Spring Rivers Report Now Available Online

Contents for the spring issue include:

• photos from the 9th Annual Clean Rivers, Clean Lake conference,
• Sweet Water Milwaukee AOC spring updates,
• green infrastructure projects in 3 municipalities
• update on the Menomonee River green infrastructure codes/ordinances project,
• an introduction to Sweet Water's new board members, and
• upcoming events.

Follow this link to read or download.  And enjoy!

Keep in touch with the campaign

Sweet Water is the proud recipient of the Public Policy Forum "Salute to Local Government" Private-Public Cooperation Award

 and

Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District

RiversReport

2012 Fall Issue

Public Policy Forum analysis of our recent public opinion survey:

Conference registration at the Harley-Davidson Museum

9th Annual Clean Rivers, Clean Lake Conference presentations now on-line!

Did you miss the conference?  Or want to go back to a few of the points made in a presentation?  Or want to contact a presenter for more information?

All the conference presentations are now archived on-line at scribd.com.  They are in the collection, 9th Annual Clean Rivers, Clean Lake Conference.  Follow this link.

EPA Considering Updates MS4 Stormwater Regulations:

Webinar April 30, 1:00 - 2:30 EST

A webinar will be presented on April 30 to review the core components under consideration by the EPA and anticipate some of the effects these regulatory changes may have for local governments and utilities.

To register for the webinar, follow this link. For more information,contact ecn@efficiencycities.us.

Key Presentations from Sweet Water Policy Meeting of March 19 Available On-line

Two key presentations from the March 19 Policy Committee meeting are now available on-line at our scribd.com account:

Yahara WINS: Adaptive Management for Phosphorus -- Dave Taylor Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District and

MMSD 2013 Discharge Permit -- Tom Nowicki, Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District.

Sweet Water Policy Committee Meeting

Agenda Now Posted

March 19, 1:30 - 3:30

Location -- MMSD Commissioner's Room, 1st floor

Follow the link to the meeting's agenda.

"Read all about it!  Winter issue of the Rivers Report hot off the presses!"

The winter issue of the Rivers Report is posted at this link.

Main topics in this issue include Sweet Water and AOC updates, 2012 Mini-grant awards, our key funders, strategic planning, and of course, the upcoming Clean Rivers, Clean Lake Conference. 

 New venue for conference -- Harley-Davidson Museum!

9th Annual Clean Rivers, Clean Lake Conference Registration Now Open

New this year -- Register on-line!

The 2013 Clean Rivers, Clean Lake Conference will be held April 25 at the Harley-Davidson Museum located at 400 W. Canal Street in Milwaukee.

Early-bird registration before March 31 is $60. After March 31, the registration fee will be $80.  In addition to a full day of workshops and plenary sessions, an evening public presentation by John Gurda is planned. 

For more information and to register on-line. following this link.  Additional questions?  Call 382-1766.

Congratulations to Preston Cole!

Preston Cole, a founding Sweet Water Steering Council member, has been elected Chairman of Wisconsin’s State Natural Resources Board.

The Natural Resources Board works closely with Department of Natural Resources Secretary Cathy Stepp and DNR administrators.

Preston's presence on the Steering Council has been key to a variety of Sweet Water's successes notably the Respect Our Waters stormwater education campaign and the Menomonee River watershed based permit.

Read more about Preston's new responsibilities in Don Behm's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article.

Courtesy MetroCouncil -- St. Paul, MN

Sweet Water Science Committee to Meet --

February 5 at MMSD in the O.J. Noer Conference Rooms -- agenda available here

The next meeting of the Sweet Water Science Committee will be held February 5 from 10:00 a.m. to noon at MMSD in the O.J. Noer conference rooms A & B.

Follow this link for the agenda.

For more information, contact Ezra Meyer at emeyer@cleanwisconsin.org or 608-251-7020 x 20.

Invitation to Special Presentations

Water Council Meeting -- February 5

Sweet Water's committees and partners are invited to attend two special presentations as part of the Water Council's quarterly member meeting on February 5 from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The presentations will highlight Great Lakes Now, Detroit Public TV's venue for exploring Great Lakes issues, and updates on the next phase of the WI Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters' initiative, the Waters of Wisconsin.

The event will be held at the Schlitz Park River Center located on the east side of the Schlitz Park RiverCenter Aurora Medical Building at 1555 N. River Center Drive, Milwaukee.

Please RSVP by February 4 via email to Jane Elder at jelder@wisconsinacademy.org if you plan to attend this event.

Upper Milwaukee River

Water Quality Forum

Updates Stakeholders on Key WQ Initiatives

The forum was held January 23 at the Ozaukee County Court House in Port Washington. It was attended by over 70 people focusing on topics and perspectives most relevant to the stakeholders in the Upper Milwaukee River and nearby watersheds. 

The attendees heard presentations about the development of the TMDL for the Milwaukee River by Steve Heinz, MMSD; the Water Quality Trading and Adaptive Management Option by Kevin Kirsch, WI DNR; and an update on the work of Sweet Water and its partners by Jeff Martinka.

