Wastewater

The Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District is pursuing a full-scale adaptive management project in the Yahara River Watershed.

Five grants were awarded through the 2015 Yahara WINs Grant program. These projects are examples of low-cost phosphorus reducing practices to improve water quality throughout the Yahara River basin and the Rock River Recovery efforts:

1. Fitchburg – Pond Enlargement

2. Madison – Enhanced Sand Filter

3. Fitchburg – Bioretention Facility

4. Dane County – Dairy Heifer Grazing Program

5. Clean Lakes Alliance – Rake for the Lakes Challenge

Ag Nonpoint Source

TMDL Implementation

The Ag/NPS sector team is incorporating feedback and suggestions from counties to address NPS implementation challenges in the TMDL.  We will be following up with counties in the next few months.

Resources

The following resources are helpful when addressing agriculture/NPS runoff management and compliance with NR151.

Implementing NR151:  Tools for Counties

Wisconsin Runoff Rules:  What Farmers Need to Know

Monitoring

WDNR will be working with the Monitoring Sector team to plan the next Sector Team meeting.  Contact Greg Searle if you are interested in participating.

Grants

Lake and River Planning, Lake Classification, and Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Grants are due December 10, 2015.  Now is the time to contact staff and discuss potential applications.

Lake Mendota Project

WDNR has completed monitoring on 12 of 36 sites in the upper Mendota watershed for fish, habitat, and water quality.

Did you know

...the tiny Daphnia play a critical role in lake ecosystems and water quality?  UW Center for Limnology explains how Daphnia pulicaria are threatened by the invasive spiny water flea and what this means for water quality.

Education & Outreach

July Quarterly Forum

In light of recent changes in funding and resources for Education and Outreach activities, the proposed topic for the July Quarterly Forum is Education & Outreach.  We would like to extend broad invitations to partners and stakeholders across the Rock River Basin to attend and participate in our coordinated efforts to for the Education and Outreach Sector Team.  A formal agenda, time and location will be announced soon.

UW Extension, Andy Yencha

Our Co-Leader, Andy Yencha, Natural Resources and Basin Educator of UW Extension, has accepted a new position with Lynden Sculpture Garden in River Hills Wisconsin.  Andy's ongoing efforts and support made many of our shared activities and events possible.  We will truly miss Andy's "can-do" attitude, wonderful suggestions and insights, and warm and friendly demeanor.  

Unfortunately, his position will remain unfilled while the UW-Extension evaluates its educational delivery model following budget cuts later this year.  The Wisconsin Water Star program, which Andy coordinated, has been suspended indefinitely.  Municipalities interested in evaluating their environmental performance are encouraged to check out the new EcoScore program.

Stormwater

The Rock River Stormwater Group (RRSG) is a coalition of ten municipalities, UW-Whitewater and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) representatives. The RRSG implements Stormwater Education and promotes sustainable stormwater practices in the Rock River Basin. RRSG also collaborates with the Madison Area Stormwater Partnership, a sister organization within the Rock River watershed that focuses on the Madison area.  These efforts facilitate implementation of Rock River TMDL via the MS4 stormwater discharge permit program.

If your organization is interested in membership, Renew the Rock materials or any other information, please contact:

Jason Valerius

Renew the Rock Campaign Coordinator
jvalerius@msa-ps.com