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Lake Mendota Run off

Lake Mendota Run off Madison’s Lake Mendota has been home to urban and agricultural runoff called non-point pollution, for many years. The effects from this runoff can be seen and smelled when around the lake, or for that matter, among all the lakes of the Yahara Watershed; including, Lake Monona, Lake Waubesa, Lake Kegonsa, and Lake Wingra, respectively. The Winnebego Indian name for Lake Mendota is Wonk-shek-ho-mik-la, meaning, “Where the man lies,” while the Prairie Potawatomi named the lake Manto-ka, meaning, “Snake maker,” referring to the early abundance of rattlesnakes along the lake’s shoreline, in earlier years. The name Mendota was actually given to the lake in 1949 by a man named Frank Hudson, whom was a local land surveyor; actually, Mendota is a Sioux Indian name meaning, “The mouth of the river,” because it feeds the rest of the lakes in the Yahara Watershed. And before Lake Mendota was given the name Mendota, people referred to the lake as the Fourth Lake (1). Back in 1829, James Duane Doty traveled through Madison’s Isthmus and was so pleased with what he saw he decided to buy 1,200 acres of the land for $1,500. At this time he plotted out all of the roads surrounding the Isthmus, in which he later named after the signers of the United States Constitution. After deciding the name Madison from the fourth President of The United States, James Madison, Doty convinced the territorial legislature to designate (his) Madison as the site for a new capital. At this time, Madison became more and more populated and with that came more farming, logging and industrialization (3). Since the evolution of Madison, more and more farmers and businesses were planted in the area. This, of course, was good for the city’s economy; however, bad for Madison’s lakes; including Lake Mendota. In these earlier years Lake Mendota was used for industrial dumping and release of sewage, which added nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen to the water among other pollutants, not especially good for the lake’s waters (2). This proved to be a threat to the waters of Lake Mendota, but not as big of a threat as the natural run off coming from the streets and yards and fields of farmers and gardeners. Madison’s Isthmus is the highest point of the whole city with the lakes Wingra, Monona and Mendota beneath them. So, rainwater and snowmelt would flow across the land and pick up soil particles, organic wastes, fertilizers, and other pollutants and carried them to surface or groundwater (7a.). This, over-abundance of nutrients in lakes causes what is known as algae blooms. Algae feed off of the nutrients and grow (bloom) at a rapid rate. They grow so fast, in fact, they can eat up most of the available oxygen and sunlight, leaving other organisms to suffocate or become to shy to survive from a lack of a good tan (6). Actually the algae grow, multiply and then die and when they decompose it leaves a nasty scent behind, hardly hiding the stench of the huge amounts of dead fish that appear at the surface of the waters (2). Fish kills from algae blooms have been reported in Madison back in 1931, 1946 and even in more recent years (1). The first recorded problem with algae and algae blooms in Madison was in 1882 (1). Summers shortly after, the lake turned clear again, so nothing was done until the algae blooms occurred again in the summer of 1946, also creating a major fish kill problem. In 1947, the Lake Mendota Association was formed by a group of individuals, including Aldo Leopold. The Association was formed because of the noticeably worsening conditions of Lake Mendota throughout the years. Nasty odors of dying perch on the shore and decomposing algae in the water finally became too much for people to bear. Madison finally became concerned with correcting the algae problem in Lake Mendota, when they realized the city would need a portion of the lakes water for its domestic water supply (4). One of the first hopes of a solution the Lake Mendota Association tried was spraying copper sulphate on the water. The copper would settle to the bottom of the water and act as an inhibitor of rooted weed growth. The copper sulphate, when applied to algae, would effectively kill and carry the algae to the bottom of the lake, thus clearing the lake and decreasing the odor created by the decomposing dead algae. Unfortunately, it was found that heavy concentrations of copper sulphate could kill small fish and possibly affect the food supply of other organisms. It also became a long term effect concern, not knowing exactly the adverse affect the copper sulphate could have on the lake. So the introduction of copper sulphate to the lake was stopped (4). Since the problem of Lake Mendota covers such a broad spectrum of science and action, efforts were made by the Lake Mendota Association to organize a series of committees, each to deal with a single aspect of the problem as a whole (4). Mentioned first, is the Wildlife Committee. The Wildlife Committee was established to study the conditions and factors of the wildlife in and around Lake Mendota. They were organized to work on problems and assist in preserving prime conditions for the wildlife of the lake and of the lake itself, while the Inspection and Testing Committee monitored the shoreline for sources of pollution (4). Then, there was the Educational Committee, designed to advise members of the Lake Mendota Association and the public of the progress on the work being done (4). Another committee started, was the Shoreline Committee, to encourage activities such as: picking up dead fish from the water and proper fertilizer use on lawns, gardens and fields (4). Dead fish were removed because otherwise the dead fish will sink to the bottom of the lake and refertilize the water. Fertilization techniques were advised, so farmers and gardeners wouldn’t over fertilize their field and gardens. The Weed Cutting and