Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District: Streamflow and habitat in Badger Mill Creek have been lost due to wells pumping water out of the basin. Treated wastewater is now returned to the creek to address this problem.
City of Madison: A stormwater management project is addressing potential concerns related to new development planned for the southwest side of Madison.
Village of Belleville: A river/lake separation project addresses water quality concerns in Lake Belle View. A river channel will be dredged to increase water flow, and wetlands will be restored for wildlife habitat.
Dane Co. Land Conservation Department: Excess sediment and phosphorus is a problem in certain critical parts of the watershed which were identified using modeling techniques. “Best management practices” (BMPs) will be applied to deal with these problems.
Department of Natural Resources: Recent surveys of fish and assessments of their habitat will provide scientific data with which to measure the success of future improvements.
Nonpoint Source Pollution Abatement Project: Streambank restoration work and other habitat improvements are planned in Fryes Feeder and Deer Creek.
Water Quality Monitoring: Environmental education students from Verona, Mt. Horeb, and Belleview High Schools are monitoring the water quality of different streams in the watershed on an on-going basis.
Mike Kakuska, Dane County Regional Planning Commission, contributed to this article.
Information about the
Upper Sugar river Initiative:
Marcia Hartwig 222-3746
Mike Kakuska 266-9111
Steve Fix 275-3280
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The University of Wisconsin Day of Caring in October saw a small but mighty group of students, mostly freshmen, braving the rain to work in the Ice Age Trail Junction Area. It’s amazing what enthusiasm will accomplish!
First Business Bank employees and staff of the Community Adolescent Program collected seeds at different locations in the Ice Age Trail Junction Area in the late summer and early fall. Groups of employees usually have a very successful experience volunteering like this, and often have team-building on their minds. What a great way to get to know fellow employees!
Crews from the Wisconsin National & Community Service Board (AmeriCorps) collected seeds, spread woodchips, cut honeysuckle and worked on the Stoughton Urban River Trail. They worked in the Ice Age Trail Junction Area, Yahara Heights, Prairie Moraine (Tower) and Viking Park. Thanks to Rangers Susan Krebs, Dave Volkmann and Jeff Gregersen for assisting with this complex project.
Prairie Foster Parents Donna Fisker and Daniel Wood plied their shovels in the Ice Age Trail Junction Area. Donna adopted an area along Hwy. M and Daniel in the Cross Country Rd area. Foster parent Pat Hitchcock also dug weeds at Donald Park.
Goose Lake Project
Another Dane County Parks natural area has been adopted by local stakeholders. The residents of the Goose Lake neighborhood in the Ice Age Trail Junction Area are serving as the volunteer Natural Areas Manager for this unique property. The land, which came to Dane County from the Wisconsin Department of
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| Americorps volunteers found a bird's nest at Prairie Moraine. |
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| Community Adolescent Program staff take a break from work to collect seeds in the Ice Age Trail Junction Area. |
Transportation, contains features such as wetlands, remnant prairies, woodland, and sedge meadow. In 1996 a restoration and management plan was created by students from the UW Landscape Architecture Department. The plan was to accommodate both natural ecological features and human recreational activities. It has provided some guidelines for the volunteer work at Goose Lake. The neighbors have planted prairie seeds, cut brush, pulled wild parsnip and held regular workdays. Currently working around the lake itself, their goals include opening up the view and creating a habitat suitable for grassland songbirds. Trails were mowed and a bench was donated in memory of Todd Meurer, who had been closely involved with Goose Lake. A neighbor, Holly Dowling, became a certified pesticide applicator so that they can treat stumps and work on their own schedule. Several volunteers have stepped forward to be work team leaders, and they have divided the work area into manageable and identifiable segments. Many neighbors are volunteering at Goose Lake, and we thank them for their work. They are led by neighbors Holly Dowling, Kathleen Kane, Ellen Maurer, Kathleen McCormick & Jim Powell, Steve & Marcia Sheets and Pam & Doug Storts. |
