DEPARTMENT: Environmental Resources
FILE TYPE: Regular Action
TITLE
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Authorization To Execute Joint Powers Agreement With Vermillion River Watershed Joint Powers Organization For Enhanced Street Sweeping Study
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PURPOSE/ACTION REQUESTED
Authorize the execution of a Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) between the Vermillion River Watershed Joint Powers Organization (VRWJPO) and Dakota County (County) to administer a Vermillion River Watershed Enhanced Street Sweeping Study.
SUMMARY
As a regulated entity under the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's (MPCA's) Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Program (MS4) General Permit, Dakota County currently is assigned eight Waste Load Allocations (WLAs) for various pollutants, four of which are located in, or associated with the Vermillion River Watershed. Under the MS4 General Permit, permittees are required to implement pollution-prevention measures to address pollutant loading sourced from stormwater discharges. One such mechanism to reduce pollutant loading from municipal operations is street sweeping.
Improved water quality from street sweeping is a topic of emerging research in the state of Minnesota. Studies highlight enhanced street sweeping programs as highly cost-effective, non-structural best management practices (BMPs) capable of removing large quantities of Total Phosphorus (TP) and Total Suspended Solids (TSS).
Enhanced street sweeping goes beyond standard sweeping by using more frequent schedules and higher-efficiency equipment to capture not only large debris like leaves and trash but also fine sediments that carry pollutants such as phosphorus, nitrogen, and metals. Enhanced sweeping is primarily implemented to improve water quality and help municipalities meet stormwater permit and regulatory requirements.
This study will evaluate Dakota County's existing street sweeping program within the Vermillion River Watershed and analyze opportunities for improvement to achieve higher levels of pollutant load r...
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