I want to thank Pam Blixt, MCWD & State Senator Julie Sabo for working to protect Coldwater Springs. Coldwater Spring is the birthplace of Minnesota and sacred to Native Americans and should be protected for future generations. Kelton Barr, Preserve Camp Coldwater and Mendota Medwakaton Community also deserves a significant amount of credit for their tireless work on this issue.
Ken Bradley
Pam Blixt <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
NEW MINNEHAHA CREEK WATERSHED DISTRICT SCIENTIFIC DATA REPORT FINDS DIRECT LINK OF
30% DECREASE IN FLOW RATE TO CAMP COLDWATER SPRINGS FROM HIGHWAY 55/62 INTERCHANGE
SITE; NEWS CONFERENCE AT SPRINGS SLATED FOR TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 5 AT 1:30 P.M.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN., FEBRUARY 5, 2002 -- A new scientific data report from the Minnehaha
Creek Watershed District (MCWD) finds a direct 30-percent reduction in flow rate to
Camp Coldwater Springs from MnDOT�s construction of the Highway 55/62 Interchange.
A news conference at the springs is scheduled today at 1:30 p.m., featuring Senator
Julie Sabo (DFL, District 62) , the sponsor of the 2001 Camp Coldwater Springs bill
protecting the springs� history and flow, MCWD spokespersons and others. Sabo and
company will release the new report � and question whether MnDOT�s attempt to seek
relief at the legislature this year for the unanimously passed law last session and
signed by Governor Ventura would be prudent in light of the report�s new findings.
�Today, with new data over a two-year period of weekly monitoring from both the
highway department and the watershed district, the rate of groundwater flow at CCS
during December 2000-December 2001 has shown trends of decrease that correspond
directly to MnDOT groundwater pumping,� says Pam Blixt, President, MCWD Board of
Managers. �Between July and November 2001 -- during continuous pumping -- CCS flow
diminished by more than 30 percent, regardless of whether the MCWD's or MnDOT's own
flow data are used -- and regardless of changes in rainfall patterns. These are real
numbers that underscore the importance of the law passed last year � and an
indication that MnDOT can no longer play loose with data interpretation or potential
impacts to the spring.�
�The new report reaffirms that without a suitable drainage design for groundwater
flow from the Interchange site to CCS � a solution upheld in Minnesota District Court
last fall before MnDOT said it was terminating its project � MnDOT is forcing
legislators to choose between completing a highway project or protecting the
springs,� says Senator Sabo. �The truth is, in fact, that both can be done without
further waste of taxpayer dollars, impaired safety to motorists at the interchange,
or environmental degradation of what many consider to be the birthplace of
Minnesota.�
Many Native American groups also consider the site to be sacred, a belief reported by
Federal Highway Administration officials, Dan Ghere and Joe Krolak from Chicago and
Baltimore respectively, along with Stanley Graczyk of St. Paul, in a November 16
summary letter to MnDOT Commissioner Tinklenberg about the springs and the
controversy: �The [FHWA -- Federal Highway Administration of Minnesota] Division has
made commitments to the Tribal Governments that the FHWA would review the project to
ensure no adverse effect to Camp Coldwater Springs. The Division wishes to honor this
commitment irregardless (sic) of any engineering remedy accepted by other parties.�
ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND: 2001
� An original settlement agreement last summer established that MNDOT and MCWD would
work together to find a revised design for the highway 55/62 interchange that would
not impede flow to Camp Coldwater Springs. This agreement was created under the
guidance of Hennepin County District Judge Knoll last fall after MCWD litigated
against MnDOT over its design of the groundwater drainage system.
� Later, a jointly selected � court-ordered -- independent engineering firm, Shannon
& Wilson, found that MNDOT's current interchange design was indeed flawed. MnDOT
estimated that the design recommended by the independent engineering firm could cost
between $4 to $8 million. On August 27, MnDOT filed a legal request asking that it
be released from fulfilling an out-of-court settlement agreement negotiated earlier
this summer with the district.
� On September 18, MnDOT said it was terminating the project because the current law
presented an unobtainable standard and that it feared citizen�s lawsuits. Yet such a
suit brought last fall by the nonprofit advocacy group, Friends of Coldwater, was
dismissed by Judge Knoll in December as untimely and redundant, thereby mooting
MnDOTs� fears of citizen litigation.
� Concerns that the original Highway 55/62 design initially proposed by MnDOT would
harm the flow of the historic Camp Coldwater Springs were additionally confirmed by a
series of dye tests conducted last June and during recent tests at the site during
dewatering. The tests showed a connection between the flow of the springs and part of
the spring's recharge area to the southwest, which included the interchange area,
only a quarter mile away from the springs.
FOR A COMPLETE TIMELINE OF THE CONTROVERSY, SEE:
http://www.minnehahacreek.org/f-temp_coldwatertimeline.htm
The MCWD designs and builds projects to protect water resources including lake
restoration, wetland enhancement, erosion repair and flood control. The District also
coordinates cities, counties, park districts developers, and others within watershed
boundaries for compatible and efficient water resource management.
For more information, or to interview key sources, please contact Martin Keller at
612-220-6515 (cell), or 612-729-8585 (office), or online at [EMAIL PROTECTED]
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
Pam Blixt
Minnehaha Creek Watershed District Board
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
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