Public Perceptionsand OutreachStrategies for

StormwaterManagement in

Golden Valley

ESPM 4041W Problem Solving for Environmental ChangeReport 3/7 Prepared for:The City of Golden Valley

Prepared by:Jessica Primozich - Project leaderLuke Frazier - Team group liaison

Piper DonlinJena Fabian

Tony Hawkins

December 10, 2012

Table of Contents

List of Figures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iiAcknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iiiExecutive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ivIntroduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Golden Valley Vision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Rationale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Site Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Research Techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Literature Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Comparative Case Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Personal Interviews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Field Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Publication Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Findings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Inventory of Golden Valley’s Stormwater Management Programs . . 9Key Audiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Multimedia Education and Outreach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Interviews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15Data from Publications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18Recommendation 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18Recommendation 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20Recommendation 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20Recommendation 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22Recommendation 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23Recommendation 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Appendix A: Current Land Use in Golden ValleyAppendix B: Water Features to Focus OnAppendix C: Golden Valley Current BrochuresAppendix D: Publication Assessment QuestionsAppendix E: Volunteer Sites in the City of Golden ValleyAppendix F: Example of Golden Valley Storm DrainsAppendix G: Example of Educational SignageAppendix H: List of Possible Future GrantsAppendix I: Social Media Policy Modified for Golden ValleyAppendix J: List of Possible Survey QuestionsAppendix K: Adopt-a-Pond Program Volunteer Checklist

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List of Figures

Figure 1: Diagram of stormwater pond . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Figure 2: Map of the City of Golden Valley in related to the

Bassett Creek Watershed, Minnesota . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4Figure 3: Before and after on-site stormwater ponds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19Figure 4: Mock stormwater management brochure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21Figure 5: Example of an Adopt-a-Pond sign . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank all who were involved with providing information aboutGolden Valley’s stormwater management initiatives, the city’s volunteer programs,and the public’s perception of stormwater issues. Additionally, we wish to recognizeevery individual responsible for sharing outside information that assisted in thedevelopment of this report. In particular, we would like to acknowledge the followingpeople:

Eric Eckman, Public Works Specialist, City of Golden ValleyCheryl Weiler, Communications Coordinator, City of Golden ValleyMitchell Hoeft, Engineer, City of Golden ValleyLisa Wittman, Administrative Assistant, City of Golden ValleyKarlyn Eckman, University of Minnesota Water Resources CenterLiz Forbes, Natural Resources Technician, City of BurnsvilleJennifer Dullum, Natural Resource Specialist, City of FarmingtonAnn Messerschmidt, Environmental Resource Specialist, City of LakevilleMike Kraszewski, Storm Water Specialist, Rochester Public Works DepartmentCarl Frederik Kontny, University of Minnesota Design SpecialistKristen Nelson, Professor, Department of Forest Resources and Department of

Fisheries Wildlife and Conservation Biology, University of MinnesotaGary Johnson, Professor, Department of Forest Resources, University of

Minnesota Nick Bancks, Teaching Assistant, ESPM 4041W Problem Solving for

Environmental Change

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Executive Summary

In recent years, cities have prioritized the incorporation of a comprehensive naturalresource plan in their long-term sustainability goals. This report is an attempt todevelop that process and serves as a resource for the City of Golden Valley withrespect to community outreach, education, and engagement around stormwatermanagement. Golden Valley’s visions of future sustainability and communityengagement with regard to water resource health are supported and reflected throughthe findings and recommendations provided.

As University of Minnesota students within the field of Environmental Sciences,Policy and Management, we worked with the City of Golden Valley to develop anintegrated approach to stormwater outreach and education. We used several methodsto understand the current stormwater management initiatives and their potentialsolutions, comparative case studies of programs in cities, personal interviews withcommunity members, field experiences, and assessment of Golden Valley’s currentmedia tools. Residents and local businesses have direct impacts on local waterbodies, including stormwater ponds, and so it is essential to provide educationalmaterials and engagement opportunities. That said, Golden Valley is one of severalcommunities within the Twin Cities metropolitan area that is working to successfullyimplement stormwater management programs that actively promote the engagementof local citizens. Therefore, by encouraging public involvement as anothercomponent to the city’s existing stormwater management initiatives, Golden Valleycan create an even stronger foundation to set the course for a sustainable future.

After significant consideration of our objectives, findings, and the visions of GoldenValley, our recommendations for enhancing Golden Valley’s stormwater educationand outreach strategies are as followed:

• Recommendation 1: Enhance resident and visitor knowledge of stormwater pondsthrough expanded educational signage

• Recommendation 2: Enrich local understanding of stormwater managementthrough educational brochures

• Recommendation 3: Promote community involvement through educationalmeetings

• Recommendation 4: Expand online media to include social media• Recommendation 5: Use surveys to assess perceptions of stormwater

managementand tailor programs for Golden Valley residents and business owners• Recommendation 6: Review the use of Adopt-a-Pond Programs by other

municipalities and design a program appropriate for Golden Valley

Implementing these recommendations will not only enhance the efficiency andeffectiveness of existing programs and management methods, but create new

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programs for the future, with the goal of increasing the knowledge and commitmentof Golden Valley residents.

By integrating these ideas into what Golden Valley already has, the city can continueto be a leader in citizen engagement and sustainable resource management.

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Introduction

The City of Golden Valley is a proactive leader in sustainable resource managementand strives to work with its citizens to ensure the long-term health of their tight-knitcommunity (City of Golden Valley Public Works 2008). In Fall 2012, University ofMinnesota students in the Environmental Sciences, Policy and Management programworked with Golden Valley staff to assist in the development of sustainablestormwater management practices, vegetation management, and natural resourcemanagement policies.

This report analyzes the public’s perception of stormwater management and existingstormwater outreach and educational programs within Golden Valley andneighboring Twin Cities Metropolitan areas. These tasks were undertaken tounderstand the degree to which Golden Valley residents know about stormwater andto determine what types of stormwater management programs have been successfullyimplemented within Golden Valley and other similar cities. Extensive research andenvironmental expertise will allow for the development of a community volunteerstormwater management program, effective educational outreach programming, and acommunity assessment protocol that can be used to survey Golden Valley residentsregarding their perceptions of the area’s multiple stormwater ponds and practices.

That said, what is stormwater management and why should citizens pay moreattention to it? Stormwater is the precipitation that runs off surfaces that cannotabsorb water, called impervious surfaces, such as asphalt or cement (MinnesotaPollution Control Agency 2008). This water cannot seep through parking lots, roads,or driveways and is instead washed into storm sewers and, eventually, nearby bodiesof water. Unfortunately, the pollutants and debris found on many impervious surfacesare picked up by this water runoff and carried into lakes, rivers and streams with thepotential to cause serious problems for environmental and human health (MinnesotaPollution Control Agency 2008). Managing stormwater is a very important concern inevery city and there are several possible approaches to tackling this inevitable issue.One method involves the mitigation of existing stormwater, a technique usually donethrough the creation of stormwater ponds (Figure 1) (City of Golden Valley 2012a).Acting as stormwater interceptors, these ponds allow polluted sediments to settlenaturally, keeping them out of surface water systems and other components of thewatershed (Minnesota Pollution Control Agency 2008). The ponds also help reduceflooding during heavy storms by temporarily storing excess water, a crucial featurefor cities like Golden Valley that are built upon predominantly clay soils that cannotreadily absorb excess moisture (US Department of Agriculture 2012). These methodsof mitigating runoff are essential for communities like Golden Valley. Asupplementary strategy incorporates education and effective public outreach methodsto target and reduce excess stormwater runoff and its subsequent pollutants at thesource. This method, focusing on the simplest solution from a structural standpoint, is

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Figure 1: Diagram of stormwater pond.Source: City of Golden Valley (2012a). Ponding. Retrieved from website:http://www.goldenvalleymn.gov/surfacewater/ponding.php

not only efficient but also decreases the amount of time, resources, and effortrequired to maintain tangible mitigation techniques such as stormwater ponds. Thus,by incorporating a combination of educational outreach materials and stormwatermanagement methods throughout Golden Valley, the city can ensure that theresidents are educated about the importance of pollution prevention and stormwaterquality and the water is controlled to reduce the risk of flooding, filtered to ensurebetter water quality, and monitored to decrease the amount of sedimentation andpollutants.

Golden Valley Vision

With a clear vision for sustainable resource management, Golden Valley is proactivein managing its water resources, fully reflecting the value the community places on

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the surrounding natural environment. Maintaining water quality is vital for preservingnatural areas as well as enhancing water-based recreation activities, and is just one ofthe many beneficial services Golden Valley’s water resources provides to citizens.Given these priceless benefits, Golden Valley officials and staff believe in theimportance of effectively managing their water resources so that these outlinedbenefits will remain available to the community for years to come (City of GoldenValley Public Works 2008).

