Tracking Toxins in Tunnel City

A pair of UW-Extension researchers begin the long process of detailing the mineral and chemical composition of two of Wisconsin's largest rock units.

By Aaron R. Conklin

Among Wisconsin geologists, they’re known as the Wonewoc Formation and Tunnel City Group--rock units named for places in Wisconsin where they are well exposed and were first described. Yet these rocks underlie almost half of the state.

But these porous rock units present in areas of West and Central Wisconsin could also be a potential source of groundwater contaminants, including an extensive list of elements that includes everything from aluminum, arsenic and cadmium to cobalt, copper and lead.

With the support of funding from the Wisconsin Water Resources Institute (WRI), a team of University of Wisconsin- Extension researchers is taking the first of many steps to determine whether these formations are, in fact, a possible contamination source. They’re starting at the very beginning, creating a set of baseline data that details the mineral and chemical composition of the rocks.   

“Wells in part of western Wisconsin drawing water from near the intersection of these formations sometimes have water chemistry that is not ideal,” said Jay Zambito, a bedrock geologist and professor with UW-Extension’s Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey and the principal investigator on the project. ”We sometimes find elements above advisory levels.”

To gauge the rock composition, Zambito and his colleague, hydrogeologist Mike Parsen, are collecting and studying rock samples, beginning with drill core, pristine rock materials collected from the subsurface across Wisconsin. Fortuitously, Wisconsin’s Geological and Natural History Survey curates and maintains an extensive library of drill cores. The collection contains cores from approximately 2,000 wells, as well as rock cuttings from another 11,000 water wells from across Wisconsin. This includes many samples from the Tunnel City and the Wonewoc rock units.

Having those samples available saves a ton of time—and a ton of cash.

“”It costs about $60-100 per foot to collect new drill core,” said Zambito, who noted that the estimated value of the drill core archive is between $120-140 million, though most is unique and irreplaceable. “Given the scope of this project, we’d be looking at spending approximately $2 million to collect these samples.”

Instead, they can get right to the research. Using an x-ray fluorescence analyzer, Zambito and Parsen will be able to quickly scan the cores and identify the elemental composition of the rock formations. Follow-up analyses will then be used to determine the minerals that contain these elements.

“This is a perfect example of a core being used for a different purpose than it was initially intended,” said Parsen.

Simple, right? Not quite: Just because an element is in a rock formation doesn’t mean it can leach into groundwater. A variety of environmental factors, including temperature, pH, oxygen levels, and whether the elements are incorporated within stable or unstable minerals, influences the process through which minerals can break down and constituent elements go into solution.

“We really don’t have a good idea whether these elements can make their way into the water,” explained Zambito. “That’s a subject for a subsequent study, after we figure out what elements and minerals are present.”

In addition to drill cores, Zambito and Parsen will also collect and analyze other samples, including freshly extracted rock from industrial sand mining operations and outcrops along the sides of highways.

Eventually, the results of Zambito and Parsen’s work could have the potential to inform policy decisions about where and how wells in West and Central Wisconsin that tap into the Tunnel City and Wonewoc rock units for water will be drilled and managed. Zambito pointed to an earlier WRI-funded study as a possible predictor, in which researchers determined that an interval of sulfide minerals found in the subsurface in the Green Bay area were breaking down and unleashing arsenic into the groundwater. The solution in that case could also be the solution in this case concerning the Tunnel City and Wonewoc rock units—casing-off groundwater wells so that water is not drawn from any possible horizons of problematic minerals.

“We would anticipate seeing geological layers that may contain lower or higher concentrations of problematic element-bearing minerals,” said Parsen. “The question becomes, how are we handling them? What’s the long-term policy?”

“Once we have that baseline data set, we’ll have a better idea about how to move forward in testing potential rock-to-groundwater geochemical pathways,” agreed Zambito. “This is really the first step.”

Turning a Water Nuisance Into a Water Cleanser

Water Resources Institute Project Looks at Manganese in the Madison Water System

January 23, 2015

By Marie Zhuikov

If you’ve ever turned on the tap only to have rusty or gray water gush out, you can sympathize with what residents of Madison, Wis., experienced in 2005. Routine flushing of city water mains caused discolored water, which tasted strange and stained laundry in homes and businesses.

The culprits? Dissolved manganese and iron. In a quest to access the safer drinking water in deeper aquifers, the city drilled into water rich in these two elements. When the water mains were flushed during warm months to remove sediment and minerals in the pipes, the action also pushed through gray-black dissolved manganese and rusty-red iron.

