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…
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Saturday, March 20, 2010
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."
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."
Friday, March 5, 2010
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.
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.
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