Four Dane County cities will receive a combined total of over $600,000 to help clean area lakes as a part of the Urban Water Quality Grant Program, Dane County Executive Joe Parisi announced last week.
Madison, Fitchburg, Sun Prairie and Monona will receive the grants for five projects. The cost-share program will assist those communities in constructing facilities that will capture trash and phosphorus-laden debris during heavy rain or snow melts.
“Working together with local municipalities, toward a shared goal, we are able to get more done and make a bigger impact than we could alone,” Parisi said in a press release. “Every pound of phosphorus removed from the watershed prevents 500 pounds of algae growth, a big step in improving the quality of our waters.”
The cleanup projects are expected to prevent approximately 72,000 pounds of sediment and 211 pounds of phosphorus from entering the Dane County water supply. The Urban Water Quality grants have funded almost $10 million worth of projects since 2005.
They are also estimated to help keep nearly 2,000 pounds of phosphorus out of the water supply annually. Fertilizers contain phosphorus, and rainwater can cause the fertilizer to run off into storm drainage systems and subsequently lakes, according to the Dane County Lakes and Watershed Commission.
The phosphorus contributes to excessive algae growth. The algae can decrease water clarity by turning lakes green. The water’s oxygen supply is also depleted as the algae decays, hurting the fish population.
A Dane County ordinance that was passed in 2004 and went into effect in 2005 prohibits use of phosphorus-containing lawn fertilizers, unless a soil test shows that phosphorus is necessary and the retail display of phosphorus-containing lawn fertilizers.
Other municipalities can apply to the program as well. The program will cover up to 75 percent of project costs for municipalities in a top-ten target area, according to the release. Municipalities outside of that area will receive 50 percent funding up to $100,000. Both require the project to be completed by the end of 2016.
Pending final approval from the Dane County Board, the funds will be available as early as this spring.
