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07 15 2025 City Council Work Session MinutesCITY OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS DAKOTACOUNTY STATE OF MINNESOTA Minutes of the City Council Work Session Tuesday, July 15, 2025 Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, a work session of the Mendota Heights City Council was held at Mendota Heights City Hall, 1101 Victoria Curve, Mendota Heights, Minnesota, CALL TO ORDER Mayor Levine called the work session to order at 4:30 pm. Councilors Lorberbaum, Maczko (arrived 4:36 pm) and Paper were in attendance. Councilor Mazzitello was absent. Others present included: City Administrator Cheryl Jacobson, Assistant City Administrator Kelly Torkelson, Public Works Director Ryan Ruzek, Finance Director Kristen Schabacker, Park and Recreation Director/Assistant Public Works Director Meredith Lawrence, Community Development Manager Sarah Madden, Assistant City Engineer Lucas Ritchie, Amy Schmidt, City Attorney, and City Clerk Nancy Bauer. Also in attendance was Joe Barton from the Dakota County Lower Mississippi River Management Organization (LMRWMO). Also, residents that lived around Lake Augusta and Lemay Lake were in attendance. LAKE AUGUSTA IMPROVEMENTS R. Ruzek, Public Works Director, reviewed a PowerPoint that was created by Joe Barton, Lower Mississippi River Water Management Organization Administrator and Dakota County Soil and Water Conservation District Program Management Supervisor. R. Ruzek stated that the presentation and other issues were discussed at LMRWMO board meetings. A map was shown of Lake Augusta, and he summarized the property owners around the lake and stated that the lake is privately owned. There is part of the lake on the north side that is owned by the City of Mendota. The waterline has encroached into Centre Pointe Curve which is a city right-of-way. Otherwise, there is no public access to the lake. R. Ruzek discussed the watershed area for Lake Augusta. In 2013, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency completed a Watershed Restoration Protection Strategy (WRAPS) study. The results of the study found that 11 % of the phosphorus entering the lake came from the watershed, 2% from the atmosphere, and it was assumed 87% was coming from internal load. (The sediment re-releasing the phosphorus into the lake). In 2017, the City received a grant that the LMRWMO applied for, the City provided a match for the grant, and an alum treatment was applied to the lake. The alum was meant to lock up the July 15, 2025, Mendota Heights City Council Work Session Minutes Page - 1 phosphorus down in the sediment. The first year after the treatment showed signs of the reduction in the phosphorus. At that time, a resident alerted the City to a large population of cormorants by the lake in the fall and asked if they could be polluting the lake. A study was done which did help to fill in a missing gap. It was determined that the cormorants were adding 68% of the phosphorus to the lake, direct watershed was 10%, internal loading at 21 %, and atmospheric deposition at 1 %. In 2023, the study was completed. The LWRWMO board heard a presentation from Barr Engineering on the feasibility outcomes of Lake Augusta in November of 2024. In December of 2024, the LWRWMO board heard from Franci Cuthbert, PHD, a cormorant expert and how to manage cormorants. They are not nesting at Lake Augusta but are migrating through. Results of the Barr Engineer Feasibility Study were that this is a land locked basin, with development in the lake's watershed, and increased rainfalls have contributed to this lake's increased depth by 15 feet since the normal water level was established in the mid-1980's. R. Ruzek continued that to help the health of the lake these recommendations could be implemented: 1. Adding a lake outlet and establishing the normal water level. This would provide a positive effect now as in the future surrounding properties would get flooded out and kill more trees. The cost estimate would be about $600,000. If the water level was lowered the shoreline would need to be revegetated. 2. Implement two upstream stormwater BMPs to improve the water quality of stormwater entering Lake Augusta. The cost estimate would be about $600,000. 3. Removal of dead trees surrounding Lake Augusta to deter cormorants with a cost estimate of $200,000. 4. Further study of cormorants with the intent to either better understand, track, or manage their population. 1) To pursue the installation of a lake outlet: • Grant funding for anoutlet is unlikely to be obtained. A similar outlet project at Seidl Lake was funded with City obtained bonding funds. • The desired future lake level would need careful consideration and likely input from residents. Residents have shown support to return the level to match that of 2002. • The exact benefit to lake water quality of a lake outlet on its own is unknown. There is an assumed flushing effect that an outlet provides long term, however the study assumed the outlet to be tied to reductions in cormorant populations, which may not be the case. • If an outlet is implemented: Opportunities for water quality improvements in the watershed can be considered down the road. • LMRWMO is working with the DNR to monitor lake levels to track over time. July 1$ 2025, Mendota Heights City Council Work Sessimz Minutes page _ 2 2) Implementation of two upstream stormwater BMPs to improve the water quality of stormwater entering Lake Augusta: • Grant funding is possible for the two stormwater BMPs at the cemetery pond and a new cemetery pond. • Private property permission would be needed for both BMPs to be possible to implement. • The two BMPs provide future pollutant reductions, but do not address cormorants, the estimated larger contributor of phosphorus to the lake. Therefore, the efficacy of the stormwater BMPs to significantly improve water quality is unknown. 