OCONOMOWOC WATERSHED PROTECTION PROJECT

Government Affairs Seminar February 26, 2015

Presented by Tom Steinbach

City of Oconomowoc

Oconomowoc and Phosphorus A Brief History

• How the City decided on the Adaptive Management option

• The 2014 Firestorm

• RCPP Grant

• 2015 YTD

2012 & 13 - A Time of Exploration

Interplant project potential

Bio P feasibility

Industrial loading and molasses

Coagulation / filtration feasibility

Effluent Trading

The Watershed and Mason Creek

March 19, 2013 Kick Off Meeting

2006

Brook Trout Populations Source: WDNR

2008

2008, 2010, 2011, 2012

January 9th 2014 Meeting with Tall Pines Conservancy

A Turning Point

2014 “Firestorm of Momentum” •March - City decides to Seriously Explore Adaptive

Management

•April - Our Project Team comes together

•May - City hires consultant to assist with program

development and management

•May 22nd – Meeting with DNR – open discussion on

Adaptive Management

•June - RCPP Grant opportunity announced

2014 continued •July 24th Public Information Meeting •July - RCPP prelim. proposal submitted w / 30 Partners signed on. •September – Chosen for Full submittal for RCPP •Nov. – Meeting w/DNR on Adaptive Management •Nov. - City hires Soil Scientist Ken Denow for field surveys •Dec. - City Council approves budget including Adaptive Management

2015 YTD – “The Cows Are Out!”

• January 14th – USDA announces The City has been selected to receive an RCPP Grant.

• January 21st - We attend the Leadership for Midwest Watersheds Conference, Sycamore, IL.

• January 27th – We hold our first Farmers Leadership Group Meeting.

2015 – “To Infinity and Beyond” •Continuing Adaptive Management Plan for

DNR consideration •February 27 – meeting NRCS for RCPP Grant

•March 11 – AG Resources Day •March 19 – Presentation to Greener

Oconomowoc Committee - Farmers Breakfast Meeting – Town of

Concord -Partners Coordination Meeting

- AMP Submittal to DNR • June – July ??? - DNR Approval for Adaptive

Management

The Oconomowoc

River Watershed

Rock River Watershed

Oconomowoc River Watershed

Land Use: 46% Agriculture 19% Wetland 14% Forest 11% Urban, suburban 10% Water or open land 49 Miles in length 17 Lakes (10 impoundments)

Mason Creek

OWWTP

Washington County

Waukesha County

Ocon. River

Oconomowoc Watershed Health

3 Impaired streams

Flynn Creek

Battle Creek

3 Pending Lakes

Mason Creek at North Lake

OWWTP

Water Quality Monitoring Sites

0.00

0.05

0.10

0.15

0.20

18 16 14 13 12 10 9 8 7 6 5 2 0 01

Tota

l Ph

osp

ho

rus

(mg/

L)

Monitoring Site

Oconomowoc Watershed - Official Data River Monitoring Sites

2014

.075 Major Lakes Chain

Upper Watershed Lower Watershed

0.00

0.05

0.10

0.15

0.20

18 16 14 13 12 10 9 8 7 6 5 2 0 01

Tota

l Ph

osp

ho

rus

(mg/

L)

Monitoring Site

Oconomowoc Watershed - Official Data River Monitoring Sites

2014

.075

OWWTP

Battle Ck Mason

Ck

Flynn Ck

Watershed Health at the Rock River Confluence

0.09 Mg/l TP Criteria for compliance with RR TMDL - 0.075 mg/l.

Fish Barrier

Critical Source Areas Washington and Waukesha County

Note: This information not for public viewing.

Critical Source Areas Waukesha and Jefferson County

Note: This information not for public viewing.

Total Phosphorus

By The Numbers

• Confluence Criteria – 0.075 mg/l

• Current TP 0.079 to 0.090 mg/l

• USGS flow modeling done in December 2014

• Results: TP to remove =

2,200 to 4,750 lbs per year

What we’ve learned so far…

• Offer a suite of options to landowners

• Need to educate landowners on how Nutrient Management affects the watershed

• “Pay for performance”: Conservation as a product

• Need to master the art of “Leading without Authority”

Our Project Steering Committee

Susan Buchanan Executive Director

Tall Pines Conservancy

Dave Arnott Project Engineer Ruekert and Mielke

Jill Bedford Environmental Consultant

Tall Pines Conservancy

Ken Denow Soils Scientist

Don Gallo Farmer and Legal Consultant & BOD

Tall Pines Conservancy

Mark Frye City Director of Public Works

“Adaptive Management” Taking the Plunge toward

CLEAN WATER

Stay tuned for future updates.