water Legacy grant is a match for the $269,563 US EPA 319 grant for the Lower Sand Creek Corridor Restoration Project in Coon Rapids.
The goal of this project is to improve fish and wildlife habitat in and adjacent to the creek channel and to reduce Total Suspended Solids (TSS) and phosphorus concentrations. This is a first step towards meeting Clean Water Act standards for that stretch of the creek.
The project involves stabilizing 4200 linear feet of actively eroding streambank to help reduce erosion, and enhancing the habitat in and adjacent to the channel along a ½-mile stretch of Sand Creek near its confluence with Coon Creek east of Lions Park.
Update
Here is a great video explaining this project!
This project is Completed For a second similar project just upstream along Sand Creek Click here for information on the Middle Sand Creek Corridor Restoration project.
Click here for the 2020 All Details grant report
Background
Project construction was completed June 30, 2019. Invasive species control was done through December of 2020.
The project began on Monday, October 8, 2018, starting with tree removal to open up the canopy and re-use some of the cut trees to stabilize eroding banks as log toes and root wads.
Sand Creek is currently listed as Impaired for failing to meet federal Clean Water Act standards for aquatic life due to excess sediment (TSS) & phosphorus, poor habitat, and altered hydrology.
Questions? Contact Justine Dauphinais, Water Quality Coordinator at Coon Creek Watershed District.
Phone: 763-755-0975