Groundwater Management Plan

GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT PLAN & IMPLEMENTATION SUB-COMMITTEE

Subcommittee of the Groundwater Citizens Advisory Committee

Liz Langer, Chair

MAY 21, 2001 AT 4:30 P.M.

COURTHOUSE ANNEX , CONFERENCE ROOM 3

AGENDA

1. Approval of Minutes from June 29, 2001 Meeting

2. Finalization of Strategies

3. County Pesticide Reporting Database Update

4. Members Reports

5. Other Business/Future Meeting Dates/Agenda Items

6. Adjourn

Minutes of the July 10, 2001 Groundwater Management & Implementation Subcommittee

1. Negotiate Conservation Easements/Buy Land

Intended to protect municipal recharge areas

Who: 1. Power Point Slide Show to describe this strategy
(Planning & Zoning )

2. Smart Growth – Local Municipality Planning Committees with input from County planners

3. Local Municipalities to implement with technical assistance from County

4. Possible Funding Mechanisms

	surcharge on local H2O Bills and/or sewage bills
	user fees on wells
	surcharges on pesticides, fertilizers, (charge polluters)
	donations to LAND TRUSTS
	coordinate with Parks Departments for ultimate use

2. Develop a Portage County Pesticide Reporting Database

When: ASAP - communication is underway with DATCP

Who: Planning & Zoning in cooperation with DATCP

How: DATCP Chapter 60 - Neighboring property owners can request notification from growers (24 hours notice) when pesticides are being applied

3. Support Statewide Pesticide Reporting Database

Who: Planning & Zoning, GCAC, Local State legislators

4. Negotiate with Corporate Food Processors Regarding Pesticides and Nutrients Required for Grower Contracts

Who:

Bill – RC & D,

Planning & Zoning,

Ray working with Del Monte environmental staff

Consortium of food processors and GCAC to implement/ negotiate/
discuss

5. Determine Recharge Rates and Water Budgets for All of the County's Aquifers

Who:

Planning & Zoning using GIS

State Geological Natural History Survey

UW Groundwater Center

6. Determine Areas with High Nitrate and Pesticide Levels

Who: Planning & Zoning using GIS based on County data base

How: Need to develop unified water sample data base: several data
sources such as:

DNR

Groundwater Center from Environmental Task Force Lab

County database from Environmental Health Lab

DATCP

GCAC – Continuous Assessment Committee: ongoing well testing for nitrates/pesticides

7. Establish Well Abandonment Ordinance in Portage County

Who: Planning & Zoning

Environmental Health

When: Already in Progress

8. Education and Ongoing Public Education

Who: PIE Subcommittee

UW Extension

Environmental Health

UW Groundwater Center

How: Website (already developed, will require maintenance)

9. Continue Current County Programs which Affect or Improve Groundwater

Who: Planning & Zoning

Environmental Health

10. Develop Collaborative Partnerships Between Portage County Agencies

Who: Environmental Health

UW Extension

Planning & Zoning

Groundwater Center

RC & D

Other groups (ie: environmental coalition)

UWSP Environmental Education

11. Court Businesses that can Utilize Groundwater Friendly Crops

Who: RC& D

Planning & Zoning

GCAC

Municipalities

Portage County Economic Development Corp.

Alternative Agriculture Coalitions

12. Encourage Organic and Sustainable Agriculture

Who: Gary Zimmer-MOSA/Moses

UW Extension

Alternative Cropping Organizations

RC & D

DATCP

Retail Outlets

13. Educate Rural and Urban Homeowners Concerning the Impacts on Groundwater of Septic Systems, and Lawn and Garden Fertilizers and Pesticides

Who: Planning & Zoning Department

PIE

RC & D

UW Extension

UWSP Environmental Education

Retailers of lawn and garden products

Master Gardeners

Intra State Recycling

14. Educate Operators of Businesses and Institutions Regarding Groundwater Impacts from Landscape Practices and Chemical Storage and Use

Who: lawn care companies

parks departments

golf courses

maintenance and grounds departments

public works departments

GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT PLAN & IMPLEMENTATION SUB-COMMITTEE

Subcommittee of the Groundwater Citizens Advisory Committee

Liz Langer, Chair

JUNE 19, 2001 AT 4:30 P.M.

COURTHOUSE ANNEX , CONFERENCE ROOM 5

AGENDA

1. Approval of Minutes from May 21, 2001 Meeting

2. Organization of Strategies

a. Timeline for Employee Help

b. Budget Consideration

3. County Pesticide Reporting Database Update

4. Website Update

5. Members Reports

6. Adjourn

Minutes of GMPI Subcommittee Meeting on June 19, 2001

No minutes were distributed.

