Dane County Water Dane County Water TrendsTrends

John Magnuson & Sue JonesJohn Magnuson & Sue Jones

Dane County Lakes and Dane County Lakes and Watershed CommissionWatershed Commission

September 17, 2003September 17, 2003

About the Lakes & About the Lakes & Watershed CommissionWatershed Commission• coordinating and advisory agency coordinating and advisory agency

within Dane County government within Dane County government • 10 appointed members represent 10 appointed members represent

urban and rural areasurban and rural areas• charged with protecting and charged with protecting and

improving water quality, as well as improving water quality, as well as the scenic, economic, recreational the scenic, economic, recreational and environmental value of Dane and environmental value of Dane County water resourcesCounty water resources

Habitat loss & sedimentation

•Halfway Prairie Creek

•German Valley Branch

•Pleasant Valley Branch

•Syftestad Creek

•Token Creek

•Wendt Creek

•Henry Creek

Habitat loss & low dissolved oxygen

•Yahara River

•Maunesha River

•Lake Koshkonong

Impaired Waters in Dane County –(DNR, 2002)

Fish containing elevated levels of mercury or other contaminants

•Lakes Mendota, Monona, Waubesa•Badfish Creek

Toxics in water, other factors

•Wingra Creek

•Starkweather Creek

Impaired Waters in Dane County, cont’d

Dane County outstanding Dane County outstanding resource waters (DNR)resource waters (DNR)

• Mt. Vernon Mt. Vernon CreekCreek

• Crystal LakeCrystal Lake

Dane County exceptional Dane County exceptional resource waters (DNR)resource waters (DNR)• Black Earth CreekBlack Earth Creek

• Blue Mounds BranchBlue Mounds Branch

• Deer CreekDeer Creek

• Dunlap CreekDunlap Creek

• Elvers Creek (Bohn)Elvers Creek (Bohn)

• Flynn CreekFlynn Creek

• Fryes Feeder CreekFryes Feeder Creek

• Garfoot CreekGarfoot Creek

• Milum CreekMilum Creek• Rutland BranchRutland Branch• Ryan CreekRyan Creek• Schalpbach CreekSchalpbach Creek• Sixmile CreekSixmile Creek• Spring Creek (Lodi)Spring Creek (Lodi)• Wisconsin RiverWisconsin River• Little Sugar RiverLittle Sugar River• Story CreekStory Creek

Water clarityWater clarity• Waubesa, Kegonsa and Wingra show poor Waubesa, Kegonsa and Wingra show poor

to very poor water clarity over timeto very poor water clarity over time

• Monona and Waubesa remain mostly good Monona and Waubesa remain mostly good to fair to fair

• Clarity increases in drought years, and Clarity increases in drought years, and decreases in flood yearsdecreases in flood years

• Sediment & phosphorus in runoff and Sediment & phosphorus in runoff and related algae growth are key factors in related algae growth are key factors in water claritywater clarity

Groundwater trendsGroundwater trends

- increased nitrate and saltincreased nitrate and salt

++ decreased atrazine in wellsdecreased atrazine in wells

- water level drawdownwater level drawdown in centralin central

urban areaurban area

++ rising water levels in other rising water levels in other areasareas

““Cylindro”Cylindro”• invasive subtropical algae found in invasive subtropical algae found in

Lakes Monona and WingraLakes Monona and Wingra• produces at least 3 toxins that may produces at least 3 toxins that may

pose health risks topose health risks to humans and petshumans and pets• Lake Wingra research Lake Wingra research project may help in project may help in minimizing bloomsminimizing blooms

Accomplishments – Accomplishments – Water quality managementWater quality management

• stormwater ordinance implementationstormwater ordinance implementation

• stormwater permit compliancestormwater permit compliance

• awards fromawards from– Minnesota Erosion Control AssociationMinnesota Erosion Control Association– Wisconsin Extension Community Wisconsin Extension Community

Development AssociationDevelopment Association

• Land & Water Resource Management Land & Water Resource Management PlanPlan

Accomplishments – Accomplishments – Water quantity managementWater quantity management

• Yahara Lakes Advisory Group – computerYahara Lakes Advisory Group – computer

model $ model $

• MGE West Campus Cogeneration Facility MGE West Campus Cogeneration Facility waterwater

mitigationmitigation

• Flood Mitigation Flood Mitigation

PlanningPlanning

• Updated Updated

floodplain mapsfloodplain maps

Accomplishments – Accomplishments – Recreation & safetyRecreation & safety

• Updated user Updated user

maps for Lakes maps for Lakes

Mendota, Monona, Mendota, Monona,

Waubesa, KegonsaWaubesa, Kegonsa

• Rhythm & Booms slow-no-wakeRhythm & Booms slow-no-wake

Lake Property Numbering Lake Property Numbering SystemSystem

Zebra mussels & other Zebra mussels & other invasives controlinvasives control• adults found in Lake Monona in 2001 adults found in Lake Monona in 2001

and 2002and 2002

• ecological and economic impacts ecological and economic impacts described in Commission reportdescribed in Commission report

• public lecture and two public public lecture and two public hearings held in Junehearings held in June

Eurasian water milfoilEurasian water milfoil

• 2003 publication: Aquatic Plants in 2003 publication: Aquatic Plants in Dane County WatersDane County Waters

Accomplishments – Accomplishments – Information & educationInformation & education

• rain garden brochurerain garden brochure

• new storm drain stencilsnew storm drain stencils

• assistance to “Friends” groupsassistance to “Friends” groups

• restaurant placematsrestaurant placemats

Sunday June 15, noon - 4 pmInformation Center at Arboretum, noon – 5 pm

20 tour sites

What's on the horizon for What's on the horizon for the Commission and staff?the Commission and staff? • Yahara Lakes Advisory Group Yahara Lakes Advisory Group

recommendations - flooding & lake levelsrecommendations - flooding & lake levels– infiltrationinfiltration– wetlandswetlands– continued work to fund computer modelcontinued work to fund computer model

• erosion control and stormwater erosion control and stormwater ordinance implementation – clean up ordinance implementation – clean up amendments?amendments?

• ordinance restricting P in lawn fertilizerordinance restricting P in lawn fertilizer

www.co.dane.wi.us/commissions/lakes/www.co.dane.wi.us/commissions/lakes/