WELCOME! The Marengo River Watershed Partnership The Marengo River - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

WELCOME! The Marengo River Watershed Partnership

The Marengo River Watershed Town of Town of White River Kelly Wisconsin Town of Lincoln Town of Ashland Town of Marengo Town of Grand View Town of Morse Town of Town of Namakagon Gordon Bad River Reservation

The Marengo River Watershed St. Peter’s Dome Marengo River Valley Mineral Lake Morgan Falls

The Marengo River Watershed Problems do exist Photo: Stable Solutions

We all have a stake in protecting our watersheds • Pride and sense of place • Town and County Comp Plans • County LWCD Plans • WI DNR Great Lakes Strategy • Lake Superior Binational Program Ecosystem Goals • Let’s move these to action!

We must work together • BRWA connects people, land, and water. • Can work across jurisdictional boundaries to manage the river from the river’s perspective. • FUNDING: NFWF - Great Lakes Watershed Restoration Program, LJMF - Environmental Stewardship grant, WDNR River Protection grant

Continuing the work of the Lake Superior Basin Partner Team

What have we done already?

The Marengo River Watershed Partnership Local governments, agencies, and citizens working together to identify specific projects and activities that will improve the health of the Marengo River Watershed.

What is the process?

EPA’s Nine Minimum Elements for Watershed Plans a. Identify causes & sources of pollution b. Estimate load reductions expected c. Describe mgmt measures & targeted critical areas d. Estimate technical and financial assistance needed e. Develop information & education component f. Develop project implementation schedule g. Describe interim, measurable milestones h. Identify indicators to measure progress i. Develop monitoring component Source: US EPA, Handbook for Developing Watershed Plans 2008

Watershed Planning Steps STEP 1 BUILD PARTNERSHIPS

Watershed Planning Steps STEP 2 CHARACTERIZE THE WATERSHED STEP 1 BUILD PARTNERSHIPS

Watershed Planning Steps STEP 3 FINALIZE GOALS AND IDENTIFY STEP 2 SOLUTIONS CHARACTERIZE WATERSHED STEP 1 BUILD PARTNERSHIPS

Watershed Planning Steps STEP 4 DESIGN IMPLEMENTATION k PROGRAM STEP 3 FINALIZE GOALS AND ID SOLUTIONS STEP 2 CHARACTERIZE WATERSHED STEP 1 BUILD PARTNERSHIPS

Watershed Planning Steps STEP 5 IMPLEMENT THE STEP 4 WATERSHED PLAN! DESIGN IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAM k STEP 3 FINALIZE GOALS AND ID SOLUTIONS STEP 2 CHARACTERIZE WATERSHED STEP 1 BUILD PARTNERSHIPS

Watershed Planning Steps STEP 6 MEASURE STEP 5 PROGRESS AND IMPLEMENT WATERSHED PLAN MAKE STEP 4 ADJUSTMENTS DESIGN IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAM k STEP 3 FINALIZE GOALS AND ID SOLUTIONS STEP 2 CHARACTERIZE WATERSHED STEP 1 BUILD PARTNERSHIPS

Where are we now? … to get to the “action” of the Watershed Action Plan! STEP 4 DESIGN IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAM k STEP 3 FINALIZE GOALS AND ID SOLUTIONS STEP 2 CHARACTERIZE WATERSHED STEP 1 BUILD PARTNERSHIPS Steps 5 and 6 to come!

Proposed MRWP Structure Citizen Involvement Technical Team Team Steering Team Watershed Action Plan December 2010

Citizen Involvement Team – Gather what is known about public interests and concerns, and summarize for incorporation into the WAP – Offer ideas on citizen involvement opportunities and assist in efforts to plan, recruit participants, and spread the word – Develop outreach/ citizen involvement strategy for plan implementation – Develop plan recommendations and project ideas

Technical Team – Summarize pollutant sources and causes in the watershed – Estimate pollutant loads and determine load reductions needed – Identify best management practices to remedy pollutant loads – Develop management objectives and indicators to measure progress towards meeting those objectives – Develop plan recommendations and project ideas

Steering Team - Finalize vision and goals for WAP - Assist BRWA in drafting WAP document - Take information from Citizen Involvement Team and Technical Team and work them into the WAP

Project Timeline • Full MRWP gatherings – quarterly • Team meetings – as needed to complete nine elements – Target for completing Team work – 9/1/10 – Draft Action Plan completed – 9/30/10 – Partnership comment period through 11/5/10 – Target completion date – 12/16/10 Celebration!!

MRWP Information - www.badriverwatershed.org - Summary of MRWP project - Project highlights - Team meeting dates and locations - Team meeting agendas and minutes - Project event announcements and information - Draft of WAP - Links (project partner sites, supplemental documents) - On-line in January 2010

Watershed Planning Handbook http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/watershed_handbook/

What is your vision for the Marengo River Watershed?

Marengo Test Case Identified Concerns 1. Areas with more than 50 or 60% open land or young forest 2. Sand deposition in the lower reaches of the watershed 3. Cropland tillage, rotation and surface drainage 4. Water channeled by road and ditch systems 5. Drained wetlands 6. Key areas of concern: soil transition zone, LS clay plain What are the other issues of concern in the watershed?

The Marengo River Watershed Town of Town of White River Kelly Wisconsin Town of Lincoln Town of Ashland Town of Marengo Town of Grand View Town of Morse Town of Town of Namakagon Gordon Bad River Reservation