 Milwaukee River Third Ward site; one of many projects in the Milwaukee Estuary Area of Concern. / Photo Credit: Sigma Group
Pollution Cleanup Projects Underway In The Milwaukee Estuary Area Of Concern
from: Milwaukee Area of Concern Newsletter
Projects to clean up pollution in the Milwaukee Estuary Area of Concern are underway. These projects are part of a larger effort to restore the health of the Milwaukee Estuary Area of Concern through improved water quality, wildlife habitat and fisheries.
Basin H Sewers PCB Cleanup Update
The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) is partnering with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to clean sewers located west of the Milwaukee River along North Humboldt Boulevard between East Capitol Drive and East Locust Street known as Basin H.
A 2008 investigation identified the Milwaukee Die Cast Company, located at 4132 North Holton Street in the City of Milwaukee, as the primary source of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB’s) that were coating sewers in this area.
PCB’s are legacy chemicals that were banned in 1978 which require removal to avoid problems in the future and keep our rivers and lake clean. The EPA removed the PCB’s at the business site. MMSD is now preparing to remove and safely dispose of the PCB contamination that remains in the sewers. This clean up will follow a EPA approved remediation work plan.
Watch the Basin H PCB Remediation video update to see how this work will impact residents. For more details about the Basin H project and the associated cleanup of contaminated material in the Milwaukee River Greenway, watch the Waterway Restoration Partnership virtual meeting Cleaning Up Our Toxic Legacy: Milwaukee River Greenway.
Third Ward Milwaukee River Cleanup Update
We Energies, along with their contractors GEI and J.F. Brennan, began sediment remediation work along a 0.6-mile stretch of the Milwaukee River. The site is adjacent to the former Third Ward Manufactured Gas Plant and upstream near the confluence of the Menomonee and Milwaukee rivers.
Remediation will occur in two main phases. Phase one begins in November, just west of the North Water Street Bridge, near the confluence of the Milwaukee and Menomonee rivers. This portion of work will last approximately eight weeks. The work will pause during the cold winter months, and then resume with phase two in Spring 2023. We Energies expects to complete the project by December 2023.
You may notice:
- Temporary fencing has been put up around a site where the phase one work will occur, and sections of sidewalk will be periodically closed for public safety. We Energies plans to be finished with the improved shoreline wall along 200 East Seeboth Street by the end of this year.
- Noise from equipment that vibrates sheet piling into the ground.
- An increase in truck traffic and other equipment sounds. These activities are temporary, however, and will be performed within the hours allowed under Milwaukee ordinances, so as to minimize disruptions to area residents and businesses.
Learn more about the project by watching the Third Ward Milwaukee River Cleanup video update or reading the construction fact sheet.
If you have any questions about this project, call We Energies at 877-380-0522 or email thirdwardproject@we-energies.com.
Dredged Material Management Facility Update
The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District is partnering with the City of Milwaukee, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, We Energies and Port Milwaukee to create a new Dredged Material Management Facility in the Milwaukee harbor. When it’s completed, this facility will provide safe, secure containment for polluted sediment removed from the Milwaukee, Menomonee and Kinnickinnic Rivers. The facility is specifically designed and engineered for the containment of dredged material and control of potential releases of contaminants to the environment.
Learn more about the status of the Dredged Material Management Facility, including new information about the design, by watching the November 2022 update video.
Sector Team Updates
The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) invites Wisconsin farmers to apply for commercial nitrogen optimization research grants through January 31, 2023. These grants aim to enhance the understanding of and refine new methods that optimize commercial nitrogen applied to agricultural fields.
Eligible applicants must be an agricultural producer, agree to collaborate with the University of Wisconsin System (UW) on their project, and voluntarily conduct commercial nitrogen optimization field studies for a minimum of two years. For a full list of requirements, visit DATCP’s website.
“As stewards of the land, Wisconsin farmers understand that our rich soil and water resources are our strength, and they work tirelessly to ensure that our farmland is maintained for future generations” said DATCP Secretary Randy Romanski. “These grants will give farmers across the state the opportunity to continue preserving our natural resources and identify new opportunities in nitrogen optimization.”
There is $1.6 million available for this round of grants. Multiple agricultural producers may work together to submit a single application, and each agricultural producer who is part of the application is eligible to receive up to a maximum award of $50,000. Of the amount awarded to a producer, up to 20% will be awarded to UW for their monitoring and research assistance.
The grant application is available on DATCP’s website. Applications are due to DATCPNOPP@wisconsin.gov by 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, January 31, 2023. Grant recipients will be announced in March 2023.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has awarded a grant to Sand County Foundation to provide financial incentives for farmers who reduce erosion and protect water quality.
The NRCS Conservation Innovation Grant supports Sand County Foundation’s ongoing work to accelerate the adoption of soil health management on farmland. Sand County Foundation is a national non-profit that works at the intersection of agriculture and environmental improvement.
The three-year grant will be used to apply performance-based conservation planning to incentivize farmers and farmland owners in eastern and central Wisconsin who implement a management change that results in a measurable environmental improvement on their farms. These climate-smart agricultural practices can include growing cover crops, reduced tillage practices, implementing nutrient management plans, and installing prairie filter strips.
“This performance-based conservation incentive approach is an innovative way to pay farmers according to the sediment and nutrients they retain on the land as a result of the conservation practices they adopt,” said Dr. Heidi Peterson, Sand County Foundation’s Vice President of Agricultural Conservation and Research. Read more...
