Water Issues in Wisconsin - UWSP · Water quantity issues in Wisconsin: •Concentrated pumping of groundwater threatens health of nearby streams and lakes. •Communities have had

Water Issues in Wisconsin

Kevin Masarik

Center for Watershed Science and Education

Through the University of Wisconsin-Extension all Wisconsin people can access University resources and engage in lifelong learning, wherever they live and work.

Why is Water Important?

http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/groundwater/images/pump.jpg

http://www.cambiaip.org/photos/cranberries.jpg

http://www.tased.edu.au/schools/meanderp/hanami/tractors.jpg

http://www.rec.udel.edu/misc/history/irrigation.gif

Water Resources – Historical Evolution

• Transportation and waste disposal

Photographer: Mace, Charles E. --Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 1/26/44

http://imageshack.us/

Contrast that with today• Drinkable

• Recreation -“Fishable and swimmable”

• Aesthetically pleasing

The Water Cycle: Where does all the water go?

Wisconsin’s Waters

• 15,000 Lakes

• 44,000 miles of River and Streams

• If we could bring all the groundwater in Wisconsin above ground it would cover the state to a depth of 100 ft.

http://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/circ1186/pdf/circ1186.pdf

Watershed – the land area where water originates for lakes, rivers or streams. Water flows from high energy to low energy.

Watershed Water Budget

Wisconsin Watersheds

• WI’s Water can’t all be lumped into one big bathtub.

• Watershed boundaries are a better starting point for a discussion about water resources in Wisconsin.


Runoff2 in.

Infiltration 10 in

Precipitation32 in.

Evapotranspiration20 in.

Groundwater or Baseflow

www.nwas.org

Impermeable bedrock

Local groundwater flow

Regional groundwater flow

Streamflow and groundwater levels represent climatic averages.

Impermeable bedrock



What happens when we have more rain?

Impermeable bedrock



• More infiltration• Groundwater levels rise

• More water in rivers, lakes and streams• Seasonal and Climatic Implications

What happens when we have more rain?

Surface-waterdivides

Groundwater divides

Impermeable bedrock



What happens when we have less rain?

Impermeable bedrock



• Less infiltration• Groundwater levels start to go down• Less water in rivers, lakes and streams• Seasonal and Climatic Implications

What happens when we have less rain?

http://www.wicci.wisc.edu/index.php

Water Concerns in Wisconsin

• Water Quantity

• Water Quality


Water quantity issues in Wisconsin:

• Concentrated pumping of groundwater threatens health of nearby streams and lakes.

• Communities have had to locate alternative sources of water because of contamination in existing aquifers.

• Some communities have trouble extracting sufficient groundwater because of local geologic conditions.













Water quality

• “Universal Solvent” • In the environment its

never “pure” water. • Naturally has impurities

dissolved in it. – Impurities depend on rocks,

minerals, land-use, plumbing, packaging, and other materials that water comes in contact with.

• Can also treat water to take unwanted impurities out

p +

p -

HH

O

Point Sources

Non-Point Sources

Contamination Susceptibility

• Susceptibility is related to the type of soil and the local geology.

• Land-use ultimately determines if groundwater becomes contaminated.

Evolution of water pollution concerns …

Current Pollution Challenges

Nitrates, Phosphorus, Pesticides, Bacteria

Current pollution challenges are less obvious than previous ones

Nitrate Nitrogen

• Greater than 10 mg/L Exceeds

State and Federal Limits for Drinking Water

• Between 2 and 10 mg/L Some

Human Impact

• Less than 2.0 mg/L “Transitional”

• Less than 0.2 mg/L “Natural”

0

10

2

“NATURAL”

UNSAFE - for infants and pregnant women; recommend everyone avoid long-term consumption.

Test Important to Health

Sources of Nitrate

Septics

9%

Agricult.

90%

Lawns/

other

1%

`

On-site Wastewater Treatment System: Septic System

• Designed to dispose of human waste in a manner that prevents bacteriological contamination of groundwater supplies.•

• Does not effectively remove all contaminants from wastewater: Nitrate, chloride, viruses?, Pharmaceuticals?, hormones?