Presentations and supportive documents from the forum can be found archived at www.scribd.com in the Agricultural Initiative folder.

Peter Paulus farm -- stream with buffer

Courtesy MetroCouncil -- St. Paul, MN

Sweet Water Science Committee to Meet --

February 5

The next meeting of the Sweet Water Science Committee will be held February 5 from 10:00 a.m. to noon at MMSD in the OJ Noer conference rooms A & B.

Follow this link for the agenda.

For more information, contact Ezra Meyer at emeyer@cleanwisconsin.org or 608-251-7020 x 20.

Upcoming Webinar January 22 --

Stream Restoration in the Great Lakes Basin:
Using In-stream Structures & Natural Channel Design

Sustain Our Great Lakes will present a webinar on stream restoration January 22 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. CST

The webinar will highlight case studies and discuss funding strategies.  For more information follow this link or contact Todd Hogrefe of the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation at 612-564-7286.

Green roof at Rockwell Automation in downtown MKE

Need help to fund that green roof?

MMSD has just announced that funding is available for the 2013 Green Roof Program. Green roofs can reduce the risk of basement backups, sewer overflows and water pollution from stormwater runoff. Green roofs also provide savings on heating and cooling bills.

To date, MMSD has partially funded 7.6 acres of green roofs in the Milwaukee area.

For more information about MMSD's Green Roof Program, follow this link.

Reception December 18 to Honor First-of-its-Kind Work to Clean Up Menomonee River

A reception will be held December 18 at 9:00 a.m. to honor 11 municipalities for their work to improve water quality in the Menomonee River by formally adopting Wisconsin's first watershed-based stormwater permit. 

Leaders from the Joyce Foundation, WI Department of Natural Resources, MMSD, EPA Region 5, and the Southeastern WI Regional Planning Commission will gather to recognize and celebrate this achievement.

The reception will be held at MMSD District Headquarters located at 260 260 W Seeboth St., Milwaukee.

For more information, follow this link.

Menomonee River Watershed

Photo courtesy www.doggoes.com

It's a Holiday Party!  Join us...

... in celebrating a year of great partnerships and new projects advancing the health of our rivers and Lake Michigan!

Date -- December 13th from 5:00 - 9:00 pm
Place -- Twisted Fisherman located at 1200 W. Canal St.

There'll be free hors d'oeuvres, a cash bar, water-themed door prizes, and a few short speeches. We will also announce the 2012 Sweet Water Mini-Grant winners.

RSVP welcomed to herriges@swwtwater.org or 414-382-1766.

We hope to see you there!

Great Lake Restoration Initiative

Request for Proposals -- Deadline Dec. 17

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced November 1 that it is accepting project proposals under the Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act (Act).

The announcement and application guidelines can be found at:
http://www.fws.gov/midwest/fisheries/glfwra-grants.html

For information about Great Lakes Restoration Initiative projects, visit http://www.fws.gov/GLRI/.

Photo courtesy www.newsecuritybeat.org

Special Event Celebrating Global Health Week

Water and Our Health:

The Millennium Goals as they relate to Water, Sanitation, and Public Health

November 26 from 5:30 - 7:00 pm

Medical College of Wisconsin

8701 W. Watertown Plank Road

Medical Education Building, 3rd Floor

Discovery Classroom 3750

Keynote address will be given by Jenny Kehl, Associate Professor and Director of the School of Freshwater Sciences Center for Water Policy.  A moderated panel discussion will follow. 

More information at this link.

Public Stakeholder Meeting

Root River Restoration Plan

Date:  November 28

Time:  9:00 - noon

Location:  River Bend Nature Center

                3600 N. Green Bay Road, Racine

Topics for this meeting include reports from SEWRPC regarding information in Chapter IV including description and history of the Horlick Dam.

Follow this link to Chapter IV of the Root River Restoration Plan.  For more information about the initiative, visit Root-Pike WIN's website.

Mark your calendars -- Upcoming Sweet Water

Policy and Science Committee Meetings

The Policy Committee will meet:

December 3 from 1:30 - 3:30 at MMSD Head Quarters located at 260 Seeboth St., Milwaukee.

The agenda is available at this link.

The Science Committee will meet:

December 4 from 10:00 - noon at the UWM Great Lakes WATER Institute, 600 E. Greenfield Ave., Milwaukee.

Potential agenda topics include testing for human pathogens, prioritization of restoration projects, and technical aspects of the TMDLs for phosphorus, TSS, and bacteria.

For more information about these upcoming meetings, contact Ezra Meyer at 608-251-7020, ext. 20 or via email at emeyer@cleanwisconsin.org.

Water Quality Monitoring--critical to our work

Did you catch the latest news story from WITI Fox 6 Milwaukee highlighting the importance of monitoring to our efforts to improve water quality?

This segment was the last in a series in support of our outreach campaign, Respect Our Waters.  Links to all the Fox 6 news stories supporting the campaign can be found at the campaign website, www.respectourwaters.org.

