The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutSection 2: Physical Environment 2.0 Section 2 - Physical Environment 2.1 Topography and Geology St. Joseph and the surrounding area has a moderately flat topographic relief, with elevations ranging from approximately 1,060 - 1,150 feet above mean sea level. In the study area, there is a watershed divide between the Watab and Sauk Rivers that runs from the southwest to the northeast (Figure 2). Runoff from the northwest area is toward the Watab River and from the southeast area is toward the Sauk River, Geology in the St. Joseph area is formed by material of three different broad geologic types that were deposited over many geologic ages. The upper most geologic type is the glacial till and outwash plains formed by the advance and retreat of glaciers over a long period of time. The second layer of geologic material is the Cretaceous bedrock. The lowest layer of geologic material is the Precambrian, mostly igneous, basement bedrock. More detail about the area bedrock geology can be obtained from the Steams County Geologic Atlas, from which information used in this section was obtained. Glacial till and outwash plain geology is commonly referred to as Quaternary geology, named after the geologic period in which the glaciers advanced and retreated. In the St. Joseph area, the glacial material ranges roughly from 25- 125 feet thick and is mostly comprised of areas of glacial till and sand deposited by the St. Croix moraine of the Superior lobe and also outwash sand and gravel from the Des Moines lobe (Figure 3). The predominance of sands and gravel in the flatter regions of the St. Joseph area is the result of glacial melt water outwash deposits from the glacial ice margins. The Superior lobe sandy outwash deposits are present at depth in the area and Des Moines lobe outwash sands are found at the surface. The Des Moines lobe glacier did not advance as far as the St. Joseph area in Stearns County, however the outwash sands did deposit over the already existing Superior lobe sands and tills. The steeper hill terrain on the south, west, and northwest sides of town are mostly glacial till deposits from the Superior and Rainy lobes. The material in the till deposits is a mix of rock, sand, silts and clays. In some areas these materials will be found mixed together and in other areas there may be lenses of sand or clay mixed in with general till deposits, Bedrock geology in the area consists of undivided Cretaceous rocks that overlie the Precambrian crystalline bedrock (Figure 4). The Cretaceous bedrock, comprised mostly of soft shales, claystone, and silty fine sandstone, once extended across most of the Steams County area and was eroded away from a large part of the county during glacial periods, The remnants of the Cretaceous rock are mostly in the eastern part of the county. In the study area, the thickness of the Cretaceous bedrock is mostly between 100-150 feet thick, but ranges from 50-200 feet thick. The lowest layer of geologic material is the Precambrian crystalline bedrock. The Precambrian rock underlies the Cretaceous layers and oruy subcrops in a few areas within the study area. The crystalline bedrock is only partly Storm Water Management Plan S1. Joseph, Minnesota A-ST JOE0315 Page 6 defmed because of its depth; however, through drill records it has been found to be mostly granites, with areas of schist (Little Falls fonnation) and gabbro. 2.2 Hydrogeology Ground water is present in the different geologic units, with several areas noted as having the capacity to produce enough useable quantity of water to be called aquifers. These units are the quaternary glacial sand and gravel water-table aquifers, the quaternary confined aquifers, the Cretaceous aquifer and the Precambrian bedrock aquifer. The quaternary water-table aquifer is composed of glacial outwash sands and gravels. This aquifer is open to inflow from the land surface, with no confining clay lenses above it. Figure 5 shows the generalized water table map of the quaternary aquifer in feet above mean sea level. The Stearns County Geologic