A Unanimous Decision!
Update From NRB Meeting
The site specific criterion (SSC) of 10 μg/L for phosphorus was approved by DNR’s Natural Resources Board at its June 28, 2023 hearing. Many thanks to Alf Sivertson, Brian Bisonette, and Mike Persson for appearing on the lake’s behalf at the hearing. Thanks also to Kristi Minnihan, DNR’s Water Quality Standards Specialist – Bureau of Water Quality, and all the DNR science that provided the justification for the new standard.
As all of us know, a huge challenge remains. The SSC needs approval by governor Evers and the state legislature. Most important - the new 10 μg/L standard can only be reached by voluntary actions because all sources of phosphorus on LCO are regarded as “non-point” under the Clean Water Act. There are no regulatory measures available under federal or state law to to reduce phosphorus.
This means that all of us need to redouble our efforts including eliminating fertilizer use on lake properties, reducing impervious surfaces, maintaining septic systems, installing protective shoreline buffers to reduce runoff, among other actions.
The agriculture sector really needs to step up as well. More than 40% of the readily-controllable phosphorus is coming from the cranberry marshes on LCO.
Let’s hope that ALL will unite behind attaining the new SSC. The discharges from the marshes can be cleaned up by recycling water through the use of holding ponds. COLA, the LCO Tribe, and the DNR will renew efforts to bring the cranberry growers into an alliance dedicated to reducing phosphorus pollution.
A final thanks to all who, over the last six years, have written letters, attended meetings, and otherwise supported COLA and the LCO Tribe. This has been a rough road, but well worth traveling.
Now let’s celebrate a much-needed victory on behalf of the LCO lakes.