DigElogROCORI

2007 Rock-Fest Granite Berm Tour

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In another look at one of the tours offered during Rock-Fest we had a chance to go along and look at a granite berm. This is where all the drilling and exploding in the granite quarry takes place. This is one of the many sites that the Cold Spring Granite Company mines their granite from. The tour guide talks about the force it takes to remove the huge chunks of granite and what happens after they get the pieces  of granite they want.

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Mark it on your calendars now, 2008 Rock-Fest will be held on July 11th and 12th.  Click on the link below to follow any Rock-Fest news

DigElinkROCORI: Rock-Fest

Richmond Wastewater Part IV Disinfecting

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In this final segment of the 4-part new Richmond Wastewater Treatment Plant, we take a look at two cutting edge approaches to water treatment.  In the past water needed to be chlorinated before it would be allowed to enter the Sauk River.  To do this required an expensive combination of chemical processes that required the use of potentially dangerous chemicals.  The new system uses ultraviolet tubes that disinfect the water as it passes by the lighted bulbs. 

Another new approach in the treatment process incorporates the use of "reed beds" to deal with the heavy sludge that collects on the very bottom of the clarifiers.  This sludge is now run through a tank called a digester and the final sludge liquid is spread across a bed of living reeds.  These reeds end up feeding off the organics in the sludge and heavy metals remain in the bed.  The beds will need to be cleaned once every 10 years.  The residue that accumulates in the reed beds can be disposed of at any standard waste disposal landfill.

SEE PREVIOUS NEW TREATMENT PLANT STORIES

•   Richmond Wastewater Part III Clarifier
•   Richmond Wastewater Treatment Part II (the ditches)
•   Richmond Wastewater Part I... Grit Removal

 

Richmond Wastewater Part III Clarifier

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The third step in the Wastewater Treatment Process at the new Richmond Wastewater Treatment Plant is the round dome covered tanks called the "clarifiers".  Here the clear water separates from the "sludge bugs" and the heavy sludge.  It's also here that alum has been added to remove the phosphorus from the waste water.  The new plant has two clarifiers and at present discharge volumes only one of the clarifiers is need to handle the flow through the plant.

SEE PREVIOUS NEW TREATMENT PLANT STORIES

•   Richmond Wastewater Treatment Part II (the ditches)
•   Richmond Wastewater Part I... Grit Removal

Richmond Wastewater Treatment Part II (the ditches)

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In Part II of our tour of the new Richmond Waste Water Treatment Plant we'll get a chance to see a complex series above ground and below ground ditches that are used to remove organics from the waste water.  Paddle wheels force air into the water maintaining an exact level of oxygen to maximize the work of the microbial "BUGS" in the water to remove organic material.  In the near future the below ground ditches will also be used to remove phosphorus from the waste water.

Richmond Treatment Plant PART I (Grit Removal)

Richmond Wastewater Part I... Grit Removal

PART I     Grit Removal From Raw Sewage


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The Richmond Wastewater Treatment Plant has been a featured topic here at DigElogROCORI for the past 18 months.  We were invited on an exclusive media tour this past week and have created a four part story on the new plant.  In this series you'll walk with  plant operator Greg Stang and his boss Dan Wroge throughout the plant beginning where the raw sewage enters the plant and ending where the purified water flow into the river cleaner than the river itself.

In Part I you'll see where the raw sewage enters the plant and how the new plant process begins separating and removing the solid material from the liquids immediately.  In the past, solids were allowed to enter the plant and would fill up the ditches and clarifying system eventually reducing it's over all capacity by partially filling the entire system with solids commonly referred to as grit. 

Stay tuned tomorrow for Part II of this story where we'll explore the plant's ditch system and the "BUGS" do their work on the liquid sewage.  Learn how by controlling the flow of the wastewater in both "without oxygen" and "with oxygen" can remove phosphorus and other organics from the waste water.

CAUTION!  If the sight of RAW SEWAGE is not to your liking... be warned this video is very graphic and includes explicit shots of the entire treatment process.

Previous Stories:

June 2006 Wastewater Project Update

April 2006 Wastewater Project Update

November 2005 Richmond/Cold Spring Shared Police Agreement

October 2005 Meet Dan Coughlin, New Richmond City Administrator   

Rain Garden Planting @ LIONS PARK

          
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  This is a follow up to a story done last week called Rain Gardens @ Lions Park.  Here you'll see first had the process involved in planting thousands of wild flowers and grasses into a Rain Garden to provide both the appearance and filtering properties desired.  Lois Lieser, representing the City of Cold Spring, along with Greg Berg, with the Soil & Water Conservation District, describe the entire process of preparing for and working with volunteers to facilitate the planting.