Although these elements are more a nuisance than a health hazard, two University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers are concentrating on manganese because, ironically, it might be useful in cleaning water, including removing bisphenol A. With funding from the University of Wisconsin Water Resources Institute, assistant professors Matthew Ginder-Vogel and Christina Remucal are looking at the source of manganese in the aquifer rocks and how the manganese that ends up dissolved in the water reacts with other compounds, especially pollutants.

“Madison has set up filters to remove manganese from the water,” said Ginder-Vogel. “This generates reactive solids that could be used in beneficial ways. Right now, the solids are sent through the sanitary sewer system or disposed of as solid waste. We had the idea of looking at whether the manganese collected on the filters can be beneficially reused down the line, perhaps for stormwater treatment.”

Madison does not get its drinking water from the iconic lakes Mendota or Monona, but from groundwater more than 320 feet down in the Mt. Simon Aquifer. This aquifer lies beneath many communities in Iowa, southeastern Minnesota, Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. In the Madison area, the rocks that compose the aquifer contain manganese.                       

Manganese is natural and occurs in air, soil and water. Although it is an essential nutrient at low doses, long-term exposure to high doses can harm the nervous system of people and animals, potentially causing tremors, lethargy and mental disturbances.

After the discoloration episodes in 2005, four out of 24 wells in Madison were found to produce water that exceeded recommended levels of manganese. In response, the city installed filters and employed a different method of flushing problematic water mains, called “unidirectional flushing,” which minimizes the water discoloration reaching homes and business.

The researchers and their two graduate students are six months into their two-year project. They spent time at manganese-rich city well 29 in eastern Madison, collecting manganese solids from its filters. They also followed water utility workers around in a van full of five-gallon buckets and collected solids from their water main flushing activities, Ginder-Vogel said.

Remucal said results look promising. “We’ve found that the manganese solids are capable of degrading organic pollutants. We’ve been working on bisphenol A, a contaminant that’s found in plastic.”

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has “some concern” for bisphenol A’s effects on the brain, behavior and prostate gland in fetuses, infants and children at current exposure levels. Also of concern is the chemical’s ability to induce earlier puberty in children.

For Remucal and Ginder-Vogel, the project is one made in academic heaven. “Christina is a specialist in organic contaminant transformation and has done some minerals surface work. I’m a specialist in mineral surface chemistry. It just seemed like a great way to collaborate on an interesting and applicable problem,” Ginder-Vogel said.

The two hope their project will provide guidance to regulators and water quality managers on the sources and reactivity of manganese in the Madison water distribution system. It could also provide information for other water utilities that face elevated manganese. And it just may be a great way to turn a water nuisance into a water cleanser.

DNR to get the lead out for three research lakes in Vilas Co.

MADISON - Beginning April 1, 2014 the use of tackle containing lead will no longer be allowed on three research lakes in the Northern Highland American Legion state forest in Vilas County. The three lakes, Escanaba, Pallette and Nebish, will restrict the use of lead containing jig heads, split shot and weights less than one ounce, or any lead containing items smaller than one inch in any dimension. A limited supply of non-lead alternatives will be available free of charge at the Escanaba Lake Research Station.

The purpose of this new regulation is to protect loons and other water birds that have been shown to ingest small tackle and to increase public awareness of the hazards lead-containing tackle pose to other water birds.

Currently, anglers are required to check-in at the Escanaba Lake station before fishing any of the three lakes and report their total catch upon leaving. In addition to the check-in, after April 1, anglers fishing on Escanaba, Pallette and Nebish lakes will also be asked to fill out a short survey asking about their experience using non-lead tackle.

Tournament Anglers Help Prevent the Spread of Invasives

March 22, 2013

By Marie Zhuikov

Although ice remains on many Wisconsin lakes, today is the start of another season of fishing tournaments for Sea Grant staff across the Great Lakes. No, they’re not competing; they’re working to ensure that aquatic invasive species (AIS) aren’t spread by tournament activities.

“Fishing tournaments are known for their excitement and payouts as large as a half-million dollars,” said Phil Moy, Wisconsin Sea Grant’s advisory services manager and lead on the project. “Events can host up to 300 boats, which unfortunately can pose a risk for spreading unwanted plants and animals.”

Today’s tournament in ice-free Spring Valley, Ill., is hosted by The Walleye Federation. Organizers are expecting record participation. Moy will be at the tournament as part of a regional project designed to identify how tournaments spread AIS and to discover the best ways to educate anglers about prevention.

The project spans four years (2010-2014) and is in its final stages. Funding started through the National Sea Grant Office and then continued through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. Partners include the Great Lakes Sea Grant Network, Wildlife Forever, the Bass Federation, the National Professional Anglers Association, Cabela’s Master Walleye Circuit and The Walleye Federation.

