4.7. SR 04-20-1998ITEM 4.7.
Howard R, Green Company
CONSULTING ENGINEERS
April 17, 1998
File: 230369M-0030
CONSULTING
Formerly MSA
Consulting Engineers
Honorable Mayor and City Council
City of Elk River
13065 Orono Parkway
P.O. Box 490
Elk River, MN 55330-0490
RE: GUARDIAN ANGELS ORONO LAKE DEVELOPMENT
Dear Council Members:
Attached is a feasibility study for the Guardian Angels Orono Lake Development. This
feasibility study was authorized by the City Council on March 16, 1998, based on a petition from
Guardian Angels of Elk River. The feasibility study discusses the sanitary sewer and water
improvements necessary internal to the Guardian Angels development, along with a watermain
loop to the east necessary for fire flow protection. Along with this watermain loop, there is a
small piece of sanitary sewer proposed to serve the Elk Motel and the Keyser property. The
final component of this feasibility study is a bituminous pathway from the Guardian Angels
development to the Elk Bowl driveway. This was a recommendation of the Park and Recreation
Committee.
The total estimated cost of the proposed improvements is $207,300. Approximately $158,100
can be assessed to the benefited properties, with the remaining $49,200 being proposed to be
funded by park funds and municipal utility funds for the bituminous trail and watermain looping.
Attached to this letter is a resolution for the City Council's consideration, which receives the
feasibility study and orders the public hearing to be held on May 18, 1998.
If you have any questions regarding this project, I will be in attendance at your April 20, 1998,
City Council meeting.
Sincerely,
Howard R. Green Company
TJM:tw
Attachment
O: \PROJ'L?,30369M\359- ! ?06. apr. doc
1326 Energy Park Drive · St. Paul, MN 55108 · 612/644-4389 fax 612/644-9446 toll free 888/368-4389
RESOLUTION 98-
A RESOLUTION FOR THE CITY OF ELK RIVER
A RESOLUTION RECEIVING THE FEASIBILITY REPORT
AND ORDERING A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE
IMPROVEMENT IN THE MATTER OF THE ORONO LAKE DEVELOPMENT
IMPROVEMENT OF 1998
WHEREAS
WHEREAS
the Feasibility Report ordered by the Council in Resolution 09-22 has been
prepared with reference to the Orono Lake Development improvement and was
received by the City on April 20, 1998; and
the Feasibility Report recommends that the proposed improvement is feasible;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Elk River, Minnesota:
The City Council will consider the Orono Lake Development improvement as described
in the Feasibility Report and the assessment of the property abutting this proposed
improvement for all or a portion of the cost of the improvement pursuant to Minnesota
Statutes, Section 429 at an estimated total cost for the improvement of $207,300.
A public hearing shall be held before the City Council on the proposed improvement on
the 18th day of May, 1998, at 7:00 o'clock p.m. at Elk River City Hall.
The City Administrator shall provide ten days mailed notice and two weeks published
notice on the hearing as required by law.
Passed and adopted this 20th day of April, 1998.
ATTEST:
Henry A. Duitsman, Mayor
Sandra Thackeray, City Clerk
O: \PRO J\230369M\359-1706. apr. doc
of
iver TO:
FROM:
Memorandum
MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
STEPHEN ROHLF, BUILDING AND
ZONING ADMINISTRATOR
DATE:
APRIL 20, 1998
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON ELK RIVER LANDFILL
Five year remedial action plan.
The City of Elk River may be the only city in the state that licenses a landfill. The
city's reason for doing so is to ensure clean up of contamination on the landfill
property, prior to it migrating off site.
The cells at the landfill now are line and contain leak detectors. The original cell
from 1972 was not lined and has associated contamination.
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are the main contamination issue. With
landfills, heavy metals are generally not as much of an issue.
This is the second year of a five year plan to see if final cover and active gas venting
works as a remedial action for VOCs. This plan of action has been agreed to by the
Elk River Landfill, Sherbume County, MPCA, and the City of Elk River.
Ground water data will be monitored in 1997, 1998, 1999 to see what effects final
cover and active gas venting has on reducing the levels of VOCs. If by 1999 the
data collected shows stable or decreasing VOCs in the ground water, the landfill
will be given two more year to prove that this is an effective clean up measure. If
improvement is not shown by 1999, the landfill will need to begin a feasibility
study on additional remedial measures. The next clean up step could possibly be
a pump and treat.
· The landfill gas to electricity project will be proceeding, but the MN Pollution
Control Agency (MPCA) air emission permit still need~ to be resolved.
Hot hit (contamination) in monitoring well P 17 C, west side of landfill property.
Apparently, this well is contaminated with leachate not landfill gas. The landfill did
five borings down gradient to determine the extent and direction of flow for the
contamination. The contamination was not detected in the borings. Additional
monitoring wells will be added in 1998 in the projected direction of flow of this
contamination and deeper borings will be done to determine if it is migrating
13065 Orono Parkway · P.O. Box 490 · Elk River, MN 55330 · TDD & Phone: (612) 441-7420 ° Fax: (612) 441-7425
downward instead of laterally. It may be that this is one slug of contamination
moving through.
Ground water monitoring in bedrock.
The landfill feels confident by additional testing they have done that low levels of
VOCs found in the bedrock at their site is not a contamination issue. Since this issue
involves the aquifer that serves thousands of people, staff does not feel comfortable
accepting the landfill's findings on face value. The landfill has agreed to continue
ground water monitoring in the bedrock.
Ground water monitoring northeast side of landfill.
Wells 32 and 33 on the north side of the landfill are showing VOC contamination that
may be due to landfill gas. The proposed demolition cell should help resolve this
issue, if it is gas. If the proposed demolition cell is not approved, additional gas
extraction wells will be installed to see if the contamination dissipates.
Potential contamination in Rice Lake drainage.
Very low levels of VOCs have been detected in Rice Lake, which is the swamp to the
west of the landfill. Rice Lake drains to Tibbits Brook, which in turn empties into the
Elk River and Lake Orono. There is no reason for alarm at this point. The type and
levels of VOCs found could possibly be naturally occurring. Staff and the landfill
will be further researching this issue.
Lysimeter check.
Liquid and VOC contamination has been detected in the secondary containment for
the landfill's leachate collection tank. The landfill believes it is caused by landfill gas
and moisture contained in the clay used for the secondary containment. Additional
work will be done to verify this theory. The landfill is trying to convince MPCA to
use volume to determine if there is a leak in the leachate collection system (e.g. 1,000
gallons put in the tank, a 1,000 gallons remain, no leak). Staff agrees with this
approach.
Testing at Old City Dump.
The results of testing at the Old City Dump are consistent with past years. No trend
up or down can be determined. These results are still below action limits where clean
up is required and logical, however, staff is recommending we continue test to be
safe.