Drought conditions worsen in southern half of Wisconsin

50 counties now at increased fire danger levels

MADISON – The continued lack of significant rainfall in the southern half of Wisconsin has increased drought conditions and raised the fire danger to extreme, very high or high in 50 southern and central counties.

The lack of rain is lowering water levels on streams and rivers, making navigation more difficult and increasing the number of fish kills. There have been reports of private wells going dry, and some municipalities are placing restrictions on water use. The hot temperatures and low water levels are increasing the risk of blue-green algae outbreaks and concentrating waterfowl in areas that have been known to have outbreaks of botulism.

“The drought is affecting everyone – with farm crops in jeopardy, fire danger, and well impacts, and more,” said Department of Natural Resources Secretary Cathy Stepp. “DNR is doing everything it can to share information and expedite approvals for wells and pumping when we can without endangering the long term health of natural resources. Our hearts go out to people struggling with the dry conditions.”

The Department of Natural Resources has launched a new Web page intended to help the public find drought-related DNR information and assistance. People can go to dnr.wi.gov and search for the keyword “drought.”

Fire conditions

Fire danger levels as of July 17 were at extreme in 25 southern counties and very high or high in another 25 central counties. DNR fire control officials have been responding to 10 to 15 fires a day, and since June 1 there have been more than 275 fires. A 40-acre fire closed a westbound lane of Interstate 90-94 Monday. An Army National Guard helicopter assisted in fire suppressing the fire with water drops.

“With these tinder dry conditions, equipment caused fires have become the number one cause of fires, mostly with hot vehicle exhaust systems or farm equipment,” says Trent Marty, DNR fire prevention director.

Emergency burning restrictions remain in place in all or parts of 19 counties. The restrictions prohibit any outdoor burning -- outside of fire rings in campgrounds -- smoking outdoors or disposal of ash or charcoal. In addition, even campfires within fire rings have been banned at four state park and forest properties including Southern and Lapham Peak units of Kettle Moraine State Forest, Richard Bong State Recreation Area and Big Foot Beach State Park. Park officials caution that without rain soon, the fire prohibitions may be expanded to other properties.

Water concerns

DNR officials are receiving and reviewing applications for emergency permits to pump water for crop irrigation from lakes and rivers. DNR is approving permits for irrigation from lakes and rivers where the withdrawal will not have a negative impact on fisheries or other aquatic life or on other users of the waterway.

The agency has been receiving six to 10 applications a day for new high capacity wells for irrigating crops and is approving the applications where the new wells will not have a negative impact on other private wells. To date there have been numerous reports of private wells going dry, but as of yet no reports of municipal wells going dry.

State dam safety officials are notifying dam operators of their responsibility to maintain a minimal flow of water below dams, as some operators have reportedly begun to hold water back to maintain water levels on lakes, flowages and impoundments.

“Dam operators need to ensure they maintain minimal flow from their dams to ensure fish health and to ensure there is adequate flow for the dilution of wastewater from municipal treatment plants and other industries and operations downstream,” said Bill Sturtevant, state dam safety engineer.

Fish kills

State fisheries biologists have entered more than 31 verified fish kills since the beginning of June, with more being investigated.

“The earlier fish kills were primarily due to low water levels resulting in low dissolved oxygen levels,” says Paul Cunningham, DNR fisheries habitat coordinator, “but lately we’ve seen more thermal-related fish kills. The water has just gotten too hot for many of our cold-water species like northern pike.”

Fisheries biologists have started to deny some applications for chemical control of aquatic weeds, because of the additional stress the control may have on fish populations.

Beach and swimming concerns

The hot, dry weather is fueling excessive algae growth as the increased water temperature speeds up cell growth and division. Blue-green algae, which are found naturally in Wisconsin lakes and can produce toxins that pose a health threat to people, animal and pets, are becoming a problem in waters with a history of blooms, like Lake Winnebago and Tainter/Menomin lakes, but are in places where blooms are normally not a problem, DNR water leaders report.

DNR staff are fielding more calls on the algae Cladophora from property owners and beachgoers all along the Lake Michigan coast, says Steve Galarneau, who directs the DNR Office of the Great Lakes. The algae, naturally found in Lake Michigan, breaks off from the rocks on the lake bottom and washes ashore, where it smells and looks foul as the algae and aquatic life it carries decompose.

Zebra mussels and quagga mussels proliferating in Lake Michigan are helping create the conditions for more of the algae to grow, along with the warm water temperatures and sunny skies. “Cladophora has been a problem for decades. There are good blocks of time and bad blocks of time during a year, and this is a particularly bad period of time,” he says. “We empathize with people concerned about how it looks and smells. We encourage people to avoid swimming through cladophora or coming in contact with the algae that’s washed ashore because it may harbor harmful bacteria.”

Boating safety

With low water levels on lakes and rivers (USGS Wisconsint streamflow) (exit DNR), boaters need to be especially cautious of navigational hazards that may not have been apparent with higher water levels. Stumps and sand and rock bars may all be closer to the surface, especially on river systems. The Rock and Wisconsin rivers in particular are very low and navigation is difficult in some stretches.

Wildlife health concerns

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff have collected approximately 50 dead birds, primarily mallards, wood ducks and teal as well as pelicans, shore birds, and great blue herons on the northern end of Horicon Marsh. Specimens have been submitted to the National Wildlife Heath Center for confirmation, but officials highly suspect that botulism is the cause. They will be conducting daily monitoring of other state and federal wildlife areas where botulism has caused waterfowl deaths in the past.