atlas shows generalized aquifer yields on Plate 8 of 10. In general, the water table elevation is found to be about 20 feet below the land surface. The general groundwater flow is toward the Sauk and Mississippi Rivers. Ground water in the area is generally of a calcium, magnesium, and bicarbonate type, with wells drilled from 20 to 330 feet (averaging 85 feet) deep. The Cretaceous aquifer is of limited extent over Stearns County as a whole; however, it is considered an important ground water source in the St. Joseph area. The Stearns County Geologic Atlas shows that this geologic unit is up to 200 feet thick in this area and thus could be an important ground water resource. The Precambrian bedrock also has some potential as an aquifer for the St. Joseph area, Most of Steams County does not have this resource, but it is present in the study area. Well borings have to be drilled quite deep in order to have sufficient storage to achieve even 10 gallons per minute yield, and so their use is limited mostly to domestic wells. 2.3 Soils The main source of information for soils mapping and types in Minnesota is the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) Soil Surveys. The Soil Surveys were published across Minnesota by county; the Steams County Soil Survey was published in 1985. The Soils Surveys show maps of the county with the individual soil symbols and their boundaries for each of the soil types. There are also tables of infonnation about the soil classifications and characteristics. These Soils maps and data are being updated and republished in a digital fonnat. These new soils maps are called SSURGO soils data, and are available in a GIS database (Arc View) format. The Steams County Soil and Water Conservation District, Waite Park, Minnesota, has information on obtaining soil survey information. The NRCS has established four hydrologic soil groups based on their runoff producing characteristics as described below: . . Group A - High infiltration, low runoff potential Group B - Moderate infiltration Storm Water Management Plan S1. Joseph, Minnesota A-STJOE0315 Page 7 Storm Water Management Plan St. Joseph, Minnesota . Group C - Slow infiltration rate . Group D - Very slow infiltration rate, high runoff potential In general, Group A soils are mainly deep, well drained, and sandy or gravelly soils, Group D soils may have a high percentage of clay or a clay layer at or near the surface, have a permanent high water table, or are shallow over nearly impervious bedrock. The runoff potential of an area for engineering design is determined using the soil's hydrologic soil group in combination with land slope, land use classifications, vegetation of the area and rainfall intensity determined from charts for the various design storms. Soils within the S1. Joseph area include a broad range of soil types, however, the sandy loam and loamy sand types predollÚnate. Figure 6 shows the distribution of soils by USDA texture classification. Table 1 lists the soils name, symbol, acres covered, hydrologic group, and USDA soils texture of the different soil types within the study area. Table 2 lists the percentage of area within each of the different USDA texture types and hydrologic soils group. Sandy loam and loamy sand textured soils have a high percentage of sand, are well drained, and tend to have moderate to high infiltration capacity with low runoff potential. Data on Table 1 shows that these soils are mostly in the A or B hydrologic group. A-STJOE0315 Page 8 2003 Storm Water Management Plan 811112004 ST. JOSEPH, MN A-STJOE0315 TABLE 1: STUDY AREA SOIL TYPES SOIL TOTAL HYDROLOGIC USDA TEXTURElMAPPING SYMBOL SOIL NAME ACRES GROUP GROUP SOIL GROUP 1016 Udorlhents, loamy 8.3 varied graded or filled material graded or filled material Total acres graded or filled material: 8.3 133B Dalbo loam, 2 to 8 percent slopes 16.0 B loam loam 156A Fairhaven loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes 2.6 B loam loam 180A Gonvick loam, 1 to 2 percent slopes 1.7 B loam loam 38B Waukon loam, 2to 6 percent slopes 13.6 B loam loam 38C Waukon loam, 6to 12 percent