 The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) is partnering with the City of Milwaukee, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR), We Energies, and Port Milwaukee to create a new Dredged Material Management Facility (DMMF) in the Milwaukee harbor. When it is completed, this facility will provide safe, secure containment for 1.9 million cubic yards of sediment removed from the Milwaukee, Menomonee, and Kinnickinnic Rivers.
from Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District
Hundreds of years of legacy pollution in area rivers will have a new permanent home thanks to Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers and both houses of the legislature that unanimously approved a change in state law to make it all happen.
The change in law allows the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) to finance and construct a $96 million Dredged Material Management Facility (DMMF), the most environmentally sound and economically feasible option to safely store contaminated river sediment.
The Milwaukee Estuary was designated an Area of Concern (AOC) by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) in the 1980’s due to the legacy chemicals found deep in the river sediments. Restoring the Milwaukee Estuary AOC will require dredging sediments contaminated with PCBs, mercury, coal tar, and heavy metals for proper disposal in a new DMMF. The construction phase of the DMMF project alone will create more than 1,000 full-time jobs. Read more...
Over time, contaminated sediment has accumulated in the downstream portions of our rivers. The Milwaukee Estuary (the area where Milwaukee’s three rivers converge) was designated an Area of Concern (AOC) by the EPA in 1987 due to historical contamination. Since then, there have been ongoing efforts to clean up Milwaukee’s Estuary.
The existing Confined Disposal Facility located north of the Lake Express ferry dock is nearly at capacity and does not have available space for the sediment that will be removed from the rivers as part of the Milwaukee Estuary AOC Initiative. The new DMMF will provide the needed capacity for storage of this sediment. Read more...
Updated Water Conditions List, no substantive changes to TMDL.
The Milwaukee River Basin TMDLs (collectively, the Milwaukee, Menomonee, and Kinnickinnick Rivers, and Milwaukee Harbor/AOC TMDLs) were approved by EPA March 9, 2018. These "Original TMDLs" address certain water bodies not meeting aquatic life uses due to exceedances of the numeric phosphorus and narrative sediments water quality standard and the recreational use due to exceedances of the numeric fecal coliform water quality standard (WQS). WDNR analyzes and assesses new phosphorus, fecal coliform, and sediment data every two years and revises the list of waters in Table 1 of the Original TMDL accordingly. The EPA is clarifying that these revisions are titled the "2022 Revisions". These revisions are part of the Wisconsin Integrated Report cycle for 2022.
EPA is approving the 2022 Revisions to Table 1 of the Original TMDL (hereafter Appendix H) based on the information submitted by the State of Wisconsin on January 19, 2022. The 2022 Revisions were completed using water quality data collected and analyzed for the 2022 Integrated Report listing cycle. The 2022 Revision does not make any changes to the TMDL targets of the Original TMDL, or the reduction factors, loading capacities, allocations, reduction goals or other TMDL equation elements established in the Original TMDL.
Sector Team Updates
The WI Dept. of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection (DATCP) will be hosting meetings throughout the year with stakeholders about potential changes to our ATCP 50 rule. Visit the ATCP 50 Rule Change Website for information about upcoming stakeholder meetings and topics and sign up to receive GovDelivery notifications. A link to a kickoff presentation about the rule scope will be available soon, too! Questions and comments can be sent to DATCPlandwater@wisconsin.gov.
ATCP 50 is the administrative rule that covers soil and water resource management grants to counties, county resource management planning, cost-share requirements for land owners, conservation compliance for farmland preservation tax credits, local ordinances, nutrient management, and other conservation practices.
Targeted Runoff Management (TRM) grant applications for projects beginning in 2023 are now available on the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR)’s grant program webpage.
The following eligible applicants have until April 15, 2022 to submit applications for 2023 Targeted Runoff Management projects: cities, villages, towns, counties, regional planning commissions, tribal governments and special purpose lake, sewage and sanitary districts.
The Targeted Runoff Management Grant Program offers local governments competitive grants to control nonpoint source pollution. There are four types of grant projects: large-scale total daily maximum load (TMDL), large-scale non-TMDL, small-scale TMDL and small-scale non-TMDL.