Web Update #9

Pages Ready for Review

Taking Action

· http://www.uwsp.edu/water/portage/action/soiltst.htm

· http://www.uwsp.edu/water/portage/action/wtrtest.htm

· http://www.uwsp.edu/water/portage/action/wrted.htm

· http://www.uwsp.edu/water/portage/action/wrkshp2.htm

Understanding Groundwater

· http://www.uwsp.edu/water/portage/undrstnd/nitrate.htm

· http://www.uwsp.edu/water/portage/undrstnd/no3.htm

· http://www.uwsp.edu/water/portage/undrstnd/no3why.htm

· http://www.uwsp.edu/water/portage/undrstnd/no3impct.htm

· http://www.uwsp.edu/water/portage/undrstnd/no3level.htm

· http://www.uwsp.edu/water/portage/undrstnd/no3wtr.htm

· http://www.uwsp.edu/water/portage/undrstnd/no3act.htm

Managing the Resource

· http://www.uwsp.edu/water/portage/manage/laws2.htm

Other Activities Performed

· Chris Mechenich and I met with the teacher focus group on 6/13 to discuss a game plan for putting activities on the website and for conducting activities in the classroom.

· The second draft of the “publication” was turned into the grad committee on 6/19.

Future Work Plans

Understanding Groundwater: Develop pages for:

	land use
	quantity.
	pesticides

Comments/Feedback

Please send me feedback. I want to make sure this website addresses your needs. You may

·        e-mail comments to kilkenny@tznet.com

·        call 341-6547 in the evenings

·        print a hard copy of the page(s) and record your comments. Leave hard copies at Planning and Zoning OR mail to: Denise Kilkenny-Tittle,1408 N. 2nd Drive, Stevens Point, WI 54481

Denise Kilkenny-Tittle

GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT PLAN & IMPLEMENTATION SUB-COMMITTEE

Subcommittee of the Groundwater Citizens Advisory Committee

Liz Langer, Chair

MAY 21, 2001 AT 4:30 P.M.

COURTHOUSE ANNEX , CONFERENCE ROOM 3

(located on the 1st floor)

AGENDA

1. Approval of Minutes from April 24, 2001 Meeting

2. Discussion of Strategies

3. County Pesticide Reporting Database Update

4. Website Feedback Update

5. Greenspace Meeting Update

6. Members Reports

7. Other Business/Future Meeting Dates/Agenda Items

8. Adjourn

Minutes of GMPI Subcommittee Meeting May 21, 2001

Attendance: Liz Langer, Dick Berndt, Stu Grimstad, Ray Schmidt, Mike Carder, Denise Kilkenny-Tittle

Minutes of April 24, 2001 were approved.

Discussion of Strategies:

Two new strategies are added to our current list of strategies as a result of input from the full Groundwater Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC).

Educate rural and urban homeowners and small businesses concerning the impacts on groundwater of septic systems and lawn and garden fertilizers and pesticides. This will be our 5th strategy.

Educate operators of businesses and institutions regarding ground water impacts from landscape practices and chemical storage and use.

These strategies were added because homeowners, businesses and institutions also contribute to elevated nitrates and pesticides although 90-95 % of contamination comes from agricultural practices.

Denise wondered if we should focus on different agricultural practices separately or together.

Mike noted that all environmental issues sooner or later become health problems. Mike will get copies of articles on nitrates and bladder cancer.

County Pesticide reporting data base- nothing new.

Website Feedback. Denise is continually loading more information onto the Website. She is going to print a booklet regarding the Website as part of her final project. The cost will be 1-2 dollars each. The booklet will be sent to municipalities and also be used in networking. The committee expressed it’s sincere gratitude to Denise for all of her hard work on the Website.

Timeline for new employees in planning and zoning were brought up. This must be done by July and will be on the next agenda.

Green Space Meeting. Stu and Liz attended the meeting. It is an networking group of environmental groups. These groups promote local actions like cleaning up river banks to bird watching etc. This is a good group to maintain contact with as many of our concerns are similar and we can work together on some projects.

Videos. Stu reported that the videos are in the works. He is working on some funding. Trout Unlimited gave their videos at a reduced rate. Public TV wants approx. $15 per video.

Next meeting June 19 at 4:30 PM.

Agenda for next meeting

	Organize strategies, number them, develop tasks for each strategy.
	Timeline for employee help
	Budget considerations
	Website update
	County Pesticide Data Base
	Member Reports

Meeting adjourned at 6:15 PM

GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT PLAN & IMPLEMENTATION SUB-COMMITTEE

Subcommittee of the Groundwater Citizens Advisory Committee

APRIL 24, 2001 AT 4:30 P.M.

COURTHOUSE ANNEX , CONFERENCE ROOM 5

AGENDA

1. Approval of Minutes from April 3, 2001 Meeting

2. Discussion of Strategies

3. County Pesticide Reporting Database Update

4. Website Feedback Update

5. Update on Groundwater Resolution

6. Report on Land Legacy Meeting

7. Greenspace Meeting Update

8. Members Reports

9. Other Business/Future Meeting Dates/Agenda Items

10. Adjourn

Minutes - April 24, 2001 meeting of the Groundwater Management Planning and Implementation Sub-Committee

of the Portage County Groundwater Citizens Advisory Committee

Present: Mike Carder, Ray Schmidt, Dick Berndt, Bill Ebert, Liz Langer, Stu Grimstad.