Working through the language of the permit

Nearing the culmination of over a year's work:

Menomonee River Watershed-Based MS4 Permit given public notice October 30th

There will be a 30-day public comment period that will end midnight, November 29th. The notice, permit draft, and fact sheet are posted on the DNR’s webpage at: http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/wastewater/PublicNotices.html

The notice will also be published in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Thinking about a green roof?  Take your questions to the experts.

MMSD is hosting a green roof forum to address questions about the feasibility, installation, and MMSD's funding for green roof projects.  Green roof experts -- installers, designers, and suppliers and MMSD staff -- will answer questions.

Date: November 14 from 1:00 - 3:30 pm

Location:  MMSD Headquarters

                260 W. Seeboth Street, Milwaukee, WI

Registration is limited to 80 participants.  For more information follow this link or call Chris Schultz at 225-2217.

Fall Rivers Report --

Now available on-line!

Read it here. Pass the link to your friends.  Good news needs to be shared.

Mini-grant Application Deadline

Nov. 1!

You still have a few days to put the finishing touches on your application for a Sweet Water mini-grant.  It's a straight-forward application.  Follow this link for the on-line form. 

Take the plunge and move a project from the planning phase to the implementation phase. Up to $5000 available for selected projects.

Let's keep advancing water quality in the region project by project.

Proper fall leaf clean-up protects our rivers and Lake Michigan

Proper fall leaf clean-up is important to protect Lake Michigan. When rain falls on leaf piles, phosphorus leaches out and travels into area rivers and Lake Michigan via storm sewers.

Luckily, there are ways to dispose of your leaves that are beneficial to our waters and your back yard: 1. use your mower and mulch them into your yard

2. compost them

3. or use them for mulch or groundcover.

Can't mulch or compost? Click on the links below to learn more about your municipality's leaf collection practices and policies: Milwaukee, Greenfield, Brookfield, Menomonee Falls, Kenosha, Franklin, Oak Creek, Mount Pleasant, Wauwatosa, West Allis, Mequon, and Whitefish Bay.

For more information,

visit www.cleanwisconsin.org/rakeright. 

To read our press release on proper leaf disposal, follow this link.

Have a stake in Lake Michigan?

Upcoming Lake Michigan Stakeholder's meeting to be held:  November 7 from 9:00 am - 2:00 pm

at the School of Freshwater Studies located at

600 E. Greenfield Ave.

Milwaukee, WI 53204.

Meeting will include discussion of emerging issues, lunch ($10) and tour of the School of Freshwater Studies. Deadline to register is November 1. 

Contact Sherrill at 920-849-7053 or sherrill@lnrp.org to register or for more information.

Paul and Sue Anderson with their rain garden

courtesy kenoshanews.com

Pass the word:  Sweet Water Requests Proposals for Mini-grant Program

Do you know of a project in need of up to $5000 that will help improve water quality in your community? Or a group that's looking for some funding to get a water quality or river restoration project off the ground?

If so, look over the RFP for the Mini-grant Program.  Still time to apply.  Proposals due November 1. 

For more information contact Joan Herriges at herriges@swwtwater.org.

Mark Your Calendars!

Upcoming Combined Kinnickinnic and Menomonee River WAT Meeting

The meeting will be held:

Monday October 22

1:30-3:30pm

at the new

Urban Ecology Center Menomonee Valley Branch

3700W. Pierce Street

(1 block north of National Ave.)

in Milwaukee.

Agenda is linked here.

With the ending of summer, the fall news rolls in...

September is in full swing.  Many news items to report -- from grant opportunities to events to trainings.  More to come this week and next. 

Read on!

Meeting Announcement:

Combined Science and Policy Committee

Date: October 3

Time: 10:00 a.m. to noon

Location:  MMSD, O.J.Noer Conference Rm.

Agenda topics include water quality trading, TSS and water quality indicators, and TSS and phosphorus correlations.  Full agenda attached here.

For more information, contact Ezra Meyer at phone: 608-251-7020, ext. 20 or emeyer@cleanwisconsin.org.

Sweet Water Releases Mini-Grant Program Request for Proposals

The RFP for the 2012 Mini-grant Program has been released.  This year the amount that can be requested has been increased from $4000. to $5000. 

Sweet Water is seeking projects that complement its the mission, addressing one or more of our goals:
• To make measurable progress in improving regional water resources
• To support land use practices that improve water quality
• To forge relationships to find and leverage funding
• To implement cost-effective projects resulting in measurable improvements.

Deadline for project proposals is November 1, 2012. RFP linked here.

2011 project -- Pond restoration at Holler Park

2010 project -- Bio-swale at Urban Ecology Center

New Initiative from DNR -- Monitoring Beach Aesthetics

Does the beauty of Lake Michigan draw you down to its shore?  Are there areas along the shoreline where that beauty is impaired? The DNR wants to know.

WDNR, UWEX, and Alliance for the Great Lakes are holding 3 volunteer training sessions to prepare a team of volunteers to help identify areas that are aesthetic impairment. 

