The city is planning on implementing the maintenance of the storm ponds this fall. Luckily for us, Valley Pond is on the list of the first to be addressed. A utility fee was assessed two years ago designed in part for the purpose of maintaining and cleaning up the ponds.
http://northfieldnews.com/content/pond-cleanup-project-begin-fall
According to Brian Welch, engineering resources manager for the city of Northfield, the Cannon River and the ponds that flow into it have seen a significant increase in sedimentation and runoff since then.
“We knew we needed to reduce the runoff levels to 1984, so we had to go back and look [at the Cannon River],” he said. “Now we know we need to cut the levels in half. We knew that a number of ponds needed work.”
With that in mind, Welch and his team have proposed a pond maintenance and rehabilitation program designed to return Northfield ponds to their original states.
In a plan to dredge the ponds and restore them to their original dimensions, six have gotten priority: Rosewood, Grant Park, John North Park, Hidden Valley and Sibley View (East and West). Rosewood, located at the corner of Heywood Road and Creek Lane, is about 10 years old and has about 29 percent sedimentation. It will cost around $58,600 to maintain.
