This project converted a section of Lambert Creek that was a former agriculture ditch, south of County Road F, into a meandering creek section. This helped restore floodplain and wetland function to the area, reducing local flooding and downstream sedimentation.
Highlights include:
- The completed meander is 2,020 ft.
- Construction took place during the winter while wetland soils were frozen to minimize potential impact.
- Native plants were added along the completed meander to restore vegetation in the area.
- The effort was implemented together with two other projects, the Lambert Lake Pond and the Whitaker Pond Biochar Filter.
The project was funded through both grant and loan funding. Grant funds were through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 319 funds administered by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) with a match from VLAWMO. Loan funding was provided through a 0% interest loan from the Clean Water Partnership loan program, funded through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF).
Throughout the United States, a trend of channeling and ditching natural waterways has had an unintended but unfortunate consequence on water resources and built infrastructure. While straight channels are effective at transporting water quickly, they sacrifice the storage space and natural sediment dispersal that floodplains offer.
Decades of ditching and draining along Lambert Creek have altered the natural hydrology of the area, causing stronger stormwater surges, more sediment build-up, and erosion due to the increased runoff volume generated by development. The Lambert Lake area is a former shallow lake that was drained and ditched in the 1940s. This history creates new opportunities to re-establish water storage and floodplain function.
The project created floodplain in the segment of Lambert Creek just south of Lambert Pond/County Road F. The meander greatly slows down stormwater runoff, increases access to the surrounding wetland and floodplain, reduces erosion, removes excess bacteria, and improves vegetation and wildlife habitat.
