Notes will typically be saved on the web site for approximately one (1) year.
If you need a meeting summary (list of topics) for the past few years, please let me know!
June 2008
Topic - Stormwater Permits and TMDLs
Joe Bischoff from Wenck Associates came to speak on how they are helping their clients incorporate goals and tasks established in their TMDLs into their stormwater permit program. Please follow this link to see his PowerPoint presentation.
Rusty Schmidt came in to talk about his and Dan Shaw's new company, Waterdrop Innovations, as well as the new book they published, Blue Thumb Guide to Raingardens. Check out the following link to look at teh notes for this meeting.
Dawn Pape with Rice Creek Watershed District came to discuss the program that she developed. Her idea was to put clean water into practice by developing a “hands-on” approach for residents to take. The program addresses items such as buffer destruction, improper use of chemicals on the landscape, alteration of wetlands and invasive species.
Their web site, www.bluethumb.org, has three subtopics, Native Gardens, Rain Gardens and Shoreline Restoration. One of the favorites is a plant selector tool that provides a list of plant species that are available at local nurseries that would be specific for soil type and sunlight availability.
Other items that are available on the web site include upcoming seminars and workshops, landscaping companies that attended the seminars, partners in the program, design ideas, grant opportunities and nurseries that are part of the program. Most of the information is provided by the partners in the program to allow sharing of resources. Partners in are able to enter their own information, but others who want to make their seminars, workshops or materials widely available can send the information to Dawn.
One item to look forward to, Dan Shaw and Rusty Schmidt are writing a Blue Thumb Guide for residents on how to build a raingarden. The book should be available this fall.
There are also a number of materials that anyone can purchase through Blue Thumb at cost, the idea being that the more that are ordered, the cheaper the cost to everyone. This includes items such as kiosks, bookmarks, posters, banners, brochures, stickers and utility bill stuffers.
What does it mean to be a partner? Partners sign an informal agreement stating they will use the logo correctly, share materials, use consistent terminology and definitions, stay involved in the program and provide either time and/or money to the program. The suggested partner membership fee is $200 to $500 per year to help develop materials for the program, develop radio ads, rent space at special events, such as the Green Expo in January, and others. For example, development of the logo alone was $6,000!
The key is that Blue Thumb is approachable and easy to use not only by partners, but residents as well. The more people that join in, the better the results. Blue Thumb is now a statewide program and the materials can be used by anyone. Please contact Dawn at 763-398-3078 or dpape@ricecreek.org if you have any questions about the program.
June 20, 2007
Follow up Information on water resource issuses
Guest speaker, Shannon Lotthammer, MPCA
Thanks for the opportunity to present to the WRC group today! Here is some follow-up information/resources in case anyone would like more information on some of the topics we covered:
Finally, if anyone is interested in the Minnesota Comprehensive Wetland Assessment Monitoring and Mapping Strategy, the full document and some supporting info. can be found at http://www.pca.state.mn.us/water/wetlands/cwamms.html.
I hope this follow-up info. is helpful...if you or any of the group have additional questions or comments, please don't hesitate to contact me!
Thanks again, Shannon
Shannon Lotthammer Manager, Water Monitoring Section Environmental Analysis and Outcomes Division Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (651) 297-8355 shannon.lotthammer@pca.state.mn.us