Training Dates:

• Milwaukee:Tuesday, Sept. 11, 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. at the Milwaukee Environmental Consortium,
• Online:Monday, Sept. 17, 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Web Training - Adopt-a-Beach ™ Introductory Training
• Milwaukee:Tuesday, Sept. 25, 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. at the Milwaukee Environmental Consortium,

Learn more about this initiative, call Todd Brennan at 414-559-0317 or email at tbrennan@greatlakes.org.

Sweet Water's sponsoring a film at the Milwaukee Film Festival -- Last Call at the Oasis

It's not too soon to get out your calendar for October and schedule a night to see Last Call at the Oasis.

This documentary examines the potential global water crisis a the central issue facing the world this century.

Showings October 9, 7:30 at the Oriental Theater

               October 10, 4:30 at the Fox-Bay Cinema

               October 11, 5:30 at the Fox-Bay Cinema

Here's a review from the Washington Post to perk your interest.

photo courtesy Kate Morgan

Grant Opportunities -- Seize the day for your project!

Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI)

Planning to apply for GLRI funds from any of the granting agencies? Discuss your project idea with DNR regional Great Lakes staff prior to submission. Letters of support for GLRI proposals will come from Office of the Great Lakes. See linked documents for information.

The Fund for Lake Michigan

The Fund for Lake Michigan is seeking proposals for its fall grant cycle. Focus is habitat preservation, restoration and reducing pollutants in coastal areas and rivers of SE Wisconsin. For information visit the Fund's website linked above. Letters of Inquiry are due on or before Friday, September 14, 2012.

Wisconsin Coastal Management Program

The Wisconsin Coastal Management Program is seeking applications for their grant program. Materials and the Request for Proposals are available on the WCMP website linked above.
The deadline for the applications is Monday, November 5, 2012.

It's September -- Time to show your Great Lakes a little love!

September 15 from 9:00 -- noon

Where?  at a beach near you!

People all around the Great Lakes take part in this annual Shoreline Clean-up. Bring a friend; meet a friend.

For more information and to register, go to this link or contact Todd Brennan at 414-559-0317 or tbrennan@greatlakes.org.  

Curious about the the wastewater side of the equation?

MMSD and Veolia Water Milwaukee are participating in Historic Milwaukee's

Doors Open Milwaukee event. These tours were a huge hit last year. There are exhibits and giveaways too.

The tours will be offered on September 22 and begin at 10:00

Sign up for a tour the morning of the 22 at City Hall.  For more information, visit Doors Open MKE's website.

The Clean Water Act turns 40 this year --

Join the celebration October 10!

Where -- Discovery World

Time -- 6:00 - 9:00 pm

Join friends and colleagues from around SE WI and celebrate the passage of the Clean Water Act -- how far we've come and how far we've yet to go.

Highlights of the event include:

For more information and to register, follow this link.

Have you checked out the campaign website at

www.respectourwaters.org?

Click here to learn more tips from Sparkles, watch his videos, and find out about community events promoting the campaign!

More news about Respect Our Waters!

Our campaign to raise awareness about stormwater pollution is in full stride. 

Ad featuring Sparkles and a new story on Fox 6 Focus is keeping our message in the public's attention. 

A key component of  this effort is a humorous TV ad campaign featuring our spokesperson – spokesdog actually – Sparkles the Water Spaniel.

In addition to the media campaign, we're taking the campaign out to over 30 community events throughout the region this summer to promote Sparkles' messages.

Check out the campaign story and videos at their link. Learn what Sparkles is saying about stormwater pollution!

Visit www.facebook.com/RespectOurWaters for updated information about the campaign.

UWM School of Continuing Education Webinar:

Starting from Zero -- Challenges in Creating a Regional Water Quality Collaborative

July 31 -- 11:00 a.m. to noon

This free webinar highlights the regional work of Sweet Water. Jeff Martinka, executive director, will give an update on regional water quality issues, successful watershed-wide restoration planning and project prioritization as well as collaborations with communities and regulatory agencies to create new approaches to improve water quality policy-making.

For more information, follow this link.

Stakeholder Workshop

Save The Date!

Milwaukee River Basin Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Studies: Kinnickinnic, Menomonee, and Milwaukee Rivers, and the Milwaukee Harbor Estuary
     Date: July 31

     Time: 9:30 a.m. - Noon
     Location:

          Wauwatosa Public Library
          Firefly Room
          7635 W North Ave, Wauwatosa (map)

Check back for agenda.

Photo by prairierivers.org

New Grant Opportunity Announced

National Fish and Wildlife Foundation announced a new environmental grant program in partnership with Wells Fargo & Company.  The goal of the grant program is to award 100 million dollars in grants to nonprofit organizations and universities by 2020.

The grant program has four areas of focus:

• sustainable agriculture and forestry,
• conservation of land and water resources,
• restoration of urban ecosystems, and
• clean energy.

For more information about the grant program, visit the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation website.  For grant RFP and guidelines, visit Wells Fargo's website.

