Residential Yard Nutrient Management and Water Use
By: Kate Carnahan, Cole Montgomery, Ben Newcomb, Megan Walkenhorst, and Tyler Wrich
An ESPM 4041W project in partnership with the City of West St. Paul
Project SiteThe City of West St. Paul occupies an area of 4.91 square miles and has a current population of 19,779. Most of the City is residential, with 56% of residents being homeowners themselves. There is an industrial corridor surrounding Roberts Street, which cuts down the heart of West Saint Paul. The rest of the land in the City is dedicated to their parks system, which contains 12 city parks along with a nature center in the southwest area and one county park.
The main focus in consideration to this project is how individual yards contribute to water quality in the cities waterbodies. The City has one lake, Thompson Lake, as well as many other ponds. Many of these waterbodies have issues with eutrophication and duckweed that the City has taken upon itself to address. |
Objectives
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Methods
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1. Provide lawn care resources on the city website
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The purpose of these recommendations is to connect with the citizens of the City of West St. Paul through education and outreach. This topic covers the first two recommendations, where website information and events would assist residents in improving management practices. The controller and audit program, as well as alternative lawn policies, will ensure maximum water conservation in irrigation and provide the methodology for how alternative lawns can be exercised in the city. All of these combined will assist the City in its path to a sustainable future and allow for the clean up of its waterbodies and its role in the entire Lower Mississippi River Watershed. For full description of the recommendations or any other sections see full report below.
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