1. RiversReport
SUMMER 2012 | volume 3 no. 3
Learning for life
Photo: Kate Morgan
“Clean water is a matter
of proper training!”
KATE MORGAN, SWEET WATER
Bradford Beach T ake it from Sparkles, our spokesperson,
or should I say spokesdog, for the Sweet
Water/Root-Pike WIN outreach campaign,
funds provided by Root-Pike WIN. The 2012
effort is highly leveraged—for our cash investment
of about $120,000 this year, we are expected a
Respect Our Waters! With the help of Sparkles, media impact value of about $240,000.
Join Sweet we hope to raise awareness about pollution carried
A request for qualifications was developed and
Water Today! by stormwater and importantly, key actions
that people can do around their homes to help
sent to 20 ad agencies. A group of agencies
responded to the RFP. After a review of their
reduce that pollution.
It’s free, and it RFPs, we invited three to give presentations to
shows that you The campaign has two main components: a TV ad the combined communications committees.
campaign including stories and features from Eichenbaum/Associates was chosen to lead the
support our work. June-September with our media partner, WITI iniative. After a review of options, a TV-focused
Fox 6 and a complementary outreach effort July campaign was determined to be the best venue
Visit swwtwater.org - September at nearly thirty community events to reach our audience. The outreach campaign
for more information. throughout the region. At each event, the first was launched on June 27th.
100 people to visit the Respect Our Waters table
Eichenbaum/Associates created a campaign using
will receive pet waste bags. In addition, residents
humor and a dose of role-reversal. Eichenbaum
can register to win a rain barrel and Milorganite.
Inside
staff created a dog puppet of an American
Thank you to MMSD for their support of this
water spaniel named Sparkles that serves as our
campaign through the donation of rain barrels
spokesperson for the campaign. After script approval,
this Issue and Milorganite!
To recap the development of the campaign—in
a series of television campaign ads were taped,
with Sparkles being animated by national
Pet Waste Focus. ...................... 2
. February, Sweet Water and Root-Pike WIN joined comedian Jeff Cesario, a Kenosha native now in
Volunteer Monitors.................... 2 forces to develop a region-wide campaign for 2012, California. Four regional actors played the roles
Sweet Water Update ................. 3 with a two-year campaign budget of $250,000, of local residents.
Green Infrastructure.................. 4 which includes WI DNR grants awarded to both
So we are off and running! You can help spread
Sweet Water and Root-Pike WIN and support
Watershed Action Teams. .......... 7
. the word about the campaign, better yet, help
from their respective municipal partners. Thus
Upcoming Events....................... 8 spread the messages! To learn more about the
far, Sweet Water has raised more than $29,000
campaign, visit respectourwaters.org and our
from 12 area municipalities to match municipal
Facebook page facebook.com/RespectOurWaters. •

2. Photo: Bill Freisleben
Help Assess the
Attractiveness
of Milwaukee’s
Waterways!
Megan O’Shea, DNR-Area of Concern
O ver the last 20 years, the Milwaukee waterfront has
changed substantially. The Wisconsin Department
of Natural Resources needs your help to determine if the
Students listen to Scott Reynolds from ECS, Environmental Canine Services aesthetics along the community’s major waterways have
about how Sable detects human bacteria in storm sewers.
– Village of Menomonee Falls improved over the past few decades.
Aesthetics can be one of the main obstacles to enjoying the
Pet Poop Pickup water and can be an indicator of poor public and ecological
health. We’re also interested in identifying areas where
Rises to Competitive waterfront appearance could be improved.
In order to do this, we’re testing an aesthetics monitoring
Heights program. As a volunteer aesthetics monitor, you will go out
three times to three different sites in 2012, either river sites
NANCY GREIFENHAGEN, MENOMONEE FALLS
or beach sites, (see the map below) and fill out a form telling
O n May 10, 2012, the Village of Menomonee Falls hosted the 3rd
Annual Stormwater Expo that took place at Fire Station #3 on Lilly
Road. There were 350 seventh grade students from North Middle School
us how the site looks, and noting any issues. We want to know
about the appearance of the water and shoreline, and if there
are other problems that interfere with public use of the waterway.
that learned about stormwater water quality and participated in the This will help us understand what you think is important
“Take the Pet Poop Pickup Challenge,” a timed competitive game that in improving the aesthetics of the waterways in Milwaukee.
had kids running across the lawn picking up pet poop (fake of course) The information you collect may also help us determine if
and answering questions about why it is important to pick up pet waste. there are ways we can fix the issues that you identify.
