Swede Hollow Park

By the late 1980s, the City of Saint Paul had decided to daylight the stream into a small channel system, which at the time included clearwater flows from the nearby Hamm’s brewery and 3M manufacturing plant. As nearby manufacturing declined in the early 1990s, the stream was left with only neighborhood stormwater drainage and groundwater seepage as a base flow source. Stormwater drainage deposited large amounts of sediment in an adjacent pond.

In 2011, the City of Saint Paul Department of Parks and Recreation received a grant from CRWD to conduct a stream restoration feasibility study for the water resources in Swede Hollow Park. The study recommended several improvements to the stream’s function and aesthetic, including groundwater harvesting, removing sediment from the pond, and structural changes to increase streamflow.

An additional CRWD grant awarded in 2015 provided funds to complete the following improvements:

• Surface groundwater harvesting to protect trails and add flow to the stream After industrial sources of stream flow were cut off, it was found that groundwater seeps could support a small base flow. Project improvements will intercept this groundwater and direct it to the stream. This will also protect the existing trail from flooding and ice.
• Reconstruction of the lower pond outlet structure to raise the outlet elevation and provide greater pond depth. The pond will also be dredged to remove the sediment that has built up over the years.
• Replacement of a storm sewer structure to increase water flow. A current structure intercepts stream flow part way through the channel, and replacing this structure will maintain flow in the stream.

The project is expected to be completed before the end of 2019. CRWD will provide updates as the project progresses. The potential for improved wildlife habitat, educational programs, and trail connections will contribute to the public enjoyment of Swede Hollow Park for many years.