Donation Helps Reduce Runoff
June 18, 2010
Joshua Wescott, 267-8823 or 669-5606.
County Executive
Generous Donation from Clean Lakes Alliance Helps Dane County, City of Middleton, DNR Build New Facility to Reduce Runoff into Lake Mendota
$200,000 Improvement Project at Middleton’s Lake View Park to Help Keep Lake Clean
Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk and representatives of the City of Middleton extended their appreciation to the Clean Lakes Alliance today, for a generous donation that will help with a new effort to reduce runoff pollution into Lake Mendota.
At a news conference overlooking Lake Mendota, Don Heilman of the Clean Lakes Alliance presented a check for $50,000 to assist with construction of a new sediment basin that will stop more than 41,000 pounds of sediment carried into the lake each year. The new project will treat stormwater runoff from nearly 1,000 acres of residential and commercial land.
Dane County will contribute a $50,000 Urban Stormwater Grant, the City of Middleton will give $60,000 and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources through its Urban Water Quality Grant program will give $40,000 for this important improvement.
"It’s the Clean Lakes Alliance's mission to raise awareness and money for water improvement projects like this. We are proud to be able to be a part of making Dane County lakes better for everyone," said Don Heilman, Clean Lakes Alliance.
“Thanks to the generosity of the Clean Lakes Alliance and Dane County teaming up with another local government partner, we’re taking another step to keep these beautiful waters blue,” County Executive Kathleen Falk said.
Falk noted since she and the county board launched the county’s Urban Stormwater Program in 2005, Dane County has provided nearly $700,000 in county tax dollars to assist cities, villages, and towns clean up our lakes and beaches.
The new stormwater basin will be built at a storm sewer discharge point located in Middleton’s Lake View Park. Design work and construction of the new facility are slated for 2011.
“This is a great example of how the County is working with citizens and cities like Middleton and Madison to clean up our lakes, make our beaches safer, parks more enjoyable, and create green jobs,” said Dane County Supervisor Brett Hulsey, lead sponsor of the Urban Stormwater Grant Program.
Since 2005, Dane County has helped fund the construction of 25 of these stormwater facilities. Combined, they prevent 325,533 pounds of sediment per year from getting into and polluting our lakes and beaches.
"With this combination of public funding and private contributions we are taking an important step toward improving the quality of our lakes and beaches,” County Supervisor Sharon Corrigan of Middleton said. “I’m proud to represent the area where this project will be located and look forward to encouraging future efforts that join forces to improve our water quality."
“The Clean Lakes Alliance continues to be an outstanding force for significant lake and water improvement,” said County Supervisor Dianne Hesselbein. “This is an extraordinary example of what can be achieved when citizen groups and city, county and state governments work together for the common good.”
The Clean Lakes Alliance chose to present its check to support the Lake Mendota clean-up project during the Dane County Lakes and Watershed Commission’s Take a Stake in the Lakes Days, June 3-26. A complete listing of events is available at: www.takeastakeinthelakes.com
The 2010 Clean Lakes Festival, a fundraising project of the Clean Lakes Alliance (www.cleanlakesfestival.com) will be held on August 28th at Olin Park.
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