2011 What Next!

Even in winter, the water flows. We may not be as aware of it, because we stay indoors more these cold, winter days where we live. But water sustains our lives, it lives within us, it is too important to ignore. With that---the Central Wisconsin Riverkeepers are attuned to---“What Next?”

Planning for next year’s water monitoring events has already been begun!

Remember we stated at the start of this year we wanted to involve a few more teams (Six to be precise!) for next year? We looked at our existing inventory and considered what we will need to affect this. A shopping list was prepared and purchases were made. We have the items we’ll need for these “new” teams now at hand. That was the easy part.

Of course, equipment is only a part of the mix. What about the necessary citizens who will provide the “waders-on, in stream” data collection, computation and data entry into the citizens-based WAV database? This is the most important part of work, true!

First, we need to assess who’s coming back for another season of monitoring. Will you be joining a team this year? Will you lead a new team? Do you want to be more involved? How can you help?

Those are good questions, don’t you think!

How many of our current leaders are up to the challenge to repeat as Stream Team Leaders? Is everyone on board to delve into this again? Were you able to accomplish your goals as a team leader? Were there any difficulties in performing this task as you wanted? I know you were asked this several times this past season because we were desperately trying to assess whether we were on target with our training and your comfort with the work.

We were told mostly, “we find this work enjoyable---the camaraderie fun---and pretty easy to accomplish.” The Group Coordinator reported, “Everyone performed the tasks without exception!”

These are good things. Now the hard question---will you return and continue your efforts for another season of WAV Level One water monitoring? Are you interested in forming one of the new teams? (I understand we’re going to have at least two school groups join us this next year and wow, are we excited about that!---More about this as it develops).

Lastly, you may have had a chance to review the Stream Data from the 2010 session. Did you have any questions relative to the data? A good place to enter your questions would be our wiki found at http://cwriverkeeper.wikispaces.com just head to the 2011 Planning Tab and feel free to add to the list there. And if you’re interested in being involved with us again, add your name to the list or contact one of the members if you don’t know how to do this. Thanks for your involvement! Happy holidays.

Wisconsin's Clean Water Future

On Thursday, a small group gathered to discuss “Wisconsin’s Clean Water Future” at Bubolz Nature Preserve Center in Appleton, sponsored by the local chapter of Trout Unlimited. The discussion was led by Melissa Malott of Clean WI, a resource protection advocate group who tries to maintain the balance between the environment and the industrialization of nature. It’s a Rubric’s cube that has many moving parts and on many levels is difficult to accomplish within the time we have in the delicate environment where we live.

Ms. Malott has been speaking out for environmental protection since I’ve known her. She gives well thought out testimony at Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) hearings when public comment is necessary to balance injustice and industry, like when corporatists inauspiciously attack the environment---or as the English philosopher, John Locke, wrote that

God gave the earth and its resources to “the Common” to use to sustain himself and to enjoy. But whatever is beyond this and more than his share; nothing was made by God for man to spoil or destroy.

This night her topic was water. Further, clean water will be necessary to sustain life and we need to protect its accessibility and sustainability for future generations beyond our own.

Facts and figures of degradation and depletion afford one the sense that our water is being taken for granted. Vegetable growers in Wisconsin, (It takes 52 gallons of water to grow 1 potato), Industry and agriculturists are putting straws (High Capacity Pumps) into the groundwater and returning the water worse than how they found it.

Ms. Malott. showed plenty of slides which supported her view point. Our water is filled with toxic pesticides, antibiotics, and other pharmaceuticals. Moreover, it is transferred from its natural form through cows into dairy products and hauled away by truck to other markets while nearby neighbors’ wells go dry or worse fill with E.coli bacteria (Kewaunee County, 2005).