By talking to tournament organizers and surveying participants, project members have discovered that the vectors for AIS spread at tournaments include scales used to weigh the fish, holding tanks, hoses, measuring boards, and angler equipment.

The good news is that most anglers pay attention to the threat of invasive species. In a project survey of almost 200 tournament anglers, 90 percent said AIS are a serious to very serious threat. Many already take measures to prevent AIS spread, including draining water from their equipment, disposing of bait in the trash and inspecting their equipment for invasive plants and animals.

In another survey of Cabela’s Master Walleye Circuit champions, researchers discovered that the reasons some don’t take action is because they lack the time and motivation, they consider prevention measures inconvenient, or the anglers are unaware of the risk. They also discovered the best ways to reach anglers include word-of mouth, signs at tournament boat ramps and presentations to fishing clubs. The survey questions were developed by the Great Lakes project members with help from Wisconsin Sea Grant Social Scientist Jane Harrison.

To help reduce the chance of spreading AIS, tournament organizers used boat inspection lines that quickly checked boats prior to launch each morning, developed youth education clinics, and boat washing stations in cooperation with local scouting groups as well as adopting measures in the Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers campaign.

“This year, we really want to reach kids,” said Moy. “Angling kids, high school kids, and younger kids; the next recruit of professional anglers who are working their way up through the ranks. If we can instill in them the importance of not moving AIS around to preserve fishing, we expect we’ll have a longer-term and more meaningful impact.” Organizers plan to work with scouting groups and fishing clubs, which often provide support for tournaments.

Let the tournaments begin!

Announcing the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative – Wildlife Health Event Reporter (GLRI-WHER)!

Calling all beachcombers! Get involved in an effort to improve the health of the Great Lakes!

 

If you are a concerned citizen who spends time near-shore around the Great Lakes in the US and in Canada, or if you are a coordinator with an established volunteer network that can expand their observational power, please consider sharing your observations of injured/dead animals or algal blooms using the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative – Wildlife Health Event Reporter (GLRI- WHER; http://glri.wher.org).

 

In the interest of protecting waterfowl and other wildlife, scientists working in state, provincial, federal, academic and non-profit agencies are looking for your help to identify events that could be important in research on avian botulism and algal bloom outbreaks. Botulism has been responsible for the deaths of thousands of birds in the Great Lakes and events have been increasing in recent years. For a healthy Great Lakes ecosystem, do your part and share what you see!

 

GLRI-WHER was developed by the Wildlife Data Integration Network (WDIN), a program of the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, in partnership with the USGS National Wildlife Health Center. Project support was provided through a grant from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative at the Environmental Protection Agency (http://greatlakesrestoration.us).

 

Geographically specific alerts and contacts for local agency reporting are provided with each report, when available. All reports from Canada are shared with our partners at the Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre (http://www.ccwhc.ca), and from the US at the USGS National Wildlife Health Center (http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov).

 

Citizen scientists involved in existing reporting efforts should continue to follow their program's protocols - get in touch if you would like to find out how to get your program's data included in the GLRI-WHER.

 

Find out more about the GLRI-WHER application online at http://glri.wher.org. Email questions to botnet@wdin.org

glri.wher.org

Photo Credit: USFWS

Jobs Bills Significantly Weakens Laws Protecting Wisconsin’s Lakes and Streams

Poynette: Today, the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation announced that it had completed its legal review of SS SB 24 and SS AB 24 that have been introduced as “Job Bills” in the Special Session of the Legislature. The review shows that the bills will significantly weaken Wisconsin laws protecting its lakes and streams and make it virtually impossible for Wisconsin citizens to have meaningful input into DNR decisions that affect their waterways. The Wisconsin Wildlife Federation, representing the interests of over 170 hunting, fishing and trapping groups, opposes the bills because of the damage that will happen to fish and wildlife habitat critically important to sportsmen and women.

Specifically, in its study of the bill the Federation found that the bills:

------Substantially remove Wisconsin Citizen’s ability to protect their lakes and streams

------Significantly weaken environmental regulations protecting fish and wildlife habitat

------Violate the Constitution-based Public Trust Doctrine protecting navigable waters

------Weaken environmental standards that apply to metallic mining in Wisconsin

The Federation has detailed these findings in the attached fact sheet.

“Whether you are a hunter, angler or trapper, Wisconsin’s lakes and streams are critically important habitat for the fish and wildlife that are the backbone for hunting, fishing and trapping in Wisconsin,” stated Chuck Matyska (Cecil), President of the Federation. “Allowing these lakes and streams to be damaged is contrary to the interest of every sportsman and woman in this state.”