Golden Valley officials have determined that there are several areas in need ofimmediate attention in order to successfully manage the city’s water resources. Firstthe city must attend to the quality of stormwater that eventually flows into rivers,lakes, streams, and even groundwater in some cases through intensive and effectivemanagement. To tackle this immense task, any illicit discharge of pollutants shouldbe eliminated and measures must be put into place to assist with early detection of thedischarges. Flooding is also an understandable local concern for the city’s residents,along with eroded streambank sediment that can contaminate surface water duringflood conditions. In the long term, this erosion can affect the city’s wetlands,shorelands, and other essential natural resources. Thus, stormwater needs to beproperly managed to reduce the likelihood of potential damage. Lastly, GoldenValley would like to utilize education and public involvement to maximize thesuccess of water resource management (City of Golden Valley Public Works 2008).Therefore, by request of the City of Golden Valley, University of Minnesota studentshave developed a variety of outreach and education program recommendations forthe benefit of the public.

Rationale

Although Golden Valley is taking significant steps toward increasing publicawareness and knowledge of stormwater management through current programmingavenues, there are still barriers that must be faced. For instance, Golden Valley isstriving to improve its natural resource management initiatives during a nationaleconomic crisis. That said, many local governments are struggling to address an ever-expanding list of tasks that are vital to the community with limited funding and staff.As such, city staff must manage increasing demands with a smaller budget anddiligent, efficient employees. In particular, the city’s waterways are being threatenedby sedimentation, pollution, and invasive species—all issues that simply cannot besolved through existing staff support alone. This proposal strives to assist the staffmembers with the daunting challenges they are currently facing (Hoeft 2012). Theculmination of all class projects will provide recommendations for a sustainablenatural resource management plan within the City of Golden Valley that can beimplemented over the next 20 years. This report’s goal is to assist city employeesthrough increased community engagement for the improvement of water resourcevitality. A plan has been developed that increases the efficiency of existing programswhile creating new initiatives that will both streamline the city’s duties and give

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citizens an active role in bettering the community. Through increased efficiency ofexisting programs, greater effectiveness, and the participation of local citizens,Golden Valley staff can delegate funds to other pertinent areas in need of attention.

Class Vision

Through exchanges with Golden Valley staff and our fellow students at theUniversity of Minnesota, we developed a class vision to guide the projects that willcontribute to the city’s natural resource management plan. It encompasses the city’sunique dynamic while providing perspective for future endeavors. We hope to createa proactive, cohesive, and flexible natural resource plan that supports communityengagement and advances the role of Golden Valley as a leader in environmentalmanagement.

Objectives

• Identify opportunities and challenges in relation to residential and privatebusiness perceptions of stormwater pond management,

• Design a community assessment protocol for residents’ and private businesses’perceptions of the ponds,

• Create example outreach programming for stormwater pond best managementpractices,

• Provide recommendations for a communication program as well as tools withrefined messages about best management practices for homeowners adjacent tostormwater ponds, and

• Identify opportunities for a community volunteer program for stormwater pondmonitoring.

Methods

Site Description

The City of Golden Valley is a first-ring suburb of Minneapolis, Minnesota, locatedwithin Hennepin County and the Bassett Creek Watershed (Figure 2 ). According tothe Metropolitan Council, Golden Valley’s 2011 population of around 20,400 ismostly made up of middle-aged homeowners, most of whom are college-educated.Golden Valley’s land area is zoned for three primary functions: 42% of the city isresidential housing, 20% is used for parks and recreation, and 14% is set aside forcommercial and industrial uses (Metropolitan Council 2012).

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Figure 2: Map of the City of Golden Valley in relation to the Bassett Creek Watershed, Minnesota.Source: City of Golden Valley (2012b). Watershed Districts of Golden Valley. Retrieved from Eric Eckman.

The city is home to a multitude of important bodies of water that provide vital habitatfor many species and are popular recreation areas for citizens and visitors to GoldenValley (Golden Valley Public Works 2008). However, a significant portion of theland area is covered by impervious surfaces such as parking lots, driveways,sidewalks, and residential streets. These hard surfaces, impenetrable by stormwater,far outweigh the total area of surface water seen throughout the city. This is madeapparent by the fact that major roadways account for double the land area that openwaterways do (City of Golden Valley 2012c) (Appendix A). Prominent surface waterfeatures such as Sweeney Lake and Bassett Creek are considered impaired on theMPCA list of water quality. It is of the utmost importance to keep these water bodiesas clean as possible for both the local community and every downstream city thateither receives these flowing waters or shares the same watershed with Golden Valley(City of Golden Valley Public Works 2008).

The City of Golden Valley’s estimated 31 public stormwater ponds, along withmultiple others on private property, are all mandated by the Clean Water Act of 1984(Minnesota Pollution Control Agency 2012). In addition, Golden Valley also features1,000 or so stormwater drains tasked with carry precipitation run-off to holding pondsor other surface water locations (Golden Valley Public Works 2012). Ponds may benaturally occurring or humanmade, though both serve similar purposes of controllingstormwater flow rates and maintaining water quality. Constructed stormwater pondsare mandatory features for any new development, serving as attempts to offset theimpact of increased impervious surfaces from newly-created rooftops or parking lots.All ponds require scheduled inspection and monitoring in accordance with theNational Pollution Discharge Elimination System program (City of Golden Valley2009). Although Golden Valley staff members currently complete inspections ofpublic stormwater ponds at a monitoring rate of 20% per year (City of Golden Valley2009), both maintenance and water quality could improve with additional stormwatermanagement education and outreach programming for residents and the support ofpublic volunteerism.

Research Techniques

For the purposes of this report, it was necessary to understand the current state ofstormwater education and outreach throughout Golden Valley and identify criticalareas for expansion and improvement. Our data primarily consisted of informationcollected through literature reviews, case study analyses, personal interviews, fieldexperiences, and documents such as the City of Golden Valley Comprehensive Plan2008-2018. The multisource collection of data was then analyzed not only toestablish a baseline of the existing knowledge, educational approaches, and outreachstrategies, but more specifically to determine an ideal set of future programmingrecommendations tailored to the educational needs of the local population.

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Literature Review

At the onset of this project, we recognized the difficulties of obtaining arepresentative sample of Golden Valley residents concerning knowledge aboutbehavior toward stormwater management issues given the limited time and resourcesavailable. Currently, comprehensive data does not exist. That said, we turned toresearch on related subjects that had recently taken place within the Twin Citiesmetropolitan region to tailor suggestions to an assumed target audience. Specifically,we reviewed studies conducted by the Mississippi Watershed ManagementOrganization of two Minneapolis neighborhoods (Nerbonne, 2005, 2006), a study bythe University of Minnesota’s Water Resources Center of St. Paul’s Comoneighborhood (Eckman, 2012), and another study of the Highland Park and LinoLakes areas conducted by the University of Minnesota’s Twin Cities HouseholdEcosystem Project (Nelson, 2012).

Comparative Case Study

We completed a comparative case study analysis to identify public stormwatermanagement strategies that would be most effective for Golden Valley. To broadenour approach in search of successful programs, this method focused on Minnesotacities that are both similar to and different from the City of Golden Valley in terms ofdemographics and geography. Regardless, the communities we examined across stateall emphasized an importance on controlling local water resources. This region hasvaluable stormwater management education and outreach materials as well asstormwater management programs in place. With a concentration on Adopt-a-Pondprograms, citizens assume responsibility for the health of designated water bodieswith guided help from city officials. We received and reviewed information from theMinnesota cities of Lakeville, Farmington, Rochester, and Burnsville.

Each city’s official website proved o be a useful resource in the development ofrecommendations related to volunteer stormwater management approaches. Beyondthis discovery, we made contact with the representative responsible for every city’spublic outreach programming, specifically asking about overall experience with, andgeneral advice for, citizen-driven stormwater management. The information provedto be both qualitative and quantitative in nature, relaying success rates for variousattempted programs and insights about the reasons for the associated successes orfailures. After data collection, we analyzed the information for patterns as to whyspecific approaches succeeded or failed in certain areas. These findings were used todevelop programs and educational materials for use in Golden Valley.

