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Resource Restoration & Resiliency Program

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Resource Restoration & Resiliency Program

The Resource Restoration & Resiliency Program (RR&R) encourages District partners to work collaboratively on shared resource management issues. The District offers direct assistance for local water resource capital improvement projects, non-routine maintenance, and other resource restoration and resiliency projects.

The interconnected nature of water means that when local community leaders work together, the whole watershed benefits. The District knows that by combining direct District action to achieve, with large scale partner projects, it can reach its watershed resources goals.

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How to Support the Program

To support the long-term success of stormwater systems, funding is available to support partner capacity to undertake watershed management maintenance activities. SWWD offers its RR&R grant program for activities such as:

  • Making progress toward achieving SWWD’s water resource management goals including, but not limited to, nutrient, sediment, and volume reduction 
  • Mitigating and reducing the risk of flood damage in critical locations across the watershed 
  • Facilitating District partners to explore water quality improvements, flood control, and climate resilience opportunities that can be incorporated into long-term capital improvement plans, and routine infrastructure operation and maintenance projects. 
  • Fostering stormwater management innovation and demonstration of new ideas 
  • Reducing chloride use throughout the watershed while improving de-icing and anti-icing operational efficiency and public safety 
  • Enhancing partners’ actions to increase climate resiliency of the watershed’s natural resources and stormwater management infrastructure 
  • Improving the capacity of SWWD’s partners to maintain existing stormwater infrastructure, natural areas, and native vegetation within their respective jurisdictions
  • Defraying local costs to address these watershed-wide interests

Program specifics

Each year, the SWWD Board of Managers establishes a budget for this program, primarily through ad valorem levy funds. Project applications can vary widely from year to year and can change in scope, cost, geographic location, or water resource benefits. In general, funding requests should not exceed $250,000 per project, or 50% of the total cost of the project, whichever is lower. However, the Board may consider applications that exceed the limit for larger capital improvement projects. Applicants are encouraged to utilize other funding sources, such as regional, state, or federal grants, to supplement (but not replace) RR&R program funding. 

Program guidelines and application instructions are updated annually and will be posted on the website.

Past RR&R Projects

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Public Works Reuse Irrigation System | Cottage Grove

The City of Cottage Grove applied for RR&R funds to implement water reuse irrigation at the River Oaks Golf Course, a publicly owned course in Cottage Grove. Stormwater reuse is a common and safe way to significantly reduce water use for irrigation. Once installed, the system captured roughly 8lbs of phosphorus a year, reduced total suspended solids by 1,423lbs a year, and decreased runoff volume by a quarter acre a year. The city received $206,376 in RR&R funds for this project.

A large truck driving down a suburban road dispensing brine solution in stripes

Public Works Brine Production Facility for Chloride Reduction | Oakdale

The City of Oakdale applied for additional funds to produce their own brine, a diluted form of chloride that reduces overall use. By creating their own brine, City of Oakdale applicators were able to reduce salt use by approximately 40%. The city received $74,000 in District RR&R funds to add brine production to their city public works facility.

Bailey Lake Lift Station Resiliency Upgrades | Woodbury

The Bailey Lake Lift Station is a part of a larger regional flood reduction and resiliency effort led by the SWWD. The lift station is a part of widespread public safety infrastructure. The City of Woodbury applied for RR&R funds to support equipment replacement as a part of maintenance and safety. The city received $550,000 in RR&R funds for this project.

Kyle Axtell

Staff Contact

Questions? Reach out to Kyle Axtell, Planning & Projects Program Manager, at Kyle.Axtell@swwdmn.gov or call 651.728.6124.

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