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September 13, 2023 @ 8:00 am 9:00 am

Clean Lakes 101

Join us for this in-person or virtual hybrid edition of Clean Lakes 101 to hear about Dane County’s many projects to keep our lakes clean and mitigate the impacts of climate change. Register as an in-person attendee or to receive a Zoom link through your confirmation email and watch virtually.

2023-09_CL101_header-web

Register by entering your information in the box below

About this Talk

Hear from Dane County Executive Joe Parisi and Laura Hicklin, Director of Dane County’s Land & Water Resources Department as they describe the County’s many projects to keep our lakes clean and mitigate the impacts of climate change. From more extreme weather with increased rain in the spring, to dryer, hotter summers and winters, the risks of climate change become clearer all time. These changes are exacerbating existing threats to the Yahara lakes, such as increased phosphorus runoff.

During this presentation, you’ll learn the latest information about specific projects that advance Renew the Blue such as Suck the Muck, manure treatment, and conservation cover programs, along with updates on aquatic plant management, lake levels, Yahara River sediment removal, and the ongoing efforts to combat climate change.

About our Speakers

Dane County Executive: Joe Parisi has called Dane County home his entire life. He sought out public service as a way to give back to a community that has given so much to him. Joe was first elected as County Executive, the chief elected leader of Dane County, in 2011 after 6 years in the State Assembly and 8 years as Dane County Clerk. Joe’s priority is to ensure that everyone in our community has access to the opportunity to succeed. He believes investing in people pays big dividends. Joe knows this can work because he experienced it. Now Joe believes it is his turn to give back to ensure that our children’s generation has access to the same opportunities that were available to him. Joe and his wife, Erin Thornley Parisi, raised their two daughters on Madison’s east side. With a population of more than 500,000 and an annual county budget of $600 million, Dane is Wisconsin’s second largest county. Dane County has the highest private sector job and population growth in Wisconsin.

Laura Hicklin: Laura Hicklin is the Director of the Dane County Land & Water Resources Department. The Land & Water Resources Department protects and enhances the natural, cultural, and historic resources of Dane County; provides the County’s residents with a broad array of accessible, high quality resource-based recreational services and facilities; and supports residents, communities, local governments, and other agencies and organizations in their resource management and protection activities. Laura’s goal is to bring civility to challenging discussions about natural resource management in Dane County.

Event Details

This event will be held at The Edgewater hotel – grand ballroom level 5 (1001 Wisconsin Pl, Madison, WI 53703). Doors open at 7:30 a.m. The program runs from 8 – 9 a.m. A Q/A session will follow the presentation as time allows. Complimentary event parking will be available at The Edgewater parking ramp. Parking spots fill up quickly and may be limited depending on hotel capacity.

A Zoom link will be sent to all registrants in a confirmation email.

Clean Lakes 101 Lecture Series

Clean Lakes 101 is a series of educational events open to the public and a great chance to learn more about the science behind the issues that affect our lakes. Each month we feature a different expert to make the science accessible and interesting to non-technical audiences. The series is produced in partnership with the UW-Madison Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies and UW-Extension Lakes, with presenting sponsor First Weber Foundation, hosting sponsor The Edgewater, supporting sponsors National Guardian Life Insurance Company and Alliant Energy, and media sponsor WKOW.

(608) 255-1000

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1001 Wisconsin Pl
Madison, WI 53703 United States
+ Google Map
6085358200
View Venue Website

2023-04_CL101_header-web

April 13, 2023 @ 8:00 am 9:00 am

Clean Lakes 101

Join us for this in-person or virtual hybrid edition of Clean Lakes 101 to learn about how phosphorus recovered from wastewater not only benefits our local waterways, but can be reused within the food system. Register as an in-person attendee or to receive a Zoom link through your confirmation email and watch virtually.

2023-04_CL101_header-web

Register by entering your information in the box below

About this Talk

Phosphorus is an essential nutrient. Every day people consume phosphorus as part of their diet and in products they use. Eventually some of this phosphorus becomes waste and ends up in wastewater. Most wastewater in the Madison area is reclaimed by the Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District, where phosphorus is recovered for beneficial reuse within the food system. This presentation will explain how the District recovers nutrients like phosphorus from wastewater for beneficial reuse while working to protect local water resources. 

