5.3. SR 05-08-2006
City of EII< River Item Number
REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION 5.3.
Agenda Section I Meeting Date Prepared by
\'X/orksession fvIay 8, 2006 Rebecca Hallg, En"viroll11lental..;;"\dllnn
Item Description Reviewed by
Lake Orono Beach Posting Policy
Introduction
III July, 2003, a policy \vas establislled and adopted for Lake Orono to close tile beach if fecal colifotl1l
COUllts exceeded 2,000. For tlle past couple of y'ears, tlle \vaste\vater Treatlnent Plant staff llas been
testing Lake Orollo for fecal colifarn.l. Samples \vere taken and if 011 any slllgle day tlle fecal colifarn.l
counts exceeded 1,000, sigtlage \vas posted at tlle beac1l stating "Caution - Ilnpaired \X1ater Quality-
Potelltial Healtll Risk if S\vallo\ved". Salnpling \vas tllen conducted e\iery day follo\ving tlle exceedal1ce
Ul1til tile a\Terage of tile three salnples taken at tlle Beacll fell belo\v 1,000 for t\vo consecutive days, at
\\TIucll titne tlle caution signs \vere relno\red. If tlle average of any single day's sampling exceeded a fecal
colifotlTI count of 2,000, Orono Beacll \vas closed and sigrls tllat read as fo11o\vs \vere posted: "Beach
Closed - I1TIpaired \X1ater Quality - Potel1tial Healtll Risk if S\vallo\ved". Tlle Beacll \vas to relllalll closed
alld daily teStlllg COl1ducted llntil fecal coliform counts for t\vo consecutive day's testing (tlle a\rerage of
tIle three tests taken at tIle Beacll) fell belo\v 2,000, at \vhicll time tile caution signs \vere posted at tlle
Beacll. \"XTllen tlle av"erage le\Tels at tlle Beacll return to 1,000 or less for t\VO consecutiv"e days, all sigt.lage
\vas rell10\red.
Discussion
The city received inforlnation froln tile League of IV1ll1nesota Cities Insurance Tlust regarding beacIl
closures. TIle inforn1.ation is based upon tile t..fulnesota Depart111.el1t of Healtll (t,fDH) guidelllles llsed
for recreational pU1poses. IvfDH guidelines require tlle beacll to be posted \vIlen tile fecal coliforlTI
CQUllts exceed 200. Staff is proposing to alnend tlle prev-ious policy and adopt tllls stal1dard. Three
salnples \vould be taken at Orono beacll on ~londay and \\1ednesday. Pre\riously, sal1lples \vere taken on
rvlonday al1d T1lillsday. Staff is proposing this cllange so if tlle tests 011 \"Y/ edl1esday are higIl, tlle city can
test again on Tlllltsday to deterlnine if tile caution signs need to be posted o\ier tlle \'leek-end. Tests \vill
also be COllducted tlle day before, \veek of and \veek after tile Sllerburne COllnt:y fair and allalyzed for
fecal colifarl1.l. During tlle Sllerburne County fair, sev.eral people calnp out al1d in tlle past tllere lla\re
beell COllcerns \vidl tile calnpers dUlnplllg tlleir se\vage into tile city's storl1.1. se\ver systelll \vhicll goes
directly to Lake Orono. By testing during tlllS \'leek, tile City \vill k110\V if tllls is actually l1appenll1g and
\vhen.
The results froln tlle tests \vould tilen be av"eraged. If tlle counts exceed 200, sigrlage \vill be posted at tIle
beacll stating "Caution - Ilnpaired \\later Quality - Potential Healtl1 Risk if S\vallo\ved". Salnpfu1g \vill be
conducted e\7ery day follo\vlllg tlle exceedal1ce until tlle a\Terage of tlle tluee salllples taken at tile beaell
fall belo\v 200 for t\vo cOl1secutiV"e days, at \vh1c11 tUne, tlle signs \"\Till be rel1loved. \\!llen tlle COllllts reach
200, additional tests \vill be conducted at tlle Higll\vay 10 bridge al1d \vllere tl1e Elk Ri\rer enters Lake
Orono to ascertain \'vIlat future \vater quality 11lay be and if tile lllgll fecal count originated at tile beac11.