Chemical Treatment Committees were also started. Weed cutting, pulling and removing from the lake was done. It was thought that the crops of algae pulled from the lake could be used as fodder for cattle, or composted and used in gardens and farm fields as fertilizer. They decided to limit the cutting of weeds out of fear of throwing off the balance of the natural lake (4). The Chemical Treatment Committee was to investigate options of chemical use to remove or maintain proper algae growth. Although the copper sulphate idea was stopped they were considering using ferric chloride to reduce phosphates in the lake (4). Along with these committees came the Soil Erosion Control and Drudging Committees. The Soil Erosion Control Committee was to record and respond to the input and withdrawal of phosphorus in the lake, by way of fields and streets. The committee was to devise ways and means to control heavy spring and fall run off (4). The Drudging Committee was started to move the highly nutrient supply of soil and mud from the bottom of the lake to the land, were it may have been used for the growing of crops (4). Last and not least was the Research Steering Committee, which was put in place to keep records of all the data. And use the information attained to help out for future research and other efforts to help in the cleaning up of Lake Mendota (4). Since The Lake Mendota Association was a non-profit organization, there wasn’t a whole lot of money coming into the program; since the government wasn’t involved, none of the effective fertilizer applications and soil erosion techniques could be enforced to the farmers and gardeners. Not a whole lot of things could be done, until 1993. In 1993, Lake Mendota was put on the Priority Watershed list, by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) (7a.). This action sparked the DNR, the Department of Agriculture, the Trade and Consumer Protection Agency, the Dane County Land Conservation Department, and the Columbia County Land Conservation Department to come together and form what is known now as the Lake Mendota Priority Watershed Project (7a.). The goal of the project has been to reduce the amounts of phosphorus and sediment washed into Lake Mendota by fifty percent (7a.). Since 1993, the Lake Mendota Priority Watershed Project has established an erosion control ordinance for construction sites, which requires an erosion control plan for all land construction and disturbances greater than four thousand square feet. The Land Conservation staff then reviews the erosion control plans and inquires if laws are being broken or not (7b.). Also, the Project has incorporated what is called the Earthen Manure Storage Ordinance, which establishes standards for the installation of big manure storage structures (7b.). Since manure containers have failed and leaked thousands of tons of manure in the past, which can in turn pollute waterways, this is a promising act. Another ordinance put in place because of the Lake Mendota Priority Watershed Project is the Administration Rule NR 243-Animal Waste Management. This rule applies to livestock operations that discharge significant pollutants to the waters. When a Notice of Discharge is issued, the operation must comply to any corrective measures. Land owners, at that time, may request technical assistance to meet their obligations, where the Land Conservation Department will step in and help with any necessary planning and procedures to get the job done (7b.). The Lake Mendota Priority Watershed Project has also held farm expansion and manure management workshops for livestock operations. These workshops provide information of farm expansion planning and procedures, water quality considerations and manure application techniques (7b.). Since 1993, Madison has installed interceptors to the storm sewers, to catch big debris during rainfall and snowmelt, added more street-sweepers to clean and collect sediment and nutrient rich materials from the streets and started limiting the amount of salt and sand used on the roads during winter slippery months. Hopefully more techniques can be applied in the future to help clean up Lake Mendota, but the most effective way is by prevention, by preventing sediment, phosphorus and nitrogen from getting to the lake in the first place. While agricultural and construction techniques are changing, so can the actions of the Madison city dweller. Steps such as: limiting fertilizer on lawns and gardens, picking up dog mess, piling leaves and grass clippings on curb for collection, and routing downspouts to flow in lawn or gardens all help by adding less nutrients to flow in the storm-sewers and eventually into the surface and groundwater (5). Fortunately, the Lake Mendota Priority Watershed Project is still in tact, and has cleanup goals that reach the year 2008 (7a.). So with the help of the project and public awareness, there might be a chance that our Lake Mendota can be used without fear again in the future. (1). Brown, Charles E. (1936). “History of the Lake Mendota Region.” Lake Mendota Origin and History, 13-18 (2). Ness, Erik. (1998, Aug.). “Troubled Waters” (3). Madison Historical Society, www.danenet.wicip.org/hmi/. Last updated 05/05/2002 (4). Madison, WI. The Association. (1947). “Lake Mendota problems and the Lake (5). Ness, Erik. (2001, Nov.). “The Big Fix.” (6). UW Madison, www.wisc.edu/~selenutes/results.html. Last updated 05/10/2000 (7). Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources: a.) “Nonpoint Source Control Plan for the Lake Mendota Priority Watershed Project.” Last updated 07/03/1997, Used 04/30/2002 www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/water/wm/nps/plans/mensum/medota.htm. b.) “Dane County land Conservation Dept” www.dnr.state.wi.us. Last updated 05/08/2002, Website used 04/17/2002 History of Lake Mendota Cleanup Lake Mendota Cleanup: When, why and how. Eric Paulson and Cassidy Scheer Bibliography:

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