“The Legislature is working hard to increase the recruitment and retention of young hunters, anglers and trappers in Wisconsin, but without quality fish and wildlife habitat, the important heritage of hunting, fishing and trapping will be lost forever,” indicated Betty Borchert, Chair of the Federation’s Environment Committee. “Ultimately, the loss of this habitat will hurt the economy and in fact cost Wisconsin jobs.

The Federation is the state’s largest hunting, fishing and trapping organization and is dedicated to conservation education and the advancement of sound conservation policy on behalf of hunters, anglers and trappers.

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.

Pick it or Ticket...

“Pick it or Ticket.” That’s what will happen if people don’t do their part to stop the spread of aquatic invasive species, according to Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

DNR conservation officers and watercraft inspectors will step-up enforcement of invasive species law over the Fourth of July weekend. They will also be out educating boaters about a new law that goes into effect July 1 requiring boaters to now remove the plug and drain water before leaving any lake and river in Minnesota.

“Our lakes and rivers are too important to take for granted,” explained Larry Kramka, DNR assistant commissioner. “Boaters need to be accountable and personally responsible to prevent the further spread of aquatic invasives.”

The water draining law is intended to help prevent the spread of fish diseases such as VHS, and invasive species such as zebra mussels and spiny waterfleas that cannot be seen when free floating in the water in early life stages.
Boaters are required by law to:

• Remove aquatic plants and zebra mussels from boats and trailers.
• Drain all water, including pulling the drain plug, open water draining devises, and draining bilges and live wells.
• Drain bait buckets when exiting lakes that have been designated as infested with spiny water flea or zebra mussels. Anglers can keep unused bait when leaving infested waters if they replace the water with tap or spring.

The increased enforcement efforts over the holiday weekend will include an increased presence at public water accesses at infested waters where officers will look closely for violators of existing laws who could face fines from $50 up to $1,000.

Minnesota’s water resources are threatened by numerous aquatic invasive species such as the zebra mussels, Eurasian watermilfoil and spiny waterfleas. These species could be easily spread within the state if citizens, businesses and visitors don’t take the necessary steps to contain them.

 

The zebra mussel populations currently in Lake Mille Lacs, Alexandria chain of lakes
(Le Homme Dieu, Carlos, and Geneva), Pelican Lake in Otter Tail County, Prior Lake in Scott County and Rice Lake near Brainerd are a particular concern as they can be key sources for zebra mussel spread.

Moving beyond PCBs: improving water quality in the Lower Fox River and Green Bay

Public has until July 26 to comment on the draft Total Maximum Daily Load

MADISON - The public has an opportunity to comment on a new report that explains efforts to improve water quality in the Lower Fox River and Lower Green Bay and tributary streams. Fourteen water bodies in this watershed do not currently meet water quality standards.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, in conjunction with local stakeholders, has developed what is basically a “pollution budget,” for the Lower Fox River Basin and Lower Green Bay. Known as the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL), the plan establishes the total amount of phosphorus and total suspended solids that water bodies covered by the TMDL can receive and still meet water quality standards.

A public informational hearing to learn about the draft TMDL and to provide oral comments is set for July 12, 2010, in Grand Chute. People also may submit written and electronic comments through July 26, 2010, with details provided below.

“This is an important step forward in cleaning up the Lower Fox River and Green Bay,” says Bruce Baker, DNR’s top water quality official.

“In order to improve water quality, all sources of total phosphorus and total suspended solids will need to be reduced,” Baker says. “DNR will work together with stakeholders to find solutions and reduction strategies to meet the water quality goals of the TMDL in concert with the cost effective framework that is in the proposed phosphorus rules.”

The TMDL document details the amounts of phosphorus and total suspended solids each of those waters can receive and still meet water quality standards, and identifies the reductions needed from each source of those pollutants, says Nicole Clayton, DNR coordinator for the lower Fox River TMDL project.

“Once we determine the total amount of a pollutant a body of water can receive and still meet water quality standards, we can calculate needed reductions from specific sources,” she says.

Phosphorus is a naturally occurring nutrient that also is found in soils, livestock manure, commercial fertilizers and wastewater discharges. It fuels algae and plant growth, sometimes leading to excessive levels of both. Total suspended solids include small particles of materials such as soil and leaves that get washed into streams and make the water look muddy and cloudy and degrade habitat for fish and other aquatic life. These pollutants reach rivers and streams from polluted runoff from farm fields, barnyards, residential yards and wastewater treatment plant discharges.

