What is the Yahara CLEAN Compact?

The Yahara River Watershed and its five lakes define Dane County and Greater Madison’s sense of place. Lakes Mendota, Monona, Wingra, Waubesa, and Kegonsa contribute significantly to the region’s economic vitality, recreational offerings, and local quality of life. Clean and healthy lakes are truly the benchmark of a healthy community.

Large investments over the years have laid the foundation for future water quality improvements. However, our lakes remain federally impaired with intensifying climate impacts, such as heavy rain and runoff, and other headwinds threatening our progress.

The Yahara CLEAN Compact seeks to improve the condition and usability of our lakes and beaches. It will do this by expanding and strengthening the community partnership to clean up our lakes, and unite around a common vision and action plan to which we can be accountable. Ultimately, it is a promise to cooperatively deliver bold solutions and actionable timelines that will improve water quality in our five Greater Madison lakes.

James Madison Park Flood — View of Lake Mendota from James Madison Park in Madison
Late August 2018

Background

Clean lakes won’t happen overnight. Progress requires a clear plan and dedicated coalition of organizations and resources. In 2008, Dane County, City of Madison, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection launched a lake cleanup partnership called Yahara CLEAN (Capital Lakes Environmental Assessment and Needs). Two years later, the group released a report outlining 70 recommendations. The recommendations sought to address ways to reduce phosphorus to improve water quality, and to limit E. coli contamination that can close our beaches.

In 2011, Clean Lakes Alliance reconvened the coalition of partners to turn the list of 70 recommendations into a streamlined action plan with clear goals, costs, and metrics. The partners hired an engineering firm to identify the 14 most cost-effective, ready-to-implement projects and practices to help reach a 50% phosphorus reduction goal. If we’re successful, UW Center for Limnology scientists estimate we will double the number of summer days when our lakes are clear and free of algae blooms.

The resulting Yahara CLEAN Strategic Action Plan for Phosphorus Reduction (2012) identified the total, 20-year cost of implementation. It also detailed the cost per pound of phosphorus reduced by each urban and rural action.

Looking to the future

In 2019, after six years of promoting and tracking our community’s progress, Clean Lakes Alliance reconvened and expanded partnerships to update the 14 actions for phosphorus reduction. Through this expanded Yahara CLEAN Compact (see Letter of Intent page 1 and page 2), we will account for accomplishments and progress to date, re-evaluate phosphorus reduction targets, and set forth revised strategies, costs and timelines to complete the needed work. Our overarching goal is to remove our five lakes and eight public beaches off the federally impaired waters list. At the same time, we will promote a culture of watershed sustainability that will benefit this and future generations.

Yahara CLEAN Strategic Action Plan for Phosphorus Reduction

Yahara CLEAN Compact Participants

Partners*

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Dane County
City of Madison
Clean Lakes Alliance

Collaborators**

UW-Madison Center for Limnology
Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District
UW-Madison Division of Extension
UW-Madison Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies
Yahara Watershed Improvement Network
Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin
Capital Area Regional Planning Commission
REALTORS Association of South Central Wisconsin
City of Middleton
Yahara Lakes Association
Madison Area Builders Association
Dane County Towns Association
Dane County Cities & Villages Association

Partners*

Partners are voting members of the Executive Committee under the Compact, providing agreed upon staff and financial resources to facilitate the Yahara CLEAN updating process. A two-year, annual contribution of $25,000 ($50,000 total) is requested from each partner to help pay for related costs. Represented by an appointed lead designee and co-designee, partners are expected to:

1)    participate on the Executive Committee to make decisions related to budget, consultant hires, final recommendations, and project deliverables; commit to send a representative to at least 5 of every 7 Executive Committee meetings;
2)    participate on the Steering Team to finalize the scope of work and oversee its implementation;
3)    participate on Subgroups as needed to gather detailed or technical information and to provide analysis and deliberation;
4)    assist in the development of as-needed Requests for Proposals, and vote on the selection of any needed consultants with contracts executed by Clean Lakes Alliance;
5)    furnish agreed upon information, staff support, and financial resources helpful to the effort;
6)    provide input and direction to any contracted consultants;
7)    agree to a public communication strategy and process;
8)    sign off on any final recommendations and project deliverables produced under this Compact; and
9)    support and work to implement the updated plan upon its completion.