Tllese tests shall cease \vllen tile a\rerage fecal coliforlTI levels fall belo\\! 200 at tile beacIl for t\vo
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consecuti've days. Signs stating "Beacll Closed - Ill1.paired \XTater Quality - Potential Healdl Risk if
S\vallo\ved" \vill not be posted.
\Xlhen it is deterlnined tllat tlle '.vater is unpaired, Park l\famtenance \vill place "caution" signs at Orono
Beaell and tlle publie access. TIle Elk Ri\rer Police Departrllent and Sllerburne County Public Healtll \vill
be notified as \veil as lnelnbers of tlle Lake Orono Ilnprovemel1t _Association \vl10 \vill contact lake
o\vners. TIle City.,. and tlle Lake Orono Ilnprovement .l~ssociation \vill post notices on tlleir \vebsites.
Staff \vill COl1tact tlle City Councillnelnbers and dle City -i'\chninistrator notifying tlleln of tlle \vater
quality conditions.
Financial Impact
TIle City Ilas $2,000 budgeted for 2006 to conduct \vater quality Inonitorulg tests, fish stocking, etc.
Attachments
· July 2003 Policy Regarding \\later Quality TeStlllg at Orono Beach
· rvfay 2006 Proposed Policy Regarding \X1ater Quality Testing at Orono Beach
Action Requested
Staff is requestitlg tlle City Council approv'e tile attacIled policy regarding \vater quality testing at Orono
Beacll.
Council Action
j\Io cion by
Second bv
\Tote
Follow Up
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Cit)T of Elk River Polic)T Regarding "Tater Quality Testing at Orono Beach
Stephell Rol11f 7/03/03
Testing Frequency
Three sa111ples s11all be tal(e1l at Or0110 BeacIl eacIl Tllursday a1ld M011day a11d a11alyzed
for fecal colifor111. TIle reslllts of tIle SaIllples s11all be averaged.
Standard for Posting Warning
If tIle average fecal colifo111l COllllt of tIle t1rree sall1ples takell at Or0110 BeacIl on any
sillgle day exceeds 1,000, sigIlage shall be posted at tIle beacIl stating "Calltion -
111lpaired Water Qllality - Potential Healtll Risk if S\vallovved". Salnplillg \vill be
condllcted every day follo\villg tIle exceedallce Ulltil tIle average of tIle t1u.ee sanlples
taken at tile Beacll fall belo,",v 1,000 for hvo cOllsecllti\re days, at \VIlicIl ti11le tIle calltioll
SigI1S s11all be relnoved.
Standard for Beach Closure
If tile average of allY single day's sal11pling exceeds a fecal colifonn COllllt of 2,000,
Orono Beacll slla11 be closed alld SigI1S t11at read as f01lovvs sIla1l be posted: "Beacl1
Closed - 1111paired Water Qllality - Potelltial HealtIl Risk if S\vallowed". TIle Beacll
sllall rell1aill closed alld daily testillg shall be COl1dllcted llnti1 fecal colifoIDl COllnts for
two cOllsecutive day's testillg (tIle average of tIle tIlree tests takell at tIle BeacIl) fall
belo\v 2,000, at \vhicIl tinle tIle calltion signs sIla1l be posted at tIle Beaell. Wllell the
average levels at tIle Beaell retuI11 to 1,000 or less for t\VO cOllseclltive days, all sigrlage
sllall be rellloved.
