Bassett Creek Watershed Management Commission

Channel Restoration Projects

Why do channel restoration projects?

Shoreline restorations increase native habitat, act as a buffer to Medicine Lake, promote infiltration during periods of high water and can be enjoyed by all who use Medicine Lake.  As the City of Plymouth undergoes development, various surface water treatment tools are necessary to maintain water quality parameters.  Finally, channel restoration projects give us the opportunity to fix existing issues like toe erosion, shoreline erosion and the need for unattractive manmade seawalls.

The following excerpt from the BCWMC's September 2010 feasibility report "Bassett Creek Restoration Project Reach 1" summarizes the BCWMC's channel restoration program:

In January 2007 the Bassett Creek Watershed Management Commission’s Technical Advisory Committee recommended that the Commission add stream channel restoration projects to the Commission’s 10-year Capital Improvements Program (CIP). The restoration projects included the Main Stem of Bassett Creek, the North Branch of Bassett Creek, the Sweeney Lake Branch of Bassett Creek, and Plymouth Creek. The Commission completed a draft Resource Management Plan (RMP) in April 2009 (updated July 2009) that included several stream restoration projects. Bassett Creek Reach 1 was one of the stream projects included in the RMP; the project includes the restoration of a reach from Wisconsin Avenue to the Golden Valley-Crystal boundary (approximately 1,600 feet upstream of Highway 100). Restoration of this reach is included in the Commission’s CIP for design and construction in 2011; however only a portion of the reach identified in the CIP is included in this feasibility study. Therefore, Bassett Creek Reach 1 has been broken into three subreaches. Two subreaches —Subreach 1 from Wisconsin Avenue to Rhode Island Avenue and Subreach 3 from Duluth Street to the Golden Valley- Crystal border—cover approximately 6,300 feet of the total of approximately 15,800 feet in Reach 1. Subreach 2 includes the remaining 9,500 feet between Rhode Island Avenue and Duluth Street.

Projects

Bassett Creek Main Stem Reach 1

Bassett Creek Main Stem, Reach 1 project will restore the channel of the Bassett Creek Main Stem from Wisconsin Avenue to Rhode Island Avenue in the City of Golden Valley and from Duluth Street in Golden Valley to the City of Crystal boundary.. For more information about the project, please see the project's full feasibility report (September 2010), which is a large file containing all figures (58 MB) or the  feasibility report without figures (6 MB). 

On September 15, 2011, the BCWMC adopted Resolution 11-08 approving the Watershed Management Plan Amendment, which made three additions to the BCWMC's Capital Improvement Program. One addition is the restoration of the Main Stem of Bassett Creek from Irving Avenue North to Golden Valley Road in 2012. The estimated cost of the project is $600,000. 

On November 17, 2011, the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources prepared its FY 2012 Clean Water Fund Scoring Results and Funding Recommendations. BWSR is recommending that the BCWMC's Main Stem Restoration Project from Irving Avenue North to Golden Valley Road be awarded $217,500 in grant funding. 

The project will restore the channel of Plymouth Creek from Medicine Lake to 26th Avenue North in the City of Plymouth. Construction is scheduled to begin in mid-to-late December 2010. For more information on the project, please see the project's feasibility report, the project update on the City of Plymouth's Web site, or the BCWMC's Minor Plan Amendment updates. 

Bassett Creek Main Stem-  Reach 2 - Golden Valley and Crystal, Minnesota, Proposed for 2010 - 2011 Construction

Bassett Creek Main Stem, Reach 2 project will restore the channel of the Bassett Creek Main Stem from the Golden Valley -  Crystal boundary (approximately 1,600 feet upstream of Highway 100) to Regent Avenue in golden Valley. Construction is scheduled to begin in mid- to late-December 2010. For more information about the project, please see the project's feasibility report (August 2009) or the BCWMC's Minor Plan Amendment updates. 

Location Map

This reach of the Sweeney Lake Branch of Bassett Creek was restored by the City of Golden Valley and the Bassett Creek Watershed Commission in the spring of 2008. The stream receives storm water runoff from a large commercial and residential area in Golden Valley and St Louis Park and storm water from more than a mile of Interstate 394. High flows have caused erosion of the banks and scour of the bottom of the creek which has undermined trees lining the bank and caused meandering of the stream.

Before Picture 1 shows the stream at the upstream end of the reach before restoration.	After Picture 2 shows that some of the vegetation along the stream has been removed and the channel banks have been regraded. Rock riprap is installed along the banks to prevent erosion and the remaining portions of the channel banks are revegetated. The drop structure shown near the top of the picture is installed across the stream to prevent scour of the channel bottom.
Picture 3	Picture 4
Picture 3 and 4 are taken in the middle of the reach of the stream that was restored looking upstream  .
Picture 5	Picture 6
Picture 5 and 6 are taken at the same location as pictures 3 and 4 above but they are looking downstream instead of upstream
After Pictures
Picture 7	Picture 8
Picture 9	Pictures 7, 8 and 9 show the restored channel immediately after erosion control blankets, seed and plantings have been installed. The plantings include a variety of grasses and wildflowers and a variety of seedling shrubs including dogwoods, willows and meadowsweet.