Questions from the group were raised. How do you sell a house that’s been changed from "country living" to an industrial zone? Another, what is the value of a property after its well has been determined unsafe? Or sell a house with well-water tests resulting high in herbicides? What is the deleterious cost to our State’s economy for lost manufacturing, lost tourism, and lost home value? Many questions came regarding the CAFO at Rosendale. How do you get business with so little regard for the resources to understand that their “bad apple” behavior is adversely impacting the State’s economy?

The conversation switched to 303d-listed waters, a definition by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) relative to impaired waters of the State. Lake Winnebago and the Lower Fox River are among these. And although about 1.5 million (depending on the current Census) get their drinking water here, it is listed as a “low priority” with the WDNR.

Slides of puddles of manure spread on fields near Paint Creek, (Manitowoc County) and more conversation about the Cladophora, a naturally occurring algae in Lake Michigan that incurs super-growth status and becomes noxious when charged with non-point polluted runoff nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen from nearby farm fields, here’s a picture of a man in waders waist-deep in Cladophora near the shoreline of his home on Lake Michigan.

There is a plethora of problems within the natural topography—Karst—and slope to waterways in many parts of the State and the old farming practices of placing tiles in fields to get the water away from plant roots so crops would grow. Wisconsin is water. But potable drinking water is a luxury; not a given. Why is this happening here?

The Clean Water Act is enforceable. Big farms, specifically CAFO-type are only 1% of all farms in Wisconsin. They are permitted to have zero discharge. They are governed by strict Nutrient Management Plans. They have rules. But what are the consequences when things go awry? Like the Stahl Brothers farms in Door County who had a “minor manure spill” like 200,000 gallons into the Kewaunee just after 250,000 trout fingerings were planted into the same river? What was the fine? What did the owner mean when he said he was “Sorry?” And later it was disclosed that this wasn’t the first occurrence for his behavior. Why is he always “sorry” but his problems to properly manage nutrients are a burden to everyone else? What is the penalty? One pound of Phosphorus equals 500 lbs. of algae. CAFO-RD generates 60,000 lbs. of phosphorus. Hmmm.

Ms. Malott said, “Most farms have good intentions.” There’s just a few bad apples. 80 percent of the problem comes from 20% of the polluters. In Dane County 99% of the farmers are good producers. 15% of mismanaged phosphorus comes from just 4 farms in the County. One of these is a 300 to 600 cow dairy. When does the “bad apple” have to “cease-and-desist?” After all, if your business is a nuisance and a threat to public health, should you be allowed to operate that business?

So seriously, what’s the solution to all this? Where’s the outcome from all the “outrage and dread? “

The Adaptive Management Option allows all stakeholders---Farmers Bureau and Municipal support---to work together for flexible, cost effective rules that are amenable to The Clean Water Act. Such activity is being fostered today in our State’s Capitol. Perhaps we’ll be hearing more on this in the coming months. Then we can tout something positive coming out of Dane County that will impact us all.

Thank you to all who attended this program. As always, I learned something. I hope this summary is useful to those who were unable to attend. I welcome your comments.

End of Summer Projects

Whoops! Summer in Wisconsin goes by like the blink of an eye. Wow, where did it go?

So now we are at the end of summer. Our Water Monitoring Projects are at or near completion for another year. Were we successful? Did we accomplish what we set out to do?

Of course, I have less than a worldview of success. I'm told by Professor Murphy of Murf's Muddpuppy Water Monitoring Team and head Water Action Volunteer Coordinator for our CWRiverkeeper Association that 14 teams successfully updated the documentation on the WAV website for 20 locations in Central Wisconsin at a near 100% rate. (That was two weeks ago--near Labor Day.)

Our CWRiver Keepers network of enthusiastic volunteers can be proud of the effort put forth to achieve our goals. I'm also told our volunteer list of participants has grown to 109 persons. Wow. Thank you to everyone who is stepping forward to do this activity.

