HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-03-25 Ltr. from City of Hugo - Bald Eagle Lake Dam H City of
ugo 14669 Fitzgerald Avenue North, Hugo, MN 55038 (651) 762 -6300 www.cilugo.mn.us
March 25, 2014
To: Bill Short, White Bear Township Clerk Treasurer
Jeff Karlson, Lino Lakes City Administrator
Dallas Larson, Centerville City Administrator
Phil Belfiori, Rice Creek Watershed District Administrator
Jim Moore, Bald Eagle Lake Association President
Re: Bald Eagle Lake Dam
For the past several years, the dam at the north end of Bald Eagle Lake has been in need of
replacement. The City of Hugo, although not the owner of the actual dam, has taken steps
toward replacing the dam in the interest of public safety and welfare. At this point, the following
activities have occurred:
• Construction plans were completed by the City and were approved by MnDot.
• The estimated cost of the replacement is $600,000.
• Funding was secured from MnDot in the amount of $252,000.
• An application for funding through the DNR Dam Safety program was submitted to fund the
remainder of the project cost. This funding will be dependent on the actions of the 2014
legislature regarding the bonding bill.
In the meantime, the dam itself remains in a state of disrepair, and requires regular inspections
and escalating maintenance activities to minimize the risk of failure. To date, the City of Hugo's
Public Works staff has completed inspections, and City funds have been expended on repairs that
took place last year.
We anticipate that there will be significant flow through the outlet this spring, which will create a
fair amount of stress on the dam and outlet structure. Based on field inspections by our Public
Works staff, we believe that additional maintenance activities should be performed in order to
minimize risk. This would consist of placing large rip -rap at the downstream end of the dam to
shore up the weir wall and minimize undermining of the dam itself. The cost estimate for the
work is approximately $20,000.
You are receiving this letter because a portion of the lake may be within an area you represent,
you may be impacted by downstream impacts, or you may have an interest in maintaining levels
in the lake for water quality, recreation, or other purposes. We are asking for assistance in
performing the short-term maintenance activities. The City of Hugo will coordinate the work
using our own staff; however, we request funding assistance from you to help defray the cost of
the work.
Thank you for your consideration of this request. The City of Hugo remains committed to
finding a funding solution so that the dam can be replaced, again despite the fact that the
structure does not belong to the City. We appreciate the support of all organizations that have an
interest in maintaining Bald Eagle Lake as a resource.
Following the legislative session and following any action from the DNR on our application for
Dam Safety Funds, we may be in touch with you again to discuss replacement of the structure. If
you have questions, please feel free to contact me at 651- 762 -6320, or the City Engineer, Jay
Kennedy at 763 - 287 -7192.
Sincerely,
6,9 r &.,--
Bryan J. Bear
City Administrator
cc: Hugo Mayor and Council
Jay Kennedy, City Engineer
Scott Anderson, Public Works Director
Steve Duff, Senior Engineering Technician