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Personal Interviews

We conducted two types of personal interviews for distinct purposes. To establish asolid understanding of the Golden Valley community, we spoke with staff memberswell versed with stormwater and outreach issues to familiarize ourselves with thepresent approaches to public management and programming. At our first meetingwith city officials on September 13, 2012, City Engineer Mitchell Hoeft shared hisperceptions of the effectiveness of current initiatives along with the limitations tocitywide education and involvement strategies. Similarly, Golden Valley PublicWorks Specialist Eric Eckman delivered documents via email throughout the monthof September explaining the current status and procedures pertaining to the city’sstormwater management. Finally, we conducted an interview with Cheryl Weiler, thecity’s Communications Coordinator, to further inquire about the effectiveness ofcertain aspects of the stormwater outreach programs in place.

Our second set of interviews involved individuals not professionally associated withthe city itself, mostly consisting of a pilot sample of residents in a casualenvironment. During an observational visit to Golden Valley on September 16, 2012,we spoke with two individuals who had brought their children to play at HampshirePark. We asked them open-ended knowledge-based questions about what stormwateris, the impacts of stormwater runoff, the importance of stormwater ponds, and theirperceptions of the surrounding community’s acceptance to the implementation of anAdopt-a-Pond program. In addition, our group visited Golden Valley during the city’sValley Volunteer Day on October 6, 2012. While working to remove invasivespecies, one gentleman with experience contributing to volunteer events in the areashared his suggestions for maximizing citizen involvement. Using an identicalquestioning technique later that same day, we spoke with seven individuals who wereattending a public outdoor event and asked them the same questions.

As with the comparative case studies, we analyzed our interviews/earlier notes forpatterns in individual responses. Although we utilized these responses as supportiveevidence for our ultimate recommendations, we do realize that a few personalinterviews are not a representative sample of the Golden Valley citizenry. That said,none of our outlined recommendations were established specifically with such anassumption.

Field Experiences

To better understand the current conditions of the City of Golden Valley with relationto stormwater management, we embarked on field experiences throughout the area toobserve the physical and social environment. While in the city, we performed avariety of investigative tasks which included inspecting storm drains, stormwaterponds, observing natural areas and parks, reading educational signage, and talking tolocal residents (Appendix B). Any potentially helpful information was recorded for

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future use, such as noting the existence of debris collected in and/or around sampledstormwater drains. Although stormwater management must be a citywide effort, werealize the need for localized applications for targeted areas in need of improvement.Considering this reality, we recorded the immediate surroundings, accessibility of theponds, and whether ponds were constructed or natural to determine feasibility for thefuture implementation of potential programs.

Publication Assessment

The City of Golden Valley has many documents and publications pertaining to publicoutreach and education. The brochures, which can be found in the Golden ValleyCity Hall as well as the Golden Valley Hennepin County Library (Appendix C), focuson Storm Sewer Systems; Compost; Fertilizer; Residential Snow and Ice Care;Grading, Drainage, and Erosion Control; and Rain Gardens, among other topics.Relevant informational public documents include the City of Golden ValleyComprehensive Plan 2008-2018, the Executive Summary of the City of GoldenValley Residential Study 2007, and the Golden Valley Storm Water ManagementPlan. In addition to these documents and brochures, signage around wetlands andstormwater ponds provided information on important impacts of stormwatermanagement. Through comparative analysis with other cities’ brochures andpublications, we presented the brochure to ten University of Minnesota students andasked for their opinions about what they liked and improvements that could be madeto Golden Valley’s brochures. In addition, we analyzed design aspects of establishedsignage such as whether they included photos, diagrams, and lettering. We assesseddocuments using key criteria including aesthetics, clarity, content, and resourcesavailable to the public (Appendix D).

Findings

The following section provides the results from the diverse set of methods conductedto get a better understanding of Golden Valley’s assorted services and backgroundinformation that will be used to inform recommendations. Through research, we haveinsights regarding key audiences, Golden Valley’s current programs, outreachmaterials, and the barriers that impede the full success of the city’s initiatives.

Inventory of Golden Valley’s Stormwater Management Programs

Stormwater Management ProgramsGolden Valley already has several stormwater management programs in place, somecarried out by city staff members and some by city residents. These efforts areperformed by the City of Golden Valley to ensure stormwater ponds remain healthyand to minimize the adverse repercussions of stormwater runoff on water quality and

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quantity. Current management activities include cleaning ponds (removing debris ordredging entirely), stormwater pipes, catch basins and environmental manholes. Cityemployees also sweep streets from March to November, as weather permits, to clearunwanted debris before it enters the stormwater sewers. In addition, Golden Valleypresently provides its citizens with multiple programs as opportunities to take actionregarding stormwater ponds bordering their property. One example of these programsis the Pond Treatment Program that includes algae treatment and weed control toimprove aesthetics around ponds. The other available program is the Rear YardDrainage Program, an initiative that requires individual property owners to petitionfor improvements to correct drainage problems before the City will offer technicalassistance. Another example of an existing program is the Storm Water PollutionPrevention Program (SWPPP), an overarching initiative designed to minimize thedischarge of pollutants and protect or enhance water quality while satisfying themandates of the Clean Air and Water Acts of 1984 (City of Golden Valley 2009).

Volunteer options and programs are available for citizens as well, such as the stormdrain inlet and outlet programs that are focused in different areas across the city(Appendix E). For the inlet program, individuals are responsible for keeping stormdrains clear of debris as well as stenciling the outline of a fish along with the message“Dump No Waste” around storm drains that lead to local waterbodies (Appendix F).In contrast, the outlet program consists of city staff coordinating and encouragingvolunteers to adopt storm drain outlets, incorporating a devised system to notify thecity of maintenance concerns or illicit discharges.

These programs not only empower citizens by reminding them of their vital role inprotecting Golden Valley’s water resources, but also spread awareness about theCity’s surface water bodies and stormwater ponds.

Barriers of Stormwater Management ProgramsAlthough these programs are available to help the community improve stormwatermanagement, there are a variety of barriers that inhibit implementation and success.For example, if citizens wanted to improve the aesthetics of a stormwater pond neartheir properties using the city’s Pond Treatment Program, there are several potentiallycomplicated steps involved. Citizens would first have to create a petition, an initiativethat requires 75% of the bordering property owners to agree to the proposed changesbefore being brought to a City Hall meeting for approval by the City Council Board(City of Golden Valley Public Works 2012a). Only then can a contract be written upin order to begin treatment on the pond and all costs are assessed to the borderingproperty owners. However, this treatment is only short-term and thus the citizenswould need to complete these steps on a recurring basis in order to ensure the healthof their community pond. Since this is a long and complex process, it is unlikely thatthe average citizen would have the time or motivation to complete these stepsrepeatedly.

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The Rear Yard Drainage Program has very similar barriers when compared to thePond Treatment Program, requiring homeowners to petition for improvements fortheir problem drainage areas to receive technical assistance from the city. The cityitself, though, does not cover any costs related to the problem. Many citizens may nothave the time or money to ensure the problem is correctly fixed in a timely fashion.

Overall, the insufficient amount of information about initiated programs maydiscourage citizens from being interested in improving the quality of their stormwaterponds altogether. There are a limited amount of programs that include cooperativeefforts among community volunteers that allow residents to contribute to long-termstormwater management improvements.

Key Audiences

Identification of key audiences is an essential part of effective public outreach. Wewere able to successfully distinguish important target audiences after reviewingpersonal interviews with Golden Valley residents and the demographic informationfound within the City of Golden Valley’s Comprehensive Plan 2008-2018.Determining the target audience is vital because they will have direct influences onthe water quality of stormwater systems and will eventually be affected by proposededucational recommendations. The key audiences within Golden Valley are theresidents who directly affect the City’s water quality and local businesses who arerequired to install but not necessarily maintain stormwater ponds.

ResidentsAll Golden Valley residents have direct effects on water quality and may live on landthat borders a stormwater pond. As 42% of Golden Valley’s land is used forresidential areas and most residents are homeowners, much of the land is coveredwith hard surfaces such as driveways, sidewalks, roads, and parking lots(Metropolitan Council 2010). This reality makes it more likely for dirt, debris, andwaste to be washed into storm drains after it rains or snows, with the substanceseventually traveling into the local water bodies. The quality of the local watershedrelies on the personal actions and everyday habits of residents, with influentialpractices including lawn maintenance, waste disposal, gardening techniques, carwashing, deicing sidewalks, and much more. Resulting polluted stormwater runoffcan include excessive sediments, nutrients, debris, and wastes that adversely affectthe water quality, natural habitat, animals, and people that live in a certain watershed(US Environmental Protection Agency 2003).