A few of the leaders have been meeting on a most regular basis sharing ideas about where we're headed with our organization for the upcoming monitoring season. Of course in order to finalize plans we need your input. Can you take a moment to comment here:

How many times did your team monitor?
How many teammates attended your sessions on a regular basis?
What equipment (Hach or LaMotte) did you use to collect Dissolved Oxygen?
Which test was the easiest to accomplish?
Which test do you feel most competent in performing?
Conversely, Which test is the most difficult for your team?

And if you could add any suggestions to amend the way we handle this activity.
(You can comment here below or send an email to this blog's host, we'd like to hear from you.)

Lastly, there's a CWRiverkeeper Appreciation Banquet being held on Monday November 8th at the Fin & Feather in Winneconne...details will follow. But please put this date aside. It will begin approximately at 5 PM. An RSVP is requested. (Please contact JGremmer as soon as you can about your intentions to attend.) We hope everyone can make it!

Thank you again for your efforts at Water Monitoring this season. 2010 will be remembered as the Year of the Water, no doubt! The CW Riverkeepers are off to a great start. Thanks to YOU!

Invasive Plants in our Rivers and Lakes

Today we had a workshop at Hartman Creek State Park. Though it was chilly and damp for a mid-June-end-of-spring day, it was cozy and warm inside the pavilion.

Laura from the Wisconsin River Alliance and Paul, the Regional AIS Education Specialist of Golden Sands Resource Conservation & Development Council gave an outstanding presentation relative to PROJECT RED. (Riverine Early Detection)

Their conversation centered around Invasive Plants in our waterways, how to identify them and what to do when you find them. This is a huge topic in our pristine environment which has been invaded for years by citizens introducing invasive plants into our neighborhoods.

I had no idea that so many “aquarium items”…yes, items sold for aquariums…could find their way into our lakes, rivers and streams. More people have to understand the balance of nature, the penalties for putting “foreign materials” into the water, and the consequences of their actions. It was suggested some people actually put these types of plants into their lakes at the end of the pier to give “an aquarium appearance.” OK. That’s a NR40 violation. A 2^nd offense within 5 years is a crime with a minimum fine of $700 and a maximum of $2,000! That should get someone’s attention.

Who’s going to do something like that--probably someone who doesn’t know the rules and doesn’t understand the consequences; that’s who. Like someone buying Japanese Knotwood and planting it on their property to provide privacy in their backyard; only to find that once it takes hold it spreads and takes over the area in no time as there are no bugs (or other predators) that will keep it in check. This is NOT a good thing.

Or like Curly-leaf Pondweed that was accidently introduced when common carp were stocked in North America, who knew it would spread throughout the upper Midwest like magic: again, no predators to keep it check.

We learned a lot about invasive plant species today. Thanks to Laura and Paul for their enthused, intelligent presentation. You can check out their information at this website: www.wisconsinrivers.org

Let’s go paddling to see what we can find.

It's May, the Windy Month of May

So here we are in Camolot, King! What do you think of it?
It's May, it's may, the merry, merry month of May!

I think we should change that to the Windy, Windy Month of May! Wow. Did you ever try to flyfish in fifty mile-an-hour winds! Hold on to your hat!

It remends me of a float trip down the Green River, WY once as the drift boat was being pushed upriver above the Flaming Gorge. The boat was actually going backwards upstream! The wind was obnoxious.

My fishing partner brought along his 4-weight for catching large 'bows and browns and the sport of it. The wind hardly allowed him to cast beyond the bow of the boat. The all day float was horrendous.

That night we felt as though we had been beaten and whipped by weather so hard we couldn't wait to get out of the wind. Okay, this May seems like that! A lot like that!

If you're looking for Central Wisconsin River Keeper Water Monitoring Activities head over to here.

You'll get all the latest news from the Team Leaders and Fearless Followers who are working to monitor our waterways in Central Wisconsin.

April 25 Water Monitor Training is Postponed!!

Yes. Mother Nature decided to bless us with her presence today. She is providing much needed rain to our watershed.

