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Meeting clarifies why lake study wasn't funded
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Experts from all over the state met last Wednesday in Eau Claire to explain why a study of phosphorus in the Chetek chain hadn't been funded by a Department of Natural Resources grant.
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Although Chetek Lakes Protection Association members were told a perceived lack of community support was a deciding factor, there was no evidence the DNR doubted citizen concern or the severity of the problem.
"We all agree there's a problem. We designated the lakes [as impaired]," said Carroll Schaal, the lakes team leader for the DNR's Bureau of Fisheries Management and Habitat Protection in Madison.
The CLPA's grant application, including a request for $200,000, was rejected before the organization's annual August meeting. The proposal received 16 out of 33 potential points.
CLPA President John Plaza and Barr Engineering senior biologist Meg Rattei called the meeting of county, regional, state and local experts to find out why the proposal scored so low and to find ways to move forward.
Discussion focused on scaling back the project to make it more palatable to taxpayers. Instead of the $580,000 phosphorus study presented at the CLPA meeting, officials wanted to see a more focused, more economical approach to improving water quality.
"It's a lot of money that nobody has," said Tim Asplund, a water resources management specialist from the Madison DNR office.
Where water quality is concerned, there are no quick fixes, everyone agreed.
Instead, officials wanted to instill a "We're doing this for our grandchildren" mentality. The long-term goal of improving quality in the chain confronts centuries of internal loading and would "not be fixed in a dozen years," said Kathy Bartilson, basin supervisor in the water management program for the Northern region.
Bartilson, who works out of the Spooner office, also mentioned she is responsible for answering letters on local water quality addressed to Gov. Jim Doyle and other state officials.
Discussion focused primarily on how to turn the large-scale study into a series of small, finely tuned steps funded by smaller grants. Suggestions from officials included:
* Extrapolating information. Since the lakes share many qualities, U.S. Geological Survey research hydrologist Dale Robertson suggested the project be narrowed to intensive study of one lake (he mentioned Prairie Lake) and the data used to guide improvement of all the lakes;
* Matching the grant program to the desired task. There was general agreement that the type of grant the CLPA sought was designed more for earth-moving projects;
* Starting with "a whole lot more planning," as Schaal put it;
* Examining more closely the role of internal loading in the lakes. New studies coming out suggest it is of greater importance than previously thought, and officials wanted to see more monitoring;
* Getting paperwork/proposals in before the deadline. Despite correspondence from the Spooner office, pre-proposal paperwork was not submitted;
* Fixing discrepancies in findings from the 1996 study and information presented in the proposal;
* Defining and planning the project before looking for applicable grant programs.
Bartilson suggested the CLPA focus on monitoring, education and implementation of three short-term goals in the immediate future. Asplund commented that a couple of sit-down meetings could help the organization align their goals with the DNR's objectives.
"I think the CLPA just wants to see some action," commented CLPA Vice President Jack Schnell.
Water quality is an issue in lakes throughout the state, and the threat of toxicity is spurring establishment of safe nutrient levels. Schaal said he expects to see the state create criteria for nutrient levels and enact it through administrative rule.
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©The Chetek Alert 2009
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Bruce Peterson |
Nov, 09 2009 |
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Excuse my lack of knowledge but I have been told of a rather short term fix for the excessive algie bloom that seens to come earlier every year. I talked to a DNR enpyoyee last year that informed me that there is a soy based spray that they accually crop dust over the lakes that helps the algie bloom. it has helped in Mn. and other states. Proved safe, but the Wi. DNR is worried about liability. With Wi. the hardest to work with. I would enjoy seeing farther than 4 inches below the surface of the water. Am I wrong or misinformed on this issue? Please let me know.
Bruse and Connie Peterson, Trempealeau, Wi
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