3) Removal of the trees surrounding Lake Augusta to deter cormorants: • The ability to receive grant funding to remove trees is unknown, which may be unlikely to be obtained for tree removal because it is private property surrounding the lake. • The impact on the cormorant population due to dead tree removal around the lake is unknown, may be ineffective, and/or may have unintended consequences. • The residents can choose to lead the removal of trees either before or after an outlet may be installed. 4) Further study of cormorants with the intent to either better understand, track, or manage the population - The estimated cost is $100,000: • Further study of the non -nesting cormorant population may provide useful information for management, such as hazing, harassing, or culling, however it may have more limited use if management is not intended. • Management of bird populations by a watershed management organization is uncommon, if not unprecedented, to improve water quality of a lake. • The City, and/or residents could pursue further study of the cormorant population, possibly a willing partner, such as the UofM could be found to lead such a study. • The LMRWMO can continue to monitor water quality as it has been to gather more data for future evaluations. Continued Water Monitoring: • The LMRWMO can reach out to the MPCA to identify when the next MPCA 10-year cycle comes up to gain awareness of timelines to possibly discuss a lake specific TMDL (Total Maximum Daily Load) that accounts for the cormorant impacts. • The LMRWMO can continue to monitor water quality as it has been to gather more data for future evaluations. • The LMRWMO can monitor water levels going forward on the lake to have a better long- term record. If the City does decide to implement any of the improvements, LMRWMO would partner with the City to apply for the grants. The LMRWMO Lake Augusta Recommendations are: 1. The City of Mendota Heights can choose to pursue a lake outlet at Lake Augusta. The LMRWMO would support the City in this effort, at the request of the City, via technical assistance, assisting in pursuit of grant funds, etc. 2. The residents/private property owners or the City can choose to pursue and lead the effort for removal of trees either before or after an outlet is installed. The City can decide if July 152 2025, Mendota Heights City Council Work Session Minutes Page - 3 they have a role and can request assistance from the LMRWMO. The LMRWMO would support the City in this effort, at the request of the City, via technical assistance, assisting in pursuit of grant funds, etc. Establishment of permanent native vegetation around the lake should be pursued along with tree removal. 3. The LMRWMO will add monitoring of lake levels to its current monitoring schedule, periodically during the growing season, until and potentially after a lake outlet is installed. If the lake continues to fluctuate, this data could help in planning a lake outlet. The LMRWMO will continue to monitor water quality as it has been, either via volunteers or paid staff to maintain a comprehensive water quality data set. 4. Opportunities for water quality improvements in the watershed can be considered down the road, but not until the multi -year effects of the outlet on water quality (after 5+ years of monitoring for example) to indicate whether the outlet has had any impact on water quality. The LMRWMO would support the City in watershed water quality improvement efforts, at the request of the City, via technical assistance, assisting in pursuit of grant funds, etc. 5. The City, residents, or LMRWMO could pursue further study of the cormorant population. However, this would be with a limited budget and only if a partner, such as UofM could be found to lead such a study. The LMRWMO voted not to do this. The aim of such a study would be to track the population of birds on the lake over many years and see if the population correlates to lake water quality. It would also be to better understand the cormorant population, if residents would want to take on management. The LMRWMO will not take or lead any actions to manage the cormorant population. The LMRWMO can work with the MPCA to discuss a lake specific TMDL that accounts for the cormorant impacts, only when that comes up next in the MPCA 10-year assessment cycle. This would not clean up the lake. Councilor Maczko asked if the city, state, or county had any direct storm water discharge into the lake. R. Ruzek said not that he is aware of any, except runoff from the private properties surrounding the lake. He described how the storm water discharge flows in the watershed area. Councilor Maczko asked about salt getting into the lake. R. Ruzek said that chloride in the lake was studied, and it was found to be substantially below the threshold for chlorides. Councilor Maczko stated he is surprised that this is not a watershed issue and is a city issue. That there might be a possibility of not receiving any grant funding. If something is one it may affect another body of water in the watershed area. Councilor Lorberbaum asked if there were any other stories regarding this issue. R. Ruzek responded that Roseville had this issue fifty years ago, dealt with it and now it is a beautiful lake. Waseca also is dealing with this issue today. Pigeon Lake in Minnesota gave up the lake to birds. If we do something to discourage the birds from roosting at Lake Augusta, the cormorants will find another place to roost. J. Barton reported that he has done a lot of research regarding cormorants and has talked to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Department ofAgriculture, Minnesota DNR, and reached out to a private company "Wild Goose Chase". He did not get a sense that this was a problem they had dealt with. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service stated that cormorants are a protected species and gave an overview of the process to manage cormorants (kill, harass and haze). The July 15, 2025, Mendota Heights City Council Work Session Minutes page - 4 U.S. Department of Agriculture can be hired to kill the cormorants for management. The Minnesota DNR had information about Pelican Lake and Leech Lake where they are managing cormorants because of the cormorants eating the fish and they would not have any role with Lake Augusta. The birds roost in the early evening in the fall for about six weeks and there are a lot of unknows about the cormorants. Councilor Maczko asked what made Lake Augusta attractive to the cormorants. R. Ruzek responded that the rising water killed trees, and it is probably the dead trees. J. Barton responded that it also could be that the lake is close to the Mississippi River where they feed during the day. Joe Nunez, stated that the lake was in good shape 30 years ago and kids used to swim or fish in the lake. There are now a lot of dead trees by the lake where the cormorants like to roost. This lake has been under stress since the late 90's. He asked if the underground springs in the lake had been studied. J. Barton stated that they have not been studied. Kitty Haight stated she does not use certain fertilizers so the lake can be protected. She and her husband have spent thousands of dollars removing dead trees because the lake level rose. Other residents have also removed dead trees. Barbara Kauffman stated that she was on the watershed committee for Rogers Lake and believes that Rogers Lake is not much different than Lake Augusta. Lake Augusta though is a much smaller lake. The City did step forward to help with Rogers Lake, Tom Hanschen asked if the existing settling ponds were effective, why is there a recommendation to put in more? Are the ponds not doing their job. There is not an outflow for the lake. A resident asked if there was a way to enhance the underground springs? J. Barton stated he is not aware of a way to enhance underground springs. Councilor Maczko stated that moving one body of water to another body of water could have unattended consequences. R. Ruzek responded that the outlet would be a mechanical pump station. If this were done, we would work with MnDOT and pump water into an existing catch basin, have it run through a vegetative swale, then into the MnDOT pond by the Mendota Bridge, and then into the Mississippi River. An easement might be needed to accomplish this. Councilor Paper asked about the life expectancy of a cormorant. R. Ruzek responded they can live up to 20 years. Councilor Paper asked if lake levels were static before the 80's? R. Ruzek said Lake Augusta has always had water in it (even during the dust bowl years). It has always had a different tint when looking at old arial photos. He showed aerial photos of the lake. Councilor Paper asked if the lake was beyond the ordinary highwater mark now? R. Ruzek responded yes. Councilor Paper asked how deep the lake is. R. Ruzek said about 40 feet. July 15, 2025, Mendota Heights Crt)� Camicil Work Session Mimrtes Page - 5 Councilor Paper asked if any fish live in the lake? R. Ruzek stated that a fish study has not been done. A resident stated that turtles and frogs do live in or are near the lake. J. Barton said there are a lot of unknown things regarding the lake. The color of the lake could be from diatom blooms. R. Ruzek said if the lake water level is lowered it would change the shoreline on the no and south ends of the lake. J. Barton stated that grant funds are not used for conveyance (moving water from one place to another). Grand funding for shoreline restoration would stipulate it would have to be on public land. Councilor Paper asked if there was a difference in phosphorus levels from the north end of the lake to the south end of the lake. J. Barton said water samples are typically taken from the deepest part of the lake. Mayor Levine asked if the rate was known for the rising depth of the lake. R. Ruzek stated that it is not known because of recent past years of drought when the lake depth dropped. J. Barton stated that two lake gauges have been recently installed to help monitor the level of the lake. Mayor Levine asked why the trees standing in the lake can't be removed to control the cormorant population. R. Ruzek responded that the cormorants might move to live trees and kill the live trees with their guano. Mayor Levine asked if it wouldn't be better to have guano on the ground rather than in the lake. J. Barton stated that it is a thought, and it might help with the cormorant population. There are unknows. The cormorants might move to Lemay Lake. Cormorants prefer dead trees. There are about 1,000 dead trees in Lake Augusta. The estimate, which is from a few years ago, to remove all those dead trees is $400,000 to $450,000, It was concluded that no simple or immediate solution exists; fiirther evaluation, resident involvement, City and LMRWMO involvement, further study, and gradual intervention may help with the health of the lake. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 5:47 pm. StOF ephanie B. Levine, Mayor ATTEST: ancy suer, City Clerk July 15, 2025, Mendota Heights City Council Work Session Minutes Page - 6