Local Businesses and IndustriesGolden Valley’s businesses directly affect the water quality of their local waterbodies as an estimated 14% of Golden Valley’s land is set aside for commercial andindustrial use (Metropolitan Council 2010). A nearby pond is required for theestablishment of any new business to offset the additional stormwater flow from an

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increase in impervious surfaces. If existing ponds within the area do not have thecapacity to effectively handle the extra stormwater flow, a new pond must beconstructed in response to the new business establishment. This practice attempts tocontrol the flow of pollutants directed into Sweeney Lake, Bassett Creek and othermajor bodies of water in the local watershed (City of Golden Valley 2012a). As such,Golden Valley’s Surface Water Management Program requires the installation ofstormwater ponds on all construction sites throughout the City along with reliablemanagement practices. If a company were to construct an additional building on theirland, they are required to obtain a stormwater management permit for any land-disturbing activities that involve the removal of soil or vegetation. This can includeactivities that are done before construction as well as after construction. Projects thatentail any form of land clearing, digging, draining, and filling are required to havethese permits along with projects that involve construction, expansion, modification,or destruction of a foundation wall and/or parking lot (City of Golden Valley 2012d).

Barriers Due to Limited Communication Between Residents and CityJudging by the interviews we conducted and case studies we reviewed, it is clear thatthere are a variety of barriers pertaining to the key audiences. We have perceived thatsome residents may not understand or even be aware of the importance of stormwaterponds. It is possible that other residents may not care or know where to find thecorrect resources about available programs that improve the quality of these ponds.This might be due to the limited communication between residents and the city orbecause there is not enough emphasis on the importance of these ponds within thecommunity. As previously stated, it has been found that residents with moreinformation about stormwater management have been more involved with thesemanagement programs (Eckman 2012).

In addition, local businesses may not be helping the overall health of their stormwaterponds, despite management regulations. While businesses have clear regulations onhow to create a stormwater pond, the city does not monitor the health of the pondsover time thus decreasing the pond’s effectiveness. Furthermore, since the ponds arenot monitored, the businesses are not penalized if they improperly manage thestormwater pond.

Multimedia Education and Outreach

Golden Valley uses diverse forms of communication to ensure that residents haveaccess to stormwater management information. Educational and outreachinformational materials are vital forms of local communication. The two maincommunication channels used in Golden Valley to inform citizens are online andprint media. In addition to these two primary types, the city holds public meetingsand has cable television scrolls, both of which occasionally provide informationabout stormwater management. To learn more about these communication channels,we took an inventory of Golden Valley’s public media outlets.

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Online MediaThe residents of Golden Valley currently have access, whether from home or within apublic place, to online media such as the official pages produced by the City ofGolden Valley and the state of Minnesota, as well as the Golden Valley Patchwebsite. The city’s website (http://www.goldenvalleymn.gov/) was created as aconvenient way to inform Golden Valley residents about relevant information andservices the city provides. This communication tool provides residents withinformation regarding a summary of stormwater management and how individualscan reduce their impact on their watershed. A citywide survey found that 32% of thehouseholds in Golden Valley access the city’s website less than once a month, yetthis group rated the website as either “good” or “excellent” and stated they werealways able to find what they were looking for (Decision Resources, Ltd. 2007). TheGolden Valley Patch (http://goldenvalley.patch.com/) is a self-described“community-specific news, information and engagement platform” that is run byprofessional editors and photographers living in the Golden Valley area (GoldenValley Patch 2012). Although this website is a helpful tool for discovering localevents and engagement opportunities, it does not provide information specificallyrelated to stormwater.

Print MediaIn addition to online media, Golden Valley residents also have access to print mediathat can further educate them on stormwater-related issues. Such resources includeGolden Valley’s bimonthly newsletter, a multicommunity newspaper, educationalbrochures, and a new resident packet.

The CityNews is Golden Valley’s bimonthly newsletter that provides information forthe residents and local businesses regarding city services, ongoing city projects,public events, and more. The newsletter is mailed to about 12,500 homes andbusinesses and it is estimated that the CityNews is read by 90% of its recipients (Cityof Golden Valley 2012e; Decision Resources, Ltd. 2007). A 2006 citywide surveyfound that 94% of the surveyed residents rated the content of the newsletter “good” or“excellent” (Decision Resources, Ltd. 2007). The Sun Post Newspaper is acommunity paper that is produced for the use of the northwest suburbs ofMinneapolis, Minnesota, including Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Crystal,Robbinsdale, New Hope, and Golden Valley. This weekly newspaper provides theresidents of these cities with news about local government, sports, law enforcement,weddings, births and obituaries (Sun Post 2012). Particularly pertaining tostormwater, this informational channel provides public notices when appropriate.Golden Valley additionally has educational brochures that are available at GoldenValley’s City Hall building and Golden Valley’s Hennepin County Library for theuse of city residents and visitors (Appendix C). These brochures focus on the benefitsof the storm sewer system, the negative effects of fertilizer runoff on water quality,and the importance of flood control; among other topics. It was found that thebrochures have accurate and educational information.

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As new families move into Golden Valley, the city ensures that they all receive a newresident packet that provides residents with relevant information about stormwatermanagement. These packets contain several recent editions of the CityNewsnewsletter, all of Golden Valley’s educational brochures, a project to-do list withadvice on how to maintain nearby storm sewer openings, and a booklet on GoldenValley's streets, parks, and trails which mentions that the city has adopted a SurfaceWater Management Plan to help guide the management and preservation of the city’swater resources. These are all important items for residents to have as they begin theirlives in Golden Valley in order to assist in the proper management of the city’snatural resources.

Televised MediaThe residents of Golden Valley, additionally, have access to city information on twocable television channels that focus on community news within the northwestsuburbs. The Channel 12 news promotes community events and programming for thenorthwest suburbs of Minneapolis, Minnesota, including Brooklyn Center, BrooklynPark, Crystal, Golden Valley, Maple Grove, New Hope, Osseo, Plymouth, andRobbinsdale. This news channel provides full coverage of local parades, concerts,special community events, sporting games, and news stories on a daily basis alongwith special weekend shows (Northwest Community Television 2012). It was foundthat among cable television subscribers 53% reported watching Channel 12 Newseither “frequently” or “occasionally” (Decision Resources, Ltd. 2007). Residents whoare cable subscribers also have Government Access Channel 16, which provides localprogramming for Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Crystal, Golden Valley, MapleGrove, New Hope, Osseo, Plymouth, and Robbinsdale. The programming on thischannel includes live/taped replays of the various City meetings, electronicbillboarding of City information for residents, and other miscellaneous programsproduced by one of the nine member cities. Golden Valley’s City Council and HumanResources Administration replays seven times a week and the Planning Commissionreplays twice (Northwest Suburbs Cable Communications Commission 2012).According to a citywide survey, 48% of cable subscribers “frequently” or“occasionally” watch Golden Valley City Council Meetings and 43% report watchingthe Community Bulletin Board on the Government Access Channel (DecisionResources, Ltd. 2007).

Educational SignsGolden Valley currently has educational signs located in easily visible public areasnear its wetlands and ponds to highlight the city’s restoration and revegetationprojects (Appendix G). The city has utilized these signs because they are a low-maintenance outreach tool that can be used to inform and educate a variety ofaudiences about natural resource management practices (Weiler 2012). Theeducational signs currently focus on the importance of shoreline planting and floodcontrol as well as the benefits of rain gardens and stormwater ponds.

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Barriers of Multimedia Education and OutreachGolden Valley currently has several barriers within all forms of its media that arereducing the effectiveness of the educational outreach material. For instance, the cityhas an extensive official website but it is lacking social media which could expand itsaudience and enable the city to keep the residents updated on current programs,projects, and events. Considering print media, in the form of education brochures, weinternally evaluated surface-level effectiveness in terms of visual appeal, writtencontent, and how easy the information is to understand. In addition, we shared thesematerials with university students in environmental studies, asking what they likedabout the brochures and what was lacking. As a result, we deemed that the currenteducational brochures in Golden Valley could be made more concise and appealing toimprove their impact on the residents reading them.

Interviews

City OfficialsIn an interview with Communications Coordinator Cheryl Weiler, we learned thatcommunity members are active, both socially and physically, and strive to beculturally creative and open-minded. Cheryl stated that Golden Valley resident’s relyon the CityNews Newsletter and the official Golden Valley website to retrieveinformation about the services that the city offers. Additionally, brochures andeducational signage along waterways and trails have proved to be key tools forinforming residents about natural resource management practices. Aside fromreceiving phone calls and emails from residents regarding the effectiveness of theseeducational tools, the city does not have a way of determining the success of theircommunication efforts (Weiler 2012).

The city has hired a part-time volunteer coordinator to develop and organizevolunteer projects and to work directly with volunteers. Cheryl Weiler stated thathaving structure is very important when trying to implement and ensure the successof a volunteer program.

