Agenda - 09-21-2010 - 4g - Laserfiche WebLink

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13 Two days after swallowing water while splashing and diving in ascum-covered pond ...Dane Rogers went into shock and suffered a seizure before his heart failed, according to Coroner John Stanley's report. Another teen, unnamed in the report, also was in the pond with Rogers and later became sick, complaining of severe diarrhea and abdominal pain. He survived." !n 2408, the Wisconsin State Journal Beach closures due to high algae concentrations also increased in 2008 compared reported that "Brianne Schuetz, 18, to reported closures in 2007 (34.8% versus 14.6% respectively). This sharp of Madison, said Tuesdayshe was increase was due to the flooding experienced by Dane County in 2008. Storm water sti/! suffering severe joint pain -along runoff from heavy rains is normally contaminated with bacteria and excess tivith a headache, rash, upset stom- pollutants such as phosphorous and nitrogen that may lead to beach closures due ach and fatigue -after going fora to high e. coli concentrations and /or harmful algae blooms, according to the Dane swim with friends early Friday fo/low- County Environmental Report Card. Dane County Supervisor Brett Hulsey reports ing a night of dancing downtown. that Lake Mendota is at the headwaters of the Yahara River and is fed by `Every joint in my body is pretty sore,' headwater streams and tributaries that carry pollution from farm fields and city Schuetz said." 7t's just pain alt day.'" streets. These high pollution levels cause illness and, on tragic occasions, death. The Wisconsin State Journal wrote in January 2010 that, "Algae-choked lakes, dead fish and contaminated wells are sending Wisconsin a warning: It's time to do more to protect the quality of our water." The Journal states that "phosphorus runoff from fertilized farm fields... is a primary cause of water-fouling algae growth." A recent report by the Madison-Dane County Public Health Department showed that beach closings and algae threats are increasing. While runoff from farms may be the major cause of this pollution in Wisconsin, Dane County Supervisor Brett Hulsey's information shows that runoff from development is the largest source of the pollution in Dane County. High levels of phosphorus in surface water leads to increased harmful algal blooms and excessive plant growth. Supervisor Hulsey is leading efforts to make the beaches safe for swimming and believes that "being able to swim at our beaches and in our lakes are fundamental rights and we need to take steps to make them safe for all of us to swim in." Supen~sor Hulsey with the beach closure sign and a handful ofalgae. (tt is not rewmmended And flooding damages to Dane County increased from $11 million in 2007 to almost $80 million in 2008, according to the Dane County Hazard Mitigation Plan (2009). The solution is two-fold: 1) enforce and strengthen measures to clean up water pollution that threatens beaches and drinking water and 2) protect the wetlands that filter pollution and soak up floodwater. Supervisor Chuck Erickson, a .member of the Lakes and Watersheds Commission says, "We need to draw up beach clean-up plans, fund storm sewer cleanup projects, ensure new development complies with the law, and promote more raingardens and rain barrels." Perhaps most importantly, he says, "We also need to restore protections that polluters and developers stripped from the Clean Water Act for headwater streams and wetlands. Wisconsin has fixed this for wetlands but our headwater streams here, and wetland and headwater streams across the nation, are at risk." Blue-Green Algae a Major Health Threat Blue-green algae is a threat across the country. Florida is particularly hard hit but we see evidence of this toxic algae in many other states, including Oregon. Farmer Steve Duyck, from Washington County OR, suffered physically and his crops were appreciably damaged. Mr. Duyck farms approximately 600 acres of black raspberries, cauliflower, corn and beets. A Washington Countyfarmerfor his entire life, when he began irrigating one year, he reported that his "farm workers and I saw bright blue, terrible smelling water coming out of the overhead irrigation water for several weeks. The smell was so bad we sometimes wore masks.... l got skin burns, itching and oozing sores where my hands and arms had been in the water at the irrigation pump sites. I told my workers not to touch the water, but some had rashes and itching anyway. My sores didn't heal and then 1 ~ Clean Water For Alt: County Leaders Speak Out for Clean 1Nater A close-up of blue-green algae in Washingfon County.