SEA School - Wildwood Park Flood Reduction Project
Golden Valley
Project Number: BC-2, 3, 8, 10
Project Status | Active
The feasibility study was approved by the BCWMC at the June 17, 2021 meeting with plans to implement Concept #3. A public hearing on this project was held on September 16, 2021. At that meeting, the project was officially ordered and an agreement with the City of Golden Valley to design and construct the project was approved. 50% project designs were approved January 2022 and 90% designs were approved in October 2022. Construction was completed in 2023.
Project Funding | Grant Funded
The estimated cost for this project is $3.1 million. The BCWMC used an ad valorem tax levied on all watershed residents by Hennepin County to fund approximately $1.3 million (over two years) for this project. The remainder of the funding came from a Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MnDNR) Flood Damage Reduction Grant program, city funds, and other sources.
Project Description
The Medicine Lake Road and Winnetka Avenue Area Long Term Flood Mitigation (MLRWA) Plan, completed in partnership by the Cities of Golden Valley, New Hope, and Crystal, identified multiple projects estimated at more than $22M that are needed to help alleviate flooding at the low point on Medicine Lake Road and adjacent properties just east of Winnetka Avenue, and downstream at DeCola Ponds. The SEA School/Wildwood Park Flood Storage Project is the second project from the MLRWA Plan to be constructed as a BCWMC capital improvement project. The first project—the DeCola Ponds B & C Improvement Project—was completed in summer 2020 and provides expanded flood storage and water quality treatment volume in the Medicine Lake Road and DeCola Ponds B & C area.
This project reduces the flood risk around DeCola Ponds D, E, and F by creating an additional 8.5 acre-feet of flood storage thereby removing 10 homes on DeCola Pond D from the 100-year flood level and removing 3 homes on DeCola Ponds E & F from the 100-year flood level. Additional benefits of the project include water quality improvements (4.1 lbs of total phosphorus removed annually from stormwater that flows into Bassett Creek), and creation of 2.3 acres of wetland and prairie habitats. (See "Concept #3 drawing" to the right.)
This project was constructed in 2023 and utilized BCWMC capital improvement funding along with a Minnesota Flood Damage Reduction Grant from the MN Department of Natural Resources to the City of Golden Valley.
A final report on the project is expected in late 2025.
Project Announcements
Project construction is complete. Vegetation establishment is continuing.
More Information
90% Designs and Design Memo - Approved Oct 2022
50% Designs and Design Memo - Approved Jan 2022
Resolution Ordering the Project and Approving Agreements
Final Feasibility Study | Appendices - Approved June 2021
Golden Valley Project Webpage - including story map and high level concepts
BCWMC Feasibility Study Proposal - approved August 2020