In 2006 the city performed a citywide survey and found that 84% of participantsthought the city’s storm drain and flood control services were “good/excellent,”indicating that the stormwater services already put in place are perceived as favorable(Decision Resources, Ltd. 2007).

ResidentsGolden Valley residents have a very basic knowledge of what stormwatermanagement is and its associated benefits. Citizens understand and seem concernedabout the ability of stormwater management to reduce the risk of excess flooding.Though in terms of specifics, individuals did not always know each and everyimportant benefit of stormwater ponds, such as the interception of pollutantscollected by rainwater runoff. Aesthetic preferences were also mentioned, and

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differing desires among citizens could potentially affect whether or not propermanagement practices are fully implemented. This finding is not based on arepresentative sample but is instead a general insight based on informal interviewswith residents of Golden Valley.

Barriers Discovered in the InterviewsAlthough citizens seemed interested in the topic, interviewed residents’ generalknowledge of stormwater was limited. Their immediate concerns appeared to befocused on flood control and aesthetics rather than maintaining water quality.Additionally, City Engineer Mitchell Hoeft noted that attracting the public’s attentionto important community-wide issues and maintaining interest to incite collectiveaction tended to be the most difficult aspects of voluntary involvement (2012). Thus,it was concluded that the available information about stormwater management needsto be more engaging, accessible, and thorough in order to capture the interest ofresidents. By providing educational stormwater information in an appealing manner itis more likely that the residents will take the time to read the educational materialsand learn how to become involved. In addition, it is important to measure theeffectiveness of these communication efforts and this can be done by creating ananalysis tool.

It was determined that the stormwater-related questions in the 2006 citywide survey,provided by the Communications Coordinator, were limited and did not provide thecity with qualitative data regarding citizen’s stormwater knowledge. Instead, thequestions within the survey focused on how the citizens viewed the quality of stormdrainage and flood control (Decision Resources, Ltd. 2006). This means that the citydoes not have thorough knowledge regarding how residents perceive and understandstormwater, and therefore do not have enough information to make changes incommunicative strategies based on the public’s perception.

Data from Publications

Studies of resident attitudes conducted in nearby areas have shown that GoldenValley residents are likely knowledgeable about stormwater issues and are willing tomake a lifestyle change for the benefit of local water quality with proper informationpresented with the promise of attractive outcomes and community programmingopportunities.

Through a study conducted by the University of Minnesota Water Resources Center,researchers examined the knowledge and behaviors related to water issues of aresidents in St. Paul’s Como neighborhood. These residents, with their closeproximity to city water bodies, were found to already have a strong base-levelknowledge of stormwater impacts on the hydrological system (Eckman 2012). Totranslate retained information to positive practices, though, the delivery method ofinformation is an important piece for improving public behaviors. A representative

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survey of the Longfellow and Seward neighborhoods in Minneapolis sponsored bythe Mississippi Watershed Management Organization and the Higher EducationConsortium for Urban Affairs discovered that over half of the sampled populationwould make lifestyle changes for the benefit of local water quality, yet did not knowwhat could be done at the individual scale (Nerbonne 2005). An even largerpercentage of people in the study noted a willingness to take action to promotecommunity practices if extra information was provided, and those with morestormwater knowledge, in general, were more likely to take part in bettermanagement practices. With both of these studies receiving the majority of their inputfrom a middle-aged or older, educated, and white demographic, results areconceivably similar to the residents in Golden Valley. From these studies it can beconcluded that in order to change the behavior of residents, it is important to providethem with specific and tangible information in the hopes that they will become moreinvolved.

Beyond overall best practices, outreach strategies must also attend to resident valuesand preferences to inspire engagement. One study of the City of Lino Lakes and St.Paul’s Highland Park neighborhood involved a survey. Residents stated thataesthetics was the highest-valued benefit of water bodies and natural areas (Nelson2012). However, multiple interviews conducted within the Longfellow and Sewardneighborhoods illuminated differing opinions on what is and is not aestheticallyattractive (Nerbonne 2006). Regardless, given this preference for pleasingviewscapes, outreach strategies and techniques would ideally focus on beautifying thelandscape along with improving citywide stormwater control.

One aspect that appeared in almost every reviewed study was the importance andpower of community togetherness. Como neighborhood residents, for example,responded quite positively to the idea of a structured community event to tidy up thearea by sweeping streets and cleaning curbs (Eckman 2012). Trust andencouragement also tended to lie more with local leaders than government officials,and the same sentiment was identified within the Longfellow and Sewardneighborhoods as well (Nerbonne 2006). Along similar locally focused lines, peopleliving in Lino Lakes and Highland Park reported that they were much more likely toattend events organized by neighborhood associations than formal city environmentalcommittee meetings (Nelson 2012). The importance of community-driven behaviorchange possibilities can be considered as an effective strategy for outreach programs.

Barriers within PublicationsAnalyzing comparable populations within the same metropolitan region as GoldenValley may prove to be helpful at an immediate level, yet knowledge and behavior ofresidents living within other cities are not perfectly transferable to Golden Valley’scitizenry. Variables beyond the similarities in age, race, and education level do existand could strongly influence a population’s mindset. To repeat sentiments statedearlier, the absence of information regarding Golden Valley’s stormwater ponds in

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relation to residents makes it difficult to know just how applicable other researchresults could be.

If Golden Valley residents actually lack a strong understanding of stormwater andproper practices, this potential information gap could be keeping them fromconducting environmentally friendly behaviors. Additionally, attempting to increasepublic involvement without consideration for community aesthetic values or theapparent preference for neighborhood organization may prove to be ineffective at theonset. With these secondary studies in mind to supplement our personal researchspecifically within Golden Valley, we are prepared to present recommendations tosupport the overall improvement of the city’s approach to public outreach.

Recommendations

The following recommendations were developed based on the aforementionedfindings as they apply to Golden Valley and its existing stormwater managementprograms and outreach strategies. The City of Golden Valley can take action to fullyunderstand, encourage, and improve the practices of residents and businesses withinthe community. By implementing these recommendations, the city will enhancepublic participation and community engagement while improving the health andsustainability of Golden Valley’s water resources.

• Recommendation 1: Enhance resident and visitor knowledge of stormwater pondsthrough expanded educational signage

• Recommendation 2: Enrich local understanding of stormwater managementsystems through educational brochures

• Recommendation 3: Promote community involvement through educationalmeetings

• Recommendation 4: Expand online media to include social media• Recommendation 5: Use surveys to assess perceptions of stormwater

management among Golden Valley residents and business owners• Recommendation 6: Review the use of Adopt-a-Pond Programs by other

municipalities and design a program appropriate for Golden Valley

Recommendation 1: Enhance resident and visitor knowledge onstormwater ponds through expanded educational signage

With an estimated 30 stormwater ponds located throughout the city (MinnesotaPollution Control Agency 2012), implementation of additional educational signage atkey pond sites can increase public knowledge about stormwater ponds and how theybenefit the surrounding community. To accomplish this goal, sites and potential areasfor new signage have been identified throughout Golden Valley. Potential areas for

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the placement of new educational signage can be found on a map that focuses onimportant water features identified by the City of Golden Valley (Appendix B).

Signage and graphics currently established throughout the city are good examples ofwhat should be implemented (Appendix G). In order to engage a wide range ofpeople in diverse demographic groups, the city’s graphic designer would be needed tocreate visually appealing signage with easily understood content. Depending onavailable resources, additional funding might be required to implement thisrecommendation. The City of Golden Valley can look into applying for grants tocover additional costs (Appendix H).

Inclusion of before and after photos to current signage has proven effective in othercommunities. Utilizing this method is an easy way for people to clearly differentiatebetween a healthy (right) and unhealthy (left) stormwater pond (Figure 3). Signinformation could include the function of stormwater ponds and their benefits, whatresidents can do to help, how they can get involved, and who is currently monitoringthe ponds, etc. The signage could also include information that clarifies how astormwater pond helps to achieve community and regional benefits, such as helpingto preserve water quality and its quantity in controlled locations. By increasing theprevalence of targeted and appealing pond-side signs, Golden Valley will not onlybuild a community with a more informed knowledge base but potentially shift publicbehaviors to favoring the long-term health of these vital water resources as well.

Figure 3: Before and after on-site stormwater ponds.Source: Tony Hawkins (2012). Located on Olson Memorial Highway and Winnetka Avenue (left) and onRhode Island Avenue and 10th Street (right).