DNR developed the TMDL with help from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and a private consultant, the Cadmus Group, Inc., and with feedback from science, technical and outreach teams including various stakeholders groups and the public.

The goal for Lower Green Bay is to improve water clarity to support a diverse biological community and expand the area of beneficial bottom-dwelling plants. To meet established targets, a certain percentage reduction is needed in different types of pollutants. Upon reaching these goals the local streams and Green Bay will have better dissolved oxygen levels, less turbid water, and fewer algae blooms. This is expected to improve habitat for fish and aquatic life and improve recreational opportunities, Clayton says.

The public informational meeting begins at 1 p.m. Monday, July 12, at the Grand Chute Town Hall, 1900 Grand Chute Blvd.

As part of the review and submittal process for TMDLs, a 30-day public comment period runs through July 26, 2010. People may submit written or electronic comments to Nicole Clayton at the DNR, WT/3, 101 S. Webster, Madison, WI 53703 or nicole.clayton@wisconsin.gov.

People can view the draft TMDL report and formal public notice on the DNR website.

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.

Updated fish consumption advice available

MADISON – Fish consumption advice has been updated for 2010 and the few minor changes made are reflected in “Choose Wisely: A Health Guide for Eating Fish in Wisconsin [PUB-FH-824, PDF 1.25MB],” now available online and at Department of Natural Resources service centers, state fish contaminant officials say.

DNR and the Department of Health Services jointly issue the advice to help anglers and their families enjoy eating fish they catch from Wisconsin waters or purchase, while reducing their exposure to environmental contaminants.

“Everybody who eats fish, whether they’re eating what they caught or what they bought at a store or restaurant, should review the updated advice and follow it to reduce their exposure to contaminants like mercury and PCBs,” says Candy Schrank, the toxicologist who coordinates the fish consumption advisory for the Department of Natural Resources.

People who frequently eat fish should choose fish species and sizes with the lowest levels of contaminants. Panfish and younger, smaller fish are best; older, larger predator and fatty fish accumulate the highest levels of contaminants.

“Fish are an inexpensive, low-fat source of protein that offer many other health benefits,” says Dr. Henry Anderson. “People should put their fish consumption habits in context with the advice found in ‘Choose Wisely.’ Most will find they do not have to change their current fish-eating habits.”

Because fish from most waters contain mercury, statewide safe-eating guidelines provide the same advice for most inland waters, but there are special exceptions for 102 lakes where higher levels of mercury have been found in fish, and for 49 river reaches where higher levels of PCBs and other chemicals have been found.

To update the advisory for 2010, DNR and the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission collected new mercury data from 58 sites and new data for PCBs and other chemicals for 31 locations, Schrank says.

These include the following lakes: Spider Lake in Iron County; Bass-Long Lake in Lincoln County; Three Lakes Chain in Oneida County; White Tail Flowage in Jackson County; and lakes Superior and Michigan. The Fox River between Little Lake Buttes des Morts and the De Pere Dam, the Milwaukee River from Grafton to Estabrook and the Estabrook Dam to the estuary on that river, and Pool 4 of the Mississippi River also have special advisories.

The National Academy of Sciences estimates that 60,000 children born each year in the United States may be at risk of neurological and learning problems because their mothers eat large amounts of mercury-contaminated fish and seafood during their pregnancy.

Studies have also found that infants and children of women who frequently ate fish contaminated with PCBs may have lower birth weights and be delayed in physical development and learning. PCBs in adults may affect reproductive function and the immune system, and are associated with cancer risk.

Launch of Clean Marina Program Benefits State Waterways and the Great Lakes

Madison, WI 5/26/2010 — The traditional kick-off of summer, Memorial Day, means thousands of Wisconsin boaters will enjoy long days on the water. A new Wisconsin Clean Marina Program, http://www.wisconsincleanmarina.org/, means those waterways will see improved quality and habitat protection. Plus, it’s good for business. Participating marinas can reduce waste disposal costs, receive free technical assistance and attract more customers who appreciate patronizing an environmentally friendly operation.

The program will be administered by the newly formed Wisconsin Marina Association (WMA), http://www.wisconsinmarinas.org/, with training and technical assistance from the University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute. Other partners include the UW-Extension Solid and Hazardous Waste Education Center, Wisconsin Coastal Management Program, U.S. Coast Guard and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources-Office of Great Lakes.

It involves voluntary participation by the state’s 300 marinas that vow to employ pollution-prevention practices such as washing boats on land with non-polluting cleaners, minimizing use of and recycling hazardous materials, and being prepared for petroleum spills. Marinas and boatyards that go above and beyond the existing state and federal environmental regulations may become certified and promoted by the WMA as “clean marinas.”

