History: Aquatic invasive species (AIS), such as zebra mussels and Eurasian watermilfoil, threaten natural resources by disrupting ecosystems and displacing native plants and animals.  AIS can also negatively impact recreational activities on lakes, decreasing the quality of life for residents and result in a loss of income for local businesses that depend on healthy water resources.  Lakes throughout Hennepin County are already impacted or highly vulnerable to the introduction of AIS. Preventing the introduction of AIS is critical as there is essentially no remedy once a species is introduced.

 

The State of Minnesota began to provide funding to counties in 2014 to prevent the introduction or limit the spread of AIS.  Counties may use the funds directly or provide funding to other entities in the county (e.g., joint powers board, watershed district, lake association).

 

In November 2014, the board designated oversight of the AIS Prevention Aid program to the County Administrator and delegated to the County Administrator the responsibility to prepare and implement guidelines for use of aid received for the prevention of AIS (Resolution 14-0438 adopted November 18, 2014).

 

In fall 2016, the county released its third request for proposals for projects that prevent the introduction or limit the spread of AIS.  Local government agencies, nonprofit organizations, businesses, and academic institutions were eligible to apply.

 

The county received 27 project proposals from 18 applicants requesting a total of $615,420.  A committee reviewed the applications and recommended awarding 14 grants totaling $320,000.

 

Current Request:  This request is to authorize the County Administrator to negotiate AIS Prevention grant agreements, during the period of April 1, 2017 through December 31, 2018, with the combined not-to-exceed amount of $320,000.

 

The following paragraphs describe the projects:

 

• CD3, General Benefit Corporation - $63,000 (two projects).  These projects support the development and implementation of CD3 self-serve boat cleaning stations. The first project is part of a statewide partnership involving Three Rivers Park District, Washington County, St. Louis County, and the Initiative Foundation. As part of this effort, two electric-powered CD3 stations will be installed, studied, and improved over the course of two years at North Arm and Spring Park public accesses (both owned and managed by the county) on Lake Minnetonka. The second project will contribute to the design and implementation of an off-grid (solar) option to power CD3 stations. Many public accesses don’t have electrical power supply, and by supporting a solar option, the county significantly increases the potential application of this self-serve boat cleaning tool.

• Minnesota AIS Research Center, University of Minnesota, St. Paul - $30,500. This project will support research on controlling the population of zebra mussels by delivering extremely low doses of mollusk pesticide during specific weather conditions that are most advantageous for mussel settlement and reproduction.  This funding will support an in-field study to expand a research project supported by a previous AIS Prevention grant.

• City of Bloomington - $25,000. The city will incorporate a CD3 self-serve boat cleaning station and educational signage during the reconstruction of the West Bush Lake public access.
• City of Edina - $12,000. This project will produce tactile 3-D models of AIS to use as teaching aid to help residents identify AIS at public events and trainings. 
• Minnetonka Yacht Club - $21,000.  The area has numerous sailboats moored in Lake Minnetonka that often move throughout the state when participating in sailboat regattas.  The project will create an on-site decontamination station.  The club will also provide education and training to the 800 students in the Lake Minnetonka Sailing School as well as its members and visiting sailors.
• Fortin Consulting, Inc., Hamel - $25,000.  This project will expand a previous grant to provide early detection training to lake association volunteers to identify native lake plants and learn how to monitor for AIS.  This project will add 8 new lakes to the training group for a total of 16 lakes throughout the county with early detection volunteers.
• Wood Lake Nature Center, Richfield - $5,500.  This project will introduce Largemouth Bass to act as predators and eradicate a goldfish population in Wood Lake.  The nature center will also implement an educational campaign about how to properly dispose of aquatic pets and conduct long-term monitoring of the effects of the project on fish and vegetation communities.
• City of Eden Prairie - $28,000  - The city will incorporate a CD3 self-serve boat cleaning station and educational signage during the reconstruction of the Lake Riley public access.
• Three Rivers Park District - $25,000. This project will support expanded watercraft inspection and outreach activities at public lake accesses throughout the county. 
• Christmas Lake Homeowners Association, Excelsior - $10,000.  The funding will assist with watercraft inspections every hour that Christmas Lake public access is open.
• Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board - $15,000.  This project will develop interactive educational tools and support outreach at boat launches during the busiest time of the year. 
• Nine Mile Watershed District - $15,000.  The district will partner with the City of Bloomington to develop and create a series of AIS activities and build a pop-up cart that provides hands-on education at community events. 
• City of Mound - $45,000.  This project will install a programmable message board and educational signage at the city-owned Surfside Park on Lake Minnetonka, which is adjacent to a city beach and Commerce Boulevard (County State Aid Highway 110).  The county will partner with the city to run the message board, presenting 50 percent AIS prevention messages, 50 percent city messages and allowing Hennepin County Emergency Management to overwrite all messages during severe weather.

The request is also for approval to reimburse costs incurred by the grantees after the board approval date and upon execution of the grant agreements.

 

Impact/Outcomes:  The recommended grant projects will prevent the spread of AIS by training volunteers to detect AIS early in lakes, expanding inspections and outreach at public lake accesses, researching zebra mussel control possibilities, installing boat cleaning/decontamination facilities, managing a population of goldfish, and creating unique hands-on educational tools.

 

The grantees will be required to collect data and submit reports specific to project goals.  This will include information such as the number of people reached, the number of boats inspected or decontaminated, photographs of the products in use, or the findings of research/management.  This information will be used by county staff to analyze the projects and results and outcomes will be shared statewide.