Jim Melichar, Chairman of Milwaukee River Watershed Clean Farm Families, is expecting a full house for their upcoming soil health workshop featuring Ray Archuleta, one of the premier soil health experts and conservation agronomists in the country. This event will build on the workshop from last year and is scheduled at the Ozaukee County Fairgrounds Pavilion on February 9, 9:30 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. Registration is free, and lunch will be provided.
With more than 25 years of field experience with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Archuleta is regarded worldwide for his hands-on approach to analyzing and comparing soil health in a variety of tillage systems. Ray will focus in on the ecological soil health benefits of a systems approach to no-till, residue management, and cover crops. In addition to Archuleta, Justin Morris, USDA Regional Soil Health Specialist, will present on the biology of soil compaction and how to overcome it.
For more information or to register, contact Jim Melichar, jpmelichar@gmail.com, 262-206-1731, or Andy Holschbach, aholschbach@co.ozaukee.wi.us, 262-284-8271.
The Milwaukee
TMDL report, accompanying allocations, and material were officially submitted
to EPA in mid-October. US EPA typically has 60 days to review draft
TMDL's, though this can take longer with staffing and backlog issues.
TMDL Implementation
The
next TMDL Implementation meeting will be scheduled following feedback/approval
of the draft TMDL from US EPA. While a specific date is not set, we anticipate
it will be in March.
Excess sedimentation from agricultural sources degraded water quality and habitat in Pleasant Valley Branch. As a result, the entire creek was added to Wisconsin’s 1998 Clean Water Act (CWA) section 303(d) impaired waters list for degraded habitat. The Dane County Land and Water Resources Department (LWRD) led efforts to implement best management practices (BMPs) to control sediment from agricultural nonpoint sources, which resulted in improvement in this nearly 6-mile-long stream. As a result, Pleasant Valley Branch was removed from the state’s impaired waters list in 2016. Read the story here
February 27, 2018
Holiday Inn, Steven’s Point, WI
Information and Registration
This conference will be geared toward helping Wisconsin farmers more successfully use cover crops on their farms. There will be something for everyone, from farmer’s that have never tried cover crops to veteran cover croppers. Many of the presenters will be Wisconsin grain and livestock farmers speaking from experience about what has worked and hasn’t worked in their Wisconsin cropping systems. This will be an exciting conference with lots of time built in for farmers to interact and learn from each other.
Registration: The registration fee prior to Feb 1 is $40 per person and $55 per person after that.
NRCS will accept applications for enrollment in the nation’s biggest conservation program, the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). Through CSP, NRCS helps private landowners build their business while implementing conservation practices that help ensure the sustainability of their entire operation.
Applications must be received by March 2, 2018 to be considered for this funding period. Read more
Thursday, February 22, 2018, 10:00 a.m.—3:00 pm
Five Pillars Restaurant, Random Lake
Cost $5.00. You may pay at the door. For more information or to register call (920) 459-5904 or to view the 2018 Agronomy Day Brochure on-line click on the following link http://sheboygan.uwex.edu/
SnapPlus 17 Beta Release is now available and includes a number if improvements for usability and the programmable parameters to demonstrate compliance with the 2015 590 NM Standard. SnapPlus 17 and SnapMaps is available for free download. Visit the SnapPlus website
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We started off the new year by completing our brand new Waukesha County Aquatic invasive Species Strategic Plan.
We want to hear from you! A Public Forum is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, March 27th, 2018 at the Delafield Brewhaus (3832 Hillside Dr, Delafield, WI 53018). Agenda Items include:
- Call to meeting to order (7:00pm)
- Presentation of Waukesha County AIS Strategic Plan (7:10-7:40pm)
- Walk through of AIS Mapping Application (7:40-8:00pm)
- Questions and Discussion (8:00-8:30pm)
- Final Comments and Adjourn (8:35pm)
Come and learn about planned AIS activities, and share your ideas! You can access the AIS Strategic Plan here.
New Zealand Mudsnails (NZM) were discovered in 2017 in Mt Vernon Creek in SW Dane County and Rowan Creek near Poynette, Columbia County. NZM were previously found in Badger Mill Creek (2016) and Black Earth Creek (2011, identified in 2013) both in Dane County. Both the Mt Vernon and Rowan Creek populations were found during WDNR routine benthic sampling in 2016 and 2017 samples (ID in fall 2017), and verified by volunteer stream monitors in 2017. Samples were confirmed by UW Steven's Point and an independent taxonomic expert. At this point, density in both areas is very low.
