Maplewood Mall to unveil environmentally-friendly clean water features: Extreme Makeover Event to be held Saturday, Sept. 15

For release: Sept. 12, 2012     Contacts: Jennifer Maleitzke, 651-215-9008 (office); 651-315-5082 (cell)

                                                                 Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District:

                                                                 Louise Watson, 651-792-7956 or Cliff Aichinger, 651-792-7957

                                                                 Minnesota Pollution Control Agency: Cori Rude-Young, 651-757-2680

 

Maplewood Mall to unveil environmentally-friendly clean water features

Extreme Makeover Event to be held Saturday, Sept. 15  

 

St. Paul, Minn.— Shopping at Maplewood Mall is suddenly looking a lot greener.

 

Through the efforts of the Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District (District), Ramsey County, the city of Maplewood and the owners of Maplewood Mall, 375 trees and 55 rainwater gardens have been installed over the past three years to control stormwater runoff.

 

Cliff Aichinger, District Administrator, said the District learned runoff from roads and parking lots is one of the major contributors to polluting nearby Kohlman Lake, which is listed as one of the state’s impaired waters.

 

“The District approached the mall’s owners to see if a partnership could be established to retrofit the mall’s parking areas,” Aichinger said. “Capturing at least one inch of runoff would result in a large reduction in phosphorus entering Kohlman Lake.”

 

With the mall owner’s willing participation, the District worked with many other partners to develop and implement this multiphase project.  

 

Of the total $6.5 million project cost, 60 percent was funded through two grant sources: Clean Water Fund grants (from the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment) through the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) and U.S. EPA Section 319 grants through the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.

 

Its goal is to infiltrate or filter the stormwater runoff from 90 percent of the mall parking lot, using tree trenches and other treatment practices. Other practices include rain garden and planter areas, permeable pavement, and a cistern. The project includes an educational and interpretive element with public art, signage, and exhibits.

 

Marcey Westrick, BWSR Clean Water Specialist, said the project is doing exactly what it set out to do. “Because of this project, Kohlman Lake will be cleaner and clearer. The project was completed as designed and within budget. The stormwater features were tested and are performing as designed, reducing more than 20 pounds per year of phosphorus and nearly three tons of sediment per year from entering Kohlman Lake,” Westrick said.

 

On Saturday, Sept. 15, the Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District is hosting an event to celebrate the accomplishments of the four-year project. From 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., a variety of events will take place, beginning with the Farnsworth School Marching Band, a ribbon-cutting ceremony and multiple speakers, followed by three hours of tours, interactive displays and activities. More information can be found at the District’s website: www.rwmwd.org.  

 

Broadcast version

On Saturday, Sept. 15, the Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District is hosting an event to unveil 375 trees and 55 rainwater gardens that have been installed over the past four years to control stormwater runoff. From 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., a variety of events will take place, beginning with the Farnsworth School Marching Band, a ribbon-cutting ceremony and multiple speakers followed by 3 hours of tours, interactive displays and activities. Of the total of $6.5 million project cost, 60 percent was funded through two grant sources: Clean Water Fund grants (from the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment) through the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources and U.S. EPA Section 319 grants through the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.

 

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