Sable, the Sewage Sniffing dog, also visited the students at the Expo If you are interested in monitoring river sites, please
along with his owners, Scott and Karen Reynolds, from Environmental contact Chad Thomack with the Urban Ecology Center
Canine Services. Sable is trained to seek out and detect any human waste (414-964-8505); for monitoring of beach sites, please
leaking into the storm sewers indicating a leaky pipe or cross connection contact Todd Brennan of the Alliance for the Great
with a sanitary sewer. His invaluable nose can quickly distinguish the Lakes (414-559-0317). Milwaukee has positioned itself to
difference between animal waste from human waste in our stormwater, be a freshwater capital; help be a part of that vision by
saving time and money to find a source of human waste getting into becoming a volunteer for this work! •
our rivers and lakes.
AESTHETICS MONITORING SITES
The Waukesha County Humane Animal Welfare Society HAWS 1. Bradford Beach
2. McKinley Beach Jetski Launch
3. McKinley Beach
co-received a SWWT mini-grant and partnered with the Village of 4. South Shore Beach
5. South Shore Rocky Beach
Menomonee Falls to coordinate the installation of ten pet waste bag 6. Bay View Beach
7. North Avenue Dam Bridge
stations within the Milwaukee Metro area, including along the Oak Leaf 8. Harley Davidson Museum
9. Valley Fields
Trail, Lincoln Park and several dog parks in Milwaukee to encourage 10. Barnacle Bud’s
11. Lincoln Field
the picking up of pet waste. • 12. Pere Marquette Park
Check out Sweet Water
on Facebook!
facebook.com/SE.WIWatershedsTrust.org WI DNR
Page 2 SUMMER 2012

3. Photo: Sweet Water
Sweet Water Partners and Staff. Back row: Jeff Martinka and Tina Kroening, Sweet Water; Nancy Frank and Peter McAvoy, UWM; Kim Wright and Dennis
Grzezinski, Midwest Environmental Advocates; Molly Flannagan, Joyce Foundation; Vicki Elkin, Fund for Lake Michigan; Kim Gleffe and Theresa Morgan, River
Revitalization Foundation; Cheryl Nenn, Milwaukee Riverkeeper. Front row: Ann Summers, Brico Fund; Ezra Meyer, Clean Wisconsin; David Lee, WE Energies;
Christ Clayton, River Alliance; and Joan Herriges, Sweet Water.
A Summer Sweet Water Report
JEFF MARTINKA, SWEET WATER
It has been a
productive spring
and summer for
Water GIS work from the late Artency Davis. William is helping
our Watershed Action Teams with continuing project site planning. He
is also working under a new SWWT contract to support CH2M Hill
our partnership. in its work on Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District’s regional
Looking back, our green infrastructure plan.
8th Annual Clean
Rivers Clean Lake We are grateful to our friends
Conference at
Discovery World at Joyce for their continued
Museum on April
30th was a success, attracting 255 registrants, up about 15%. The commitment to our work in the
speakers were strong, with attendee evaluations ranking more than
85% of the presentations as ‘good’ or ‘excellent’. Spirited plenary
watersheds; the importance of
sessions were led by EPA Region 5 Administrator Susan Hedman;
WI DNR Secretary Cathy Stepp; Dean of the UWM School of
their endorsement cannot be
Freshwater Sciences David Garman, and others. Special thanks overstated.