Have you picked up this month's Milwaukee Mag? 

Check out the story on Sweet Water on p.28, Shock Treatment: Will a clean water group's...campaign succeed?

Sweet Water's outreach campaign of 2011 caught the attention of a writer, Larry Sussman, at Milwaukee Magazine.  The story gives Jeff Martinka, Sweet Water's executive director, an opportunity to set the stage for this year's campaign. 

Check back here and on Facebook for updates about the upcoming 2012 outreach campaign.

Here's the link to the story online at

www.milwaukeemag.com.

The transformation of the Inner Harbor begins!

Groundbreaking for New School of Freshwater Sciences June 6

Join scientists, researchers, and the staff of UWM and the School of Freshwater Sciences to celebrate the groundbreaking for the new School.

Mark your calendars for June 6 from 5:00 - 7:00 pm.  The program will begin at 6:00 with a reception to follow.

The event will take place at the UWM Harbor Campus located at 600 E. Greenfield Ave. in Milwaukee.

Complimentary parking and shuttle service will be available at the Rockwell Automation parking lot located at the corner of Greenfield and 2nd St.

Please RSVP by June 1 for the event. 

Root River Watershed Restoration Planning Group Meets May 16

The next scheduled meeting of the Root River Watershed Restoration Planning Group is

Date: Wednesday, May 16

Time: 10:00 a.m. - Noon

Location:

Auditorium, Room 104

Center for Advanced Technology Innovation (CATI)
2320 Renaissance Blvd, Sturtevant (map)

Agenda:

10:00 AM - Welcome and Introductions
10:15 AM - Root River Corridor Redevelopment
Project: Advancing the "Back to the Root" Initiative
11:15 AM - Watershed Planning Update: Draft Chapter Review

11:30 AM - Project Updates - Root Pike WIN and Southeastern Wisconsin Watershed Trust

Noon - Adjourn

(read full article)

Image by UW-Milwaukee Community Design
Solutions student Anna Grosch

Public Open House for Feasibility Study
Kinnickinnic River Channel Rehabilitation: S. 27th St. to Jackson Park

Date: Thursday, May 17

Time: 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Location:

Jackson Park Boathouse
3500 W Forest Home Ave, Milwaukee (map)

Representatives from the Army Corps of Engineers and the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District will describe the alternatives being considered for the channel rehabilitation and will answer questions from the public.

Please contact Patrick Elliott, Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, at

(414) 225-2168 or via email at

pelliott@mmsd.com

with any questions or comments.

Sweet Water Policy Committee Meeting

May 21

The next meeting of the Policy Committee is scheduled for

Monday, May 21

1:30 pm - 3:30 pm

The meeting will be held in

O.J. Noer Conference Room A

MMSD

330 W Seeboth St, Milwaukee (map)

Agenda items will include:

1. Menomonee River watershed-based stormwater  permit

2. Green infrastructure-related efforts in the region

3. Discussion of how to integrate 1 and 2

4. Updates on priority policy issues:

• Water quality trading
• Phosphorus/Watershed Adaptive Management Option
• TMDLs

For more information, contact Ezra at

(608) 251-7020, ext. 20

Kevin Shafer Awarded Gladfelter Award

Kevin Shafer,executive director of MMSD, was awarded the Gladfelter Award for Government Innovation by the UW - Madison La Follette School of Public Affairs. Kevin and two other awardees were honored in a ceremony Monday, May 7, in the Senate Parlor in the State Capitol.

The award recognizes Kevin Shafer "for a career of innovations aimed at implementing 'green infrastructure' to minimize pollution of the Milwaukee regional waterways."

Follow the link for the full story.

Menomonee Falls Stormwater Expo May 10!

Date: May 10

Location: Fire Station 3 (W140N7501 Lilly Rd just south of Appleton Ave)

Time: 9 AM-8 PM

The3rd Annual Stormwater Expo will feature various speakers and exhibitors highlighting green initiatives and stormwater related topics.

Sable the Sewer Sniffing Dog will be there demonstrating his investigative techniques.

At 3:30. At 6:00 PM Melinda Myers will be speaking on: "Growing Green - Environmentally Friendly Landscapes."

More information at this link.

Featured at Menomonee Falls Stormwater Expo:

Fish sculpture created by students from North Middle School

Meet the Sewage Sniffing Dogs May 9

Wednesday, May 9, join staff from Milwaukee Riverkeeper, UWM-Great Lakes Water Institute, MMSD, and City of Wauwatosa in welcoming the sewage sniffing dogs, Sable and Logan, and the staff from Environmental Canine Services to town.

Learn more about their work in Wauwatosa and watch them in action.

Gather at the Harwood Pedestrian Bridge by Cafe Hollander at 7677 W. State St. in Wauwatosa.

For more information, contact Cheryl Nenn at

cheryl_nenn@milwaukeeriverkeeper.org.