slopes 2.3 B loam loam 413 Osakis loam 490.2 B loam loam 566 Regal loam 74.5 BID loam loam Total acres loam: 601.0 454B Mahtomedi loamy coarse sand, 2 to 8 percent slop 252.9 A loamy sand loamy coarse sand 454C Mahtomedi loamy coarse sand, 8 to 15 percent slo 62.9 A loamy sand loamy coarse sand 454E Mahtomedi loamy coarse sand, 15 to 25 percent sl 21.0 A loamy sand loamy coarse sand 454F Mahtomedi loamy coarse sand, 25 to 40 percent sl 0.1 A loamy sand loamy coarse sand 181 Litchfield loamy sand 102.5 A loamy sand loamy sand 207B Nymore loamy sand, 2 to 8 percent slopes 3.7 A loamy sand loamy sand 207C Nymore loamy sand, 8 to 15 percent slopes 130.5 A loamy sand loamy sand 207E Nymore loamy sand, 15 to 25 percent slopes 51.6 A loamy sand loamy sand 260 Duelm loamy sand 96.1 A loamy sand loamy sand 611C Hawick loamy sand, 6 to 12 percent slopes 6.8 A loamy sand loamy sand 6110 Hawick loamy sand, 12 to 40 percent slopes 9.5 A loamy sand loamy sand 7A Hubbard loamy sand, 0 to 2 percent slopes 298.8 A loamy sand loamy sand 7B Hubbard loamy sand, 2 to 6 percent slopes 627.3 A loamy sand loamy sand 7C Hubbard loamy sand, 6 to 12 percent slopes 76.4 A loamy sand loamy sand 261 Isan loamy sand 9.9 NO loamy sand loamy sand 875B Estherville·Hawick complex, 2 to 6 percent slope 38.3 B loamy sand loamy sand 159B Anoka loamy sand, 2 to 8 percent slopes 53.4 B loamy sand loamy sand 179B Langola loamy sand, 1 to 4 percent slopes 14.2 B loamy sand loamy sand 453B DeMontreville loamy sand, 2 to 8 percent slopes 259.1 8 loamy sand loamy sand 453C DeMontreville loamy sand, 8 to 15 percent slopes 78.3 8 loamy sand loamy sand 1018 Udifluvents, frequenlly flooded 35.5 varied loamy sand sand to sandy loam Total acres loamy sand: 2,229.0 1015 Psamments, sloping 16.0 A sand and gravel sand 1029 Pits, gravel 123.0 A sand and gravel sand and gravel Total acres sand and gravel: 139.0 327A Dickman sandy loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes 580.7 A sandy loam sandy loam 327B Dickman sandy loam, 2 to 6 percent slopes 408.6 A sandy loam sandy loam 1843C Cushing·DeMontreville complex, 8 to 15 percent s 42.7 8 sandy loam sandy loam 1843E Cushing-DeMontreville complex, 15 to 25 percent 37.4 8 sandy loam sandy loam 1558 Chetek sandy loam, 1 to 6 percent slopes 40.5 B sandy loam sandy loam 1842F Cushing and Flak sandy loams, steep 1.7 B sandy loam sandy loam 204B Cushing sandy loam, 2 to 8 percent slopes 1,015.4 B sandy loam sandy loam 204C Cushing sandy loam, 8 to 15 percent slopes 255.5 B sandy loam sandy loam 204E Cushing sandy loam, 15 to 25 percent slopes 31.8 8 sandy loam sandy loam 2928 Alstad sandy loam, 1 to 4 percent slopes 323.6 B sandy loam sandy loam 41A Estherville sandy loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes 2,536.8 B sandy loam sandy loam 418 Estherville sandy loam, 2 to 6 percent slopes 907.5 8 sandy loam sandy loam 41C Estherville sandy loam, 6 to 12 percent slopes 30.7 B sandy loam sandy loam 465 Kalmarville sandy loam, frequently flooded 233.4 B sandy loam sandy loam 639A Ridgeporl sandy loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes 100.8 B sandy loam sandy loam 639B Ridgeporl sandy loam, 2 to 6 percent slopes 97.4 B sandy loam sandy loam 281 Darfur coarse sandy loam 349.4 BID sandy loam coarse sandy loam 183 Dassel sandy loam 556.6 810 sandy loam sandy loam 142 Nokay fine sandy loam 0.8 C sandy loam fine sandy loam 163B 8rainerd fine sandy loam, 1to 4 percent slopes 47.2 C sandy loam fine sandy loam 325 Prebish sandy loam, depressional 23.1 CID sandy loam sandy loam Total acres sandy loam: 7,621.5 W Water 314.5 water water Total acres water: 314.5 1825C Seelyeville muck, sloping 4.9 NO weiland soils wetland soils I muck 540 Seelyeville muck 65.3 NO weiland soils wetland soils I muck 543 Markey muck 420.3 NO wetland soils wetland soils I muck 544 Cathro muck 18.9 NO wetland soils wetland soils I muck 541 Rifle mucky peat 61.5 NO wetland soils wetland soils I muck peat 873 Prebish-Nokay complex 223.9 C/O wetland soils wetland soils /Ioam 1055 Histosols and Haplaquolls, ponded 186.5 0 wetland soils wetland soils I organics