The CNA and UW's New Stormwater Management Policy

Major Funding for Campus Stormwater Control

A $136,000 Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources grant to the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies on behalf of the Campus Natural Areas supplemented by a $10,000 donation from the FCNA has had multiple benefits to the CNA, to the campus, and to the Yahara watershed. The grant, “UW-Madison Runoff Management Project,” was obtained from the Urban Nonpoint Source Storm Water program. The project has several major accomplishments. First, the students and faculty mentor Ken Potter of the Water Resources Management program created a plan for improving campus stormwater management. Second, the administration agreed to implement the plan. In October 2003 the UW Campus Planning Committee passed a resolution pledging the campus to take steps to reduce its runoff to levels no greater than those that would have existed under pristine conditions. Third, a plan was developed for the renovation of the Anglers' Cove parking lot and lake access – a location with severe erosion problems (see details on page 8).

Working Toward a Common Goal

This project was an encouraging example of how multiple partners can work together to accomplish much more than could be achieved if each worked alone. The idea to submit a grant came to the CNA through a conversation between CNA manager Cathie Bruner and limnologist Dick Lathrop. Cathie, with the assistance of Paul Zedler, brought the idea to the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies and obtained enthusiastic endorsement from former director Tom Yuill, who suggested that we might consider bringing in the Water Resources Management program (WRM). A meeting with WRM chair Fred Madison and hydrology expert Ken Potter led to their support and an agreement that the WRM workshop for 2003 would focus on campus stormwater. The FCNA offered funding to show community support. The UW Facilities Planning and Management agreed to work with the CNA and the students and faculty. Other faculty supervised graduate students assigned to the project. Also instrumental to success was getting the support of Dane County . The group worked closely with Carolyn Betz of DNR and Kathy Kalscheur of the state Department of Facilties Services. The entire team is much too large to list here, but all who were involved deserve credit.

Stormwater Management Plan

The fundamental idea behind the stormwater plan is very simple – to the extent possible increase the amount of water that soaks in the ground and decrease the amount that runs off directly into the lake. A second objective is to decrease the amounts of undesirable materials that can be transported to the lake – excess sediment, heavy metals, oil and gas residue. The WRM students explored a wide range of options. There are many examples, but one promising possibility is porous pavement. Testing elsewhere suggests that properly installed pavements can absorb almost all the water in most rainstorms. Another proven solution is the creation of rain gardens – plantings that trap water near the source, allowing it to soak into the ground.

A key finding of the WRM project was that making changes that will reduce runoff are not necessarily expensive, provided that they are planned for from the early stages of the project. Fitting is cheaper than retro-fitting. Campus planners agree and that is why they endorsed the idea of a stringent stormwater management policy.