Eligible projects include:
- Construction of structural best management practices
- Implementation of non-structural cropping practices
- Staffing costs to plan and install management practices
- Agricultural projects implementing state agricultural performance standards and prohibitions
- Agricultural or urban projects designed to meet TMDL goals approved by the Environmental Protection Agency
Thursday, March 10, 10:00- 11:00 a.m.
Pheasants Forever (PF) is a leading non-profit conservation organization in the United States, creating and enhancing millions of acres of habitat through working with local PF chapters and supportive partners in conservation. Join Josh Bendorf (Precision Ag & Conservation Specialist), Lauren Soergel (Farm Bill Biologist), and Jeff Williams (Wetlands Biologist) as they break down the work of PF in Wisconsin and how the organization continues to grow.
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The 2021 monitoring season is over and volunteers have stowed away their monitoring gear for the winter, but we are busy planning spring field trainings for new WAV volunteers! If you are a new volunteer interested in joining WAV in spring 2022, here’s what you can do now:
- Complete the Online Introduction in preparation for 2022 and fill out the survey at the end of the online course. You will be contacted by a WAV coordinator in the spring to sign up for an in-person field training.
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Subscribe to our WAV news email list to stay in the know!
- Watch this Events page for our spring field training dates, which will be posted by late February, or connect with your local WAV coordinator to learn when they will host trainings.
Numerous online and in-person training events are now scheduled in April-May, throughout the state for 2022. A number of these events are being hosted across the Milwaukee River Basin - check here for details on times and locations.
Saturday, April 23, 2022
Milwaukee River Keeper announces their 27th annual spring river cleanup. After last year’s successful event, River Keeper feels confident moving forward with this annual tradition. They’re taking steps to mindfully proceed, while following both local and CDC guidelines. This year, they will be requiring advanced registration and completion of digital waivers.
Volunteers Needed: They’re looking for a few more folks to be cleanup site captains this year. They’re going to spread out and cover more ground, which means we need more people power!
If you’re up to the challenge please contact their Cleanup Coordinator, Allie Mendez at allie@milwaukeeriverkeeper.org
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Rain gardens can help reduce the risk of sewer overflows and water pollution by naturally absorbing stormwater runoff from hard surfaces into the ground. Since 2006, the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) and Agrecol Native Seed and Plant Nursery have offered a rain garden plant sale to customers within MMSD’s service area. Plants are provided at a reduced price, up to a 50% discount compared to retail prices. In addition, to the plant sale, MMSD offers FREE rain garden webinars with gardening expert Melinda Myers and a design workshop where you can learn about rain gardens, plant selection, and plant care.
April 6-8, Steven's Point
This year’s statewide convention is again part of Wisconsin Water Week, and brought to you by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Extension Lakes, Wisconsin Lakes, and Water Action Volunteers. This year’s theme is "Protecting What We Love for the Future".
The hands-on workshops and engaging presentations during this year’s event will be centered around this theme of protecting our water resources. Our look “to the future” means we will also be focusing on success stories and recommendations of resilience, adaptation, and action in a changing climate. We will also be intentional about highlighting efforts and ideas that support diversity, equity, and inclusion in water resource protection and management.
Mark your calendars for April 6-8, 2022 and join this unique group of citizen scientists, businesses, and lake, river, and wetland professionals. This event will also have a virtual component for those who are unable to attend in person – see the Agenda page for more details.
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The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) updated Technical Standard 1060 Storm Drain Inlet Protection For Construction is now available on the DNR’s Storm Water Construction Technical Standards webpage.
The standard was revised to incorporate rigid frame type inlet protection devices and aid in device selection. Use of rigid frame type inlet protection devices is intended to minimize sediment from entering storm drainage systems in areas where the contributing drainage area is temporarily disturbed or receives traffic from temporarily disturbed areas nearby.
Technical standard revisions included input from previous public review and was updated using the Standards Oversight Council Modified Process.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is seeking public comment on the draft Technical Standard 1072 Horizontal Directional Drilling. The deadline to submit comments is Mar. 14, 2022.
