Clean Water Act Biennium 2007-09 Goals

(Issue Area, Goal)

 Great Lakes

• The Great Lakes are monitored for tributary phosphorus levels, cladophora, and nearshore nutrients.
• Body burdens of PBCs in fish and wildlife populations are reduced through contaminated sediment site remediation projects.
• Cladophora growth decreases in the near shore waters by reducing the phosphorus loadings via Great Lakes tributaries
• Waterfowl production and other fish and wildlife populations increase through increased restoration and protection of wetlands.
• Body burdens of PBCs in fish and wildlife populations are reduced through contaminated sediment site remediation projects in the Lake Michigan basin.
• By December 31, 2020, eliminate acute and chronic toxicity conditions caused by past discharges of contaminants which were deposited in sediments of Great Lakes harbors and tributaries"
• The number of Great Lakes beach closure dates decreases from 2006 levels.
• Cladophora growth decreases in the near shore waters by reducing the phosphorus loadings via Great Lakes tributaries and direct discharges both point and nonpoint.

Mississippi River

• Environmental features along the river are restored through planning, implementation and monitoring.
• Establish reduction parameters for pollutants of concern and what reduction levels are needed to decrease Gulf Hypoxia.
• Information from Long Term Resource Monitoring Program in UMR, Pool 8 is monitored and analyzed to determine long term health of the Mississippi River.

Aquatic Invasive Species

• Information is disseminated to anglers and recreational boaters to make them aware of what aquatic invasive species look like and what precautions they should take to avoid spreading them.
• Signage is maintained at all public accesses in the state, which are kept current with regard to infestation status, state law and steps to prevent the spread of invasive species.
• Outreach and Volunteer programs. Boaters, anglers and other water users are taught how to properly clean their boats.
• Our knowledge of the presence and spread of the most problematic invasive species is maintained and increased.
• Financial assistance is provided to local units of government for work that prevents and controls the spread of aquatic invasive species.
• The Departments statutory responsibility to review the AIS Management Plan of the Fox River Navigation System Authority is exercised on an ongoing basis.
• Purple loosestrife is controlled through education, outreach and management assistance.
• An effective program is established for managing aquatic plants using the limited resources available.

Lakes

• An effective partnership is maintained for protection and restoration of WI Lakes.
• Lakes are managed for healthy ecosystems and quality recreation using a community- and science-based approach.
• Lake staff and financial resources are wisely invested.
• Water Quality Standards,Water quality and human health are better protected by developing and implementing new and revised water quality standards using sound scientific principles and considering input from the general public and stakeholder groups.

Monitoring

• Water quality is protected by implementing the Watershed Bureau?s responsibilities within the Water Division Monitoring Strategy.

Impaired Waters (303(d)List), TMDLs

• Water quality is protected and accurate water status evaluation is assisted by maintaining a comprehensive and current Impaired Waters List as required by Section 303(d) of the Federal Clean Water Act.
• Water quality is protected and restoration goals are identified and established by developing Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) reports for surface waters on the state Impaired Waters List.

Contaminated Sediment

• Progress is made toward the goal of restoring all contaminated sediment sites in the state by 2020, by restoring water quality and reducing fish contaminant levels at key contaminated sediment sites.

Water Conservation

• Water conservation becomes an integral part of the statewide Watershed Management Programs.

Shorelands & Shallows

• Science-based decision-making for shorelands and shallows is supported.
• Shorelands & Shallows,Common values and a sense of stewardship on shorelands and shallows are built by working with partners.
• The DNR takes a leadership role in shorelands and shallows restoration and protection on its properties and through its programs.

Wetlands

• Strong partner relationships are developed and maintained through the Wetland Team.
• Reversing the Loss, A Strategy for Protecting & Restoring Wetlands in Wisconsin is updated.
• DNR is an active participant in the Legislative Audit Bureaus (LAB) review and analysis of our Wetland Regulatory Program.
• Waterfowl production and other fish and wildlife populations increase through increased restoration and protection of Great Lakes wetlands.
• A Wetland Tool Kit is created and widely distributed that will assist the public in determining if their property or potential property contains wetlands and outlines their next steps and applicable state and federal laws protecting wetlands.
• The permit process for wetland conservation activities is improved.
• The use and accessibility of the Wisconsin Wetland Inventory (WWI) is increased for the full range of planning, policy, management and regulatory applications at watershed, regional and statewide levels.
• Wetland mitigation program activities are implemented, tracked, and reported on an ongoing basis.
• A Wetland Project Tracking System is implemented for reporting wetland gains, losses and acre-neutral activities.
• Landscape level wetland assessment data are integrated into Department’s strategy for meeting Clean Water Act responsibilities for wetland condition assessment and watershed planning.
• Site level wetland condition assessment methodologies are improved to keep pace with the Department’s information needs for wetland protection, regulation, restoration and habitat conservation.

Wastewater

• Water quality is protected by ensuring that permits are issued to municipalities and industries on a timely basis and include limitations and special conditions that control and limit the amount of pollutants discharged.
• Water quality is protected by enhancing the effectiveness of the WPDES and wastewater management program.
• Water quality is protected through appropriate inspections and response to permit noncompliance.
• Water quality is protected by implementing new water quality standards and other rules for point sources.

Runoff Management

• Water quality is protected by ensuring that agricultural discharge permits are issued in a timely basis and include limitations and special conditions that control and limit the amount of pollutants that are discharged by confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs), and permit noncompliance is evaluated and responded to.
• Water quality is protected by ensuring that impacts such as fish kills, surface water pollution, and well contamination from agricultural discharges from non-permitted livestock operations are minimized, resolved, and ultimately prevented.
• Water quality is protected by improving statewide compliance with stormwater permitting requirements.
• Water quality is protected by implementing best management practices designed to achieve performance standards and prohibitions that limit nonpoint source water pollution.