DNR Well Construction Reports

Ten- year capture zones

Sun Prairie 3-D model

Data Courtesy of Gotkowitz, WGNHS

http://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Wisconsin/Publications/Dairy/milkcowno.pdf

Photo: Damon Winter/The New York Times

Confined Animal Feeding Operations

Photo: Damon Winter/The New York Times

5,000 Dairy Cows = 90,000 people

Karst topography and water qualityKarst topography – (n.) a landscape created by groundwater dissolving sedimentary rock such as dolomite.

NR 151.001 Purpose. This chapter establishes runoff pollution performance standards for non−agricultural facilities and transportation facilities and performance standards and prohibitions for agricultural facilities and practices designed to achieve water quality standards as required by s. 281.16 (2) and (3), Stats. This chapter also specifies a process for the development and dissemination of department technical standards to implement the non−agricultural performance standards as required by s. 281.16 (2) (b), Stats. If these performance standards and prohibitions do not achieve water quality standards, this chapter specifies how the department may develop targeted performance standards in conformance with s. NR 151.004.

NR 151: Runoff Management

https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/code/admin_code/nr/151http://biosolids.agsci.colostate.edu/Reseach%20Sites/Byers.html

https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/code/admin_code/nr/151

NR 243: Animal Feeding OperationsNR 243.01 Purpose. (1) The purpose of this chapter is to implement design standards and accepted management practices and to establish permit requirements and the basis for issuing permits to CAFOs. This chapter also establishes the criteria under which the department may issue a notice of discharge or a permit to other animal feeding operations that discharge pollutants to waters of the state or fail to comply with applicable performance standards and prohibitions in ch. NR 151. For other animal feeding operations, it is the intent of the department that a permit would be issued only when it can be demonstrated that an operation has a discharge of pollutants to waters of the state. The authority for promulgation of this chapter is in chs. 281 and 283, Stats.(2) The department recognizes the unique nature of the state’sagricultural industry and the industry’s declared interest in protecting and preserving the state’s natural resources. The department also recognizes the benefit of manure applied to land for its fertilizer and soil conditioning value, and encourages the management and use of these materials in such a manner. Only those animal feeding operations that improperly manage their wastes and as a result cause groundwater or surface water pollution or that fail to comply with applicable performance standards and prohibitions or those operations that are CAFOs will be regulated under this chapter. It is not the intent of the department to require that all animal feeding operations obtain a permit.



NR 214: Land Treatment of Industrial Liquid Wastes, By-product Solids and Sludges

NR 214.01 Purpose. The purpose of this chapter is to protect public health and welfare by restoring, maintaining and protecting the physical, chemical and biological integrity of the groundwater and all uses of state waters in accordance with ch. NR 140, and chs. 160 and 283, Stats.; to establish design and construction criteria for all land treatment systems that receive industrial wastes and require department approval of plans and specifications under ch. NR 108 and s. 281.41, Stats.; and to establish discharge limitations, monitoring requirements and operating standards for all industrial land treatment systems which require a permit under ch. 283, Stats. Under s. 283.31, Stats., a permit is required for the lawful discharge of any pollutant into the waters of the state, which include groundwater by the definition in s. 283.01 (13), Stats.


6,000 gallon tanker


NR 113: Handling and Disposal of SeptageNR 113.01 Purpose. The purposes of this chapter are to establish standards for the servicing of private sewage systems including septic and holding tanks, dosing chambers, grease interceptors, seepage beds, seepage pits, seepage trenches, privies and portable restrooms; to provide for the use and disposal of wastewaters from these sources while protecting public health from unsanitary and unhealthful practices and conditions; and to protect surface waters and groundwaters of the state from contamination by septage.


http://wastedenergy.net/2010/03/17/black-gold/


http://wastedenergy.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/whoanelly1.jpg

NR 204: Domestic Sewage Sludge ManagementNR 204.01 Purpose. The purpose of this chapter is to establish discharge standards, monitoring, record keeping and reporting requirements for the use and disposal of sewage sludge and grit and screenings. Section 283.31, Stats., requires a permit for the lawful discharge of any pollutant into the waters of the state and for the disposal of sludge. Section 283.01 (20), Stats., defines"waters of the state" to include groundwater. The land application of sludge is considered a potential discharge to waters of the state. It is the intent of the department, through this chapter, to protect public health and to restore, protect and maintain the physical, chemical and biological integrity of the soil, air, surface water and groundwater of the state and to allow no detrimental effects to these resources, and the natural environment. The beneficial use of sewage sludge and its recycling to the land as a fertilizer or soil conditioner is encouraged, rather than disposing of sludge through incineration or landfilling.