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Recommendation 2: Enrich local understanding of stormwatermanagement through educational brochures

As noted in the interviews we conducted, many citizens would like to know moreabout the steps being pursued by the city with regard to water resource management,but don’t know how to access the information. Creating an informative piece ofliterature that is easy to understand and pleasing to the eye may be a useful resource.

Creating educational brochures that are first aesthetically appealing to the residentsand then offers information regarding stormwater management and water quality mayprove to be a helpful tool for public outreach (City of Lakeville 2012). Thesebrochures should catch the eye of the public by creating an aesthetically pleasingdesign that is well structured, easy to read, and provides interesting yet beneficialinformation to ensure citizens will utilize them. Also, the information included in thebrochure should be relevant to Golden Valley with local facts and characteristics oflocal behavior that describes a clear message for the topic, along with characteristicsthat are beneficial to the user including relevant programs and links they will be ableto use and exploit.

These brochures could be on display in the City Hall, at the Brookview Golf Course,at informational buildings such as libraries, at schools, at public gatherings andmeetings, or at other relevant locations. Necessary steps would includecommunicating with a graphic designer in order to design the brochures in anaesthetically pleasing fashion. We have created a mock brochure as an example ofpossible approaches (Figure 4). By creating educational brochures that are moreappealing to the general public, there is an increased chance the residents willbecome more informed about stormwater management issues and initiatives. Withthis increased knowledge the residents can implement best management practices ontheir own and work as a community to ensure the health of the stormwater ponds.

Recommendation 3: Promote community involvement througheducational meetings

The City of Golden Valley could hold neighborhood environmental outreachgatherings to allow citizens to ask questions and communicate with the City on theirown terms. By positioning these meetings as a social gathering this public outreachapproach would increase engagement amongst citizens in a comfortable, welcoming,and informal space. Currently citizens are welcome to attend the monthlyEnvironmental Commission meetings at the City Hall building. However, the venueand agenda may be viewed as intimidating and too formal to access, thus creating abarrier between the City and its community members. Residents in the Highland Parkand Lino Lakes areas, for instance, were much more likely to attend neighborhoodgroup meetings than those hosted by an environmental committee at the city ordistrict level (Nelson 2012).

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Figure 4: Mock stormwater management brochureSource: Piper Donlin (2012).

These neighborhood meetings could be achieved through potlucks, barbeques orsimple get-togethers in any number of neighborhood parks, perhaps near stormwaterponds as an added educational bonus. Holding environmental outreach meetings ininformal settings would likely make attendance more appealing to residents,increasing the likelihood of communication between city officials and the public.

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Increased communication allows for joint problem solving between the City ofGolden Valley and its residents, potentially leading to improved implementation ofstormwater management initiatives. If the city is unable to commit the time and/orresources to host multiple neighborhood meetings, it may be wise to consider addingan informal component onto existing city meetings to easily address the questionsand concerns of citizens in a comfortable environment.

Golden Valley could promote community involvement within a comfortable andwelcoming space by organizing environmental meetings in neighborhood parks orcommunity spaces. It is important for the city to encourage residents to participatewithin stormwater management initiatives and to promote available opportunities inorder to ensure favorable community behaviors that will contribute to creatinghealthier stormwater ponds and a thriving watershed.

Recommendation 4: Expand online media to include social media

Social media has become a valuable tool for many cities and government officials. Itis not only a means of communicating with a younger demographic, but also allowscities to increase their transparency. Developing and maintaining social media outletsthat focus on Golden Valley’s environmental activities is also a way to increasepublic participation and even strengthen residents’ commitment to the land and itsnatural resources. Implementation is entirely feasible as well, with many surroundingcities of a similar population size, such as New Hope and Crystal currentlymaintaining an active presence on Facebook. Hiring a media intern, who could befunded through a grant (Appendix I), could be a useful resource to help the citydevelop an effective social media presence.

Currently, Golden Valley is not utilizing social media as a tool for outreach to thecommunity. Understandably, city officials are hesitant to make use of these informaleducation channels with the concern that social media may attract unwanted attentionand inappropriate comments or posts on full public display, potentially placing thecity in a negative light.

To address Golden Valley’s concerns about bad publicity via social media the cityshould create a policy to protect themselves from issues due to liability. This taskwould require little work, as many other cities have similar policies that could beadopted by Golden Valley. For a start, consider the example Facebook policy wedeveloped and adapted based on policies used by nearby cities (see Appendix I). It isimportant to note that social media can be implemented as a resource for the city topromote its services, events, and projects, not a space for discussion among citizens.By stressing the importance of making this outlet into a resource to promote thevalues and policies of the city and not a space for citizens to post their thoughts, itdecreases the risk of potential problems. In particular, Facebook has the capability oflimiting user visibility and input, hiding comments from everyone but Golden Valley

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officials, or disabling them outright. As a promotional suggestion, it is possible toincrease Facebook followers and exposure to city-related happenings through the useof prizes (free dinner at a local restaurant, discount at local business, etc), pictures,trivia, or other easy, clever, and attractive methods. Utilizing social media as aneffective outreach tool would provide Golden Valley with an additional avenue toreach their residents and educate them on critical issues such as stormwatermanagement and the health of their local watershed.

Recommendation 5: Use surveys to assess perceptions of stormwatermanagement and tailor programs for Golden Valley residents andbusiness owners

Gauging public perceptions of environmental management practices employed by thecity and the willingness of citizens to be involved in city projects as well as volunteeropportunities may provide for more efficient and effective stormwater managementprograms.

To increase the city’s understanding of citizens’ perspectives, Golden Valley couldutilize the survey questions provided in Appendix J. The first opportunity would be toinclude one or more of these in the citywide survey to be distributed in 2013. Thesequestions would provide the city with valuable insight into the perceptions andinterests of residents as well as businesses within the community. With thisknowledge, a volunteer stormwater management program could be developed andtailored to the specific needs and preferences of residents. Tailoring the volunteerprogram to the preferences of the citizens could maximize participation within theprogram and effectiveness of this outreach strategy. It is additionally important toassess how citizens view the stormwater management program to ensure that itremains adaptable, appealing, and engaging over time. By using surveys to gain theresident’s viewpoint, the city is better able to adapt the outreach materials,stormwater management program, and volunteer opportunities to fit the needs of thecitizens. Allowing for feedback from the residents is crucial if the City of GoldenValley wants to effectively achieve a community involved stormwater managementplan.

Recommendation 6: Review the use of Adopt-a-Pond Programs byother municipalities and design a program appropriate for Golden Valley

The use of Adopt-a-Pond programs in several communities in the Twin Citiesmetropolitan area has successfully increased resident participation in citywidestormwater management initiatives and created a sense of ownership among citizens(City of Farmington 2012, City of Lakeville 2012). Golden Valley currently has anAdopt-a-Park program that includes an estimated 30 parks (Appendix E). Thisprogram is very successful and popular with community members as well as localbusinesses. Building upon the success of and private interest in Golden Valley’s

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Adopt-a-Park program, local businesses and organizations would be invited to adoptponds as a form of outreach (Hoeft 2012). Just like with the Adopt-a-Park program,there will be a list of stormwater ponds for potential adoptees’ to choose from(Appendix B). To assist in the development of an Adopt-a-Pond program, we havecreated a checklist for the volunteers to use when they visit their adopted pond. Thischecklist is vital for volunteers to know what to do during their site visits and whythey are doing them (Appendix K). For additional information on specificrecommendations regarding vegetation and pond monitoring, refer to Reports #1/7and #2/7 in this series.

Other communities have found that a city staff member must have program oversightin order to train, coordinate, and communicate with the volunteers. This person wouldbe tasked with providing basic knowledge to volunteers about stormwater ponds andhow to maintain them in healthy states, as well as, providing the necessary resourcesincluding native plants for the buffer areas and the necessary materials for monitoringthe ponds. A possible challenge to implementing an effective Adopt-a-Pond programis the lack of accountability and consistency with volunteer support. However,utilizing the city’s volunteer coordinator would be an effective way to ensure thatvolunteers are held accountable for their commitments. In addition, othercommunities have found that giving citizens incentives to adopt a pond, such asadding their names and a short profile onto signage next to the pond or profiling themin the local newspaper or newsletter, can increase participation (Figure 5). Creatingan Adopt-a-Pond program promotes community involvement and allows for thepartnership between the city, its residents, and businesses. This partnership is criticalif the City of Golden Valley wants to effectively and successfully manage theirstormwater ponds to ensure the health of the city’s waterways.

