ForImmediateRelease
MediaContact:
JessicaBromelkamp,CapitolRegionWatershedDistrict
Tel:651‐644‐8888,Email:[email protected]
CRWDPostsNewVideo:
AFirstLookataCenturyOldStormSewerTunnel
SaintPaul,Minn.(March13,2017)–CapitolRegionWatershedDistricthaspostedanewfour‐minute
videoshowingthefirstglimpseofacentury‐old,six‐mileundergroundtunnelsystem,whichtravelsfrom
ComoLakeandLakeMcCarrons,andeventuallycarriesstormwatertotheMississippiRiver.
TroutBrookStormSewerSystem’sextensive mazeoftunnelscarrieswaterfromneighborhoods inSaint
Paul,Roseville,FalconHeights,andMaplewoodtotheMississippiRiver.CapitolRegionWatershedDistrict
owns,operatesandmaintainsthesystem,whichisabout100yearsold.Thecraftsmanshipofthelimestone
archtunnelsisoftenseenatlocalhistoricsites.Thetunnelsplayavitalroleinmovingrainwaterbelow
groundtokeepresidentssafe.
DatacollectedbytheNationalOceanicandAtmosphericAdministrationsupportthefactthatintensestorms
arehappeningmoreoften.In2016,theTroutBrooksystemcarriedalmost3.9billiongallonsofrainwater
and snow melt to the river. Systems like Trout Brook are important for public safety because they carry
runoffandhelpalleviatethepotentialforlocalizedflooding,justoneofthemanyimpactsofclimatechange
Minnesotansareexperiencing.
System maintenance is ongoing and a significant part of Capitol Region Watershed District’s work. The
Districtisintheprocessofrepairingtheoldestsectionofthesystembyreplacingmissingordamagedmortar
betweenthelimestoneblocks,installingaconcretelinerwheremoredefectsoccurandremovingcalcium
deposits.MaintaininginfrastructurelikeTroutBrookoftengoesunnoticedbythepublicbecausethetunnels
arehiddenbelowground.Thesehiddenresourcesaremovingwaterfromneighborhoods,viastormdrains
andtheTroutBrookStormSewerSystem,totheriver.
Waterflowingintostormdrainsisonlyascleanasthecommunityfromwhichitcomes.Onceinthetunnel,
thewaterisn’ttreatedinanyway.In2015,theDistrictpilotedaprogramwithHamlineUniversityandthe
CityofSaintPaulthatencouragesresidentstoadoptstormdrains(adopt‐a‐drain.org)tokeepcommunities,
lakes and rivers clean. Residents are asked to report how much material they collect during the year to
determinetheprogram’scollectiveimpact.TheprogramcontinuestobeanintegralpartoftheDistrict’s
workwithresidentstoday.
CapitolRegionWatershedDistrict’snewvideoincludesafirstlookattheTroutBrookStormSewerSystem’s
historictunnelsandhighlightsworkwithresidentstoprotectnearbylakesandtheMississippiRiver.Staff
receivespecializedtrainingandequipmenttoenterthetunnelsformaintenanceactivities.Thetunnelsare
notopentothepublicforsafetyreasons.https://vimeo.com/208134713
Our mission is to protect, manage and improve the water resources of Capitol Region Watershed District.
AboutCapitolRegionWatershedDistrict
Established in 1998, Capitol Region Watershed District covers 40 square miles and includes portions of
FalconHeights,Lauderdale,Maplewood,RosevilleandSaintPaul.TheDistrictisgovernedbyafive‐member
BoardofManagersthatworktoprotect,manageandimprovewaterresourcesincludingComoLake,Crosby
Lake,LoebLake,LakeMcCarronsandtheMississippiRiver.
Our mission is to protect, manage and improve the water resources of Capitol Region Watershed District.