is offered to our 11 conference sponsors and to our conference
planning committee volunteers—Marsha Burzynski (WI DNR), In a major policy initiative, our EPA-funded Menomonee River
Claus Dunkelberg (MKE Water Council), Gary Korb (SEWRPC), Watershed-Based Permit (WSBP) Pilot Project is nearing its completion
Nancy Greifenhagen (Menomonee Falls), Tom Grisa (Brookfield), in July. That year-long effort has had strong participation by
Andy Holschbach (Ozaukee County), Scott Mathie (Metropolitan Menomonee River watershed municipalities, EPA, WI DNR, MMSD,
Builders Assn.), Gail Epping Overholt (UW Extension), and Karen SEWRPC, and Sweet Water’s NGO partners. SWWT will next
Sands (MMSD). The next conference is set for late April 2013; work with SEWRPC and WI DNR on a multi-tier outreach
plan to attend. effort to Menomonee municipal leaders. We are very hopeful that
an innovative group storm water permit will be adopted; one which
In stellar news from May, we learned that the Trustees of the Joyce includes municipalities that constitute the vast majority of the
Foundation awarded Sweet Water a major new three-year grant to Menomonee River watershed.
continue its work. That decision culminated a nine-month grant
planning and submission process for SWWT and its partners. We Finally, SWWT’s strategic planning efforts are now proceeding. Under
are grateful to our friends at Joyce for their continued commitment a Nonprofit Management Fund grant, Sara Wilson of Mayes Wilson
to our work in the watersheds; the importance of their endorsement Associates is now organizing a series of interviews with key SWWT
cannot be overstated. stakeholders, conducting an on-line survey with about 60 others, and
then guiding a retreat with SWWT’s Steering Council and our Joyce
Early this summer, Sweet Water expanded its Geographic Information Foundation NGO partners. Information gathered will be used to
Systems (GIS) efforts. We hired William Mobley to take over Sweet create a new SWWT strategic plan. Stay tuned for details. •
SUMMER 2012 Page 3

4. Photo: T16th St. Community Health Center
Planting rain gardens as part of the KK River Neighborhood Stormwater Project.
Numerous Efforts Underway to Advance
Green Infrastructure in the Region
EZRA MEYER, CLEAN WISCONSIN AND DENNIS GRZEZINSKI, MIDWEST ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCATES
Green infrastructure is becoming an increasingly important Development of the Menomonee River Watershed-based
Stormwater Permit
tool for managing and protecting water resources. US EPA
defines green infrastructure as “an approach to wet weather A collaborative effort to develop a framework for a watershed-
management that is cost-effective, sustainable, and environmentally based stormwater permit has been underway since 2011, involving
friendly. Green infrastructure management approaches and Sweet Water, Menomonee River watershed municipalities,
technologies infiltrate, evapotranspire, capture and reuse Wisconsin DNR, US EPA, MMSD, SEWRPC, and several
stormwater to maintain or restore natural hydrologies.” In short, NGO partners. This innovative effort will produce a watershed-
green infrastructure helps store, convey and use rainwater in based permit for municipalities in the Menomonee River
more natural ways than traditional “grey infrastructure.” watershed by the end of this year.
The SE WI Regional Water Quality Management Plan Update, The draft watershed-based permit includes: 1] a broader and
MMSD’s long-term plans, and the watershed restoration plans more effective coordinated public education and outreach program;
for the Kinnickinnic and Menomonee River watersheds all call 2] the ability to jointly devise approaches to detect and eliminate
for expanded reliance on green infrastructure throughout area sources of untreated sewage contaminating our rivers and
watersheds as a necessary step to improve water quality and lake; 3] cost-effective opportunities for reducing discharges
reduce human and ecological problems resulting from excess of suspended solids, even if those opportunities are located in
stormwater runoff from our developed urban environment. neighboring municipalities; and 4] implementing a watershed
project, either individually or jointly. Green infrastructure
In this issue of the Rivers Report, we want to provide a projects represent a significant portion of potential watershed
snapshot of the many initiatives promoting and supporting projects, and the permit could encourage greater adoption
green infrastructure in the Greater Milwaukee area. Due to of green infrastructure by municipalities in the Menomonee
these diverse and broad efforts in the area of green infrastructure, River watershed during its five-year term.
our region is on the cutting edge nationally. It is truly an
Sweet Water Mini-grant Program
exciting time to be engaged in water quality work.