Innovative Cities Lecture May 3:

A Long View Towards Water Resources on Milwaukee's Latino South Side

Date: Thursday, May 3

Time: 12:00 pm - 1:20 pm
Location: UWM School of Architecture and Urban Planning Room 345

2131 E Hartford Ave, Milwaukee (map)

Ben Gramling, Director of Environmental Health Programs for the Sixteenth Street Community Health Center, will deliver a lecture titled: A Long View Towards Water Resources on Milwaukee’s Latino South Side.

The lecture will describe the role of community involvement in the Kinnickinnic (KK) River Neighborhood Plan and explore the future of the KK River community and its relationship with water.

An RSVP to

peter559@uwm.edu

is requested, but not required.

Clean Rivers, Clean Lake Conference Weighs Anchor Monday

A Full Day on Water Quality Innovation

Join us for the 8th Annual Clean Rivers, Clean Lake Conference April 30th at Discovery World on Milwaukee's lakefront. (program)

The conference is

Monday, April 30
7:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Discovery World
500 N Harbor Dr, Milwaukee (map)

Registration day-of-conference is $75. Fee includes: conference materials, midmorning and afternoon refreshments, and a luncheon.

Plenary sessions include briefings by EPA Region 5 Administrator Susan Hedman and Wisconsin DNR Secretary Cathy Stepp. A Great Lakes challenges panel will be led by Dean David Garman of the UWM School of Freshwater Sciences. Three workshop tracks feature 17 speakers on 15 topics, including

. regional water project updates
. rural nonpoint pollution tactics
. innovations in salt/chloride use
. the City of Milwaukee's infiltration and inflow project
. rainwater harvesting
. water quality trading

The luncheon includes the 2011-12 Sweet Water mini-grant awards, and the day concludes with a networking reception/poster session.

For conference questions, contact Tina Kroening at

(414) 382-1766

or by email at

kroening@swwtwater.org

Visit Sweet Water at www.swwtwater.org.

Earth Day Celebration!

Live music, Eco stories, Local foods!

Friday, April 20 from 11:00 am - 1:00 pm at the Market St. Corridor next to City Hall. 

The event will feature remarks by Mayor Barrett as well as Alderman Bauman; Matt Howard, Director of the Office of Sustainability; and Lindsay Stevens Gardner, Executive Director of Rock the Green. 

The event will also include music by Evan Christian.

For more info, follow the link.

photo courtesy cbc.ca

Photo courtesy Milwaukee Riverkeeper

Love your rivers!

Join the annual spring river clean-up events happening around town Saturday, April 21!  Milwaukee Riverkeeper organizes this yearly event. It's a great way to celebrate Earth Day!

The river clean-ups will take place Saturday,April 21, from 9:00 am to noon at a river near you.

Visit Milwaukee Riverkeeper's website for more information, locations, and to register.

You are invited to an Open House, April 24, for the Milwaukee AOC

Hear about the year in review and learn about major projects and initiatives in the Milwaukee Estuary AOC. 

Date: April 24

Time: 6:30 - 8:30 pm

Location: UWM School of Continuing Education

               Grand Ave. Mall, 7th Floor, Rm. 7970

               161 W. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee

RSVP appreciated.  Contact Gail Overholt at 41-256-4632 or at gail.overholt@uwex.edu.

Spring Cleaning? Safely Dispose of Household Hazardous Waste

You still have time to truck your household hazardous waste to State Fair Park where your waste trash will be accepted and properly disposed of by MMSD.  Go to Gate 8 off S. 76th St.  You can drop off your hazardous household waste between the hours of 8:00 am and 2:00 pm.

For more information about the hazardous waste collection program as well as what items will be accepted, follow this link.

Menomonee WAT Meeting This Week!

April 12, from 4:00 to 6:00 pm

Location:

Dretzka Park Clubhouse

12020 W. Bradley Rd.

Milwaukee, WI 53224-2535

Agenda

The main agenda item will be an update and discussion of restoration work at the Granville County Park project. The meeting will also serve as a stakeholder input session for the project.

R.A.Smith National, hired by River Revitalization Foundaiton to assist with the site plan for the Granville project, will help lead the discussion.

Representatives from Milwaukee County Parks and the Friends group for Granville Dog Park (R.O.M.P.) will also speak about the project. A site visit,a brief 5 minute drive Dretzka to Granville Park, is planned.

Chinkapin Oak

What a beauty!

Fire up your creative energy...

...to win a luxurious night in Milwaukee and three months of Time Warner Cable, Road Runner and digital phone simply by coming up with the name of a new vessel that helps clean area rivers and Lake Michigan. 

A naming contest will run on OnMilwaukee.com from April 2 through April 14 to raise awareness of the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District’s (MMSD) new river skimmer. 

Here's the link to more information about the contest.  To enter the contest, follow this link.

World Water Day!  What are you doing to celebrate?

Let's lift a glass of clear, clean water and toast our good fortune of living at the shore of Lake Michigan with access to plentiful water!

It is our good fortune as millions of people throughout the world lack access to good water.  World Water Day, sponsored by the United Nations, brings the focus once a year to global issues connected to the lack of water. 