Horizontal directional drilling is often used to avoid or minimize impacts to wetlands, waterways, roads and other surface features. During horizontal directional drilling operations, there is a risk of inadvertent release (IR) of drilling fluid that can impact water resources.
The draft Technical Standard 1072 identifies planning and implementation practices to protect water quality by reducing the risk of inadvertent release of drill fluid and limiting the impact to water resources if an inadvertent release does occur.
The Standards Oversight Council developed the draft Technical Standard 1072 using the framework and standards outlined in the Technical Standards Process Handbook. More information on the Standards Oversight Council is available on the project website here.
How To Submit Comments
- Review the Technical Standard 1072 Horizontal Directional Drilling draft here.
- Submit comments via email to soc@wisconsinlandwater.org by midnight on Monday, Mar. 14, 2022.
- Keep comments specific and directly related to this technical standard.
- You may insert your comments into the Adobe pdf document, or otherwise indicate the page or line numbers to which your comments refer. If you have general comments applicable to the entire standard, please note them as such.
- Respond in the same order as the sections appear in the draft.
After the notice period is complete, all comments are considered by the Standards Oversight Council work team and DNR. Draft revisions will be considered and the final updated technical standard will be available to internal and external stakeholders.
Urban Nonpoint Source & Storm Water (UNPS & SW) Construction Grant applications for projects beginning in 2023 are now available on the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR)’s grant program webpage.
The following eligible applicants have until April 15, 2022 to submit applications for 2023 construction projects: cities, villages, towns, counties, regional planning commissions, tribal governments and special purpose lake, sewage and sanitary districts.
The Urban Nonpoint Source & Storm Water grant program offers local governments competitive grants to control pollution that is carried by storm water runoff from diffuse urban sources. The grants reimburse costs of construction projects that control this type of pollution. Eligible construction projects include:
- Construction of structural urban best management practices including wet detention
- Infiltration, or wetland basins, or infiltration trenches
- Engineering design and construction services for best management practices installation
- Land acquisition and easement purchase, including appraisal cost
- Storm sewer rerouting and removal of structures
- Streambank and shoreline stabilization
Please note that Urban Nonpoint Source & Storm Water planning grant applications will not be solicited in 2022 but will be solicited again in 2023.
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from MMSD
Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District has published their 2022-2024 Strategic Plan. This Plan, with input from staff throughout the organization, outlines their goals and strategies to help realize their vision of a cleaner, healthier, resilient region. The region’s development and history are built on water and MMSD is committed to protecting this crucial resource. In this era defined by a tragic pandemic, we are reminded that access to clean water and reliable wastewater services are critical to our everyday lives. We are also mindful of the importance of providing affordable services in an environmentally responsible way. The pandemic affirmed our commitment to planning for an uncertain future. The overarching goal of the Plan is to assure the core mission of the District, to protect public health and the environment through world-class, cost-effective water resource management, leadership, and partnership is well supported into the future.
This plan aims to set MMSD's priorities, focus energy and resources, strengthen operations, and ensure that employees and stakeholders are working toward common goals. The public counts on MMSD to handle any crisis that comes along while meeting their evolving needs. This Plan defines MMSD's destination yet maintains needed flexibility so that they can deal with the uncertainty. MMSD look forward to implementing the Plan and will continue to deliver reliable services, support the region’s recovery from the pandemic, advance equity, and anticipate and respond to our public’s needs. The public is welcome to provide feedback.
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Grants
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Wisconsin announced today, the availability of $500,000 in Wisconsin Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) funding to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies. All non-federal entities and individuals are invited to apply, with the sole exception of federal agencies. Project proposal applications are due April 11, 2022.
Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) is a competitive program that supports the development of new tools, approaches, practices, and technologies to further natural resource conservation on private lands. “Through creative problem solving and innovation, CIG partners work to address our nation's water quality, air quality, soil health and wildlife habitat challenges, all while improving agricultural operations,” said Acting Wisconsin State Conservationist Eric Allness.
CIG project proposals must involve Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) eligible producers and should demonstrate the use of innovative technologies or approaches to address a natural resource concern. These resource concerns must fit into one of the following categories: Conservation Planning, Manure Management Systems or Climate Smart Management Systems. Read more...
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