Total acres wetland soils: 981.3 Total Area: 11,894,61 Storm Water Management Plan A-STJOE 0315 St. Joseph, Minnesota Page 9 Table 2 Summary of Soils Group Summary By USDA Texture USDA Texture Filled Materials Loam Loamy Sand Sand and Gravel Sandy Loam Wetland Soils Water Total: Acres 8,3 601.0 2,229.0 139,0 7,621.5 981.2 314.6 11,894.6 Percentage of Total 0.1% 5.1% 18.7% 1.2% 64,1% 8.2% 2.6% 100.0% Summary By Hydrologic Soils Group Hydrologic Soil Group A ND B BID C CID D Varied Water Total: Acres 2,868.6 580.8 6,624.9 980.5 48.1 246.9 186.4 43.8 314,6 11,895 Percentage of Total 24.1% 4.9% 55.7% 8.2% 0.4% 2.1% 1.6% 0.4% 2.6% 100,0% Soils with a dual hydrologic soils group classification, such as AJD, indicate that where these soils are artificially drained, the first designated hydrologic group should be used. However, in a natural, undrained condition, the second less pervious group should be used. These soils may have a high percentage of sand or other pervious soils, but they are often found in wetlands or areas with high groundwater tables, so they are saturated and have low infiltration capacities. Soil characteristics are also considered when developing erosion control plans. Special procedures for erosion and sediment control should be incorporated into all construction projects. The Erosion Control Handbook published by Minnesota Department of Transportation, 2002, includes reconnnended management practices, The MPCA published a document titled Protecting Water Quality in Urban Areas, Best Management Practices for Dealing with Storm Water Runoff from Urban, Suburban and Developing Areas of Minnesota, 2000, which may be used for reference. This manual can be found on the Internet at www.pca.state.mn.usfwaterfpubsfsw-bmpmanual. Precipitation Climate within the St. Joseph area is described as a humid continental climate with moderate precipitation, wide daily temperature variations, warm humid sunnners and cold winters. The total average annual precipitation is approximately 29 inches. The average annual snowfall is approximately 47 inches, which is equivalent to roughly 4.7 inches of water. Rainfall data for the St. Joseph area is shown in Table 3. 2.4 Storm Water Management Plan St. Joseph, Minnesota A-STJOE0315 Page 10 Table 3 Rainfall in St. Joseph Area (inches) Return 24-hour 12-hour 6-hour I 3-hour 2-hour I-hour 30 - 15 - Frequency minute minute 1- year 2.2 1.8 1.6 1.3 1.2 1.0 0,8 0.6 2-year 2.6 2.2 1.9 1.6 1.5 1.2 0,9 0.7 5-year 3.4 2.8 2.4 2.0 1.8 1.5 1.2 0.9 10-year 4.0 3.2 2.8 2.4 2.1 1.7 1.4 1.0 25-year 4.6 3.9 3.3 2.8 2.6 2,1 1.6 1.2 50-year 5.2 4.4 3.8 3.2 2,9 2.4 1.9 1.4 100-year 5.8 5,0 4.3 3.7 3.3 2.7 2.1 1.5 2.5 The 24-hour rainfall for different rain events for the State of Minnesota is shown in Appendix C, The table and figure represent climatological information found in the D.S, Department of Commerce, Weather Bureau Technical Paper No. TP-40. The 24-hour duration, NRCS Type II rainfall distribution with average soil moisture conditions (AMC-2) will be used for overall subwatershed planning within the city of St. Joseph. Lakes, Rivers, and Wetlands St. Joseph has numerous lakes and wetlands within and around the City limits. Some of these lakes and wetlands can be classified in the Public Waters Inventory (PWI) based on the MNDNR standards discussed below. Figure 7 shows the identified public waters and lakes within the study area. Table 4 lists the lakes and wetlands and provides acreage and public water identification numbers, St. Joseph has adopted Shoreland Management Standards, 2.5.1 Lakes There are seven lakes that lie near the City limits of St. Joseph: Lower Watab, Watab, Rossier, Kraemer, Lake Sarah and two unnamed lakes, Table 4 shows the lakes for the study area. Figure 7 shows the lakes and ill numbers. storm Water Management Plan S1. Joseph, Minnesota A-STJOE0315 Page 11 Table 4 St. Joseph Area lakes and Wetlands Lake Name TRS MnDNR ID PWI Number Acreage Lower Watab 125-29-35 73007100 71P 15,6 Watab 125-29-35 73007000 70P 88.4 Rossier 125-29-35 73007200 72P 30.1 Unnamed 125-29-34 73031300 313W 6.5 Kraemer 124-29-17 73006400 