Minimal Impact Design Standards

MPCA staff - Anne Gelbmann, Bruce Wilson and Mike Findorff P.E.

Stormwater Standards and Credits to Protect Water Quality

Minimal Impact Design Standards

SF 1892 HF 2133
Storm water discharges management standards and appropriation

New State Legislation 2009

(c) The agency shall develop performance standards, design standards, or other tools to enable and promote the implementation of low-impact development and other stormwater management techniques. For the purposes of this section, "low-impact development" means an approach to storm water management that mimics a site's natural hydrology as the landscape is developed. Using the low-impact development approach, storm water is managed on-site and the

rate and volume of predevelopment storm water reaching receiving waters is

unchanged. The calculation of predevelopment hydrology is based on native soil and vegetation.
Minnesota Statutes 2009, section 115.03, subdivision 5c

What is MIDS?
An attempt to bring Low Impact Development (LID) to the forefront An effort to standardize benefits of water quality practices A tool that can be used to help meet water quality regulations A voluntary program

Typical pre-development conditions:

Natural Watershed

40% 10%

50%

Typical post-development conditions

Urban Watershed
30%

55%

15%

Stormwater Management
Infiltration Conveyance

Filtration

Storage

Past practiceshave been ineffective at protecting water quality in receiving waters and only partially effective in meeting flood control requirements

Stormwater control measures that harvest, infiltrate, and evaportranspirate stormwater are critical to reducing the volume and pollutant loading of small storms

How do you make this

300-600 ppb TP

function like this?

20-50 ppb TP

Low Impact Development

(and redevelopment/retrofits)

Conserve Natural Areas and maintain natural drainage patterns

Minimize development impacts

Keep soils healthy Treat stormwater at the source

Engineered

MIDS Workgroup

Mimimal Impact Design Standards (MIDS) Project

Performance Goals: for new development and
redevelopment

Calculator: standard method of design and credits

for a wide range of practices

MIDS Ordinance Package:

Project

St. Croix MIDS

Grass/Vegetated Swales

Filter Strips

Bioretention

Rain Garden

Permeable Pavement

Other Considerations
Integrate MIDS process with State Stormwater Manual Update

Any Questions?