Chanhassen High School Stormwater Capture and Reuse
About the project
A project to capture stormwater before it flows to Bluff Creek, and reuse it to irrigate athletic fields.
Each year, Chanhassen High School uses 3.8 million gallons of groundwater-- aka drinking water-- to irrigate athletic fields and other green spaces. That is enough water to fill six Olympic-sized swimming pools! At the same time, there is an excess of stormwater that runs off of the school grounds and nearby areas, causing pollution, erosion, and other issues in Bluff Creek.
The Riley-Purgatory-Bluff Creek Watershed District, the City of Chanhassen, and Independent School District 112 are teaming up to create a system that will capture stormwater and reuse it to irrigate the school’s athletic fields. Rather than flowing directly into Bluff Creek, much of the water that washes off of the school’s land and nearby neighborhoods will instead be put to good use! This will help solve two problems at once:
- Less drinking water wasted on irrigation: The high school will be able to conserve more than half of the drinking water it would have used to water the fields.
- Less polluted stormwater harming Bluff Creek: A reduction in polluted stormwater flowing into Bluff Creek will mean cleaner water, less erosion, and better habitat for animals and plants.
Summary
Status: Completed
Start: 2016
End: 2019
Partners
Project plan
As shown in the map below, stormwater will gather in an existing pond on the east side of Chanhassen High School. It will be pumped, treated, and distributed through irrigation lines to the athletic fields.
Completed Project
The project has been completed and is up and operational!