64P 187.0 Lake Sarah 124-29-16 73006200 62P ILl Unnamed 124-29-16 73006300 63N 22.5 Wetland 125-29-34 499W Wetland 125-29-33 314W Wetland 124-29-1 560W Wetland 124-29-1 561W Table 4 Notes: TRS = Township, Range and Section The MNDNR classifies lakes according to the following three types: · Natural Environment Lakes Usually have less than 150 total acres, less than 60 acres/mile of shoreline, and less than 3 dwellings/mile of shoreline, They may have a shallow, swampy shoreline, and are less than 15 feet deep. · Recreational Development Lakes Usually have between 60 and 225 acres/mile of shoreline, between 3 and 25 dwellings/mile of shoreline, and are more than 15 feet deep. · General Development Lakes Usually have more than 225 acres of water/mile of shoreline, 25 dwellings/mile of shoreline, and are more than 15 feet deep. Of the lakes in the study area, Kraemer and Watab have Recreational Development classifications and Lower Watab, Rossier, Lake Sarah, and 73006300 have Natural Environment classifications. The MPCA classifies lakes according to water use categories, Waters of the state are classified based on suitability for domestic consumption, fisheries and recreational use, industrial use, agricultural and wildlife use, aesthetic enjoyment, navigation, and other categories. The explanation for this system can be found in Minnesota Rules chapter 7050. The lakes in the S1. Joseph area are classified, along with most of the rest of the lakes in Steams County as: a) intennediate quality fisheries and aquatic recreation, b) general industrial purposes, c) irrigation quality, d) livestock Storm Water Management Plan S1. Joseph, Minnesota A-ST JOE0315 Page 12 and wildlife without injurious effects, e) aesthetic enjoyment and navigation and suitable for aesthetic enjoyment, and f) other non-specific uses. 2.5.2 Rivers Figure 7 shows the river systems in the St. Joseph area. The Watab River and its tributaries are in the north part of the area. The Watab River flows northeastward, through Rossier and Watab Lakes, and discharges at the Mississippi River in Sartell. The Sauk River is in the south part of the area and flows northeastward to discharge at the Mississippi River between Sartell and St. Cloud. 2,5.3 Wetlands Figure 8 shows the wetlands within and around the City of St. Joseph that are included in the National Wetlands Inventory (NWI). Table 5 provides a list of the study area wetland types and classifications by section. The wetlands listed in Table 5 are classified by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Circular 39 system (1971). Table 6 provides the definitions for the Circular 39 classifications. Another commonly used classification system is the Cowardin system, which classifies wetlands according to ecology, location in the watershed, bottom and vegetation types and water regime. An example of this classification would be PEM (palustrine, Emergent). Definitions for the Cowardin classifications can be found on the Minnesota DNR, legislative, and BWSR websites. The Minnesota wetlands law is outlined in Minnesota Rules chapter 8420, the Wetland Conservation Act (WCA). These rules are promulgated and enforced by BWSR. In Steams County, the County Environmental Services Department is the local regulating authority (LGU) for wetlands r:egulations. Whenever an area with potential wetlands will be impacted by construction, earth disturbance or inundation, the project owner is responsible under WCA rules to have the wetlands delineated and to complete a wetland permit for review by the LGU. Steams County is located in the area of the state with less than 50 percent of pre-statehood wetland area remaining. This means that any wetland located on non-agricultural land must be replaced at a ratio of at least two to one for each area of drained or filled wetland, Storm Water Management Plan S1. Joseph, Minnesota A-STJOE0315 Page 13 "'" o o ~ T" T" CO c: (I ë: - c: Q) E Q) g> c: (I :2: Qjz 'tií:2:1O ~ÍC;; EO-o "'LUW £(1)0 (1)0-, C')-'I- o 0(1) ~~<Ì: z o ~ o ¡¡: - (f) (f) <1: -I o 0) Ct) a: <1: -I ::::> o a: - o (f) C Z <1: -I I- W 3: <1: w a: <1: :I: D. W (f) o .., ....: (f) Q)«:~ iij ~ ~ V> ... Q) ~... ~ d~~0~:~~~~â~~~~00~~ ~3~~~~~oo~~~~~~~~~~ - 10"'" ..