Additional Protocol
"VIlell every fecal colifonn COll1lts raise above 1,000 a daily sanlple sllall be taken at the
Higllway 10 Bridge and \Vl1ere the Elk River el1ters Lake Oro110 to ascertaill \Vl1at future
\vater qllality l11ay be alld if tIle higIl fecal COUllt origillated at tIle beacll. Tllese test sIlall
cease \VIle1l tIle average fecal colifol11l levels fall below 1,000 at tIle beacll for t\vo
consecutive days.
Notice lvhen Beach is Closed
);- Street departllle11t places SigI1S at Orollo Beaeh alld pllblic access.
)r Contact Elk River Police Departlnent
>- Lake Orol10 111lprovenlel1t Associatioll is 110tified alld they do a callillg tree to lake
o\vners (col1tact all 011 list alld leave l11essages, bllt keep callil1g lllltil at least Olle
is spokell to directly:
Jilll Snetsinger
Jml Taclleny
JOl111 Weicht
Vallce ZeI11'inger
Ed\vard Bllttvveiler
Patliclc or Cindy Plallt
241-3116
441-3961
441-4112
441-6536
441- 4203
441-6339
506-1020
\vork
The Pla11ts also post notice 011 the Lake \vebsite a11d city will post notice 011 its
\veb site.
>- COlltact Sllerbllll1e COllnty Healtll Departnlellt - (763) 241-2750.
>- 111foll11 COl111cil Menlbers alld City Ad111inistrator (lnessages ok).
City of Elk River Polic)! Regarding 'Vater Quality Testing at Orono Beach
Rebecca Hallg (5/8/06)
Testillg Frequency
Three salllples sIlall be talcell at Orono BeacIl eacIl MOllday alld Wedllesday as \vell as tIle
day before, \veelc of, alld \veek after tIle Sllerbu11le COllllty Fair alld analyzed for fecal
colifo111l. TIle reSlllts of tIle sal1lples sI1a11 be averaged.
Standard for Posting 'Varning
If tile average fecal calif 01111 COllllt of tIle tlrree sanlples taken at 01'0110 Beac11 on allY
sillg1e day exceeds 200, sigtlage shall be posted at the beacll statillg "Calltioll - 1111paired
Water Qllality - Potential Healtll Risk if S\vallo\ved". Sa1nplillg \vill be COl1ducted every
day follo\villg tIle exceedallce Ul1til the a\Terage of tIle tIlree sal11ples taken at tIle Beacll
fall belo\v 200 for t\VO c01lsecllti\re days, at \VIlich tillle tIle calltioll SigtlS sIlall be
renloved.
Additional Protocol
"Vllel1 ever fecal calif 01111 C01UltS raise abo\Te 200, a daily sal11ple 8Ilall be taken at tile
Higll\Vay 10 Bridge al1d \VIlere tIle Elk River ellters Lake 01'0110 to ascertail1 what future
\vater quality nlay be alld if tIle high fecal count origi11ated at tIle beacll. Tl1ese tests
sI1all cease \VIlell tile average fecal colifo1111 levels fall below 200 at tIle beacI1 for t\VO
cOllsecutive days.
Notice ,vhen Beael) is Posted
)r Parks departlnellt places signs at Orono Beacll a1ld public access.
~ Contact Elk River Police DepartIllent
-, Lalce 01"0110 1111provelneIlt Associatio11 is llotified a1ld they do a caIlillg tree to lake
o\vners (contact all OIl list alld leave 111essages, but keep callil1g lllltil at least Olle
is spolce11 to directly):
Jill1 Slletsillger
Jilll TacI1ellY
J 01Ul Weicllt
Val1ce Zellrillger
Ed\vard Blltt\veiler
Patrick or Cindy Plallt
241- 3116
441-3961
441-4112
441-6536
441- 4203
441-6339
Work 506-1020
Tile PlaJ.lts also post notice 011 the Lalce \vebsite alld city will post notice 011 its
\veb site.
>- COl1tact Sherbunle COUllty Pllblic Healtll Departnlent - (763) 241-2750.
);;- lilfonn COlIllCil Melnbers alld City Adnlillistrator (messages ok).