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eCOgnlZeS i r a s a efts The Minnesota Association of Watershed Districts Board of Directors is again in 2004 sponsoring a MAWD Awards Program to recognize watershed districts throughout Minnesota for their achievements. This awards program gives special recognition to those watershed districts that deserve an extra pat on the back for a job well done. The program has two award categories. They are: Watershed Program of the Year and Capital Improvement Project o, f' the Year. One award will be given in each category. Below are the nominations for each award. The winner in each category will be announced at the MAWD 34th Annual Meeting & Trade Show on December 2-4, 2004 at the Arrowwood Conference Center. in Alexandria, MN. Y' a ear :. ,~^,,~.~ ~ ~ MFR~i, ~ i .: ~_ `~ f,t ° ` ` ', ,; 4 . s ~~a ~~~~ r~ .z Brown's Creek Watershed District Rules -Brown's Creek WD The key factors that set the BCWD Rules apart from those adopted by other watershed districts (at the time the rules were adopted) are the management standards controlling water quality and quantity impacts to downstream water resources. Specifically, the BCWD was the first watershed district to formally adopt a volume control standard that links the infiltration required for a particular development with the soils pre-development conditions and the type of development proposed. A significant amount of research has concluded that coverage of ten- percent or more impervious surface within a watershed degrades receiving waters, their beds, their banks, and the habitat within them. In order to protect the sensitive resources of the BCWD (e.g. a naturally producing trout stream) the District permits flow volume increases associated with five percent impervious coverage before volume control is required. Beyond this "five percent" allowance, on-site infiltration must be used so that there is as compared with the pre-development state, no increase in off- site flow volume for up to a 1.5-year 24-hour rainfall event. The actual implementation. of the volume control standard has been extremely easy. By comparing against pre-development conditions, all developers are treated equally regardless of the area in which they develop or the nature of their development. For instance, other stormwater management rules may require certain amounts of infiltration per acre or the ability to retain up to a certain depth of runoff regardless of the existing soil conditions. However, the BCWD Rules compare the volume of runoff generated under the proposed development conditions against the volume of runoff generated under the pre-development conditions anal holds the developer responsible for the difference. In addition, the BDWD was one of the first watershed districts to restrict the bounce and duration of bounce in wetlands to protect their existing functions and values. Specific attention is paid to the impact of peak stormwater flow from a developed site on downstream lakes and wetlands. To ensure that the short-term, storm-induced change in lake or wetland water level (bounce) does not adversely affect the banks, vegetation, or habitat of the water body, peak flow "bounce" for the 1.5-, 10 ;and 100-year rainfall events is required to be limited to an amount ranging from zero to no limit, depending on the vulnerability of the lake or wetland class. The actual review process is comprehensive and very interactive. After the development plans are received by the District, they are reviewed for compliance with the rules. During the review process there can be a significant amount of collaboration between the watershed district and the applicant's engineer as design modifications are made in order to comply with the rules.