Community Resiliency: Plan Now To Protect The Future

Shifting Weather Patterns

Following the 2024 wettest spring on record in the state, flood risks have become a pressing concern for Minnesotans. Whether dealing with damage firsthand, volunteering in clean-up, or feeling the impact in another way, many realize that future planning for intensifying weather patterns is crucial. These changes, including more severe temperature swings, draught, and extreme rainfall, pose real risks to health, safety, and essential infrastructure.

MN MPCA Role

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is stepping up to support local climate planning efforts, offering targeted stormwater, wastewater, and community resilience grants. These grants empower communities to reduce flood risks, strengthen wastewater systems, and adapt local services, regulations, and spaces to withstand changing climate challenges.

Solutions From Grants to Groundbreaking

ISG supports communities in securing grants like those from the MPCA, helping them prepare for a resilient future. Our services encompass the entire process—from grant writing and feasibility studies to identifying funding sources and overseeing construction. This comprehensive support allows communities to move beyond planning and implement projects that address their specific needs.

For instance, we worked with the City of Saint Peter, Minnesota to help obtain a MPCA climate resiliency grant for developing a stormwater resiliency plan aimed at tackling nitrate contamination in drinking water caused by sandy soils that allowed the infiltration of nutrients into the water supply. Through modeling and analysis and collaboration with stakeholders, ISG developed a plan specifically tailored to Saint Peter with elements prioritized based on the unique community factors. This tailored approach reflects our commitment to addressing each community’s unique priorities with customized solutions.

Flood Mitigation in Watonwan County

After persistent flooding issues in the City of Madelia, Minnesota and ambiguity regarding responsibilities for mitigation, ISG partnered with Watonwan County to initiate climate resiliency planning and address these challenges. Completing the MPCA grant application, ISG outlined the opportunity to identify and address the root causes of recurring flood events.

Working closely with both the City of Madelia and the Watonwan County Engineer as a result of obtaining the MPCA grant, ISG is conducting a detailed analysis of stormwater flow patterns across varying rainfall intensities. This analysis includes hydrologic and hydraulic modeling to simulate stormwater flow under multiple conditions, allowing us to assess the anticipated flood risk and identify interventions for high-priority areas. By addressing these underlying flood causes, ISG is providing a data-driven plan that will guide both immediate and long-term mitigation efforts in Madelia.

Climate Resiliency Plan Development in Eagle Lake

Starting with the development of stormwater models over six years ago for a drainage study, ISG has built a strong, collaborative relationship with the City of Eagle Lake, Minnesota. This partnership has since grown to include managing the Eagle Lake’s stormwater program and, most recently, assisting in securing a 2024 MPCA grant to develop a climate resiliency plan. The plan, supported by ISG, aims to address urban climate challenges through actions like diversifying tree and plant species for greater resilience, providing essential shade, identifying flood-prone areas, and implementing other risk mitigation strategies.

In addition to enhancing climate resilience, the planning process includes engaging Eagle Lake residents through a community survey that invites them to share their priorities. This approach ensures that the plan reflects local values and needs. ISG project leader Claire Roth explains, “Facilitating this survey allows us to help the city understand what community members value most, so they can make informed decisions that truly serve the people they represent.”

Through thoughtful collaboration and technical expertise, ISG is helping Minnesota communities like Eagle Lake and Madelia anticipate and adapt to the challenges of a changing climate. By identifying critical local needs, securing targeted funding, and developing customized resiliency plans, ISG enables cities and counties to better protect their infrastructure and community well-being. For communities seeking proactive solutions that integrate planning, funding, and implementation, these partnerships illustrate how a comprehensive approach to climate resiliency can address today’s pressing challenges while building a safer, more resilient future.