Sweet Water supports and encourages small-scale green
infrastructure projects through its mini-grants program.
story continued on page 5
Page 4 SUMMER 2012

5. Photo: Village of Menomonee Falls
Photo: Transition Milwaukee
Menomonee Falls Community rain barrel initiative. Wauwatosa rain water cistern installation.
story continued from page 5
Grants have been awarded for a variety of projects including: The benefit of these projects includes, but is not limited to, the
rain gardens, rain barrels, cisterns, planting of stormwater trees, retention of over one million gallons of stormwater runoff that
community garden rainwater collection systems, and stormwater would otherwise have flowed off the urban landscape carrying
best management practices in a neighborhood park. The mini-grant associated pollutants into the area’s rivers and Lake Michigan.
pilot program began in 2007 with eight grants totaling $8,400
MMSD’s Green Infrastructure Partnership Program
awarded to organizations, associations and neighborhood
groups for small-scale projects. The District also has a Green Infrastructure Partnership Program
aimed at assisting communities and other private and public
In 2010, Sweet Water expanded the pilot program including entities in the region with the installation of a variety of green
securing its necessary funding. In 2011, over $52,000 was infrastructure practices. Two awards are pending this summer.
awarded to 17 projects. In addition to the beneficial impacts on There will be a second round of project solicitation yet this
the area’s watersheds, these projects educate residents about the summer and additional awards later in the year. Details at
effectiveness and benefits of green infrastructure by serving as www.h2ocapture.com/Learn/Green-Roofs.
visible, public demonstrations of its feasibility and attractiveness.
UWM Research on Green infrastructure’s Impacts on
MMSD’s Regional Green Infrastructure Plan Property Values
This summer, MMSD is leading an effort to create a regional green Researchers at UW-Milwaukee are gathering data about areas
infrastructure plan. In this first phase of the effort, due to wrap up adjacent to several specific green infrastructure projects around
early next year, the District and its consultants will develop a Milwaukee and evaluating the correlation between green
blueprint for the region highlighting opportunities for green infrastructure and surrounding property values. The results
infrastructure on private and public lands that will help meet of the study are due out later this year. Preliminary results
regional water quality goals. The plan will also support the District’s suggest a positive relationship between green infrastructure
strategic objectives to realize its 2035 vision of zero combined and increasing property values of neighboring parcels of land.
sewer overflows and no basement backups. Sweet Water is excited
Evaluating Creative Mechanisms for Financing Green
to be a partner with the District in this important effort. Infrastructure
Three different Chicago-based organizations focusing on Great
MMSD’s Green Roofs Partnership Program
Lakes issues are currently working on separate projects to
For a third year, MMSD reached out this to private and public
evaluate mechanisms for financing widespread implementation
sectors in search of eligible green roof projects that it could help
of green infrastructure in the Milwaukee area. MMSD is a
to fund through its green roofs partnership program. Through
partner on all of these efforts. The hope is that what is learned
this and a predecessor program, the District has assisted with
through these efforts can inform the approaches pointed to
the construction of nearly nine acres of green roofs in the region.
story continued on page 6
SUMMER 2012 Page 5

6. Photo: City of Brookfield
Green roof on Brookfield’s Wirth Park Pool House.
story continued from page 6
in the regional green infrastructure plan. The organizations the City of Milwaukee, General Mills and other partners. The
involved in this research include Landen Consulting and the next phase of work will include retrofitting the large expanse of
Alliance for the Great Lakes, the Natural Resources Defense impervious surface with green infrastructure practices. Fifteen
Council, and Environmental Consulting & Technology. bio-swales along 6th street were recently completed. The plans
include over 12 acres of additional green infrastructure projects
Green Infrastructure Portfolio Standard Pilot Project in the area.
American Rivers, the Center for Neighborhood Technology,
and the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative are working Green Infrastructure Enhances Public Housing Project
with the City of Milwaukee and MMSD on an EPA-funded The Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee and American
green infrastructure portfolio standard pilot project. The project Rivers are working together to transform a 75-acre public
aims to test an approach whereby a city could steadily plan housing development into a vibrant, new mixed-income and
for and implement green infrastructure “retrofits” that would mixed-use community featuring green infrastructure practices
incrementally, but substantially over time, reduce the volume centrally in the plans. The Westlawn development is located
of stormwater and pollutants entering the sewer system and/or on the northwest side of Milwaukee and borders Lincoln
the environment. Creek, a tributary to the Milwaukee River. The Fund for Lake
Michigan is funding some of the green infrastructure for the
Milwaukee’s 30th St. Industrial Corridor Westlawn project.
