 Participants in the Ozaukee County Healthy Soils Workshop test soil health with Ray Archuleta and Justin Morris (NRCS Regional Soil Health Expert)
The Milwaukee River Watershed
Clean Farm Families hosted a Soil Health Workshop February 10th in
Ozaukee County featuring Ray Archuleta, nationally renowned USDA NRCS Soil
Health Expert; Justin Morris, Regional USDA NRCS Regional Soil Health Expert
and Jim Harbach, Dairy Farmer from Pennsylvania who has done no-till farming
for 40+ years.
Approximately 150 participants
attended the event. Those in attendance learned the importance and value
of improving soil health. Ray Archuleta, stated “While we have a water
runoff problem, more importantly we have a water infiltration problem. A
lot of our soils are over tilled, lack soil structure, have low organic matter
and lack good microbial activity resulting in low water infiltration and more
runoff.” All the presenters stressed the importance of minimum
tillage and cover crops to improve soil health and prevent erosion,
improve nutrient recycling, provide for more soil moisture and
improve physical and biological conditions of the soil.
Members of the Milwaukee River
Watershed Clean Farm Families provided information on the farmer-led groups
accomplishments and described the 2017 cost-share programs for
conservation tillage, cover crops, low disturbance manure injection, and
nutrient management planning.
If you are interested in learning more about this farmer-led soil healthy initiative, please contact Andy Holshbach, Director, Ozaukee County Land Conservation, 262-284-8313.
Draft TMDL
WDNR
is finalizing responses to comments on the draft TMDL and will be
submitting the full TMDL package to USEPA this spring. All comments will be
included as part of the TMDL package and available for public review.
TMDL Implementation
Following submittal of the final TMDL package,
we will be scheduling the next Milwaukee River Basin TMDL Implementation
meeting. In the interim, staff are continuing to work with our basin
partners throughout the MRB TMDL basin region. If you have any questions,
please feel free to contact local DNR staff or sector team leaders. Their
contact information is in the lower left section of this newsletter, under
"DNR Contacts".
Ag Sector Team
Members of the Ag Sector Team shared progress updates and news via Sector Team email, available here. Lisa Creegan is currently on maternity leave. If you have any questions in the interim, please contact Mark Riedel.
Nutrient
Management Farmer Education Grants cover costs for entities to conduct
farmer nutrient management training courses that enable farmers to become
qualified to write their own nutrient management plans for their farms.
Producer-led groups that meet the qualifications in the Request for
Applications are also eligible to apply for this funding.
Are you thinking about modernizing or making some changes
around the farm but have questions and concerns? Bring your questions along with building plans and ideas for
an interactive day with UW-Madison Biological Systems Engineers.
Come to all or part of the day and engage with whichever specialist
you choose! No cost to attend, but pre-registration is required.
- Dairy Modernization: Remodeling facilities, farmstead planning, livestock barn designs for calves, heifers and cows
- Manure and Agriculture By-Products Han-dling, Processing and Transport Systems
- Precision Agriculture and Machinery Issues
- Milking Machines and Management,
- Robotic Milking and Farm Energy Issues
Wednesday, April 5, 10am -2 pm roundtables begin at 10 am and end at
2pm.
Ozaukee Co. Administration Center
121 West Main St, Port Washington, Auditorium—Room
6
For
more information or to register contact:
Steph Plaster, UWEX Agriculture Ozaukee & Washington Co, at stephanie.plaster@ces.uwex.edu
or 262.284.8288 (Ozaukee Co)
The Soil Health Partnership is a farmer-led initiative of the National Corn Growers Association that brings together diverse partner organizations including federal agencies, universities and environmental groups to work toward the common goal of improving soil health. We have a demonstration site network of 65 farmers across the Midwest testing practices that can improve soil health, including:
- Reduced tillage
- Advanced nutrient management
- Cover crops
Farmers may voluntarily participate in this private program will get the opportunity to have extensive soil, yield, and profitability analyses done.
“The data that can be coming from the Soil Health Partnership is very important, because it can lead farmers to help make those decisions as to what management strategies to follow on their farms and how to do it economically,”
|
Volunteer Stream Monitoring
Does the sound of spring rain and gurgling creeks make you want to get out and play in the water? There are opportunities throughout the greater Milwaukee Basin for volunteer stream monitors. Training is provided!
Volunteer Stream Monitoring Training Opportunity
Waukesha
County Land and Water is hosting a training opportunity for volunteer stream
monitoring. See below for more information;
May 6: Volunteer Stream Monitor Training - Waukesha
|
Are you looking for ways to participate in water related events in the greater Milwaukee basin? There are numerous organizations partnering in the implementation of the Milwaukee River Basin TMDL. Check out their websites for more information;
|
Green Stormwater Infrastructure
Are you interested in learning more about green stormwater infrastructure and how it might be incorporated into your community? If so, there are some excellent resources available online, including;
Sector Team Update
WDNR currently has a couple of vacancies in our stormwater program for SE Wisconsin. Most recently, Bryan Hartsook accepted a new position in wastewater and is transitioning to that. While we currently don't have any stormwater/MS4 sector team events planned, the team will be continuing and we anticipate meeting following release of the final TMDL.
|
The
MDV extends the timeline for complying with low-level phosphorus limits.
In exchange, point sources commit to step-wise reductions of phosphorus within
their effluent as well as helping to address nonpoint sources of phosphorus
from farm fields, cities or natural areas to implement projects designed to
improve water quality. The MDV is similar to an individual variance. However,
multiple point sources can be covered under the MDV, whereas an individual
variance only applies to a single facility.
We
have a number of educational resources available online to help communities
learn about the MDV, including;
WDNR staff participated in the WWOA Biosolids
Symposium in Steven's Point. We greatly appreciate the feedback and questions of our customers. The new permit compliance and variance options can seem overwhelming, but we are happy to help work with every community and help them explore their options.
One comment was to share the presentation given by Mark Riedel on working with the agricultural community and how to take advantage of some of the new compliance options.
|
|
