 Urban stormwater can contain phosphorus rich “leaf tea” and contribute to toxic algae blooms, low oxygen levels and green murky waters.
The Madison Area Municipal Stormwater Partnership (MAMSWaP) recently launched a new campaign to help Keep Streets Leaf-free this fall. The Leaf-free Streets for Clean Waters campaign builds on the results of several pilot studies including a leaf management study led by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in Dane County that indicates more than 50% of the annual amount of phosphorus in urban stormwater can come from leaves left in the street.
"When it rains, stormwater flows through leaf piles in streets creating a “leaf tea” that is rich in dissolved phosphorus. This "leaf tea" travels through storm sewers making its way to our lakes, rivers and streams. Too much phosphorus can lead to toxic algae blooms, low oxygen levels and green murky waters."
 MAMSWaP is partnering with municipalities and water-related groups across Dane County to encourage residents in urban areas with large street or terrace trees to take action and remove street leaves before the rain. They developed a Leaf-free Streets Toolkit to help partners spread the word. The toolkit includes:
- a web site with information on the impact of leaves on our waters and actions residents can take,
- a Leaf-free Streets Template Article to customize and use in newsletters,
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flyers and door hangers to distribute to residents and
- links to sign up for Leaf-free Streets Rain Alerts (text or email) reminding residents when it's time to remove street leaves.
Visit http://www.ripple-effects.com/Leaf-free-Streets for more information or contact Christal Campbell.
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Ag Sector Team
The
Rock River Ag Sector Team is meeting Wednesday November 8 to
follow up on tasks identified in our July meeting. See below for meeting details. Please note the change in location to the Jefferson County courthouse.
The Dodge County Farmers for Healthy Soil-Healthy Water will host their first field tour of three local farms using cover crops, on Wednesday, October 18th, 2017. The tour will visit three sites around Dodge County. Buses for the tour will leave from the Dodge County Fairgrounds, located on Highway 33 east of Beaver Dam, WI.
Learn from local producers who are working with a variety of cover crops including;
- frost-seeded red clover into winter wheat,
- inter-seeding a cover crop mix into corn,
- cover crop mix demonstration plots,
- plus two stops on the tour will have soil pits.
For more details, view the full agenda and news release. The field day is free and open to everyone, but pre-registration is required for a tour seat. Call to pre-register by Oct 12;
- Dodge County UW-Extension: 920-386-3790
Dane County: Century Farm
Restores Woodlands, Savanna and Trout Stream
Helmenstine Hillside Vue
Farm, located in the Driftless area of western Dane County, has been in the
family for over 100 years. Jerome and his wife, Jackie, worked with NRCS and
FSA to restore a stream, improve wildlife habitat and restore woodlands. Read more
about the USDA partnership that brought back habitat for woodpeckers,
nighthawks, kestrels, bats and more.
FREE Soybean Nematode Testing
The
WI Soybean Marketing Board (WSMB) sponsors free nematode testing to help
producers stay ahead of the most important nematode pest of soybean, the
soybean cyst nematode (SCN). The soil test
report indicates the number of eggs in the sample and is useful for selecting
the right variety for the next soybean crop. The soil test report will indicate which
pest nematodes are present and at what quantities and their damage potential to
soybean and corn based on the numbers recovered.
For more information on SCN testing and management practices or to request a
free soil sample test kits please contact: Jillene Fisch at 608-262-1390.
The
National Wildlife Federation is accepting applications for farmers and
conservation professionals, i.e. “champions”, to conduct outreach to promote
cover crops and provide region-specific information and farming knowledge to
farmers and crop advisors. Selected applicants will receive financial
support for time, travel, and presentation materials, a training on messaging
and presentation tools, and access to an elite network of other cover crop
champions. Due to our funder’s priorities in the Mississippi River Basin,
applicants are only sought from the following states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa,
Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin.
Need a tractor
rollbar? Contact the ROPS hotline, 1-877-ROPSR4U (1-877-767-7748), or go to www.ropsr4u.com and click on Wisconsin. The program reimburses up to 70 percent (maximum
of $865) toward the total cost of purchasing, shipping and installing
individual ROPS.