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Figure 5: Example of an Adopt-a-Pond sign.Source: City of Farmington (n.d.). Adopt-a-Pond. Retrieved from website:http://www.ci.farmington.mn.us/Departments/NaturalResource/AdoptAPond/Adopt_A_Pond.html

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Conclusion

This report has emphasized the importance of creating a comprehensive stormwatermanagement plan through the integration of educational tools and outreach strategies. By utilizing the effective educational and outreach tools provided in this report, suchas social media outlets, educational signage, and an Adopt-a-Pond Program, GoldenValley can restore and preserve the health and vitality of the precious water resourcesits residents value so highly. The City of Golden Valley can build and expand itscurrent efforts through volunteer opportunities that help citizens understand, protect,and improve stormwater management practices through effective development ofmultimedia outreach and educational materials. Golden Valley’s dedicated, engagedcitizenry and sincere volunteer efforts will serve as essential components of a strongfoundation for successful future stormwater management. We hope to have aided inthe creation of a proactive, cohesive, and flexible natural resource plan that supportscommunity engagement and advances the role of Golden Valley as a leader inenvironmental management for generations to come.

References

City of Farmington. n.d.. Adopt-a-Pond. Retrieved from website:http://www.ci.farmington.mn.us/Departments/NaturalResource/AdoptAPond/Adopt_A_Pond.html

City of Golden Valley. 2009. Golden Valley: Storm water pollution preventionprogram. Retrieved from website:http://www.goldenvalleymn.gov/surfacewater/pdf/gv-swppp .pdf

City of Golden Valley. 2011. Report on Storm Water Pollution Prevention Program.[PowerPoint Slides].

City of Golden Valley. 2012a. Ponding. Retrieved fromwebsite:http://www.goldenvalleymn.gov/surfacewater/ponding.php

City of Golden Valley. 2012b. Watershed Districts of Golden Valley. Retrieved fromEric Eckman.

City of Golden Valley. 2012c. Current Land Use. Retrieved fromwebsite:http://www.goldenvalleymn.gov/about/landuse/index.php

City of Golden Valley. 2012d. Project Permit Applications, Forms, & Fees.Retrieved fromwebsite:http://www.goldenvalleymn.gov/homeyard/projects/applications.php

City of Golden Valley. 2012e. CityNews Newsletter. Retrieved from website:http://www.goldenvalleymn.gov/news/publications/citynews/index.php

City of Golden Valley. 2012f. Water Features to Focus On. Retrieved from: HeatherHegi

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City of Golden Valley Public Works. 2008. Golden Valley Comprehensive Plan: SurfaceWater. Retrieved from website:http://www.goldenvalleymn.gov/planning/comprehensiveplan/pdf/09-WaterSupply.pdf

City of Golden Valley Public Works. 2012a. Storm sewer system. Retrieved from website: http://www.goldenvalleymn.gov/watersewer/stormwater/index.php

City of Golden Valley Public Works. 2012b. Storm drain adoption programs.Retrieved from website: http://www.goldenvalleymn.gov/surfacewater/storm-drain-adoption.php

City of Lakeville. 2012. Adopt-a-Pond. Retrieved from website:http://www.ci.lakeville.mn.us/environmental-resources-environmental-411/adopt-a-pond-environmental-187

City of Lakeville (2012). Educational environmental brochures. Retrieved fromwebsite: http://www.ci.lakeville.mn.us/environmental-resources-environmental-411/educational-brochures

Decision Resources, Ltd. 2006. City of Golden Valley Residential Survey.Unpublished. Retrieved from Cheryl Weiler.

Decision Resources, Ltd. 2007. Executive Summary City of Golden Valley ResidentialSurvey. Unpublished. Retrieved from Cheryl Weiler.

Eckman, K., and K. Consoer. 2012. Como neighborhood KAP study -- Communityclean-ups for water quality. Unpublished. Retrieved from Karlyn Eckman.

Golden Valley Patch (2012). About Us. Retrieved from website:http://goldenvalley.patch.com/about

Hoeft, M. 2012, Sept. 13. [Personal Interview]. Client meeting, Golden Valley, MN.Metropolitan Council. 2012. Community Profile for Golden Valley. Retrieved from

website: http://stats.metc.state.mn.us/profile/detail.aspx?c=02394924Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. 2008. Minnesota stormwater manual.

Retrieved from website: http://www.pca.state.mn.us/index.php/view-document.html?gid=8937

Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. 2012. MS4 annual report for 2011. Retrievedfrom Eric Eckman.

Nelson, K.C., M. Dahmus, and A. Oftedahl. 2012. Urban yard case study.Unpublished raw data, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Retrieved from http://www.tchep.umn.edu/index.htm

Nerbonne, J., K. Byrd, F. Doherty, S. Fenster, and R. Schreiber. 2006. Building aneffective strategy to motivate change in environmentally positive behavior: AMississippi Watershed Management Organization study. Retrieved from website:http://www.mwmo.org/2005%20HECUA%20Final%20Findings.pdf

Nerbonne, J.F., and R. Schreiber. 2005. Connecting knowledge, attitudes andbehaviors regarding urban water quality: A Mississippi Watershed ManagementOrganization study. Retrieved from website:http://www.mwmo.org/2004%20HECUA%20Survey%20and%20Analysis.pdf

Northwest Community Television. 2012. About Us. Retrieved from website:http://twelve.tv/default.aspx

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Northwest Suburbs Cable Communications Commission. 2012. Government AccessChannel 16. Retrieved from website: http://www.nwsccc.org/channel16.aspx

Sun Post. 2012. Print Subscription. Retrieved from website:http://post.mnsun.com/print-subscription/

US Department of Agriculture. 2012. Web Soil Survey. Retrieved from website:http://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app/HomePage.htm

US Environmental Protection Agency, 2003. After The Storm. Retrieved fromwebsite: http://water.epa.gov/action/weatherchannel/stormwater.cfm

Weiler, C. 2012. Personal interview. Informational meeting, Golden Valley, MN.

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Appendix A: Current Land Use in Golden Valley

Source: City of Golden Valley, (2012b). Current Land Use. Retrieved from: The Official Golden Valleywebsite.

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Appendix B: Water Features to Focus On

Source: City of Golden Valley (2012e). Water Features to Focus On. Retrieved from: Heather Hegi.

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Appendix C: Golden Valley Current Brochures

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Appendix D: Publication Assessment Questions

• Does the publication provide educational material(s)? Yes/No- If yes, was it explicit and clearly stated? - If no, how could it be improved?

• Does the publication clearly depict the problem? Yes/No• How do the publications describe the solution?

- Does the solution seem feasible? - Are there suggestions for how citizens can become involved?

• Are the aesthetics appealing to the reader? (Are there pictures? Is it colorful? Is itwordy?) Yes/No

- If no, what could be changed? • Does it provide additional resources for the public?

- What type of resources?• Are there clear examples of case studies?

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Appendix E: Volunteer Sites in the City of Golden Valley

Source: Volunteer Site Map (2012). Retrieved from Eric Eckman.

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Appendix F: Example of Golden Valley Storm Drains

Source: Tony Hawkins (2012). Located on the street adjacent to Medley Park in Golden Valley (top) and onRhode Island Ave and 10th Street (bottom).

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Appendix G: Example of Educational Signage

Source: Tony Hawkins (2012). Located at Basset Creek and in front of Golden Valley’s City Hall.

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Appendix H: List of Possible Future Grants

· Urban Waters Small Grants: http://www.epa.gov/urbanwaters/funding/ o General Information: program to fund research, studies, training, and

demonstration projects that will advance the restoration of urban waters byimproving water quality through activities that also support communityrevitalization and other local priorities such as public health, social andeconomic opportunities, general livability and environmental justice forresidents.

§ Examples of projects eligible for funding include:§ Education and training for water quality improvement or green

infrastructure jobs§ Public education about ways to reduce water pollution§ Local water quality monitoring programs§ Engaging diverse stakeholders to develop local watershed

plans§ Innovative projects that promote local water quality and

community revitalization goalso Level of Assistance: Typical award will be between $40,000 and $60,000o Application Deadline: January 23rd, 2012

M CWP Implementation Grants: http://www.pca.state.mn.us/water/cwp-319.html#rfp

" General Information: implementation projects will implement protection orrestoration activities, as best management practices, that are identified by acomprehensive assessment and planning process in the watershed or aroundthe water body of concern. Such assessment must consist of an MPCA-approved CWP or equivalent diagnostic study and implementation plan.Implementation projects are eligible for both grant and/or loan funding.

" Level of Assistance: Grant recipient must provide a 50% matchingcontribution (cash or in-kind services). $500,000 maximum grant fundingrequest.