About our Speaker

Matt Seib serves as the process and research engineer at the Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District. In this role, Matt is involved in several areas of the District, including daily operations, innovation, planning studies, and capital improvements projects. He also partners with faculty at the University of Wisconsin focused on wastewater technology and resource recovery research. Matt is involved in several water industry advocacy organizations such as the Water Environment Federation and Water Research Foundation. He holds a PhD from Marquette University in civil engineering with a specialization in anaerobic biotechnology and also served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Mali, working on community water and sanitation development efforts.

Event Details

This event will be held at The Edgewater hotel – grand ballroom level 5 (1001 Wisconsin Pl, Madison, WI 53703). Doors open at 7:30 a.m. The program runs from 8 – 9 a.m. A Q/A session will follow the presentation as time allows. Complimentary event parking will be available at The Edgewater parking ramp. Parking spots fill up quickly and may be limited depending on hotel capacity.

A Zoom link will be sent to all registrants via the confirmation email.

Clean Lakes 101 Lecture Series

Clean Lakes 101 is a series of educational events open to the public and a great chance to learn more about the science behind the issues that affect our lakes. Each month we feature a different expert to make the science accessible and interesting to non-technical audiences. The series is produced in partnership with the UW-Madison Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies and UW-Extension Lakes, with presenting sponsor First Weber Foundation, hosting sponsor The Edgewater, supporting sponsors National Guardian Life Insurance Company and Alliant Energy, and media sponsor WKOW.

Free
1001 Wisconsin Pl
Madison, WI 53703 United States
+ Google Map
6085358200
View Venue Website

2022 Community Coffee and Annual Meeting

On May 18th, 2022, more than 300 leaders throughout the Greater Madison-Dane County region met at The Edgewater on the shores of Lake Mendota. The meeting celebrated what promises to be a new era of collaboration to benefit our local waters. With a collective call to “Renew the Blue,” a 19-member coalition of organizations introduced what some might describe as a stakeholder declaration to a sold-out audience.

Read More

Habitat strip on a farm
Article contributed by Marty Moses, Wisconsin State Coordinator for Pheasants Forever

Precision ag and conservation

Technology is bringing a new vibe to conservation efforts offered to farmers. Instead of sweeping mandates, rules, and regulations, a new data-driven method is being used to design efficient and cost-effective agricultural sustainability solutions. This precision ag and conservation approach is allowing projects to be targeted to the right place and at the right scale. In turn, farmers can achieve maximum economic and environmental impact.

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Schluter Beach 20May2020

Making Progress For Our Lakes

In 2019, Clean Lakes Alliance’s work was focused on actions that increased community engagement and reduced phosphorus runoff into the lakes. Keep reading to learn more about our 2019 achievements. These actions could not have been accomplished without the dedication and support of our boards, committees, donors, volunteers, staff, partners, and the community.

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Bernies Beach

A shared vision for clean, safe, and accessible lakes

In August 2019, leaders from government, business, and nonprofit organizations came together with a shared vision. The vision included a future in which Greater Madison’s five Yahara lakes are clean, safe, and accessible for everyone. Together, the 19 partners and collaborators formed the Yahara CLEAN Compact and committed to sharing resources and working together to curb pollution and chart the best path forward to cleaner, healthier lakes.

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2019 Thankful For

Things we’re thankful for at Clean Lakes Alliance

At Clean Lakes Alliance, we’re thankful to be part of a community that is surrounded by five beautiful lakes. Our Yahara lakes provide ecological diversity, recreational opportunities, economic benefits, and endless beauty to the Greater Madison area, its residents, and guests.

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Cyanobacteria on Lake Mendota at the Memorial Union

Cyanobacteria

All five Yahara lakes saw cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) blooms throughout the summer of 2019. One bloom in particular on Lake Mendota was quite large, covering at least an area from Picnic Point to the Memorial Union on August 1st. The bloom was well-documented by photos from community members as having a green pea soup-like consistency.

Cyanobacteria blooms are often bright green, but can also appear in shades of brown, blue, and white. Typically, blooms are spotted on warm days with calm winds. On August 1st, Madison reported a high of 81 degrees with an average wind speed of two miles per hour. 

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Middleton Stormwater Retention Pond

Clean Lakes Grants support phosphorus reduction and education

With the completion of the 2018-2019 Clean Lakes Grants cycle, Clean Lakes Alliance has given out more than $1,000,000 in project support since 2011. This landmark achievement fulfills our mission of building capacity among our partner organizations and supporting on-the-ground practices for clean, healthy lakes. The Yahara River Watershed is a large and complex system and will require a community-wide effort to improve water quality.

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