2018 Goals and Initiatives

1. Continue infrastructure, conveyance systems, and dam inspections, operations, reporting, and maintenance programs, including completing the high priority maintenance items.
2. Partner with the City of North St. Paul to upgrade the Silver Lake Bioretention Basin and with the City of Maplewood to complete other improvements for stormwater flow into Silver Lake from the north, utilizing the funds received through the Clean Water Fund grant. 
3. Continue our permit program.
4. Evaluate flood protection methods to help Sunnybrook Lake neighborhood property owners.
5. Continue watershed modeling, which will provide the ability to simulate potential development projects water flow to aid our permit program, identify vulnerabilities to existing structures, and understand potential modifications to the operation plans of lake outlets. 
6. Continue working with communities who are developing stormwater management plans, comprehensive plans, floodplain ordinances, and other plans to ensure water resource issues are considered.
7. Continue our Best Management Practices (BMP) Cost Share Grant Program.
8. Work with lake associations to support their aquatic invasive species management programs. 
9. Continue basin and stream water quality monitoring and reporting programs, including the continuous monitoring stations at Kelle’s Creek, Valley Creek, and the outlet of Rest Area Pond.
10. Continue current and explore new education activities, including sponsoring EMWREP, funding the Stillwater Area High School students’ macroinvertebrate monitoring of Valley Creek, and providing and/or funding opportunities for the VBWD Citizen Advisory Committee members and Managers.
11. Complete the Kelle's Creek Septic System Assessment through the Clean Water Fund grant, and continue funding septic system upgrades to Kelle's Creek watershed homeowners to reduce the bacteria and phosphorus reaching the impaired Kelle’s Creek and the impaired St. Croix River.
12. Update the VBWD website, develop our presence on other social media platforms (e.g., Facebook and Twitter), and increase our effort to publicize and promote our activities and our partners’ activities.    
13. Sell credits and continue reporting and maintenance requirements for the Wildflower Shores wetland bank.
14. Continue basin and groundwater level monitoring and reporting programs.
15. Plan to hold a watershed tour in the spring for the Managers.
16. Celebrate the VBWD’s 50^th year anniversary.
17. Update our Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit.
18. Stay abreast of grant opportunities, identify applicable grants for VBWD programs and projects, and pursue grants when appropriate.
19. Continue to promote communication and collaboration with our residents, communities, and pertinent governmental units to achieve our Vision, including meeting with communities to review our efforts and asking how to best collaborate in the future.