1. Approval of 4/3/01 Meeting Minutes - Approved by Schmidt, seconded by Ebert. Carried.

2. Discussion of Strategies - Liz handed out a list of the most recently revised strategies and the group began deciding who will do what by when.

Strategy # Progress/Comments

1. Negotiate Conservation Easements - Dick B. will call Elbert Rackow regarding this groundwater protection option to see if it is received by the Portage County Intergovernmental Committee. Liz suggested we ask Pete Malek if he would like to pursue this option with the Village of Junction City. Ebert suggested we plead to GCAC members to go back to their respective municipalities and discuss this option as part of their drinking water source protection efforts. The group discussed putting a "packet" together that includes fact sheets that define groundwater protection options, like easements, development rights, land acquisition, etc. The packets could be given out to municipalities and others interested in source drinking water protection. Ebert will check with Gathering Waters and other websites for something similar to start with.

2. Buy Land - Combined with #1.

3. Develop a Portage County Pesticide Reporting Database - being pursued by P&Z.

4. Support Statewide Pesticide Reporting Database - being pursued by P&Z.

5. Negotiate with Corporate Food Processors Regarding Pesticides and Nutrients - All present decided to invite reps from Del Monte, McCain's, etc. to make a presentation to the GMP&I sub-committee on what goes into a farmer contract. Ray will make contacts and invitations. Ray handed out a copy of an e-mail received from Sarah McGrath entitled "Nitrate in Drinking Water Increases Bladder Cancer Risk ". Mike Carder volunteered to get a copy of the paper as soon as it is published in the May issue of "Epidemiology".

6. Determine Recharge Rates and Water Budgets for All of the County's Aquifers - referred to P&Z and the Continuous Assessment Sub-committee.

7. Determine Areas with High Nitrate and Pesticide Levels - referred to the Continuous Assessment Sub-committee.

8. Establish Well Abandonment Ordinances in Portage County - being pursued by P&Z.

9. Education and Ongoing Public Education - referred to the PI&E Sub-committee.

10. Continue Current County Programs which Affect or Improve Groundwater - Ray will continue to collaborate with P&Z, LCD, H&HS - EH, RC&D, etc.

11. Develop Collaborative Partnerships Between Portage County Agencies - all present would like to see a joint meeting of the H&HS Committee and the P&Z Committee to discuss how land uses affect drinking water quality and environmental health. It should be held before the budget process and requests made for additional County support of groundwater/drinking water protection.

12. Court Businesses that can Utilize Groundwater Friendly Crops - Ebert is still working with Plover and will keep everyone informed. The group felt that the lessons learned in Plover should be valuable to other communities and shared with them.

13. Encourage Organic and Sustainable Agriculture - we suggest to the PI&E Sub-committee that they consider setting up a conference for 2002 entitled "Changing from Conventional Agriculture to Organic Agriculture - What it Costs and What it Takes".

3. County Pesticide Reporting Database Update - see Ray for details.

4. Website Feedback Update - Denise is putting school curriculum materials, Kid's stuff, regulations and drinking water rules on the web now. Next she will be adding public health information that she receives from Mike Carder. She hopes to be done by 7/31/01.

5. Update of Groundwater Resolution - the resolution was passed by the County Board.

6. Report on the Land Legacy Meeting - Ray will be providing enhanced GIS driven recharge area maps to the DNR with hopes that they will use them to decide that land in municipal recharge areas in worth purchasing and putting into less risky land uses.

7. Greenspace Meeting Update - Liz gave a report and said that they have formed an Advisory Committee that will be meeting on May 15th a^t7:00 PM. They would like to see a presentation by the GCAC and/or Sub-committees on our progress to date (goals, strategies, etc.) They also work with the Wisconsin Stewardship Network and would like to add the GCAC to that.

8. Members Reports - Liz read a letter from Chris Pehoski that referenced a letter that he received from Jeanne Dodge recommending that Dr. Osvath speak to the GCAC regarding his findings about groundwater contamination and landfills. Mike Carder announced that the first quarter results from the Portage County Lab show that 13% of water samples analyzed tested positive for coliform bacteria and 17% of water samples analyzed had NO3-N levels over 10 ppm. Both results are higher than last year.

9. Other Business/Future Meeting Dates/Agenda Items - the next meeting was scheduled for May 22. Ray will secure a place and send out agendas and announcements.

Motion to adjourn by Langer, seconded by Berndt. Carried. Meeting adjourned at 6:00 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Bill Ebert

	Public Involvement & Education (PIE) Minutes for April-December 2001
	Groundwater Management Plan & Implementation (GMPI) Minutes for April-December 2001 below:

April 24, 2001	June 19, 2001	August 21, 2001	October 2, 2001
May 21, 2001	July 10, 2001	September 10, 2001	October 30, 2001