“The boating industry in Wisconsin is a large contributor to the economy and will now also help to improve water quality and habitat through the Clean Marina Program and boater education,” said Jon Kukuk, owner of Nestegg Marine and chair the of WMA.

“Wisconsin is blessed with more than 15,000 lakes. In addition, Lakes Michigan and Superior are important destinations for those who enjoy boating. The Wisconsin Clean Marina Program is a voluntary, cooperative effort that will go a long way toward protecting those waters for everyone to enjoy for years to come,” said Victoria Harris, a water quality specialist with the University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute.

The program Web site, which launched today, also provides tips for boaters who want to do their part in protecting Wisconsin’s waters. With this effort, Wisconsin joins 24 other states, and Washington, D.C. and the Virgin Islands, in instituting a clean marina program.
________________________________________

Flow Continues

May 4: Larry Schweiger, president and chief executive Officer of the National Wildlife Federation, talks with Rachel Maddow about the extent of damage to Gulf coast wildlife expected from the oil spill disaster and the anticipated long-term impact on the ecosystem.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Proposed phosphorous standards aimed at reducing algae growth in surface waters

Public hearings to be held around state in April

MADISON – Public hearings start statewide in mid-April for proposed rules aimed at reducing levels of phosphorus, a key nutrient fueling excessive algae growth on many Wisconsin lakes and other water quality problems on rivers statewide.

The proposed rules would affect industry and municipal wastewater treatment plants that release phosphorus in their discharges to Wisconsin water bodies. The proposed rules complement changes now being finalized to rules aimed at reducing phosphorus in water runoff from farms and urban areas, as well as other measures targeting phosphorus. These include the April 1 start of a statewide ban – with a few exceptions -- on selling, displaying and using phosphorus-based fertilizer for grass.

“We recognize we have phosphorus-related water quality problems across the state – it’s evident in nuisance algae blooms on lakes, cladophora] along Lake Michigan beaches, and low levels of dissolved oxygen in streams that endanger the survival of fish and other aquatic life,” says Jim Baumann, the Department of Natural Resources water quality official who led development of the proposed rules.

“There are many ways that phosphorus reaches our waters. We’re working on the biggest sources first, through these proposals that address wastewater discharges and our parallel proposals to revise runoff rules for ag and urban sources of phosphorus.”

The proposed rules would set the highest levels of phosphorus that could be expected in lakes, rivers and the Great Lakes and still support the fish and other aquatic life they were capable of supporting. Different numerical levels would be set for five categories of lakes and reservoirs, for rivers and streams, and for the Great Lakes, Baumann says.

Wisconsin’s proposed rules would also establish the procedures for setting limits on the amount of phosphorus permitted facilities could discharge.

All states are required to establish such water quality criteria, or the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency can set it for them. A national state-EPA task force has concluded that the amounts of phosphorus and another key nutrient, nitrogen, entering U.S. waters over the past 50 years has dramatically escalated. “Nutrients now pose significant water quality and public health concerns across the U.S…” concluded the report, “An Urgent Call to Action (exit DNR; pdf).”

Phosphorus is an essential nutrient that controls the growth of plants and animals, but too much phosphorus entering lakes, rivers and other waters can spur excessive aquatic plant and algae growth. The sources of phosphorus pollution to a water body depend on the prevailing land use activities that discharge water to a particular water body.

Public hearings on the proposed rules will all begin at 1 p.m. and are set for the following dates and locations:

• April 15, Rhinelander, Quality Inn, 668 W. Kemp St.
• April 20, Green Bay, Green Bay City Hall, Green Bay City Hall, Council Chambers, Room 203, 100 N. Jefferson, St.
• April 21, Oconomowoc, Olympia Resort and Conference Center, Crown Room, 1350 Royale Mile Road.
• April 27, Eau Claire, Ramada Inn, 205 S. Barstow St.

The proposed rule revisions and supporting documents, including the fiscal estimate may be viewed and downloaded and comments electronically submitted at the Wisconsin Administrative Rules Web site. Click on the Search tab, enter "phosphorus" in the Search field and select "Department of Natural Resources" as the agency to do a simple search that will lead to the phosphorus rule revision information.

Written comments on the proposed rules may be submitted via U. S. mail to Jim Baumann, DNR-WT/3, PO Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707-7921 or by e-mail to james.baumann@wisconsin.gov. Comments may be submitted until April 30, 2010. Written comments whether submitted electronically or by U. S. mail will have the same weight and effect as oral statements presented at the public hearings. A copy of the proposed rules and supporting documents, including the fiscal estimate may also be obtained from Jim Baumann, DNR-WT/3, P.O. Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707-7921, or by calling (608) 266-9277.

