 The Oak Creek Watershed Restoration Plan is a comprehensive resource developed to provide a set of
specific, targeted recommendations to improve Oak Creek, its tributaries, and the watershed as a whole.
The Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission recently completed Community Assistance Planning Report No. 330, A Restoration Plan for the Oak Creek Watershed. This plan addresses water quality issues that have been identified in this 28-square mile watershed located in the Cities of Cudahy, Franklin, Greenfield, Milwaukee, Oak Creek, and South Milwaukee in Milwaukee County.
The Oak Creek watershed restoration plan is a second-level plan developed in the context of the 2007 regional water quality management plan update for the Greater Milwaukee watersheds. The plan provides specific, targeted recommendations to address four major focus areas: water quality, recreational use and access, habitat conditions, and flooding. In addition, the Mill Pond and dam located on Milwaukee County parkland within the City of South Milwaukee was evaluated using the plan focus areas. The plan is designed to address the nine key elements for watershed plans identified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
If you have any questions, please contact:
Laura Kletti Herrick
SEWRPC Chief Environmental Engineer
262-953-3224
lherrick@sewrpc.org
Sector Team Updates
The WI DNR CAFO (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation) program includes a number of resources for farms that may be considering expansion and requiring a CAFO permit - a legal requirement if your operation has 1,000 animal units (AU). In such cases, you must obtain a Wisconsin Pollutant Discharge Elimination Permit (WPDES) from the Department of Natural Resources.
The DNR CAFO Resources website includes numerous resources to assist with CAFO planning and operations, and meeting the evaluation requirements of s. NR 243.16, Wis. Adm. Code.
from Agriview
IXONIA, Wis. – Kyle Zwieg set clear goals even before he began farming. As a final class project in 2008 at the University of Wisconsin-Farm and Industry Short Course at the Madison campus, he was tasked with creating a five-year plan detailing financial and operational goals.
His plan included expanding a cropping operation to 500 acres and doubling his family’s milking herd to 75 cows. Just three years later he reached his herd goal. The following year the Ixonia-area farmer reached his acreage goal. Currently the Zwiegs milk 68 cows and farm more than 1,400 acres of crops.
That commitment to reaching goals in addition to a head for numbers and a heart for building a business helped earn him and his wife, Rachel Zwieg, the 2022 Wisconsin Outstanding Young Farmer award. They were presented the award during the Wisconsin Outstanding Young Farmer program held in February in Neenah, Wisconsin. Read more...
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A lifelong Wisconsin resident, Amanda Schmitz has a Bachelor's degree in Conservation, Environmental Science, & Biology from the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee where she focused her studies on water resource management and worked closely on several projects for the Waukesha County Land Conservancy and Milwaukee County Parks.
Amanda has spent the last several years working with the Wisconsin DNR as a Water Resources & Wastewater Management Specialist out of the Southeast region of the state. Through this role, she spent a considerable amount of time on and around the lakes and streams of Washington & Waukesha Counties, monitoring aquatic plants, fish, water quality, and invasive species. She is looking forward to applying her unique skillset to the County AIS Coordinator role.
Are you a farmer? A crop advisor? A weather afficionado who loves storms?
Join over 500 volunteers across Wisconsin to become a weather observer with the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow Network. Volunteers report measurements of rain, hail, and snow that help all of us get more accurate forecasts.
Everybody can participate – no previous experience required.
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Monday, Apr 11th, 5:30 pm
The Milwaukee River downtown is getting a clean up! Join us on Monday, April 11 at 5:30 PM to learn about the planned clean-up of contaminated sediment for downtown Milwaukee. Find out why cleaning Milwaukee’s waterways is important to do now, how contamination will be remediated from the bottom of a 0.6-mile stretch of the Milwaukee River in the Third Ward, and what to expect when the cleanup begins. This is one part of over 12 miles of the Milwaukee, Menomonee, and Kinnickinnic rivers that will be cleaned up to protect our drinking water, lead to healthier fish and wildlife, and improve recreational opportunities. Learn more by watching the recording of last month's community meeting. This community meeting is part of a larger initiative to clean up the Milwaukee Estuary Area of Concern (AOC). Learn more.
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The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) updated Municipal Phosphorus Reduction Credit for Leaf Management Programs Guidance is now available on the DNR’s Storm Water MS4 Modeling Guidance webpage.
This guidance specifies the conditions under which municipalities may take numeric phosphorus reduction credit for leaf management programs. The guidance now includes a weekly street cleaning option and expands credit availability to additional residential land uses. Responses to public comments on the draft guidance document are available upon request from Amy.Minser@wisconsin.gov.