Therefore, we will not be having the water monitor training at Riverview Park as planned. My, my but it is nasty out there.

Today's training in POSTPONED until next Sunday, May 2nd, same time, same place. The CWTU Riverkeeper Committee wants to provide a safe, relaxing water monitoring training. So please plan to be there next week. Thank you for your interest!

Everything's Up-To-Date with WAV Water Monitoring Kits

WHOOPS! ATTN: Team Leaders with HACH Kits!

Hello everyone: This week we received a new shipment of chemicals for the HACH Dissolved Oxygen Kits. These chemicals are new DO1, DO2 Packets and DO3 “pillows.” And a 3 500 ml bottles of Sodium Thiosulfate to replace the Sodium Thiosulfate that you have in the 3 ml bottles in your kits.

All the essential dissolved oxygen chemicals have expired within the last few months or so. So for the 2010 monitoring season, you’ll want to have these chemicals before heading out into the field for your water monitoring activities with your team members.

Yes, if you look in your existing Hach Kits, you’ll see these same items with EXPIRATION Dates--all in the past. If that isn’t true, leave a comment here or send an email because we want to be sure we’re measuring the same things as you.

So, when to exchange the ‘old’ for the ‘new?’

We’ll be collecting the old chemicals and sending them back to the UW Extension in Madison for proper disposal. (Please Don’t dump them on the ground or into the water!)

We’ll exchange them at the Training Session at Riverside Park on the East Side of Waupaca, 2 PM on SUNDAY, the 25th. We’ll try to be there early if you want to take care of this prior to the training session.

Lastly, if you notice other issues that need to be resolved please contact Central Wisconsin Riverkeepers so all can be ready for the field work that begins shortly.

Thank you for being an important of our WAV Water Monitoring efforts this year.

For the Committee, The Streamer

On the Water Here and Elsewhere

Looking back over my shoulder, what a busy month March!

It started feeling like a well-traveled tennis shoe, the heavy, black treads wearing thin. And I haven’t been that far from home, really. I’m going to share these travels with you in this blog.

Here are a few articles:

If you have the time and interest, follow the links to these articles, click on the names of the places below. These links will take you to some interesting reading on water issues; good reading on a rainy day.

California Florida Illinois Ohio Pennsylvania Midwest

All of them give you an insight that water is important to all of us.

Hope you’re getting outside to enjoy our early summer weather. Isn’t it unusual? Many good reports from friends who fish. And from others who don’t, too. Please leave comments below if you so desire.

This Week -- March 20, 2010-- On the Water

I didn’t anticipate how this week would pan out. It started easily enough, a few of the water-monitoring committee got together to inventory the Central Wisconsin Riverkeeper’s water monitoring equipment and discuss the needs for the training session coming up at the end of April (the 25th at Riverside Park in Waupaca, 2PM).

We’ve had a good response from attendees so far. Enthused volunteers are signing on to help with water monitoring our six Central Wisconsin counties in Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Marquette and the 3 W’s (Waushara, Waupaca, and Winnebago.) We’re looking forward to the training and getting everyone on board with what we hope to accomplish this water monitoring season. (The Agenda will be forthcoming.)

So, we spread out all the equipment, did a count of what we have and made a note about what was needed to fill our teams with the necessary physical tools for this purpose. We’re looking good! That was Monday afternoon.

I backed off the Project Healing Waters fly-tying over at the VA late Monday afternoon. But other committee members honored their commitment to meet with the Vets enrolled in this program. (If you want to be a part of this, you would be welcome and you’d feel better if you did! More on this program at www.CWTU.org)

And then Tuesday I attended the Wisconsin’s Senate Committee on the Environment and Natural Resources discussing issues currently before Senators Miller, Jauch, Kedzie and Olsen--in attendance.

