Fall 2019 Hometown Messenger

Messenger Hometown

News from the City of Shakopee | Fall 2019

CITY NEWSLETTER StormWater 101 Mayor's Message City Calendar Splash Pad Employee Garden Parks Master Plan #AsktheCity: Code Enforcement GIS/Mapping Upgrade Clean Up Day Public Safety Corner Chief's Notes Crime Prevention Calendar

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Flowing to the river The Upper Valley Drainage Ditch, which runs along Vierling Drive, is one of several storm drainage methods used to manage water runoff. Storm water ponds are another common way of managing storm water discharge. Storm drainage system manages water runoff to mitigate flooding, water pollution

When it rains, it pours. And all that water has to go somewhere. In Shakopee, surface water ultimately goes one place—the Minnesota River. But managing how it gets there is the responsibility of the city's storm drainage system. "When you develop land, you're altering the hydrology and the flow of surface water, so we need to design systems that mitigate the rate and flooding concerns," saidWater Resources- Environmental Engineer Kirby Templin. The City of Shakopee uses an extensive system of storm sewer, ponds and wetlands to manage surface water and protect against flooding. For example, yards must be graded to help move runoff to catch basins or street drains to avoid pooling. Typically, the water is then transported to a man-made storm water pond for collection.

STORMWATER 101 Surface water: Water that is visible on the surface like in a lake, stream or pond Ground water: Water that is underground in the soil Runoff: Surface water generated from precipitation or snow melt Stormwater: Runoff from precipitation or snow melt

Cover Photo: "Fall Colors (Lake O'Dowd)" is a 2018 Show Off Shakopee Photo Contest submission by Tiffany Grimm.

Ponds help protect against flooding by controlling the rate at which water discharges downstream. This can be especially important during large rain events when localized flooding can cause immediate impacts.

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