- ..- C') Q) 00) W(I 00- ~ (I) <Ì: - III C õg~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Ñ~~Ñ~~ 1-0 ~ '" ~ u < C> 0\ § o U '" "" 10< ... < t- ... I:: =' o U '" '" "" b < § o U '" ~ ... < 10 ~ u '" "" 10< ... < '1' § o U V> 00 ..,,¡:¡-.: N 00 O..,,¡: - N ¡-.: \0 "'" «)~~ Oo\M N .-< ~~O~~~«:~ o~ o oq :õ .,., ('1 V> ('1 \0 ('1 ('1 «) ¡-.: «)o~a,v>a,oq«: 0~~¿g¡:i0~~ t'; - N «) v>Noo«) ""¡:o-<i¡-': "'" !; NN«)[--N ","\0 ..q--t-"d'" [-- 0\ 11')\00\ ""O\Ò «) [-- \000 ('1 "'o\Moo o «) - ('\ "'" N - N- N ~:;~~«:~~~;;~ N""~ o0i::: ~:i «) \0«)","","('\«)[--'1' N~ «) ('\ .,., ",oq~a,'1'[--","('1[--\o~o\~~('\OO""«)O\","a, ~~~~~~~~~~~~OO~N~~~OO~~ ~~ ('\~ ....('\[--"'".,.,\O\O~('\('\.,.,O\"'"«)~ r') ~~S¡S:1~~V1~~~~~~~2::::: u \0"'"«) N('1- _V> -~ ¡r¡ 10< ... < N ... I:: =' o U . . 10 W ..J to <1: .... ",V> ""0 b < .... ... ;:: 5('\ U V> M .-< V> M .... N N V> o "'" o o\","[--~Nt';"," N~o-td~~ ~qN~ ('\ N"'"('\.... «)('\«)('\-v>g c: (I ã: ë Q) E (I ~õ (I IJ) c: Q) (t ê :2: .- ...:2: ~..è ~g. E gJ ..-, o ' êi5êi5 I:: ~ ~~""Nr')'1'O\S~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~i ] o ",Eo< <') Wetland Type 1 Table 6 Wetland Classification Definition 2 Seasonally flooded basin or flat. Well-drained much of growing season. Wet meadow. Usually without standing water but has water within a few inches of surface, Shallow marsh. Soil usually waterlogged early in growing season and often contains up to 6 inches of water. Deep marsh. Soil usually covered with 6 inches to 3 feet of water during growing season. . Shallow open water. Water usually less than 10 feet deep and fringed by emergent vegetation. Shrub swamp. Soil is usually waterlogged during the growing season and is often covered with as much as 6 inches of water, Wooded swamps. Soil is waterlogged at least to within a few inches of the surface during the growing season and often covered with as much as 1 foot of water, Bogs. Soil is usually waterlogged. 3 4 5 6 7 8 90 Riverene systems. In the study area Sections there are 492 wetlands with a total acreage of 1,728 acres. Type 3 wetlands are the majority of wetlands in the study area, with 954 acres, or 54 percent of the total wetland acres in the area. 2.5.4 Public Waters The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR) Public Waters which lie within and around the City limits can be seen in Figure 7. The MNDNR Public Waters comprise waterbasins and watercourses that meet criteria set forth in Minnesota Statutes, Section 103G.005, subd. 15 and l5a. Public waters wetlands include Type 3, 4, and 5 wetlands, as defined in U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Circular 39, 1971 edition, that are 10 acres or greater in size in an unincorporated area or 2-1/2 acres or greater in an incorporated area. Minnesota Statute Section 103G.005, subd, 17b defines the Circular 39 wetland types. MNDNR Waters have county maps to show the location of public water and public waters wetlands. These maps are commonly called Public Waters Inventory (PWI) maps, There are also county lists available in tabular form. The boundary of the wetlands and waters is called the ordinary high water level (OHWL). This is the regulatory boundary for MNDNR waters. Above the OHWL there is the Shoreland Wetland Protection Zone. For local government units with a shoreland management ordinance approved under sections 103F.201 to l03F.221, the shoreland protection zone is either: Storm Water Management Plan St. Joseph, Minnesota A-ST JOE0315 Page 15 (i) 1000 feet from the OHWL of a waterbasin that is a public water identified in the shoreland management ordinance or the shoreland area provided in the shoreland management rules adopted under section 103F.211, whichever is less, or (ii) 300 feet from the OHWL of a watercourse identified in the shore land management ordinance or the shoreland area approved by the commissioner as provided in the shore land management rules adopted under section 103f.211, whichever is less. Areas shown on the PWI maps indicate