http://www.soil.ncsu.edu/publications/Soilfacts/AG-439-03/AG-439-3.pdf











Impaired Waters: Fond du Lac County

THE FOLLOWING FOND DU LAC WATERWAYS ARE INCLUDED ON THE LIST:•Anderson Creek, off of Lakeshore Drive in North Fond du Lac. 7.2 miles. Sediment, suspended solids,

habitat degradation.

•Campground Creek (Byron Creek), north of Oakfield. 8.9 miles. Degraded habitat, elevated water

temperatures.

•de Neveu Creek and east branch tributary, off Winnebago Drive near Lakeside Park, 11.88 miles,

degraded habitat.

•Fond du Lac River, three-mile-strip through the city of Fond du Lac, contaminated fish tissue, PCBs,

metals, chronic aquatic toxicity.

•Forest Lake, town of Auburn, mercury, contaminated fish tissue.

•Kiefer Creek (Kummel Creek), town of Byron, 18 miles, sediment, suspended solids, degraded habitat.

•Lake Winnebago, turbidity, contaminated fish tissues, mercury, PCBs.

•Long Lake, town of Osceola, mercury contaminated fish tissue.

•Mauthe Lake, town of Auburn, contaminated fish tissues.

•Milwaukee River, 68 miles, near Campbellsport, Northern Kettle Moraine State Forest, PCBs,

contaminated sediment.

•Mosher Creek, off Lakeshore Drive in North Fond du Lac, degraded habitat.

•Parsons Creek, 2.6 miles, town of Byron, phosphorus, degraded habitat.

•Rock River, along with south and west branches, western Fond du Lac County, degraded habitat.

•Seven Mile Creek, near Lamartine, degraded habitat.

•Silver Creek, 19 miles, near Ripon, sediment, elevated water temperatures, degraded habitat.

•Van Dyne Creek, one mile, near Van Dyne, degraded habitat.

Search for impaired waters online: http://dnr.wi.gov/org/water/wm/wqs/303d/

http://dnr.wi.gov/org/water/wm/wqs/303d/

Impaired Waters: Green Lake Co.

Through the University of Wisconsin-Extension, all Wisconsin people can access

University resources and engage in lifelong learning, wherever they live and work.

Kevin MasarikCenter for Watershed Science and Education800 Reserve St.Stevens Point, WI [email protected]

www.uwsp.edu/cnr/watersheds

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.uwsp.edu/cnr/watersheds

Comparing Land-use Impacts

Corn1

(per acre)Prairie1

(per acre)Septic 2

System

Total Nitrogen Inputs (lb) 169 9 20-25

Nitrogen Leaching Loss (lb) 36 0.04 16-20

Amount N lost to leaching (%) 20 0.4 80-90

1 Data from Masarik, on a silt-loam soil, 20032 Data from Tri-State Water Quality Council, 2005 and EPA 625/R-00/008

Using these numbers: 36 septic systems on 20 acres (0.55 acre lots) needed to achieve same impact to water quality as 20 acres of corn

36 lbs 36 lbs 36 lbs 36 lbs





20 lbs


36 lbs/ac x 20 acres = 720 lbs16 mg/L

20 lbs/septic system x 1 septic systems = 20 lbs1/36th the impact on water quality

0.44 mg/L

20

acr

es

20

acr

es

Assuming 10 inches of recharge -















Using these numbers: 36 septic systems on 20 acres (0.55 acre lots) needed to achieve same impact to water quality as 20 acres of corn


36 lbs/ac x 20 acres = 720 lbs 20 lbs/septic system x 36 septic systems = 720 lbs

20

acr

es

20

acr

es

Documents

Water Issues in Wisconsin - UWSP · Water quantity issues in Wisconsin: •Concentrated pumping of groundwater threatens health of nearby streams and lakes. •Communities have had