Connections II Stream Restoration

This project in the cities of Brooklyn Park and Brooklyn Center restored 1,750 linear feet of Shingle Creek, which will reduce sediment and phosphorus pollution originating from this stretch of stream by 75-80%. The improved reach runs from Regent/73rd Avenues North downstream to Brooklyn Boulevard. Restoration was completed in early 2022.

This work was funded by a $328,000 grant from the Clean Water Land and Legacy Amendment administered by the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources, and by the Shingle Creek Watershed Management Commission. 

​Stream segments upstream and downstream of this reach have previously been improved. Completing this segment results in an almost 2.5-mile-long continuous corridor of restored urban stream.

Project Location (click to expand)

A view of the stream prior to restoration. Note the eroded stream banks, the "leaners" and poorly-rooted trees on the edge of the Creek. Those trees were at risk of being uprooted in future storms, further eroding the streambank. Selective tree thinning now allows sunlight to penetrate the dense canopy, allowing long-rooted grasses and other native vegetation to thrive and stabilize the banks. Following construction, the banks were seeded with a variety of native plants, forming a protective buffer and enhancing habitat for insects, birds, and pollinators.