Rush Creek restoration discussed

By MaryHelen Swanson

If people in Rush City enjoy the sight of kids riding their bikes home from fishing with a stringer of panfish over their shoulders, they should take heed to proposals from the Department of Natural Resources for restoration of Rush Creek.

At the Rush City council meeting Monday night, Jan. 12, DNR representatives Jason Moeckel, Roger Hugill and area hydrologist Mike Mueller, presented some options for creating ponds to replace the small ìlakeî that had been formed by the Rush Creek dam behind the First Lutheran Church.

The dam failed last spring requiring remedial action to save the hillside on the south bank. The dredging needed to do this work caused the water upstream to recede.

The options also include restoring the creek, which is fairly straight now that the water has receded, to a more meandering stream, similar to the original stream before the DNR placed the dam there sometime in the 1950s.
A couple months ago, many people gathered at the Community Center to discuss the loss of the the body of water that occurred once the dam failed.

They learned that the DNR will be removing the dam as it feels it is no longer needed, especially for the purpose of restricting fish access, but more importantly, they say, because the dam is dangerous. Monday, Moeckel called the damís condition ìterminalî saying there was no reason to put it back.

After learning that many of the homeowners along the creek and waterway wanted something of a water area to remain, the DNR prepared some options.

The principle goal is to stabilize the stream channel to mimic the natural channel, said Moeckel.

In doing so, a floodplain would be established for long-term stability. Still, the DNR would aim at leaving a maximum amount of open water area.
Some options, which could necessitate city involvement, might include a public trail, a kidís fishing pond or a fishing pier. The designated fishing pond would be about 6-feet deep and could be stocked with panfish, according to Hugill, each season. That would address winter kill in the shallow water.

Improvements to stormwater treatment for better water quality could be made with the project also.

Prior to the dam failure there was a body of water about 8.3 acres in size. A 2003 aerial photo shows that after the dam failure, only a stream remains.

Three design concepts have been prepared, generally creating several ponds and a stream channel with a combined water area of about 5 acres.
The DNR is looking at a stream that could be anywhere from 10 feet to 20 feet wide, alongside the stream would be a wetland buffer. Pictures of other stream restoration projects were shown, showing a natural-looking state with vegetation and wildflowers. Moeckel said restoration costs could top out at $200,000, but that would not include the extras such as the fishing pier.

Many items would need to be addressed by the DNR before the project started including easement evaluation, a topographic survey, sediment and soil analysis. The city would need to get community agreement on proceeding with such a project, he noted.

There would have to be benefits to all the people in the city, said Mayor Mike Skalsky, if city funds were used to enhance the project.

To address Skalskyís concern about wildlife, Moeckel said the city could probably expect everything that was there before, with potential for sturgeon, walleye and northerns to come back up the stream in spring.
Rep. Peter Nelson, on hand for the presentation, said he has put a placeholder of $200,000 in the 2004 Legislative bonding package for the project. But he said the city would have to act fast to plan the project so the details could be presented. Nelson said it would give the area legislators leverage to fight for the money.

Sen. Sean Nienow, also present at the Monday meeting, agreed with Nelson, saying there will be more projects in the bonding bill than there will be money for.

Nelson said he sees this as an opportunity for Eagle Scout projects and community supported projects, without the use of tax dollars.
The council adopted a resolution agreeing to move forward with a project. There appeared to be a consensus that some sort of fishing opportunity be created as that was one of the biggest losses when the dam failed last year.

It is expected that easement evaluation will be one of the more difficult issues in connection with the project.

In other business, the council:

ï Learned that the city is in compliance with the Local Government Pay Equity Act.

ï Made 2004 official designations and appointments as follows: acting mayor: Mick Louzek; airport manager: Howard Hanson; airport board members (3-year term): Howard Hanson, Mark Nelson, Jerry Robbins, Clarence McDonald and Don Swanson; Fairview Lakes Regional Medical Center Board: Mike Carroll; planning commission: Bill Schneider and Roger Allen; economic development commission: Clare Lillis, Jim Bohaty, Ken Zupon, Daniel P. Hoffman and Helen Leier (indefinitely); official paper: Post Review; official law firm: Jennings, DeWan, Miller & Anderson; primary depository: First State Bank of Rush City and secondary depositories: 4M Fund, Smith-Barney and Prudential Securities.

ï Approved council committees: police and fire: Janssen and Skalsky; library: Janssen; department of corrections, community relations: Janssen and Schneider; personnel: Skalsky, Bengtson; airport: Skalsky; cable TV, recreation, Community Education: Louzek; planning, zoning, ordinances: Schneider; and streets, streetlights, water and sewer, city buildings: Schneider.

ï Set a public hearing on behalf of the county for library bonding at 6:45 p.m., Feb. 9.

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