planning and implementing adaptive management -- a case study in siler creek

8/9/2019 Planning and Implementing Adaptive Management -- A Case Study in Siler Creek

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2015 Sweet WaterClean Rivers, Clean Lake Conference

Planning & Implementing an Adaptive Management Project:A Case Study in Silver Creek

Photo credit: Steve Seilo(www.photodynamix.com)

http://www.photodynamix.com/http://www.photodynamix.com/


2/14

Why would NEW Water work on AM? Trends in Fox River TP Export to Green Bay and WWTP Discharges

TMDLTarget

Source: Kevin Fermanich UWGB

1/3 all Nutrients to Lake Michigan From Fox River


3/14

NEW Water Background Information

NEW Water

Effluent

NEW WaterOutfall to FoxRiver 9/2013

NEW Water 40 MGD

31,624 lbs Phosphorus /yr. discharge less than 3% of total 1.2 million lbs/ yr. Fox/ Wolf

$223 Million dollars estimated for additional treatment for 9,332 lbs P/ yr. TMDL allocation


4/14

The Business Case

Lower Fox River TMDL Estimated Capital Costs:Estimated Costs Sources P TMDL

Municipal WWTF’s: $400 – $500 million ?? 87,160 lbs/yr

NEW Water: ($223 - $394 million) 31,624 lbs/yr(capital costs 2010 and 2025) (included as part of total)

MS4’s storm water: $200- $400 million 65,829 lbs/yr(2013 FWWA Conference)

Industrial WWTF’s:$200 million ?? 114,429 lbs/ yr

Agriculture $ ??? (see note) 251,382 lbs/yr

Total: $800 Million - $1.1 Billion

Note: BrownCounty LWCD$45 milliondollars on allAgriculture

BMP’s, Staff, andPrograms from1983-2012.


5/14

NEW Water WPDES Permit Timeline

Year 1 - Operations & Needs Report is due.

Year 2 - Alternatives evaluation update.

Year 3 - Alternatives evaluation plan draft.

Year 4 - Alternatives evaluation plan final.Adaptive Management or Treatment.

Year 5 - Begin plan, apply for new permit.

Year 7-9 - Meet new permit limits if treatment isselected.


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Why Silver Creek?• Size watershed- 4,800 acres (48 % AG).• Representative Watershed in TMDL.• Self Contained Watershed.• Close to GBMSD service area.• Oneida Tribe cooperation. (50% owner)• Private Agronomists.• Silver Creek restoration – was trout

stream.• Upstream of West Shore Pike habitat

projects.

6

Silver Creek


7/14

Silver Creek Pilot Project Goals

and Management Concepts

• Can we meet WQ standards? .075 mg/L Phosphorus.

• What is economic cost to Agriculture?

• What are economic benefits for Agriculture?

• Sustainable permanent decisions.

• Spend the least amount of dollars to accomplish the greatestwater quality.Benefit our rate payers , community water quality.


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Adaptive Management Model- Silver Creek

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Goals.075 mg/L Phosphorus

WQ Monitor

and Model

Plan and

Prioritize

ImplementWQ Monitor

and Model

Evaluate

Adjust


9/14

Building Partnerships & Stakeholders Involvement• Landowners and Agriculture Producers• Oneida Tribe• Private Agronomists•

County Land and Water Conservation Departments• Natural Resources Conservation Service• USFWS – Natural Resources Damage Assessment - $100,000 grant• Ducks Unlimited - $140,000 grant• EPA – Great Lakes Restoration Initiative - $1.67 million grant• USGS, UWGB, The Nature Conservancy, Alliance Great Lakes.• Clean Wisconsin

Industry, Storm water, Wastewater, Community leaders.


10/14

Challenges - What has worked• What has worked in past:

– Conservation Practices that have an economic benefit tofarmer. (Manure Storage, Barnyards, Nutrient Management)

– Building one on one relationships with agriculture producers. – Regulation on industry – reduction in loading. – Buffer Strips. – Winter spreading plans – requirements. – Water quality Monitoring. – Partnerships. (agencies, environmental organizations, people) – Soil Testing. –

Simple - Conservation Plans - Maps


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12/14

Challenges – What is difficult – or hasn’t worked well

• Cost share – administration, equity, sustainability. – Unfair economically to landowners who use it.

•

Water quality improvements –water quality in awatershed will be maintained or better in 20 years.• Can we get key high priority fields corrected?• Can we implement a 590 plan?• Weather.• Economics.• Adequate staff to work on non point•

Time ( 5 year pilot)


13/14

Wish list

Some items that Silver Creek Pilot hope to accomplish: – Opportunities to improve Adaptive Management Process. – Learn from process and change. – Opportunities to collaborate with other Adaptive

Management projects to provide consistent and constructivefeedback to DNR as projects learn and adapt.

– Adequate staff (1 technical staff per 20,000 acres cropland?) – Money – Time – Framework for permanent sustainable conservation that

results in water quality and biological response.


14/14

Thank You

Bill Hafs Director Environmental Programs Green Bay Metropolitan Sewerage District

T: (920) 438-1040E: [email protected]

www.newwater.us
http://www.newwater.us/http://www.newwater.us/

planning and implementing adaptive management -- a case study in siler creek

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