As environmentalists, we like to see how our government is working to protect our resources. Of particular interest is the Groundwater Protection Bill, SB620 and SB632, control of nonpoint source water pollution in certain Karst bedrock areas of the State--like NE Wisconsin--currently working their way through Committee.

This bill has been “working its way” for many years, according to the testimony and brief history provided by Professor Emeritus, Steve Born, who’s been part of the Senate Groundwater Advisory Committee since the mid-1970’s. There were many speaking in favor of passing this legislation.

SB620 simply defined will allow a ‘framework for compliance to the challenged resources of our State.”

There was some impassioned testimony before the committee on ‘disappearing lake water, dried up trout streams and inferences of what happens when NO ACTION is taken’ to the poor management practices of a few who insist that using more high-capacity wells “to pump more, and deeper if need be” may be the peril for us all.

Noticeable people speaking against this protection were: Kathy Pielsticker, DATCP and David Jelinski, Dairy Business Assn. You can probably find a link to their testimony on line. It’s mostly the same, tired reasoning always brought forth by these two organizations: $26 billion in State revenues and DBA’s tout “to keep farmers competitive in a global economy.” (I'm refraining from comment on the myth of 'global economy' here.)

Walking away from this hearing, you can’t help but thank those who show up to support the passage of this legislation. Wisconsin’s Groundwater has been under attack for too many years. We’re allowing the depletion of this resource on our Watch! Call your State Representatives and let them know your opinions on these important matters.

After my visit to the State Capitol I went to the Midwest Environmental Advocates (MEA) to thank them for their involvement with these committee hearings. It’s great to have their staff dedicated to conservation activities in Wisconsin. Actually these people are an articulate, informed group who support the environment.

While at MEA, I met their new director, Kim Wright. We discussed the legislative issues before the Senate. She is a strong, willing advocate for environmental causes. If you’re looking for someone to support your viewpoint in legislative or environmental legal issues, please support MEA with your donations. They work hard and deserve it.

And that was the first two days this week. More to follow…

Introduction to CW Riverkeepers Podcast

Hello fellow Riverkeepers.

Today we're posting the first podcast of the water monitoring season.



Or read it here
Script for Podcast, March 2010

Welcome to CWRiverkeepers “On the Water.” This is a monthly podcast about “water monitoring and related activities of the Central Wisconsin Riverkeepers. This monthly podcast runs in conjunction with a weekly blog.

Today’s podcast is an introduction to who we are, what we’re doing and what we’re going to do this 2010 Water Monitoring Season here in the Central Wisconsin Riverkeepers.

As you may know, Riverkeepers are first cited in a 1997 book from Scribner, NYC by John Cronin and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Their purpose was to stand vigilant to the Hudson River, a large geography in eastern New York—which among many important things, supplies millions of people with drinking water in the City of New York.

Riverkeepers are “in-the-muck, waders-on environmentalists.” And that’s where we fit in. Central Wisconsin, though certainly not as populated as NYC is without doubt an important ecology—a future podcast will address the geological and ecological significance of Central Wisconsin.

You won’t want to miss that episode of the podcast.

Okay, here’s the unique feature about this podcast. You can listen to it whenever and wherever you want. You don’t need a radio tower or special listening device. It will happen without all that, right here on this blog. Our schedule is promoting a podcast release the third week of each month during the water monitoring season.

We want to keep our Central Wisconsin Riverkeepers informed on special topics that impact our water.

Let’s look around the State of Wisconsin: What are some of the issues here?

The City of Waukesha is concerned about their water supply—will they have enough for future generations? They are asking to get special permission from the Great Lakes consortium of 8 States and Two Canadian Provinces to pipe water from Lake Michigan to their East though they are in the Mississippi River Watershed that lies in their west. Part of the provision is that they will also need to pipe waste water back into the watershed from whence it came.

On one hand, no big deal, on the other, what about all the places that need water? Think Golf Courses?, Arizona Resorts? Whose water is it? There’s a few interesting links to this topic on our website blog.