This story includes many great shots of people from around the community who helped to plant the Rain Gardens over a two day period.  40-50 persons took part in the planting and did a fantastic job in the 80 degree plus scorching temperatures.  There were smiles on everyone's faces and the word fun could be heard floating through the group throughout the day.

Rain Gardens @ Lions Park

Quicktime video 

The brand new Lions Park on the Sauk River in Cold Spring will soon feature something called Rain Gardens.  In this story, Greg Berg, a shoreland specialist with the Stearns County Soil and Water Conservation District talks about the construction of the Rain Gardens and their purpose in helping to prevent soil and nutrients from washing into the watershed.  Erosion is a serious problem in area lakes and streams.

This week included excavation and soil prep for the three rain garden sites.  Next week Thursday and Friday, local volunteers will assist in planting in each of the gardens a combination of native plants and water filtering vegetation.

If you would like to volunteer and help with next weeks planting:
Call Lois at the Cold Spring City Hall
320-685-3653.

 

Tapping Maple Trees - TROUPE 124

<<< Click photo for PART I QT Movie (BEST m4v) of a III Part Series.

This past week the Cold Spring Brownie Troupe 124 took a field trip to St. John's University to experience the process of making Maple Syrup.  The girls did everything from:
* Tree Identification
* Drilling & Tapping
* Sap Collection
* Sugar Content Analysis
* Sap Evaporation

The girls have a great time out in the woods with their tour guide Sarah.  Grab a cup of coffee and a girl scout cookie as you sit down to enjoy this lovely group of 3 - 5 minute videos.

Part I  Tapping the Maple Tree (QT)
Part I FLASH Version

Part II Sap Collection (mp4)
Part II (FLASH)

Part III Making Maple Syrup (QT)
Part III (FLASH)

Jim Egan talks about Sauk River Cleanup

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FLASH (For PC Users) May take 5-15 min. to load

In this story, Jim Egan represents the Sauk River Chain of Lakes Lake Association and is speaking at a Cold Spring Area Chamber luncheon meeting.

The Sauk River has a very interesting history. Since the Europeans came in the mid 1800s, the river has been exposed to all sorts of man-made pollutants.  Raw sewage was many times dumped directly into the river.  It wasn't until the 1980s that folks started looking seriously at cleaning up the river.

The Sauk River Chain of Lakes Lake Association has played a key role in the river cleanup process.  Phosphorus levels have been reduced from the high of 1600 parts per billion in the mid 1980s, down to the current levels of 90 parts per billion.  The association has put together a long-term plan to help improve and manage the 20 watersheds that exist within the Chain.

For more information stop by the Sauk River Chain of Lakes Association website:

Board Members

Sauk River Chain Of Lakes Association

Sauk River Watershed District 

Other Water Organizations

Previously published Sauk River Clean-Up Plan story:
September 2005 Sauk River story

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The Rocori Trail

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Click either the photo or "QUICKTIME" to see a short video on many of the key trail development facts and ideas.

The Rocori Trail Committee held an informational public meeting on Thursday, October 27th at 7:00 p.m. at the Rocori High School Cafeteria to discuss the trail project.

About 60 persons attended the meeting which began with an overview of the project by Heide Pepper with Short Elliot Hendrickson Inc. 

There was a panel of representatives from federal, state and local agencies that have been involved in this project or similar projects, who were available to share their experiences or answer specific questions related to their field of expertise. The panelists included representatives from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Stearns County Parks Department, National Parks Service, the State Bike Advisory and the Rocori School District.

These experts addressed various audience questions and concerns. After the question/answer session, attendees will have the chance to visit individual organization’s display tables for more information and handouts. Participants also enjoyed refreshments including trail mix and beverages.

The proposed trail would span a total length of 12.2 miles, starting at the east side of Richmond and ending near Stearns County Road 6 in Rockville. The trail would be constructed in two phases with the first covering from Richmond to Cold Spring and the second continuing from the eastern end of Cold Spring to Rockville. The committee estimates the earliest that construction could begin on the first phase would be 2008, with the second phase beginning in 2009.

Through the many discussions about the proposed trail, there have been two possible routes identified for the trail to follow. Although the committee has been working towards determining the best route, neither route has been finalized. The first route would have the trail located on the right-of-way for the railway that connects the three communities. The second proposed route would use mostly public right-of-ways, and would likely be located at the edge of the right-of-way in the road ditches.

The estimated cost for phase one of the trail is $784,957, and $1,021,925 to complete phase two. Each City Council of the three cities of Richmond, Rockville and Cold Spring have passed resolutions in support of the Rocori Trail Project and have pledged to contribute a local match of $32,000. These costs are committed on the condition that grant funding is secured to fund the balance of the project costs. The committee hopes to be awarded grants through the federal government and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. In addition to these funds, area cities hope that successful community fundraising efforts will reduce the cost to local governments even further.