Friday
Concurrent Session 1
50 minutes
April 24, 2015 ~ 8:00 -8:50 am
Agenda subject to change.
Friday, 8:00 - 8:50 am
Water withdrawals from our lakes and streams can have an adverse effect on aquatic communities and on downstream beneficial users. In times of drought, that effect can be even greater. So how do we balance the needs of users vs. the needs of the resource? This presentation will examine the importance in Wisconsin for surface water withdrawals, the state’s authority to regulate these withdrawals, and the different approaches used when making those regulation decisions.
Presenter:
Martye Griffin, Statewide Waterway Science and Policy Coordinator, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Friday, 8:00 - 8:50 am
For the past several years, the Wisconsin DNR has worked in collaboration with various stakeholders in order to evaluate the efficacy, selectivity, and potential non-target effects associated with chemical herbicide treatments for control of Eurasian watermilfoil (EWM). This talk will present long-term EWM research data and aquatic plant community shifts in 28 Wisconsin lakes over the course of 10 years. Results will look at baseline shifts in native aquatic plant communities over time, impacts of Eurasian watermilfoil on plant communities, effects of milfoil treatment on native aquatic plants, and suggested future management recommendations.
Presenters:
Michelle Nault, Research Specialist, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Paul Frater, Research Specialist, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Friday, 8:00 - 8:50 am
Lakes are dynamic and complex, and conditions can change rapidly in both time and space. This is particularly true in near-shore areas where many people interact with our lakes. Although near-shore conditions are constantly fluctuating, lake monitoring has traditionally involved comparatively infrequent sampling at limited locations.
This talk will challenge the audience to rethink the role of citizen monitoring and how crowdsourcing can be used to close current monitoring gaps. Specifically, we will review the results of a two-year pilot program in the Yahara River watershed involving 44 near-shore monitors and an interactive, mobile-ready website. The effort—which is collecting information useful in tracking and possibly forecasting blue-green algal bloom formation—has raised many interesting questions that will be explored as part of the discussion.
Presenters:
Paul Dearlove, Watershed Program Manager, Clean Lakes Alliance
Katie Van Gheem, Watershed Engagement Coordinator, Clean Lakes Alliance
Friday, 8:00 - 8:50 am
To advocate solid public policy that protects and preserves our lakes and waters, you need to have a thorough understanding of what’s going on in the world of legislation. The brand new 2015-17 legislative session is already shaping up to be another tumultuous time for natural resources legislation, including that concerning water and lakes, making this understanding all the more important. This presentation will focus on the current status of the state budget process and how it will impact our waters and the funding of many resources on which Wisconsin’s lake partners have come to rely. In addition, we’ll touch on legislation covering a wide gamut of issues, from shoreland development, to groundwater, to the law governing management of lake districts in WI. We’ll make sure you leave understanding the issues facing our lakes, lake organizations and Lakes Partnership.
Presenter: Mike Engleson, Director, Wisconsin Lakes
Friday, 8:00 - 8:50 am
This presentation will highlight the challenging investigation of a small ditch that delivers sediment, phosphorus, and bacteria to Rock Lake. This collaborative study included water quality sampling of surface and groundwater, water flow modeling, bacteria sampling, and more. This presentation will also discuss some recommended practices including design aspects, maintenance requirements, potential funding sources, and the necessary involvement of private citizens.
Presenters:
Patricia Cicero, Water Resources Management Specialist, Jefferson County Land & Water Conservation Department
Steve Gaffield, Senior Hydrologist, Montgomery Associates Resource Solutions, LLC
Larry Clark, Member, Rock Lake Improvement Association
Friday, 8:00 - 8:50 am
Healthy lakes improve human health by providing an unmatched recreational resource, a sustainable source of food, and a natural environment that nourishes the soul. There are, however, unique public health issues that can arise in lakes and impair our ability to enjoy all that lakes have to offer. These range from seasonal problems associated with harmful algal blooms to persistent threats that arise from human-created chemicals and other substances building up in our freshwater environment. This talk will provide an overview of the public health dimensions of Wisconsin lakes, highlighting the ways that people can be more involved in monitoring what’s happening and taking action to protect and restore lake health. Examples will illustrate how the Environmental Research Innovation Center at UW Oshkosh has partnered with citizens and agencies to diagnose the source of public health threats and design creative solutions that protect people and the environment.
Presenter:
Greg Kleinheinz, Ph.D., Viessmann Chair of Sustainable Technology and Environmental Microbiologist, UW-Oshkosh
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