May 2015 

HAPPY MAYDAY :-)

! FISHING SEASON IS HERE !

!! RCPP GRANTS !!

USDA Announces $235 Million Available for Innovative New Conservation Partnerships

Rock River Coalition

Would you like to learn more about how you can form a watershed organization?  Work to improve water quality?  How about Citizen Monitoring?  Educational programs?  Fun activities like paddling, sampling, and watershed social events?  What are you waiting for?  Visit our friends at the Rock River Coalition!

PADDLING

Looking for a great way to start the summer?  How about a beautiful paddling trip to support the Oconomowoc River Watershed Protection Program on June 13?  Check out this brochure for more into!

RESOURCES

Clean Lakes Alliance

MAMSWP

Rock River Coalition

Rock River Stormwater Group

UW Extension

Yahara WINS

DNR QUICK LINKS

Rock River Recovery

TMDLs

Impaired Waters

Water Quality Trading

Adaptive Management

Phosphorus Rule

WEBINARS 

DNR CONTACTS

Project Manager 

Ag Nonpoint

Monitoring

Outreach

Stormwater

Wastewater

Water Quality Labs

Did you know there are nearly 80 wastewater treatment facilities in the Rock River Basin and many have in-house WDNR certified laboratories?  Even more exciting news, some of them are generously joining a growing initiative to provide phosphorus analysis for our Citizen Stream Monitoring Partners.  If you are a POTW with a registered/certified lab (P to <= 0.03 mg/L) and would like to join the initiative email Tom Steinbach (Oconomowoc POTW) or Nancy Sheehan (Rock River Coalition).

Ag Nonpoint Source We are continuing to meet with County Conservationists throughout the Rock River Basin and gather input, share ideas, and explore how to best implement the NPS requirements in the TMDL.  WDNR staff are summarizing P and TSS numbers by county and HUC12 and we will be providing these to facilitate county efforts.  Some counties are beginning to identify conservation projects to support Water Quality Trading and Adaptive Management.  For example, Tom Sweeney is identifying potential projects in Rock County and facilities may contact him to express interest.

Monitoring DNR monitoring staff are beginning an ambitious monitoring project with our partners from MMSD, USGS, and Dane County to characterize water quality on four HUC12 watersheds tributary to Lake Mendota.  Sampling will include a full suite of fish, macroinvertebrates, diatoms, chemistry, and nutrient related criteria.  Contact Mike Sorge for more Information.

Education & Outreach The E&O team met April 29 to discuss planning for 2015.  Major outreach activities include the July Quarterly Networking Forum and the annual basin meeting in September/October.  We're looking for YOUR INPUT for topics and ideas.

Stormwater The Stormwater Team sponsored the April 28th Quarterly Networking Forum.  Featured topics included Watershed Partners, Stormwater Plans for TMDLs, and Monitoring.  Group discussion topics included Stormwater Ordinances, TMDL Language, and Watershed Based Planning.

Wastewater The Wastewater Sector Team has completed the first round of issuing permits across the Rock River Basin.  We have reissued those permit that were expired and are now focusing on postponed permits.