Editorial: Great Lakes a step closer to recovery

The Great Lakes got a huge shot in the arm last week when President Obama signed the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.

This measure commits $475 million to a restoration and recovery program for the largest source of freshwater in the world. It also makes the federal government and the eight states that border Lakes Michigan, Superior, Huron, Erie and Ontario partners in the effort. [Full Story]

Source: The Sheboygan Press

Input session planned on Fox River & Lower Green Bay “Area of Concern”

DNR and US Environmental Protection Agency to host

GREEN BAY - The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the United States Environmental Protection Agency will host a public input session for the Lower Green Bay and Fox River Area of Concern on Thursday July 23rd from 6:30 to 8:30 pm at the Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary Nature Center Auditorium.

In the 1980s, Lower Green Bay (out to Long Tail Point and Point Au Sable) and the Fox River below the De Pere Dam were listed as one of 43 Great Lakes Areas of Concern by the International Joint Commission of Canada and the United States.

Areas of Concern are places where contaminated sediment, poor water quality, or habitat problems affect the use of the waterway such that it needs priority attention. Goals or targets must be set, and then met, for each of the problems before the area can be considered restored. The end goal is for all of the Areas of Concern to be restored and protected so that they can be “delisted,” or removed from the list of Great Lakes Areas of Concern.

The purpose of this public input session is to share information about problems in the Area of Concern and restoration goals (known as “delisting targets”) that have been developed to address them. Input received at the session will be included in the Lower Green Bay and Fox River Area of Concern delisting targets report that will be finalized in the summer of 2009.

Problems identified in the Lower Green Bay and Fox River Area of Concern are related to: fish and wildlife habitat, populations, health, and consumption advisories. Other populations including plankton (free floating plants and animals) and benthos (bottom living plants and animals), nutrient pollution and undesirable algae, beach closings, aesthetics, and restrictions on drinking water and dredging.

Identifying the restoration goals for each of the problems is only one step in removing Lower Green Bay and Fox River from the list of Great Lakes Areas of Concern. “The process will take time and commitment, and like most of the other Areas of Concern, restoration is still in progress, “ said John Perrecone, RAP/AOC Program Manager for the US EPA Great Lakes National Programm Office. Of the 43 Great Lakes Areas of Concern designated in the United States and Canada, only three have been delisted and two more are considered in recovery.

Reissued guidance for safe household pharmaceutical management

MADISON – Pharmaceuticals collected at household pharmaceutical waste collection facilities or events will continue to receive relief from some state regulatory requirements for another two years, under a decision issued by the Department of Natural Resources. This includes those pharmaceuticals collected, confiscated or otherwise taken into possession by law enforcement officials.

In June 2006, the DNR issued an enforcement discretion memorandum that conditionally exempted household pharmaceutical waste from the state’s hazardous waste and solid waste rules. Based on the continued interest and success of pharmaceutical collection efforts across the state, the department decided to renew this exemption. The exemption applies specifically to pharmaceuticals collected at household pharmaceutical waste collection facilities or events, as well as those collected, confiscated or otherwise taken into possession by law enforcement officials.

“Properly disposing of unwanted pharmaceutical waste helps protect public health and the environment,” said Joanie Burns, chief of the DNR Hazardous Waste Prevention and Management Section. “Requiring law enforcement agencies/offices to comply with stringent hazardous waste requirements intended for large or permanent waste collection sites could ultimately discourage household pharmaceutical waste collections.”

Pharmaceutical collection events are one important tool for ensuring proper management of these substances. In recent years, the ability to hold pharmaceutical collection events in Wisconsin, and to collect unused pharmaceuticals at local police departments, has depended in part on the DNR granting a limited exemption to the state’s hazardous waste rules.

The enforcement discretion memorandum is available through the Waste and Materials Management Program page of the DNR Web site.

Kewaunee River fish stocking moved to Root River following manure spill

Coho, brown trout, steelheads stocked

earlier this spring in jeopardy

KEWAUNEE – The Department of Natural Resources will stock steelhead into the Root River near its weir facility on the Root River in Racine County.

On April 10th, an accidental release of manure into the headwaters of the Kewaunee River potentially threatens the water quality at a planned stocking area on the river. Accordingly, DNR Fisheries staff, who had to move 20,000 Ganaraska strain steelhead and 3,700 Chambers Creek strain steelhead out of the hatchery this week, choose the Root site instead. The young fish were already marked with a fin clip to identify the strain when they return to the weir and stocking could not be delayed any further. The fish are needed for egg collection.