the presence of wetlands, but show only the general location of wetlands, Site visits for delineation of wetland boundaries are required for permitting, It should also be noted that some of these wetlands may have been created as stormwater detention basins in conjunction with urban development. S1. Joseph has public waters within and around the City, The lakes and wetlands provide an environmental habitat for fish and wildlife within the City, These water bodies should be protected from degradation by pollution or contamination from surface water or groundwater sources, 2.6 Biological Survey For information about rare animals and unique areas within the S1. Joseph study area, contact the Stearns County Environmental Services, You can also refer to the Stearns County Biological Survey, 2.7 Land and Water Use 2,7.1 Land Use Existing land use is shown on Figure 9, which shows land use as reported by the Stearns County Assessors' office for the study area, Actual land use has been found to vary for some parcels from the Stearns County data, Most of the area inside the City limits is shown as residential, with a large area classified as institutional for the St. Benedict College campus, and commercial and industrial districts along the highways. Outside the City limits, most of the area is currently classified as agricultural. S1. Joseph has ten parks and also a playground located at Kennedy Elementary School within its City limits. The City intends to maintain these park areas, make necessary improvements to the park system, and continue to expand the trail system to connect the neighborhoods to these parks and other trails. The parks are a vital part of the St. Joseph community, As the population of the S1. Joseph area continues to increase, planning is underway for the development of new residential areas and annexation of additional properties to the City, Figure 10 shows the S1. Joseph planned orderly annexation agreement zones, The existing developed area lies just to the south and north of CSAH 75, The planned annexation area will add about 4,700 acres (235 percent) to the existing 2,000-acre City, The City limits are expected to extend further north, south, and east from their current boundaries, Figure 11 shows the planned future land use for the St. Joseph orderly annexation area. The dominant share of land within St. Joseph is anticipated Storm Water Management Plan S1. Joseph, Minnesota A-ST JOE0315 Page 16 to be residential with corridors and areas identified for commercial, industrial and park uses. Large developments often utilize a Planned Unit Development (PUD) zoning approach. A PUD allows the City and developer to include different land use types within one development plan. Land use types typically include single- family residences, townhomes, apartments, park and open areas, and sometimes a commercial area, 2.7.2 Water Quality and Water Use Water Quality Minnesota's rivers, streams, lakes, wetlands, and aquifers are a valuable resource for the state. Not only do they provide natural beauty, they supply the water necessary for aquatic life, recreation, industry and agriculture, Every two years, MPCA is required under the Federal Clean Water Act, section 303(d), to publish an updated list of streams and lakes that are not meeting their designated uses because of excess pollutants. The Sauk River sections through and downstream of St. Joseph are listed as impaired for mercury, PCB and fecal coliform. Appendix D shows this part of the most recent MPCA list (12/18/2003) for 303(d) impaired waters. These sites are listed as having no US EP A approved plan for mediating the impairment. Until there is an approved plan, no special runoff treatment measures are required. Also, Minnesota periodically assesses individual stream reaches, lakes, wetlands, and aquifers as required by section 305(b), The 305(b) lists are considered a first step to naming waters on the 303( d) list; the 305(b) list is available on the MPCA website: www.pca.state.mn.us/water/index.html The term TMDL (Total Maximum Daily Load) is used to define what is the maximum concentration