A ROPS is an
operator compartment structure (usually cab or rollbar) intended to protect
farmers from injuries caused by overturns or rollovers. More than half the
tractors in Wisconsin do not have this protection. A ROPS, when used with a seatbelt, is
99 percent effective in preventing injury or death in the event of an overturn. Read the full
release.
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The 2016 Impaired Waters List was approved by EPA on August
29, 2017. A copy of the EPA approval documents and a comprehensive
alphabetical 2016 Impaired Water List are available on our Impaired Waters website.
The impaired waters list is a management tool to identify
waters that need restoration and to track their restoration status.
Waters are removed from the list when new data indicates that water quality
standards are attained. Ten impairment listings were removed in the 2016
list update;
- Four beaches were delisted for E. coli impairment of recreational use,
- two lakes were delisted for mercury impairment of contaminated fish tissue,
- two river segments were delisted for sediment/total suspended solids,
- one river segment was delisted for total phosphorus,
- and one river segment was delisted for chloride.
The rationale to delist these waters
was supported by additional data and information compiled by WDNR Water Quality
staff.
WDNR Biologists are actively working on the 2018 list and will have a draft ready for public
comment this fall.
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Clean Lakes Alliance coordinates watershed volunteer days for area business and organizations, offering rewarding and meaningful opportunities to engage directly with our lakes. Renew the Blue Volunteer Days provide an opportunity for individuals to contribute to work to clean up our lakes while becoming informed and engaged in issues that affect them. In recent years, Clean Lakes Alliance has partnered with parks and friend groups and local businesses and associations to restore shorelines. Volunteers clear invasive plants and trees, plant native seeds, remove algae from waters, and clean up trash along the lakeshore. Here’s what was accomplished together in 2016:
- 449 participants
- 1100 hours of volunteer service dedicated to lakeshore improvements
- Numerous truckloads of invasive brush removed from our lakeside parks
- 13 cleanup/restoration projects completed in the Yahara River watershed
Each year, CLA creates a schedule of available projects, locations, and dates within the community to better allow participating groups to select where, when, and what type of project they’d like to complete. Please contact Clean Lakes Alliance’s Watershed Engagement Manager Issis Macias to learn more about volunteering in 2018.
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The WI Salt Wise partners are hosting several trainings for professionals who make winter
maintenance decisions, hire staff, remove snow, apply road salt or maintain
snow removal equipment. Learn how using the right amount of
salt can save time, budget and our waters. Trainings will include:
- best management practices to keep paved areas safe,
- benefits of using a liquid salt system,
- how to determine the right amount of salt to use,
- and case studies from local applicators.
Visit Ripple Effects for more information or to register. All trainings meet the requirement for the NEW Voluntary
Winter Maintenance Certification Program (coordinated by the City of Madison
and Dane County).
-
Effective Winter Maintenance Workshop for Managers (Roadways) – 10/25 PM
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Effective Winter Maintenance Workshop for Field Staff (Roadways) – 10/25 AM
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Effective Winter Maintenance Workshop (Parking lots, driveways, sidewalks and trails) – 10/26 PM
Since 2005, Dane County has made cost-sharing funds available to municipalities via the Urban Water Quality Grant Program. Urban Water Quality Grants have helped fund projects totaling almost $10 million that are estimated to have removed more than a half million pounds of debris since that time and more than 2000 pounds of phosphorus annually. One pound of phosphorus removed from the county’s watersheds prevents 500 pounds of algae growth in area lakes.
2017 Program Information:
Municipalities that maintain one of the county’s top ten stormwater outfalls into the lakes (see list below) are eligible for an enhanced cost-sharing rate of 75% of the total cost of the project (no cap). Other projects that treat urban runoff will be eligible for cost-sharing up to 50% of the total cost (not to exceed $100,000). Projects that are funded will provide efficient cost-effective treatment of urban runoff. In order to be considered for funding, practices must be constructed and fully functional by the end of 2018. Contact WRE staff with any questions.
Application Materials:
2017 UWQG Program Anoucement and Details (pdf)
UWQG Application (doc)
Top Ten Outfall List (pdf)
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In one year, the Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District’s Nine Springs Wastewater Treatment plant receives 80 million pounds of salt from dissolved sodium chloride. Every day, that’s more salt than this pile! These dissolved particles pass through our wastewater treatment plant to local streams, exposing freshwater animals and plants to danger.
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