Strategic Collaborators**

Collaborators are supporting agencies or organizations that often play a significant cooperating role in reducing watershed phosphorus and/or achieving water quality improvements. A two-year, annual contribution of $1,000 ($2,000 total) is requested to demonstrate full investment in the effort and to help pay for related costs. Collaborators are provided opportunities for input and information sharing, but are not voting members of the Executive Committee under the Compact. Represented by an appointed lead designee and co-designee, collaborators are expected to:

1)    participate on the Steering Team to provide guidance and information to the Executive Committee on goals, scope of work, consultant hires, final recommendations, project deliverables, and public outreach; commit to send a representative to at least 3 of every 4 Steering Team meetings;
2)    participate on Subgroups as needed to gather detailed or technical information and to provide analysis and deliberation;
3)    share information, perspectives, guidance, and advice within the Steering Team and Subgroups, and as needed with contracted consultants; and
4)    support and work to implement the updated plan upon its completion.

All collaborators serve on the Steering Team. The Steering Team is an advisory body, which uses a gradient-of-agreement tool to get a sense of the group, and to share its members’ expertise, perspectives, and guidance with the Executive Team.

Challenges and opportunity

We are fortunate that our community has reached 42% of its annual phosphorus-load-reduction goal. This happened in the first seven years of implementing the 14 action priorities (2019 State of the Lakes Report). However, the low-hanging fruit is now picked. All five lakes remain federally impaired for not meeting designated uses and water quality standards. The primary impairment shared among the lakes is excessive algal growth and eutrophication caused by phosphorus runoff.

Effective plans are those that reflect the best information available. Partners and stakeholders currently rely on an assessment of challenges, strategies, costs, and timelines that are becoming outdated. As approaches, technologies, and implementation capacities evolve, so do the headwinds that threaten the pace of progress, such as invasive species, changing weather patterns, and intensifying land-use impacts.

An updated and enhanced plan is needed. The new plan will leverage new opportunities, address the barriers that impede progress, and hold us accountable to the needed projects and funding for success.

Lake Kegonsa Cyanobacteria, September 2018 — Phosphorus is a naturally occurring element found in materials such as leaves, soil, and animal waste. When it enters our lakes from urban and rural runoff, it is known to promote the growth of algae and cyanobacteria blooms. Scientists have found that one pound of phosphorus can generate up to 500 pounds of algae. (Above: Cyanobacteria bloom on Lake Kegonsa in September 2018)

Project Phases, Activities and Outcomes

The project steering team consisting of appointed partner and collaborator designees has been meeting monthly since August of 2019. Any additional partners or strategic collaborators invited to join the Compact will have committed their participation by early 2020. The target date for completing the updated plan is spring of 2021, with implementation of any new recommendations following immediately thereafter.

Phases of the Compact will follow the Yahara CLEAN Compact Logic Model.

Yahara CLEAN Compact Logic Model (page 1)
Yahara CLEAN Compact Logic Model (page 2)

How can the community get involved?

The Yahara CLEAN Compact will set a path to elevate community awareness and participation. The Compact will outline recommended actions that involve ALL members of the community. Community involvement will occur through agency and organizational designees that sign on to the Compact and participate on a project steering team. Planning is also underway to hold a series of public listening sessions, focus groups, and surveys, allowing for broader input and involvement.

Steering Team Meeting Nov 8, 2019 — Steering Team meeting in November 2019

Archive of Compact-related documents

Steering Team & Executive Committee summary notes

Subgroup summary notes

June 30, 2020 (Public Engagement Subgroup)
June 8, 2020 (Public Engagement Subgroup)
March 6, 2020 (Phosphorus Loading Subgroup)
February 13, 2020 (Phosphorus Loading Subgroup)
January 24, 2020 (Phosphorus Loading Subgroup)
January 23, 2020 (Social Equity Subgroup)
December 5, 2019 (Additional participants)
December 3, 2019 (Decision-making subgroup)
October 29, 2019 (Additional participants)
October 29, 2019 (Decision-making subgroup)

Yahara CLEAN resources

Yahara CLEAN Compact Glossary of Terms
A CLEAN Future for the Yahara Lakes: Solutions for Tomorrow, Starting Today
The main goal of the Yahara CLEAN Engineering Report was to develop a list of action items that can be reasonably implemented to result in an approximately 50% reduction in the total annual phosphorus load delivered to the Yahara lakes.
Clean Lakes Alliance issued a summarized version of the engineering report, called the Yahara CLEAN Strategic Action Plan for Phosphorus Reduction.

Yahara CLEAN

What is the Yahara CLEAN Compact?

Background

Looking to the future

Yahara CLEAN Strategic Action Plan for Phosphorus Reduction

Yahara CLEAN Compact Participants

Partners*

Collaborators**

Partners*

Partners*

Strategic Collaborators**

Strategic Collaborators**

Challenges and opportunity

Project Phases, Activities and Outcomes

How can the community get involved?

Archive of Compact-related documents

Steering Team & Executive Committee summary notes

Subgroup summary notes

Yahara CLEAN resources

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