The City of Milwaukee and MMSD, along with consultants
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
and other partners, are working together to evaluate the proper
mix of green and grey infrastructure practices which can be As these examples show, green infrastructure is making its
retrofitted into this established industrial corridor for enhanced mark on the water quality landscape in southeastern Wisconsin.
water quality and flood management benefit. Many of these ongoing efforts are likely to accelerate the
tremendous progress we’ve seen to-date. There are more green
Milwaukee’s 6th St. “Green Corridor” infrastructure projects and initiatives underway that we didn’t
The City of Milwaukee’s Common Council recently declared cover in this issue. We will continue to cover as many as we
South 6th Street between Howard and College Avenues the can in coming issues of the Rivers Report in hopes of keeping
“Green Corridor” after three years of continuous work by the momentum going and moving us closer to our goals of
groups including American Rivers, Gateway to Milwaukee, swimmable, fishable rivers and Lake Michigan as quickly and
Energy Exchange, the Garden District Neighborhood Association, cost-effectively as possible. •
Page 6 SUMMER 2012

7. Watershed Action Team Update
CHERYL NENN, MILWAUKEE RIVERKEEPER
solutions to address the severe streambank erosion and degradation
Photo:CRiver Revitalization Foundation
Granville Dog Park 100yr Flood Plain / at Granville Dog Park adjacent to the Menomonee River and discussed
LE
needed amenities and improvements for the dog park. RRF and their
ST
O
AT
N
E
HW
consultants are working on the restoration plan for this site and hope
US
Y
HW
10
PA
Y
0
R
to move into implementation work soon.
45
Ex
K
it
US
49
HW
Y4
5
Work Plans and Road Map Forward
ST
AT
Following the Joyce Foundation’s announcement that Sweet Water
E
HW
US
Y
will receive a second, 3-year grant to support its activities, WAT
HW
10
0
Y4
1
FO
coordinators and Sweet Water partners are developing work plans for
DN
DU
ST
the next grant period that clearly outline specific tasks, responsibilities,
LA
AT
C
E
HW
US
and next steps related to WATs; Science, Policy, and Communications
Y
HW
14
5
Y4
Committees; and new initiatives such as enhanced outreach to the
1
agricultural community.
Exit
4
7B
It’s now time to focus our
efforts on advancing priority
projects that will have the
LEGEND
PARKS BOUNDARIES
greatest impact on water
resources.
100-YEAR FLOODFRINGE AREA
P
Legend
AM
100-YEAR FLOODPLAINBoundaries
Parks AREA
R
100-YEAR FLOODWAY AREA Area
100-year Floodfringe Area
100-year Floodplain
100-YEAR HIDDEN FLOODFRINGE AREA
100-year Floodway Area
GOOD HOPE
100-year Hidden Floodfringe Area
100-YEAR HIDDEN FLOODWAY AREA
100-year Hidden Floodway Area
From a WAT perspective for both the Menomonee and Kinnickinnic,
we plan to work with stakeholders and key technical advisors to complete
E xcuse our dust. The Watershed Action Teams (WATs) are
in a transition from watershed planning efforts to project
implementation. Moving forward, the WATs will play a different
a list of priority projects (as identified in the Watershed Restoration
Plans and Implementation Plans) in each of the categories below by
the end of 2012.
role with an emphasis on pushing projects forward and establishing
• Low impact stormwater and green infrastructure
working groups to prioritize our work. Please check the Sweet Water
• Riparian habitat restoration
website for updates as to future meetings and ways to get involved!
• . treambank erosion control/stabilization
S
Spring Menomonee WAT Meeting Focused on • Fish passage (Menomonee only)
Dog Park Solutions • Human bacteria find-and-fix
WAT members gave feedback toward the end of 2011 recommending • . gricultural run-off (Menomonee only)
A
that WATs continue to meet on a quarterly basis, which would
allow more energy to be spent on project implementation efforts Many excellent projects were proposed as part of our planning efforts,
between meetings. While WAT meetings could and should be used but it’s now time to focus our efforts on advancing priority projects
as a venue for project updates and to provide information on funding that will have the greatest impact on water resources. As part of
and collaboration opportunities, participants felt that meetings could this prioritization process, we will convene working groups to help
also focus on discussion of events and activities within a geographical us determine appropriate criteria to help prioritize projects such as
location, a specific skills training, or a project demonstration. riparian restoration projects.
