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Gem Lake News Page 5 of 8 <br /> <br /> <br />VLAWMO Gives Annual Report <br /> <br />Gem Lake’s watershed organization gave an annual <br />report at the August City Council meeting, focusing on <br />the partnership between the city and the Vadnais Lakes <br />Area Watershed Management Organization. <br />(VLAWMO). Phil Belfiori, VLAWMO administrator, began <br />by thanking the city for the cooperation they have shown <br />all year on joint goals, and noting that Council Member <br />Jim Lindner also serves on the organization’s board of <br />directors. He added that Gem Lake resident Gloria <br />Tessier sits on the organization’s Technical Committee. <br /> <br /> <br />VLAWMO was established in 1983 as a joint powers <br />authority (JPA) between 6 communities that make up the <br />area the watershed covers. These communities are <br />Vadnais Heights, White Bear Lake, White Bear <br />Township, Gem Lake, North Oaks and Lino Lakes. This <br />comprises about 24 square miles. About 94% of Gem <br />Lake falls within VLAWMO boundaries. The other 6 <br />percent falls in the Ramsey Washington Metro <br />Watershed District (RWMWD). <br /> <br />Programming that VLAWMO conducts focuses on water <br />quality of lakes and streams within its territory, flood <br />management, pursuing grants that would benefit those <br />in the district for water projects, education and outreach, <br />etc. <br /> <br /> <br />In 2022, VLAWMO had total expenditures of $1,029,394, <br />with 40% of this going to capital improvement projects for <br />local lakes and streams, 17% going to landscape grant <br />programs, such as helping people build rain gardens in <br />their yards, and 9% going to lake and stream water <br />quality monitoring. The rest of the expenditures were <br />comprised of operations and administration (16%), <br />engineering review and research (9%), and education <br />and outreach (9%). <br /> <br /> <br />Belfiori highlighted joint projects that VLAWMO has <br />worked on with the City of Gem Lake. High up on the list <br />has been a long range project to maintain and improve <br />the water quality in the water body of Gem Lake. As a <br />result, it has been removed from the state’s list of <br />impaired lakes. In addition, the organization has provided <br />the city with education materials on things like smart <br />salting and illicit discharge, all of which can be used at <br />community events and in the city newsletter. VLAWMO <br />also held a seminar for those considering building a rain <br />garden. The course was called Raingardens 101, and <br />was held at Heritage Hall last April. <br /> <br /> <br />