Elsewhere in Wisconsin:
The Lower Fox River is named by the EPA to be a 303d listed, impaired water. This river system drains 1/5 of the State of Wisconsin. That’s right 20%! It provides drinking water for 100’s of 1000’s of Wisconsinites. You should also know that though it is a 303d-listed, and impaired water—it is listed as a low priority with the DNR (We’ll have more about this in a future podcast.)

What’s going on in Central Wisconsin’s watersheds? Specifically, there are many issues with groundwater and surface waters of the State.

Where’s it going? As reported in the Madison State Journal last September, that Long Lake near Plainfield in western Waushara County has disappeared. We’ll give you a link to that story and Wisconsin Public Radio’s interview with some of the cottage owners on Long Lake. Check our web blog for these links.

The Little Plover River in Central Wisconsin--a Class 1 Trout stream has been pumped dry by high capacity irrigation wells for the past six years. Are vegetables more important than water for human life? How many jobs are impacted by disappearing water? We will provide that link to that story on our blog, too.

So there you have it. An overview of water in our area. Issues and things to consider. There’s a lot going on in Wisconsin these days.

We are the CWRiverkeepers. We’re going to water monitor streams, rivers and a few lakes in Central Wisconsin specifically in six counties: Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Marquette, and the 3 W’s—Waushara, Waupaca and Winnebago.

If you want to join us, put a comment on the blog site. Help us look at the water—in-the-muck-waders on--for the environment.

This has been the introductory podcast to CW Riverkeepers--for the March 2010 edition.

Please join us again; the blog is posted weekly with a podcast on the third week of each month--when we explore “on the water”.

Thank you for being with us.

For the Central Wisconsin Riverkeepers Committee:
This is THE STREAMER See you "on the water."

Calling all Water Action Volunteers!

We are ready for the 2010 Central Wisconsin RiverKeepers Water Monitoring Program and hope you are ready too. The time for some “waders on, environmentalism” is getting near. Are you ready!

Listen: We especially need past monitors to show up to help with this training if you have experience in water monitoring because we want to insure our newer members that we can help them.

So you’re invited to a training session for WAV LEVEL 1 to be held at Riverside Park in Waupaca, April 25th, Sunday afternoon, which will begin promptly at 2:05 PM. (We should be finished no later than 4 PM.) The training is free. We will provide the training, tools and support. Additionally we will provide training, tools and support on an on-going basis to those who request assistance. It’s our commitment to you.

Welcome to the Central Wisconsin TU Riverkeeper Project

Located in Central Wisconsin, Central Wisconsin’s RiverKeepers is a “waders-on, environmental” group that monitors local rivers and streams in six central Wisconsin counties—Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Marquette, Waushara, Waupaca and Winnebago.

On a monthly basis throughout the summer, this dedicated group of volunteers monitors some of your favorite rivers and streams within these counties.

They share their findings and knowledge through Central Wisconsin RiverKeepers chapter reports, and an on-line database! Our main focus is providing our visitors a first-class experience in education, conservation, and fun.

We plan to use this website as a way to keep everyone informed about the water monitoring activities in these counties. We'll also let you know about any changes in local watersheds that we witness while we’re “in the field.”

Watch for postings by some of the team leaders, upcoming events and education programs. Additionally, you can post your comments here, too.

We hope you've enjoyed this introduction to the Central Wisconsin RiverKeepers!

In our sidebar, you'll find a way to subscribe to our blog, which will deliver new postings directly to your e-mail. And if you want to join us, we'd like to have you be a part of us! All it takes is your willingness to have a good time in the out-of-doors. More on this later...

Or you can bookmark our page for easy retrieval. We also want to hear from you, so feel free to click the comment button below to let us know what you think.

We're planning to post a new blog entry about every week, so stay tuned for our next post, which will feature how to conduct a successful monitoring of a waterway near you. C'mon along. Get in. Get wet! Let's go!