FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 27, 2013 Contact: Jeff Martinka, Sweet Water Executive Director, 414-477-1156 Clean

Rivers, Clean Lake Conference to Take Place at Harley-Davidson Museum Water leaders to discuss water quality at April 25th event MILWAUKEE Leaders in state water quality work and residents alike will have an opportunity to learn about innovations and efforts to clean up area rivers and Lake Michigan at the 9th annual Clean Rivers Clean Lake conference scheduled for April 25 at the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee. Southeastern Wisconsin is recognized across the nation for its rich water resources, said Jeff Martinka, executive director of Sweet Water. The Clean Rivers Clean Lake conference provides the opportunity to learn about breakthroughs in cleaning up our valuable waters. Conference highlights include a presentation on the State of Oregons experience implementing innovative water quality programs; a panel offering perspectives on dam removal with case studies from Illinois and Wisconsin; updates on important new regional water quality studies and 14 workshop presentations. From green infrastructure projects to dam removal, this conference will cover a wide spectrum of topics related to improving water quality and have something for everyone interested in cleaning up area rivers and Lake Michigan explains Martinka. New this year is an evening event with Milwaukee celebrity historian John Gurda offering a visual history of Milwaukees relationship with the areas rivers and Lake Michigan; this event is open to the public. This years featured resident artist is photographer Robert Burns, of Milwaukees RedLine Studio. Mr. Burns will offer his arresting portraits, MKE Underground, a visual examination of the regions sewers and tunnels. This years conference attendees will get to explore Southeast Wisconsins waters today and in the past, above ground and below, said Martinka. Dont miss your opportunity to learn about whats being done to protect Southeast Wisconsins rivers and Lake Michigan! Conference registration fee is just $60 through March 31, $80 after March 31, and $30 for students with current ID. For more information and to register, please visit: http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=wmzykslab&oeidk=a07e6tmjymka3b09221 (If link does not open, right click & select open hyperlink)

Sweet Water, the Southeastern Wisconsin Watersheds Trust, Inc., is a unique partnership established in 2008 to achieve healthy and sustainable water resources throughout the 1,100 square mile Greater Milwaukee watersheds through coordinated, collaborative efforts. Its partners include independent units of government, special purpose districts, non-profit organizations, local residents and representatives of business and academia, all sharing common goals for our shared waters. Sweet Water partners have unified to address the issues facing our rivers and Lake Michigan through a basin-wide approach, an

approach exactly like that proposed to the EPA in this project.