Follow this link to learn about the relation of water to food security. There are many ways you can help address the global water crisis.

United Nations World Water Day 2012 at UWM

We wanted to make you are aware of an event coming this Saturday, March 24, for UN World Water Day.

The day's events will include:

• a presentation by local teenagers on the world water crisis
• screening of their documentary, The Balanced Equation, shown at 10:00 am at the UWM Union

• a 3-mile walk along the lakefront at noon

 For more information, read full article.

GLRI Stakeholder Input Webinar – Non-Governmental Organizations

EPA is inviting interested parties to participate in a webinar on March 29 to provide stakeholder input on the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI).

Agenda:

1:00 Opening Remarks

- GLRI 2010-11 Accomplishments - Real Restoration, Real Results
- Current FY12-13 Priorities
- Role of Input to Inform Those Priorities
- Process

1:15 Stakeholder Input

1:55 Closing Remarks

Space is limited. Reserve your Webinar seat now at:

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/122773137
(read full article)

Highlight Your Milwaukee AOC Project – April 24 Open House

On April 24, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and UW-Extension will host a Milwaukee Estuary Area of Concern (AOC) Open House at

UWM School of Continuing Education

161 W Wisconsin Ave

Room 6950

(Phone: 414-227-3121)

6:30 PM to 8:30 PM

We hope you will join in hosting this event with a table/display about your AOC project.

(read full article)

Image courtesy WI DNR

Sweet Water Seeks Poster Abstracts for Clean Rivers, Clean Lake Conference

Sweet Water is seeking abstracts for poster presentation as part of the 8th Annual Clean Rivers, Clean Lake Conference to be held April 30th at Discovery World.

The deadline for the submission of abstracts is March 15. More information at this link.

View from the gondola lift at Summerfest

Photo courtesy River Alliance of Wisconsin

For more information about volunteer phosphorus monitoring, please contact Chris Clayton at

cclayton@wisconsinrivers.org.

Phosphorus Monitoring News and Fact Sheet

Urban and rural stormwater runoff are two primary sources of phosphorus causing algae blooms in many local rivers. In addition to its smelly, ugly presence, algae can sicken humans and pets, cause fish kills, and forces beach closings.

Last year, Wisconsin passed water quality standards to keep phosphorus from causing too much algae to grow in our rivers and lakes. Soon afterward, volunteers answered the call to assess phosphorus levels in Milwaukee area rivers.

These 30 volunteers in the Milwaukee area monitored phosphorus in 20 streams that would go unchecked without their effort. Their work helps Sweet Water and its partners determine which rivers have problematic phosphorus levels and track improvements from restoration efforts.

Check out the fact sheet based on the phosphorus monitoring done by volunteers in 2011. While the project has just began, the numbers do give you a sense of locations where phosphorus is more problematic.

Sampling will continue in May. Stay tuned for future results.

Winter 2012 Rivers Report Now On-line!

Follow the link for the Winter 2012 issue.  Articles in this issue include:

• Clean Rivers, Clean Lake Conference
• UWM School of Freshwater Sciences
• AOC Inaugural Meeting
• 1st Round of Mini-Grant Awards
• Senior Water Advocates Network
• Trash in Lake Michigan
• Stormwater Tips for Winter
• Watershed Action Team Updates
• Upcoming Events

Greener Yards, Cleaner Waters Workshops

The Root-Pike Watershed Initiative Network, in partnership with UW-Extension, is offering five "Greener Yards, Cleaner Waters" workshops in 2012.

Each workshop will feature a classroom presentation on the causes of polluted stormwater runoff, and on rain gardens, rain barrels, composting, tree and shrub landscaping, and other yard care practices to reduce polluted runoff to our streams, river, and Lake Michigan.

Some of the workshops also include a tour of one or more rain garden. A rain barrel will be given away at each workshop in a free drawing. Free oak saplings will be available to workshop attendees.

(read full article)

Concerned about Groundwater?

Come to the WI Soil and Water Conservation Society's annual conference February 9th at the Holiday Inn Hotel and Conference Center in Stevens Point.  Strong roster of presentations.

The focus of this year’s conference is understanding and protecting Wisconsin’s groundwater.  For registration materials, follow this link.  For information about the conference agenda, follow this link.

Photo courtesy University Communications

UW-Madison

Pet Waste Pick-up - Menomonee Falls

River Trail Restoration - Menomonee Valley Partners

Rain Barrel Street Art - Whitefish Bay

Water Quality Mini-Grant Update

2011 was a good year for the Water Quality Mini-Grant Program. Over $52,000 will be awarded to local, grassroots efforts through the generous support of the Fund for Lake Michigan, MMSD, WI Energy Foundation, and CH2M HILL. 

