MEDIA ALERT - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: 
Shannon Bauer 651.290.5108 (o)  612-840-9453 (c) Shannon.l.bauer@usace.army.mil
Mark Davidson 651.290.5201 (o)  651.261-6769 (c) mark.d.davidson@usace.army.mil

                          Public invited to learn about Minnehaha Creek project                                             

SAINT PAUL, MINN. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, and the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District will host a public open house at its Minnehaha Creek construction project Saturday, March 14, from 10-11 a.m.

The open house will be outside. Attendees should meet near Sea Salt Restaurant in the northwest corner of the park. During the open house, Corps’ archaeologist Brad Perkl will present information on the history of the site and what the project involves. Attendees will not be taken inside the construction area due to safety reasons.

The Minnehaha Creek construction project includes the stabilization of approximately 1,390 linear feet of WPA walls, repairing failed portions of the walls and providing erosion protection for the area immediately downstream of the walls. Construction began late January and is expected to be complete by August 2009.

The Minnehaha Creek Watershed District, in cooperation with the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board, the State of Minnesota and the Minnesota Veterans Home is partnering with the Corps of Engineers on this project.

Since its formation in 1967, the Minnehaha Creek Watershed Division has been a regional leader in cutting edge research and technical expertise in the areas of water quality monitoring and management. The district protects, improves and manages water resources, runoff and related natural resources for 129 lakes, eight major creeks and thousands of wetlands located within the 181 square mile watershed of Minnehaha Creek and Lake Minnetonka, in partnership with 29 communities, other agencies and concerned citizens. For more information, see http://www.minnehahacreek.org.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, serves the American public in the areas of environmental enhancement, navigation, flood damage reduction, water and wetlands regulation, recreation sites and disaster response. It contributes around $126 million to the five-state district economy. The more than 625 employees work at more than 40 sites in five upper-Midwest states. For more information, see www.mvp.usace.army.mil.

-END-