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Salmon Observed Spawning in Indian Creek, Fox Point, WI
Nov 9, 2022
Residents and Fox Point Municipal employees were excited by un-expected visitors earlier this month. They observed salmon spawning up through Indian Creek at Seneca Road, roughly a mile upstream of the Milwaukee River (clicking on the photo will show the approximate location). The photo (photo credit: Scott Brandmeier, Fox Point) illustrates salmon observed during their natural spawning process and taking advantage of the successful efforts to restore habitat and re-naturalize Indian Creek, helping restore the natural ecosystem. Employees also reported observing eggs had been laid.
The SWWT Science Committee formed a Bacteria Work Group in response to impairments in the region’s waterways due to fecal bacteria pollution and the newly drafted TMDLs for the Milwaukee River Basin. The efforts of this group have culminated in a white paper that serves as a starting point when beginning to identify fecal bacteria sources and/or evaluate measures to control waterborne fecal bacteria contamination. This paper is linked below.
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TUE DEC 6 ~ 4:30-6:00PM
via ZOOM ~ FREE
Registration Required
Join the Wisconsin Lakes staff and board for our Annual Membership Meeting on Tuesday, December 6, 2022 at 4:30pm on Zoom! This free, virtual event is open to members and non-members of Wisconsin Lakes, though registration is required.
Learn about what your statewide lake conservation organization and association of local lake organizations accomplished in the past year as well as hear about the exciting plans for 2023, including our advocacy and educational training offerings, a preview of our legislative priorities, and a discussion of our Recreational Impacts to Lakes initiative (including a preview of regional events around recreational impacts coming in 2023).
Register here!
Membership is not necessary to attend, but if you are not a member we invite you to join us!
from: SWWT
We have a new Environmental Outreach and Inspection Coordinator here at Sweet Water! Each year, Sweet Water partners with Marshfield Health Clinic, to host an AmeriCorps member for a year of service. Allyssa is joining the team to help us advance to raise public awareness of stormwater pollution issues in the Greater Milwaukee Area and help improve the environmental health of the region.
Allyssa answered some questions about herself and how she decided to spend a year of service with Sweet Water.
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The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) updated Technical Standard 1056 Perimeter Sediment Control and Slope Interruption, which represents the consolidation and updating of two former technical standards (1056 Silt Fence and 1071 Manufactured Perimeter Control and Slope Interruption Products). These technical standards were consolidated because the purpose and conditions where practices apply are the same. Updates include emphasis on the contributing drainage area limitations of these practices and several new figures. The updated Technical Standard 1056 Perimeter Sediment Control and Slope Interruption is now available on the DNR’s Storm Water Construction Technical Standards webpage.
Technical standard revisions included input from previous public review and was updated using the Standards Oversight Council Modified Process.
The DNR maintains, implements and develops storm water construction and post-construction technical standards to assist with the compliance of Chapter NR 151, Wisconsin Administrative Code. The process established by the Wisconsin Standards Oversight Council is followed by the DNR to develop or revise technical standards pursuant to Subchapter V of NR 151. The DNR is a member of the Wisconsin Standards Oversight Council along with several other federal and state agencies and conservation organizations to ensure that technical standards used for soil and water conservation in Wisconsin are science-based and involve collaboration with other impacted agencies.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) updated Technical Standard 1062 Ditch Check. This technical standard was changed to update the silt fence relief drawing for more clarity and consistency with other technical standards. The updated Technical Standard 1062 Ditch Check is now available on the DNR’s Storm Water Construction Technical Standards webpage.
Technical standard revisions included input from public review and it was updated using the Standards Oversight Council Minor Process.
The DNR maintains, implements and develops storm water construction and post-construction technical standards to assist with the compliance of Chapter NR 151, Wisconsin Administrative Code. The process established by the Wisconsin Standards Oversight Council is followed by the DNR to develop or revise technical standards pursuant to Subchapter V of NR 151. The DNR is a member of the Wisconsin Standards Oversight Council along with several other federal and state agencies and conservation organizations to ensure that technical standards used for soil and water conservation in Wisconsin are science-based and involve collaboration with other impacted agencies.
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Do you have unfunded storm water or wastewater infrastructure needs? Do you want congress to understand the funding needs of your community? Do you want Wisconsin to get an appropriate share of federal funding? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you have reason to participate in the Clean Watersheds Needs Survey. The actions to take depend on your community’s population:
- If your 2020 US Census population is less than 10,000 people, then begin identifying unfunded wastewater and storm water projects for a 20-year period starting Jan. 1, 2022. In the coming months, municipal representatives should receive two emails from CWNS@epa.gov using the unique link provided in the emails. Please complete both forms; there is one for wastewater and one for storm water. Sample forms and a video explaining how to complete the forms are available at CWNS Small Community Form | US EPA. If your community does not receive these emails prior to Jan. 1, 2023, please contact DNRCleanWatershedsNeedsSurvey@wisconsin.gov.
- If your 2020 US Census population is greater than 10,000 people or you have a storm water TMDL implementation plan or storm water management plan with a preferred alternative on file with the department, we will be contacting you either directly or through a local municipal consortium. If you are not contacted regarding storm water needs before 15, 2022 and wish to identify your needs, then please send an email to DNRCleanWatershedsNeedsSurvey@wisconsin.gov.
Your participation in this data gathering effort is essential to assuring that Wisconsin is allocated appropriate funding to meet the water quality goals of the Clean Water Act.
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Grants
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $14.2 million in 52 grants that support urban agriculture and innovative production, including a project in Green Bay, Wisconsin. This investment, which includes American Rescue Plan Act funds, will enable grant recipients like the Howard‐Suamico School District (HSSD), to increase food production and access in economically distressed communities, provide job training and education, and allow partners to develop business plans and zoning proposals. These grants build on $26.3 million in projects funded since 2020, and are part of USDA’s broad support for urban agriculture through its Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (OUAIP). Read more...
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