Collaborating to secure healthy and sustainable water resources throughout five watersheds of Southeastern Wisconsin

A Sweet Water Recap Clean Rivers, Clean Rivers Conference April 25th, 2013

Our Southeastern Wisconsin Watersheds

Watershed: Kinnickinnic River Menomonee River Milwaukee River Oak Creek Root River Lake Michigan Direct Drainage Area Total Square Miles: Area: (in sq. miles) 24.7 135.8 700.0 28.2 197.6 40.7 1,127.0 600+ 9

Total Perennial River Miles: Number of Counties:

Number of Local Municipalities: 83

The Formation of Sweet Water a Result of Two Major Initiatives

SEWRPC 2009 Regional Water Quality Plan Update Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage Districts 2020 Facilities Plan Public Policy Forums 2006 Water Panel

Joint water quality initiative formalized with Wisconsin DNR

Urban and rural nonpoint pollution identified as key issue

A Blue Ribbon panel identified shared objectives for the Greater Milwaukee watersheds

Plans conclusion: A watershed approach is needed

Panels conclusion: Regional collaboration is essential

Sweet Waters Goals

Make measurable progress in improving regional water resources (with specific goals for pollutant reductions and land restoration) Support land use practices that improve water quality Forge relationships to find & leverage funding Recommend policies to produce lasting water resource benefits Implement cost-effective projects resulting in measurable improvements

Sweet Waters Steering Council

Officers: Nancy Frank, UW-Milwaukee Urban Planning Dept. Tom Grisa, City of Brookfield Dept. of Public Works David Lee, We Energies Members: Don Berghammer, Wisconsin Dept. of Transportation Preston Cole, City of Milwaukee Dept. of Public Works Brian Depies, Yaggy Colby Associates Sharon Gayan, Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources Susan Greenfield, Root-Pike Watershed Initiative Network Michael Hahn, SE Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission Andy Holschbach, Ozaukee County Land Management Dept. Peter McAvoy, UW-Milwaukee School of Freshwater Sciences Neil Palmer, Village of Elm Grove Karen Schapiro, Milwaukee Riverkeeper Kevin Shafer, Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District Dan Stoffel, Washington County Board Ursula Twombly, Continuum Architects & Planners

Sweet Water Basic Structure

Communications Committee

Science Committee

Sweet Water

Watershed Action Teams

Policy Committee

Sweet Water NGO Structure

Research efforts in public knowledge Regional Stormwater Outreach Campaign

Prioritizing projects

Communications Committee

Menomonee River

Kinnickinnic River

New bacteria markers

Science Committee

Sweet Water

Watershed Action Teams

Root River

Tracking emerging issues

Policy Committee
New water quality trading & phosphorus efforts Watershedbased storm water permitting effort
Rural nonpoint pollution reduction work

Future Watershed Action Teams:

Oak Creek

Milwaukee River

Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) projects

Key Sweet Water NGO Partners:

Sweet Water Teams Are Active in Multiple Watersheds

Residential Stormwater BMP Projects (Kinnickinnic River watershed)

Sweet Waters Mini-grants $130K to Civic Groups in First 3 Years

Advancing New Regional Water Quality Policy Efforts

Four third-party TMDLs underway, with Sweet Water in key outreach role Efforts to institute water quality trading in WI Promotion of adaptive management option for phosphorus Secured $300K for Root River restoration plan, now underway, bridging a key border Fostering a new-in-US watershed-based storm water permit partnership

New Menomonee River Watershed Based Storm Water Permit Adopted November 2012

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Finally, Sweet Waters Outreach Efforts Are Essential

Public Stormwater Education A $270K, 2-year Partnership Underway

Thanks for coming today!

For more info on Sweet Waters work visit www.swwtwater.org www.facebook.com/SE.WI.WatershedsTrust.org