The impacts of NZMS can include:
- grazing on algae for food, but will also eat detritus,
- may outcompete native macroinvertebrates,
- may alter nutrient dynamics in streams,
- may reach very high densities (300,000 per square yard)
The spread of NZMS and other invasive species can be stopped by taking these actions:
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INSPECT your equipment for plants, animals, mud and debris,
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REMOVE all plants, animals, mud and debris from your equipment,
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DRAIN all water for equipment and dry as much as possible,
- Additional steps, such as scrubbing your gear (especially boots) with a brush, freezing your gear, or soaking it in 140°F water,
- Organizations can help by building boot cleaning stations to place near water access points and providing information, such as New Zealand mudsnail watch cards to businesses frequented by stream users, including trout fishermen
Response efforts
- WDNR will be considering monitoring other high-risk areas
- Regional partners have been contacted with the news of the initial discovery
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Upper Sugar River Watershed Association is currently involved in grant funded monitoring in that watershed
- Regional partners will be provided these talking points and a press release to share with membership and their own partners locally
- WDNR and partners will meet to discuss educational/outreach efforts as well as possible follow up monitoring if needed
Effort
to develop 10-year inland trout management plan gets underway
MADISON -
Work on developing a plan to guide inland trout management in Wisconsin over
the next decade is getting underway, with an advisory team helping the
Department of Natural Resources with that task meeting Jan. 27 for the first
time. For more information...
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A draft version of the 2017 Remedial Action Plan
Update for the Milwaukee Estuary Area of Concern is now available for
public comments on the DNR website, Milwaukee Estuary AOC page (under the AOC Plans tab) through February 19.
For a direct link to download the draft RAP, click here.
DNR updates the AOC Remedial Action Plan annually.
This plan describes the impairments, what the end goals are for the AOC, what
projects are needed to achieve those goals, as well as current and future
activities.
Send your comments and feedback to Stacy Hron, Milwaukee
Estuary AOC Coordinator, by email to Stacy.Hron@wisconsin.gov
or by giving Stacy a call at 414-263-8625.
Working Together for Wisconsin's Water: Balancing Industry, the Environment and Public Health
March 8 - 9, 2018 at Paper Valley Hotel, 333 W College Ave, Appleton, WI 54911
Rooms at the hotel can be reserved by calling 920-733-8000 and ask for the room block "WI AWRA". Room rates are $82 for a single or $105 for a double. Rooms are tax-exempt with proper identification.
On-line Registration form
On-line Group Registration form
The early bird registration rate is available until February 16th. Registration for professionals and students increases to $135 and $70, respectively after the early registration deadline.
Conference Registration Information
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MS-4 eReporting
New features include:
- submittal of Annual Reports for Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System
(MS4) permits
- submittal of other permit compliance documents for Municipal
Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permits
Benefits of electronic submittal:
- No mailing costs
- Ability to track the status of a submitted activity
- Ability to view all submitted documents online
- Access to documents 24/7/365 days of the year
- Secured web site that requires no additional software add-ons
- Improved data reporting capabilities
How to access
Water Permit Portal, choose Storm Water: http://dnr.wi.gov/permits/water/
More information about MS4 permits: http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/stormwater/municipal/
Additional information and resources for MS4 eReporting: http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/stormwater/municipal/eReporting.html
The MS4 eReporting Webinar, recorded on January 10, 2018, has been posted on the Municipal storm water permit eReporting web page under the User Support Tools section. The webinar provided an overview of the new MS4 eReporting system.
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Click here for the Exhibitor Application Form and Information
WWOA 52nd ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Tuesday, October 16 – Friday, October 19, 2018
Grand Geneva Resort, 7036 Grand Geneva Way, Lake Geneva, WI
For information contact Karen at 608.355.3081
Feb. 6 & 7 Kalahari Resort, Wisconsin Dells, WI
Feb. 22 Madison Marriott West, Middleton, WI
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 Grant Information
The Targeted Runoff Management (TRM) Grant Program offers competitive grants for local governments for the control of pollution that comes from diffuse sources, also called “nonpoint source (NPS)” pollution. Grants from the TRM Program reimburse costs for agricultural or urban runoff management practices in targeted, critical geographic areas with surface water or groundwater quality concerns.
All application materials for projects beginning in 2019 are due April 16, 2018.
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