PROJECT TITLE: Creating Awareness About Runoff to Protect Water Quality I. PROJECT STATEMENT The city of Grand Rapids proposes to create three high-visibility demonstration sites in Itasca County that will build awareness about the direct link between water quality and runoff of phosphorous and chloride. All three sites will demonstrate best practices in regard to shoreline management. In addition, one site will include a system to monitor runoff of phosphorous. A second site will include a system to monitor runoff of chloride. All three sites will be used for public outreach and education. The project partners will develop the three sites in the vicinity of Grand Rapids, which is a regional business and retail center as well as a tourism destination. The sites have been identified and were chosen for their proximity to local traffic, their overall visibility, their location on popular and much-enjoyed bodies of water, and the availability of workable shoreline. Under the LCCMR project, each site will be fully evaluated by the project manager, water quality lab, excavator, and a sub-contractor with expertise in shoreland remediation and best practices. Probable site-specific activities will include the curbing of erosion, planting a rain garden, and/or preserving or restoring natural shoreline vegetation. The water quality lab will install monitoring systems at two of the sites and collect data. Signage will be designed and installed to communicate the purpose and scientific concepts behind the demonstration sites. In addition, a local water quality advocacy group will coordinate and conduct outreach activities to maximize the potential of the sites to build public awareness and understanding. The overall goal of the project is to show how phosphorous and chloride enter water resources and demonstrate ways to reduce such runoff. The proposed project is critical because high-quality water lies at the core of Grand Rapids’ and Itasca County’s culture and heritage. With more than 1,000 lakes and hundreds of miles of streams and rivers, the county’s water high-quality water resources are not only a touchpoint for local residents, they’re also an economic engine that drives an annual $70 million tourism economy. II. PROJECT ACTIVITIES AND OUTCOMES Outcome / Completion Date 1. Finalize partner agreements and complete design for three demonstration sites. / September 2020 2. Complete excavation, site prep, and planting at all three sites. / July 2021 3. Install systems to monitor phosphorous runoff at one demonstration site and chloride runoff at a second site. / July 2021 4. Collect data regarding the runoff of phosphorous and chloride. / Ongoing 5. Analyze data, complete reports, and disseminate findings. Make any necessary adjustments in monitoring systems or data collection protocols. / Ongoing steps that can be taken to reduce it. ENRTF BUDGET: $10,000 Outcome / Completion Date 1. Develop and install signage that simply and clearly communicates the basic concepts and principles of the demonstration sites. Produce an educational pamphlet about the demonstration sites. / August 2021 2. Work with community partners to coordinate, host, and lead tours/events at the demonstration sites. / Ongoing after September 2021 III. PROJECT PARTNERS AND COLLABORATORS No ENRTF Funding Name / Title / Affiliation / Role Andy Ahrens District Manager Itasca County Soil and Water Conservation District Advisor Max Peters City Administrator City of Cohasset Location for Demonstration Site Chris Walker Manager Zorbaz Restaurant Location for Demonstration Site ENRTF Funded Partners Name / Title / Affiliation / Role Matt Wegwerth City Engineer City of Grand Rapids Project Director TBD Engineering Tech City of Grand Rapids Coordination and Ongoing Management Position currently vacant, to be filled by May 1 Coordinator Itasca Waters Manager of Outreach TBD Excavator Excavation TBD Shoreland Expert Site prep and planting Robert Borash Owner RMB Labs Installation and monitoring of sampling stations IV. LONG-TERM IMPLEMENTATION AND FUNDING: We expect this to be a long-term project. Once the monitoring and demonstration sites are fully developed, the subsequent costs will be minimal. Under the LCCMR grant project, the city of Grand Rapids will complete any site maintenance in Years 2, 3, and 4. After project completion, Grand Rapids will maintain sites in Grand Rapids, and the project partners will maintain the sites at their locations. Monitoring of runoff beyond the project dates will be conducted by water quality advocates and volunteers through the partnership with Itasca Waters. Furthermore, Itasca Waters will be responsible to work with community partners including Grand Rapids Community Education, Independent School District 318 Grand Rapids, the Itasca Soil and Water Conservation District, and others to continue using the demonstration sites in ways that increase understanding about runoff and ways to reduce it.