With this suggestion in mind, the Menomonee WAT held a meeting Sweet Water’s Science Committee is working to develop criteria to
on April 12th at Dretzka Park to discuss River Revitalization Foundation’s prioritize other projects such as bacteria monitoring and finding/fixing
(RRF) Granville Dog Park Restoration Project. Attendees included bad stormwater outfalls. Please check the Sweet Water website
WAT regulars as well as local neighbors, dog park advocates, and and sign up for Sweet Water’s e-newsletters to learn of ways to get
Milwaukee County Parks’ representatives. Participants brainstormed involved in WAT activities. •
SUMMER 2012 Page 7

8. Upcoming Events
August 2 September 13
Granville Dog Park Stakeholder Meeting Schlitz Park 5K Challenge
River Revitalization Foundation 1555 N. River Center Dr. | Milwaukee, WI
5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Registration: 4:30 p.m. | Step-off: 5:30 p.m.
Dretzka Park Clubhouse Awards and post-race events: 6:15 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
12020 W. Bradley Rd. | Milwaukee, WI For information, visit http://www.milwaukeeriverkeeper.org/
For information, visit www.riverrevitalizationfoundation.org civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=173
August 2 September 19 - 21
Kinnickinnic River Hike WI Water Association Conference Radisson Paper Valley Hotel
6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. 333 W. College Ave | Appleton, WI
Meet at the Urban Ecology Center For information and registration,
1500 E. Park Place | Milwaukee, WI visit http://www.wiawwa.org/wwa-annual-conference
Register at www.urbanecologycenter.org
October 9 - 10
August 11
Water Council’s 2012 Water Summit:
Hank Aaron State Trail – 5 K Run/Walk
Building the Water Centric City
Registration: 7:00 a.m. – 8:15 a.m. | Step-off: 8:30 a.m.
Discovery World | 500 N. Harbor Dr. | Milwaukee, WI
Klement’s Sausage Haus at Miller Park
1 Brewers Way | Milwaukee, WI For information and registration,
visit http://www.thewatercouncil.com/watersummit/?page_id=31
Free parking available in East Lot of Miller Park
http//www.hankaaronstatetrail.org/hank-aaron-run-walk.html October 10
Clean Water Act 40th Anniversary
August 13 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Macro Invertebrate Mayhem: Learn About Water Quality Discovery World | 500 N. Harbor Dr. | Milwaukee, WI
Through the Study of Aquatic Insects
For information, contact Paul Schwarzkoph at 414-287-0207
4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
ext. 1 or pschwarzkopf@milwaukeeriverkeeper.org
Hubbard Park | 3565 N. Morris Blvd.
Shorewood, WI visit http://www.milwaukeeriverkeeper.org/civicrm/event/
info?reset=1&id=189
Register at www.urbanecologycenter.org
September 7 - 9
National and International Urban and
For a full calendar of Sweet Water’s
Small Farm Conference events, visit our website at
WI State Fair Park | 640 South 84th Street www.swwtwater.org.
West Allis, WI
For more information, visit www.growingpower.org
RiversReport PARTNERS
MANAGING EDITOR
Kate Morgan, Sweet Water
Learning for life
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
600 East Greenfield Avenue University of Wisconsin Extension Jeff Martinka, Sweet Water
Milwaukee, WI 53204 9501 W. Watertown Plank Road
Gail Epping Overholt, UW-Extension
Wauwatosa, WI 53226
PHONE (414) 382-1766
WEB swwtwater.org PHONE (414) 256-4632
EMAIL martinka@swwtwater.org WEB clean-water.uwex.edu This publication made possible in part through
morgan@swwtwater.org EMAIL gail.overholt@ ces.uwex.edu the generous support of
This material is paid for in part by support from the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, under Assistance
Agreement No. GL00E00651-0.
Page 8 SUMMER 2012