Registration is now open at https://conta.cc/340qJrg for the 2022 Waukesha County Stormwater Workshop. The workshop will be virtual with presentations scheduled during the mornings of April 13 and 14. The registration deadline is Friday, April 8. This two-morning online webinar partnership between Waukesha County and WI Land+Water offers stormwater professionals a chance to hear experts from around the state share their experiences in: Separating basements from groundwater; TMDL compliance plans; Leaf management; Road salt minimization; BMP cost estimate; Dewatering; BMP inspection; Designing green infrastructure. Also, included are some updates to DNR stormwater BMP technical standards, Endangered Resources review, streambank stabilization, dredging streams, and more. Only individuals registered will be eligible for PDH credits
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension held this training to provide you with an overview of the UNPS-Construction Grant Program, focusing on the application and eligibility.
If you were unable to attend the webinar or would like a refresher, a recording of the webinar is available online here. Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge are the preferred browsers for viewing the webinar.
Reminder: UNPS-Construction Grant applications for construction projects in 2023 are now available on the DNR’s webpage here. This grant program offers local governments competitive grants to control pollution carried by storm water runoff from diffuse urban sources.
The grants reimburse the 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, 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
Cities, villages, towns, counties, regional planning commissions, tribal governments and special purpose lake, sewage or sanitary districts have until April 15, 2022, to submit applications for 2023 construction projects. UNPS planning grant applications will not be solicited in 2022 but will be solicited again in 2023.
Questions? Contact Joanna Griffin, DNR Runoff Management Grants Program Coordinator, via email at joanna.griffin@wisconsin.gov
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Oct 4-7, Green Bay
The WWOA has announced their annual conference will be October 4-7 in Green Bay, WI. Technical papers are being solicited at this time for the Technical Program. The Committee is especially encouraging members actively involved in the day-to-day operations of a wastewater facility to prepare and present technical papers at the Conference. For more information, view the proposal/presentation instructions below:
To better understand the spread of COVID-19 in Wisconsin, the Dept. of Health Services is testing samples of wastewater across the state to look for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. This project is a collaboration between the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Wisconsin State Lab of Hygiene, and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Why are we monitoring wastewater?
Monitoring wastewater is used for early detection of COVID-19 within a community. For people with COVID-19, the virus can be detected in their feces shortly after they are infected with the virus, even before they experience symptoms or if they are infected but asymptomatic. By testing wastewater, we can measure the amount of the virus and see whether the levels are increasing or decreasing. This can be an early warning sign of increasing COVID-19 cases within a community. Read more...
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Grants
Ann Arbor, Mich. – The Great Lakes Commission today issued a request for proposals (RFP) for the 2022 Great Lakes Sediment and Nutrient Reduction Program grant program.
For more than 30 years, the Great Lakes Sediment and Nutrient Reduction Program has provided grants to reduce nutrients and sediments from entering the Great Lakes. This year’s program will continue to help local partners take action to reduce nutrient loads from agricultural watersheds, reduce untreated stormwater runoff, and restore shoreline and streambanks in the Great Lakes basin.
Through the program, nonfederal units of government, tribes, and incorporated nonprofit organizations are eligible to receive grants for up to $200,000, supporting work over a period of up to three years. Applicants are invited to submit proposals for activities associated with one of three project types: 1) agricultural nonpoint; 2) stormwater; and 3) Great Lakes shoreline or streambanks.
The due date for applications is 5:00 p.m. Eastern on April 22, 2022. Applications will be reviewed by representatives from the eight Great Lakes states, plus federal partners at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA). Final decisions on funded projects are anticipated in summer 2022. Selected projects would begin work not later than October 1, 2022.
The Great Lakes Commission has managed the Great Lakes Sediment and Nutrient Reduction Program for more than three decades. Since 2010, the program has benefitted from funding through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. Funded projects support progress toward the achievement of GLRI Action Plan objectives and goals. The program is a partnership with NRCS, U.S. EPA, and the Great Lakes states. Please visit www.nutrientreduction.org for more information.
An informational webinar for applicants will be offered on March 24, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern to discuss funding priorities and the application process. To register for the webinar, visit https://bit.ly/3s746up.
For more information, please contact GLC Program Manager Nicole Zacharda at nzacharda@glc.org or 734-396-6084.
The 2022 Tribal EJ Small Grants Opportunity is Now Open!
Since its inception in 1994, the Environmental Justice Small Grants (EJSG) Program has awarded more than $37 million in funding to over 1500 community-based organizations, tribal governments, and Native American organizations working with communities facing environmental justice issues.
The Environmental Justice Small Grants Program supports and empowers communities working on solutions to local environmental and public health issues. The program is designed to help communities understand and address exposure to multiple environmental harms and risks. Environmental Justice Small Grants fund projects up to $100,000, depending on the availability of funds in a given year. All projects are associated with at least one qualified environmental statute.
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