Large-scale effort underway to improve Wisconsin River water quality

WAUSAU, Wis. -- Water quality problems in the Wisconsin River are limiting recreational opportunities, hurting businesses and creating conditions that adversely affect public health, according to state environmental officials who say the primary problem is phosphorus and other nutrients that enter the river as runoff from agricultural fields, barnyards, urban storm water and wastewater discharges.

Phosphorus fuels massive blue-green algae blooms in Wisconsin River impoundments, some of the worst recorded anywhere in the state, according to Scott Watson, Wisconsin River basin manager for the state Department of Natural Resources. Blue-green algae can be toxic to animals and humans, causing respiratory ailments, watery eyes and rashes. In addition, excessive phosphorus and algae blooms can lower dissolved oxygen levels in the river, harm aquatic life and cause fish kills.

“Waterfront business owners tell us when the algae blooms are present, they have seen customers arrive, then get back in their cars and leave,” Watson said. “This is a problem we need to address.”

Unfortunately, Watson notes, there are no quick solutions to help these businesses, because the problem was a long-time in the making. So the DNR has embarked on a three-year, science-based program to evaluate the phosphorus loads entering the river during various seasons and different climatic conditions to tackle the biggest remaining pollution sources. It will be expensive to fix and the state can’t afford to waste any money on efforts that won’t fix the problem.

Water quality monitoring began this past year from Tomahawk downstream to the Lake Wisconsin Dam near Sauk City.

DNR staff is working with the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point to collect water quality samples at 21 river and stream sites and 23 reservoir sites. Water quality data is being collected as well by specially trained citizens who are contributing data from the Petenwell and Castle Rock flowages, the two largest impoundments on the river.

The Wisconsin River drains approximately 20 percent of the state to the Upper Mississippi River basin. Along its 430-mile journey, the river provides many benefits to local communities and industries, and it is a vital asset for our recreation and tourism economy.

Many of the historical water quality problems that impaired the Wisconsin River have been substantially addressed since the 1970s, primarily by regulating industrial and municipal discharges. However the river and some of its tributaries, such as the Big Eau Pleine River, continue to receive excessive nutrient loads, primarily phosphorus.

The water quality data collected as part of this monitoring effort will not only be used to determine the amount of phosphorus reduction needed to restore water quality, it will be used to predict how the river will respond to different types of management actions, such as erosion controls, cropping practices and wastewater treatment.

Specific limits will be established for the amount of phosphorus that can be discharged from point sources and from nonpoint sources. The limits are expressed as a total maximum daily load, or TMDL. Actually setting the TMDLs involves a public participation process, including a public comment period. Once comments are addressed, the TMDL must be approved by the Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

“This study will give us the tools we need to design solutions,” said DNR monitoring coordinator Ken Schreiber. “This is a huge challenge and it’s one we have to take on for our economy and our environment.”

The Wisconsin River has long been an engine of commerce, a boundless source of recreation and the lifeblood of the communities that grew up around it. Its potential for future generations is enormous. This project is critical for reaching the long-term goal of restoring the health, beauty and economic vitality of Wisconsin’s namesake river and its tributaries.

Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources & Public Health Madison & Dane County Blue-Green Algae Blooms Trigger Health Reminder Avoiding Contact is the Safest Approach

Madison, WI – June 30, 2010 - Recent warm weather has fueled the growth of noxious blue-green algae on Lake Kegonsa and this has prompted the Department of Natural Resources and Public Health Madison & Dane County (PHMDC) to remind folks to avoid swimming in areas blanketed with this type of algae.

On the morning of June 29, most of the lake’s surface area was reported to have been supporting heavy blue green algae growth which can have a paint slick or pea soup like appearance,” noted Susan Graham, DNR Lake Management Coordinator based at Fitchburg. She added that such blooms can be a moving target, since wind and wave action can often make a bloom disappear or appear quickly.

Blue-green algae, technically known as Cyanobacteria, are microscopic organisms that are naturally present in Wisconsin lakes, streams and ponds at low levels. When conditions are favorable, massive blooms can appear. According to Kirsti Sorsa, PHMDC’s Public Health Laboratory Manager, “some species produce toxins that, with exposure, can harm the skin (rashes, lip blistering), liver or nervous systems of people, pets, livestock and wildlife. It can also produce sore throats, headaches, muscular and joint pain and gastro-intestinal symptoms.” In rare cases, the toxins can be fatal to animals although not all blue green algae produce toxins. Anyone who is experiencing such symptoms should contact their clinic or physician. They can report this exposure to PHMDC at 266-4821, and to the State Department of Health Services at this link:  http://dhs.wisconsin.gov/eh/bluegreenalgae/#NewProg

With the upcoming July 4th weekend, now is the ideal time to remind people that the presence of blue-green algae in a lake or pond is a marker for a potential hazard,” said Graham.

Health officials advise people to avoid swimming in areas of lakes and ponds where a scum or mat of algae is present on the water. People also should keep their children from playing in the water, and keep their animals from drinking or swimming in the water with visible blue-green algal blooms.

“Heavy rainfall causing nutrient rich runoff coupled with sunny calm days create ideal conditions for the growth of heavy blue green algae blooms,” according to Graham.

Blue-green algae blooms are common in Wisconsin, with its 15,000 lakes; about 44,000 miles of flowing rivers and countless small ponds. The presence of the algae does not mean the water is toxic, but large, unsightly blooms with a blue-green cast serve as a warning that blue-green algae are present and may be producing toxin, potentially at concentrations that could be a health threat.

The World Health Organization advises that people who choose to eat fish taken from water where blue-green algae bloom is present to consume such fish in moderation and avoid eating fish guts, where accumulation of toxins may be greatest. Also, anglers should take care to not cut into organs when filleting fish and rinse fillets with clean water to remove any liquids from the guts or organs before freezing or cooking.