Blaine is home to many stormwater ponds. Laddie Lake and Sunrise Lake are not stormwater ponds, and are the only recreational waters in the city.

What is Stormwater?

Stormwater is water that originates from precipitation including rain and snow and ice melt. Stormwater can soak into the soil, be stored in ponds and puddles, evaporate, or runoff.

Most runoff is conveyed directly to nearby streams, rivers, or other water bodies without treatment.

What are Stormwater Ponds?

Stormwater ponds are constructed bodies of water designed with the purpose of treating and holding stormwater runoff. Correctly functioning stormwater ponds are critical to the Blaine community, and understanding what these stormwater features are helps to keep them functioning.

Stormwater and snowmelt was once absorbed by undisturbed natural vegetation, such as trees, wetlands, and natural grasses. As communities grew, and this vegetation gave way to rooftops, roads and parking lots – known as impervious surfaces – much of this stormwater became unable to soak into the ground. This water that cannot soak into the ground is known as runoff.

Runoff is designed to flow into these stormwater ponds, where it is treated and eventually released.

Benefits of Stormwater Ponds

One of the most important benefits of stormwater ponds is that they provide flood control for the neighborhoods they are in. Stormwater ponds reduce the rate at which runoff is released and prevents surges of water.

Stormwater ponds also help remove pollutants that runoff has captured on its way to the ponds. These ponds are designed to hold water for multiple weeks, which gives pollutants enough time to sink to the bottom. The natural vegetation around a pond – known as a buffer – also plays a key role in removing pollutants.

Stormwater Information Portal

With stormwater ponds being so important to the water cycle in Blaine the city recently created a new information portal about stormwater. This portal is filled with information for homeowners, business owners, neighborhood HOA’s, and developers.

For more information on stormwater ponds in Blaine, visit BlaineMN.gov/Stormwater.