By NEW Water

“Dead zones” and blue-green algae impair waterways throughout Northeast Wisconsin, from Lake Winnebago all the way to the Bay of Green Bay, and beyond. Excess levels of phosphorus and sediment running off the land from a variety of sources are contributing to this problem.

Healthy land means healthy water, and many efforts are underway in Northeast Wisconsin to improve what’s happening on the land, in order to improve area waters. Thanks to a new grant, these efforts have gotten a little boost.

A $14,900 grant from the Sustain the Bay Fund within the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region allowed purchase of a side-by-side UTV and trailer by NEW Water, the brand of the Green Bay Metropolitan Sewerage District.

NEW Water is pursuing watershed efforts to achieve its goals of improving area waters at the lowest cost and greatest environmental gain. Off the heels of a successful pilot project, NEW Water has launched a NEW Watershed Program to further watershed efforts with many partners, including agricultural landowners and growers (farmers), land conservation offices in Outagamie and Brown counties, Oneida Nation, private agronomists, universities and non-governmental entities.

Through collaboration in the Silver Creek Pilot Project, these partners identified and implemented conservation practices to improve water quality, while preserving agricultural land uses and reducing sediment and nutrient runoff. The new watershed in Ashwaubenon Creek and Dutchman Creek will leverage the knowledge gained, and the power of partnerships, to cover ten times the territory.

The equipment purchased will be housed with the Outagamie County Land Conservation Department for use by the NEW Watershed Program’s Watershed field coordinator and engineering technician for field walks and inspections, as part of watershed efforts.

Learn more about NEW Water’s NEW Watershed Program here.

Learn what simple steps you can take to help protect area waterways and #LoveYourWatershed here.

Blog and photos: Courtesy of NEW Water, the brand of the Green Bay Metropolitan Sewerage District

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