" Application Deadline: December 30th, 2011M Section 319 Developmental, Education, and Applied Research (DER) Grants:

http://www.pca.state.mn.us/water/cwp-319.html#rfp " General Information: developmental, education or applied research projects

with statewide or regional applicability that demonstrate new or innovativetechnology, new best management practices, or develop educational programsrelated to reducing nonpoint source pollution. A research project must answera question related to the goal of reducing nonpoint source pollution. All DERproposals must address at least one specific Milestone (Action Step) in theMinnesota Nonpoint Source Management Program Plan.

" Level of Assistance: Maximum award amount of $300,000. Projects must befunded with at least 45% local cash or in-kind match.

" Application Deadline: May 13th, 2011

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M Environmental Education Regional Grants:http://www.epa.gov/education/grants/index.html

" General Information: program to increase public awareness and knowledgeabout environmental issues and provide the skills that participants in itsfunded projects need to make informed environmental decisions and takeresponsible actions toward the environment.

" Level of Assistance: the maximum award amount is $216,000. Availablefunding of approximately $2,160,000 for each of the ten EPA Regions. Costsharing requirement is 25% non-federal matching funds.

" Application Deadline: November 21st, 2012M Native Plant Conservation Initiative:

http://www.nfwf.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Charter_Programs_List& " General Information: program that funds multi-stakeholder projects that focus

on the conservation of native plants and pollinators under any of the following6 focal areas: conservation, education, restoration, research, sustainability,and data linkages. 2011 Areas of interest include:

# 1) projects on National Wildlife Refuges and projects on private orpublic lands that directly benefit the conservation of FWS trust species

# 2) projects on Bureau of Land Management lands # 3) projects on Forest Service lands, or for projects on non-Forest

Service lands that directly benefit the Forest Service mission." Level of Assistance: Approximately $450,000 available in 2011. Awards

typically between $15,000 and $75,000." Application Deadline: May 25th, 2012

M Five Star Restoration Matching Grants Program:http://www.nfwf.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Charter_Programs_List&T

" General Information: the Foundation awards matching grants under theirKeystone Initiatives (conservation of birds, fish, marine and coastal lands, andwildlife and habitat) to achieve measurable outcomes in the conservation offish, wildlife, plants and the habitats on which they depend.

" Level of Assistance: grant awards from $10,000 to $40,000. Projects with 1:1matching funding are more competitive.

" Application Deadline: February 15th, 2012 M Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) program:

http://www.epa.gov/care/index.htm " General Information: CARE is a unique community-based, community-

driven, multimedia demonstration program designed to help communitiesunderstand and reduce risks due to toxic pollutants and environmentalconcerns from all sources. The CARE grant program works with the eligibleentities to help their communities form collaborative partnerships, develop anunderstanding of the many local sources of risk from toxic pollutants andenvironmental concerns, set priorities, and identify and carry out projects toreduce risks through collaborative action at the local level.

" Level of Assistance: Level 1 (first time CARE grant recipients) grants willrange from $75,000 - $100,000

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" Application Deadline: March 22nd, 2011M Environmental Justice Small Grants Program:

http://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/grants/ej-smgrants.html " General Information: Program is designed to provide funding for projects that

address local environmental and public health issues within an affectedcommunity. It is a multi statute program designed to help communitiesunderstand and address their exposure to multiple environmental harms andrisks. Eligible activities include those designed to educate, empower andenable communities to understand the environmental and public health issuesand to identify ways to address these issues at the local level.

" Level of Assistance: Awards up to $25,000 each. $1 million availablenationally.

" Application Deadline: February 29th, 2012M Minnesota GreenCorps Intern:

http://www.pca.state.mn.us/index.php/topics/preventing-waste-and-pollution/sustainability/minnesota-greencorps/program-information.html

" General Information: Minnesota GreenCorps service positions are for 11months: beginning in September and concluding in August the following year.Full-time members must serve 1700 hours during this term, which equates toaround 40 hours a week, allowing for sick and vacation time. The membersare participating in the MN GreenCorps program in order to give back to theircommunities and gain valuable skills and experience in the environmentalfield. Host sites will often need to invest time in on-the-job training for themembers.

" Level of Assistance: an intern for 11 months." Application Deadline: Spring 2013

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Appendix I: Social Media Policy Modified for Golden Valley

Adapted from the Social Media Policy of Hopkins, MN(http://www.hopkinsmn.com/site/social-media.php), the Facebook Disclaimer of Edina, MN(http://www.facebook.com/edinamn/info), and the Social Media Use Policy of Bloomington,MN(http://www.ci.bloomington.mn.us/cityhall/dept/commserv/commun/social_media/sm_policy.htm).

The City of Golden Valley uses social media, such as Facebook, as a means to provide one-way communication with the public. However, the City of Golden Valley’s official websitewill remain as the primary and predominant Internet presence for pertinent City information.Although the City welcomes public comments for feedback, this Facebook page is not apublic forum.

The City reserves the right to remove forbidden comments that:• contain vulgar language or photographs• are personal attacks of any kind, either to City employees or members of the

public• are potentially offensive to any portion of the page’s viewership• are prejudiced or hurtful remarks made toward any person, organization, business,

or entity, including any ethnic, racial or religious group• include sales/promotion of goods or services, or links to any other websites• are off-topic• advocate illegal activity• promote services, products or political organizations• infringe on copyrights or trademarks

Please note that comments expressed on the city’s social networking sites do not reflect theopinions or positions of the City of Golden Valley, its employees or elected officials. The City of Golden Valley has made every effort to ensure the accuracy of the informationprovided on its Facebook page. However, several factors that are beyond the city's control(including unauthorized modification of electronic data, transmission errors, browserincompatibilities, or other aspects of electronic communication) can affect the quality of theinformation displayed on this site. For that reason, the city does not guarantee the accuracyof the information provided on its Facebook page and is not liable for reliance on thisinformation.

City of Golden Valley social media sites are subject to State of Minnesota public recordslaws. Any content maintained in a social media format that is related to city business,including a list of subscribers and postings, is a public record. The department maintainingthe site is responsible for responding completely and accurately to any public records requestfor social media. Content related to city business shall be maintained in an accessible formatso that it can be produced upon request. Wherever possible, such sites shall indicate that any

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articles and content posted or submitted for posting are subject to public disclosure. Usersshall be notified that public disclosure requests must be directed to the relevant departmentalpublic disclosure officer.

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Appendix J: List of Possible Survey Questions

What qualities do you associate with healthy stormwater ponds?• Clear water• Vegetation surrounding the ponds (bufferstrips)• Native species• Wildlife (insects, waterfowl, fish, amphibians)• All of the above

Using these qualities, how would you rate Golden Valley’s stormwater ponds?• Excellent• Good• Fair• Bad• I don’t know

How would you rate Golden Valley’s educational materials?• Excellent• Good• Fair• Bad• I don’t know

Do you feel that the educational materials are easy to access?• Excellent• Good• Fair• Bad• I don’t know

How would you rate the current stormwater management programs?• Excellent• Good• Fair• Bad• I don’t know

What media outlet do you utilize most often to get your stormwater management?• Official Golden Valley website• Other community website• Brochures• Television programming • Bimonthly newsletter • City meetings

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Which of the following activities would you be most willing to get involved with? Rankthese in order of most interest.

• An Adopt-a-Pond program• The existing storm drain stenciling program • Cleaning storm drains• Hosting a neighborhood meeting to educate residents on the importance of

stormwater management

What type of information would you like to know more about stormwater management?Check all that apply.

• What comprises stormwater?• Where does stormwater flow?• How does stormwater affect my community?• What is the city currently doing to manage stormwater?• How can I become involved within stormwater management?

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Appendix K: Adopt-a-Pond Program Volunteer Checklist

M Remove invasive species " By removing the invasive species, the volunteers are able to stop the spread of

exotic and unwanted vegetation across the state. M Plant native vegetation

" By restoring the native vegetation, the stormwater pond is able to support theanimals and organisms living in the surrounding area.

M Remove garbage from the ponds" Removing the litter from the ponds is important for the health of the pond and

aesthetics.M Monitor water quality

" To ensure that the pond is functioning as a healthy water body the volunteerscan monitor the clarity of the water as it is directly associated with its waterquality.

M Create riparian areas and buffer strips" Creating natural buffer strips along the edges of the stormwater ponds is

essential to reduce runoff, the infiltration of pollutants, and establish a naturalhabitat.

M Install barley straw" A city staff member would need to determine if barley straw is an appropriate

approach to managing the pond. By installing barley straw, it will minimizethe growth of blue-green algae.

M Install conservation signage " This signage can be utilized for educational purposes and to promote

additional participation in the Adopt-a-Pond program.

*See Reports #1/7 & #2/7 in the series for specific recommendations regarding vegetationand pond monitoring.

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