The 1st round of grant recipients includes:

• 16th Street Community Health Center – Peoples Park with Stormwater BMPs
• Groundwork Milwaukee – Kinnickinnic Neighborhood BMP Project
• Holler Park Neighborhood Association – Rain Gardens and Trail Improvement Project
• Milwaukee Riverkeeper – Human Bacteria Sample Testing
• Milwaukee Riverkeeper – Lilly Creek Stabilization Project
• Milwaukee Riverkeeper – Illicit Discharge Detection Using Sewer Sniffing Dogs
• Holler Park Neighborhood Association – Garden District Neighborhood Rain Garden Match Program
• Friends of Hart Park – Stream Bank Restoration

The 2nd round of awards will be announced at the Clean Rivers, Clean Lake Conference on April 30.

Is the 8th Annual Clean Rivers, Clean Lake Conference on your calendars?

The 8th Annual Clean Rivers, Clean Lake Conference will be held April 30 at Discovery World located at 500 N. Harbor Drive in Milwaukee.

The conference is a full day event with registration beginning at 7:30 a.m. and program at 8:00 a.m.  The conference ends at 7:00 p.m.

Registration for the conference is $60 in advance or $75 at the door.  The program is being finalized and will be posted available.

For information about registration and exhibit opportunities, contact Tina Kroening at

kroening@swwtwater.org

or at

(414) 382-1766.

Discovery World, site of 8th Annual Conference

At the shore of Lake Michigan, Bradford Beach

New Year Wishes to Friends and Colleagues!

We have many successes to celebrate at the end of 2011. The year began with the publishing of the results of 1000 Friends of Wisconsin public survey regarding the public's understanding of our water resources that guides our outreach efforts.

Through the support of programs such as the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, Sustain Our Great Lakes, the Wisconsin Coastal Management Program, and the Fund for Lake Michigan, new water quality projects are being implemented throughout the Greater Milwaukee Watersheds.

(read full article)

EPA Announces Award to MMSD, Sweet Water, and Menomonee River Municipalities

Over 35 people attended a formal announcement August 31 at Hart Park of a $100,000 grant from the EPA to the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) and its partners. The effort’s goal is to develop, through a cooperative partnership of up to twenty governmental units in the Menomonee River watershed, a single, collaborative stormwater permit framework. The approach offers tremendous potential to cost-effectively improve water quality. This pilot is one of three in the country.

The event featured remarks by Susan Hedman, Administrator for EPA Region 5, Cathy Stepp, Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR), Anthony S. Earl, Joyce Foundation Board Member and former Wisconsin Governor and WDNR Secretary, and Kevin Shafer, Executive Director of the MMSD. 

A number of elected officials from Menomonee Watershed communities also attended, including City of Wauwatosa Mayor Jill Didier who welcomed the attendess.  For more information, see the press release linked here.

Tom Grisa presenting opening remarks to attendees

Speaking at the event: (from left) Anthony Earl, former governor and Joyce Foundation Board Member; Cathy Stepp, WDNR Secretary; Jill Didier, Mayor of Wauwatosa; Susan Hedman, EPA Administrator for Region 5; Kevin Shafer, Executive Director MMSD; Tom Grisa, Public Works Director and Sweet Water Board Member

Sweet Water Stormwater Education Campaign – The Real Water Park

Sweet Water has developed a public information and outreach campaign, The Real Water Park, to encourage residents to do their part to reduce pollutants in stormwater runoff. The campaign will:

• educate residents on the actions they can take to reduce pollutants and stormwater runoff
• communicate the benefits of clean waterways for our families, neighborhoods, and the whole watershed district
• ask residents to "take the pledge" to save The Real Water Park at www.RealWaterPark.com
• encourage those already taking steps to do even more, such as install rain barrels or rain gardens
• encourage those who do not currently take these simple steps to begin doing so

Visit the campaign website, www.realwaterpark.com. Friend us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/realwaterpark. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/realwaterpark.

(read full article)

Survey Shows Area Residents Concerned About the Future of River and Lakes

See, Hear, Read Related Sweet Water News in Press Room

Sweet Water announced the results of 1000 Friends of Wisconsin’s survey of public opinion and knowledge concerning water resources. The survey found that while the public considers the water quality of our rivers and Lake Michigan to be satisfactory or better at this time, they also believe water quality in surface waters and groundwater will become a bigger problem in the coming decade.

According to the survey, the public believes the major sources of water pollution are sewer overflows and industrial wastes, even though the vast majority of water pollution today comes from nonpoint sources such as urban and rural runoff. Both sewer overflows and point sources of pollution have been dramatically reduced in recent decades, with overflows dropping to a fraction of pre-1994 levels.

(read full article )

Private-Public Cooperation Award From Public Policy Forum

Sweet Water accepted an award given by the Public Policy Forum at its Salute to Local Government event on June 17, recognizing the development of Watershed Restoration Plans in the Private-Public Cooperation category.

The Public Policy Forum believes that local governments deserve recognition for their achievements. Constituents can be frustrated, the media critical, and the public at large bewildered or indifferent. Yet there are many examples of strong government performance throughout our region, and of local government workers who excel. The awards event was held to highlight these examples.

(read full article)

Couldn’t join us at the award event? Jeff’s ‘thank you’ remarks.