Each year the Kewaunee River is stocked with Steelhead, Brown Trout, Chinook and Coho Salmon for Lake Michigan fishing. The Kewaunee is also stocked with extra trout and salmon to assure adequate spawning fish return to the Besadny Fish Facility weir where eggs are collected and sent to the DNR Hatcheries to raise trout and salmon for restocking Lake Michigan. Prior to the mid-April manure spill, the Kewaunee River had received its entire quota of coho salmon and brown trout, and a portion of the steelhead destined for the Kewaunee.

DNR fisheries staff and water quality biologists will continue monitoring the river's water quality while cleanup progresses. Until the situation on the Kewaunee River is corrected and the upstream reaches of the river return to normal dissolved oxygen levels, the DNR will not be stocking any additional trout or salmon into the river. Recent readings conducted on Wednesday showed dissolved oxygen levels to be much improved downstream from the spill.

Additional fish scheduled for stocking in the Kewaunee River this spring include approximately 80,000 Chinook salmon fingerlings.

The farm owner responsible for the manure spill has been cooperating with the DNR, and extensive on-going efforts are being made to clean up and mitigate the environmental impacts of this manure spill. These efforts include preventing the movement of the manure farther downstream by blocking the road culvert, bypassing fresh water from upstream past the contaminated water, physically pumping out the manure contaminated water that got into the river, and introducing truckloads of fresh water immediately downstream from the spill site.

Updated fish consumption advice available for 2009

New video, and Hmong, Spanish language guides available

MADISON – Updated fish consumption advice, new materials in Hmong and Spanish, and a new video are now available online to help anglers enjoy eating their catch while limiting their exposure to environmental contaminants.

“Fish are a low-cost meal and are rich in vitamins and minerals, but you need to be aware of the kinds and sizes of fish you eat and where they come from,” says Candy Schrank, the Department of Natural Resources toxicologist who coordinates the fish consumption advisories that DNR and the Department of Health Services update and issue every year.

“Choose wisely: A health guide for eating fish in Wisconsin” will help anglers balance their consumption of store bought and locally caught fish with guidelines on intake of mercury and PCBs, two environmental contaminants that accumulate in fish across the country and can cause health problems for people who eat too many fish with high contaminant levels.

“People who aren’t familiar with the advice should read our “Choose wisely” pamphlet carefully, and those who are should see if their favorite fishing spot is on a list of waters with higher contaminant levels or if there have been any changes in consumption advice.”

Printed copies of the fish consumption advisory are available at DNR offices as well.

All state waters are covered by the same general consumption advice. On 148 waters, people are advised to further limit their consumption of fish because higher levels of mercury and PCBs have been found in fish from those waters, Schrank says.

More materials available for non-English speaking anglers

Brochures describing the general consumption advice that applies to all waters are now available online on the DHS web pages and also on DNR fish consumption advisory web pages.

Dr. Henry Anderson, chief medical office of the Department of Health Services, said the new materials aim to reach out to Hmong and Spanish (both links exit DNR; PDFs) speaking residents who eat sport fish. Surveys have shown a lower awareness of the fish consumption advisory among those groups.

“We’ve added two new guides in Hmong and Spanish to better reach their anglers and their families with important information about eating the fish they catch,” he says.

Find more information on the Department of Health Services Eating Safe Fish web pages. [dhs.wisconsin.gov/eh/fish]

Mostly minor changes in advice for 2009, but four lakes added to special advice list

The 2009 updated fish consumption advisory reflects results from recent fish sampling from 96 waterbodies conducted by the DNR and the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, and analysis of those results by DNR and DHS toxicologists. Most of the results resulted in minor changes to consumption advice, but four new lakes were added to the list of those with specific consumption advice because of higher levels of mercury. Those lakes are Tug Lake in Lincoln County and Big Fork, Island, and Planting Ground lakes of the Three Lakes Chain in Oneida County.

Drugs in fish: Pharmaceuticals found in fish caught near North Side sewage treatment plant in Chicago area

By Michael Hawthorne
Tribune reporter

Prescription drugs used to treat depression, high blood pressure, seizures and other ailments are turning up in fish caught downstream from a Chicago sewage treatment plant, according to a new study that highlights some unintended consequences of our medicated lives.

Little is known about the potential effects on people and wildlife, but scientists and regulators increasingly are concerned about long-term exposure to drugs in the water, even at very low levels. [Full Story]

Source: The Chicago Tribune