of any pollutant that can be in a water, and can still be used for its designated uses, such as drinking water, fishing, swimming, irrigation and industrial uses, The MPCA will be approving TMDL studies for different water bodies and watersheds as funding is available to conduct them, Once the approved TMDL plans are in place, local jurisdictions will be required to address the water quality concerns that pertain to affected waterbodies. Water Appropriation Permits There is only one water appropriation permit issued by the MNDNR in the area to the City of St. Joseph. Water appropriation permits are issued to the permittees who pump greater than 10,000 gallons per day or over one million gallons of water per year. The permit information can be seen below in Tbl 7. Table 7 Water Appropriation Permit Permit No. Owner Location Pumping Limits (mgy) 893101 City of St. Joseph Section 9 mgy ::: million gallons per year 150 Storm Water Management Plan St. Joseph, Minnesota Ä-ST JOE0315 Page 17 Storm Water Management Plan St. Joseph, Minnesota Groundwater Sensitivity to Pollution Data The MNDNR, Division of Water's, prepared a map showing areas of the county that have greater or less potential for aquifer contamination (Stearns County Geologic Atlas, Plate 10/10). The map shows the county with sensitivity to pollution rating levels of very high, high, moderate, and low. These levels were obtained by combining three geologic and hydrogeologic factors: depth to water table, surficial geology, and subsurface permeability. A composite map of these factors was created utilizing a geographic information system (GIS) for the County Geologic Atlas, Figure 12 shows the portion of this analysis for St. Joseph and the surrounding area, Most of the area has a medium to very high sensitivity to ground water. Table 8 shows the distribution of this rating in the study area. The ratings with the largest areas are 'medium sensitivity', with approximately 18.2 percent of land area in the study area, 'high sensitivity' - 23.7 percent, and 'very high sensitivity' - 55.6 percent. Table 8 Ground Water Sensitivity to Pollution Sensitivity Rating Description Acreage % of Total Land L Low 83.9 1 M Medium 2,181.0 18 H High 2,841.6 24 VH Very High 6,675.7 56 NR Not Rated 211.8 2 Well-Head Protection There is currently no well-head protection plan in place in the City of St. Joseph. A new City well is being planned, and it is anticipated that the well- head protection plan will be started in late 2004 or 2005. The Minnesota Department of Health currently has a Source Water Assessment Report for a community to rely on until they have their own well-head protection plan. This report can be found at the following site for the study area: http://156,98.150,16/swa/pdwgetpws.cfm Water-Based Recreation Areas Kraemer and Watab Lakes are listed as Recreational Development lakes by the MNDNR. Kraemer Lake has a water depth of approximately 30 feet, with public water access located on the east shore owned by the St. Joseph Rod and Gun Club. The Sauk River can also be used for recreational activities such as fishing and canoeing. A-STJOE0315 Page 18 Storm Water Management Plan St. Joseph, Minnesota Identified Pollutant Sources Two pollutant sources within the study area are identified by the MPCA. The sources are listed below in Table 9, All pollutant source sites have been identified and are in various stages of soil and groundwater remediation. Table 9 Pollutant Sources Site ill Site Name Location MNPTOOOO2920 Joseph Street DBL Labs MNODIOOOl198 Saint Joseph Dump Site 1/4 mile NW of intersection of Highway 2 and CSAH 75 The MPCA also maintains lists of the generators of hazardous waste, above ground and under ground storage tanks, and leaking underground storage tanks. A list of the generators of hazardous waste in the study area is included in Appendix E. There are numerous registered above-ground and under-ground tank sites in the area. Some of these sites and some non- registered sites have had leaking under-ground storage tanks. This information can be found on the MPCA website. A-STJOE0315 Page 19