On August 4th, the Assembly and Senate committees on agriculture held a public hearing on the Manure Management Discharge Rules (NR 243). These rules only apply to Wisconsin's 150 largest farms (called Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations or CAFOs). CAFOs have more than 1000 animal units and are required to get a point source pollution permit under the federal Clean Water Act. Wisconsin's CAFOs make up less than 1% of Wisconsin's farms but produce 10% of the manure.

The Senate Agriculture Committee voted to return the proposed rule to the DNR for unspecified modifications. NR 243 has taken 4 years to develop; 5 agribusiness lobby groups, three producers (including 1 CAFO), and 3 representatives from DATCP and NRCS were on the technical advisory committee to develop these rules.

The Wisconsin Association of Lakes is looking forward to working towards a resolution to this important issue so Wisconsin has rules that work for agriculture and for public health and clean water.

Wisconsinites value—and depend on—clean water, clean air and pristine open spaces. Unfortunately, many values that we hold dear have been ignored by some of our elected representatives in recent years. A connection between a voter and his or her representative is critical to protecting our natural resources. Are you connected to your current legislators and candidates running for office?

Wisconsin is your land, your water, your future.

If you want to be heard, send a personalized letter to the candidates looking to represent you, asking them to be your voice on three urgent conservation issues:

• Protecting drinking water from manure contamination
• Keeping Great Lakes water in the Great Lakes by protecting the lakes from water diversions and
• Decreasing the amount of waste dumped by other states into Wisconsin landfills

Please contact your legislators and candidates by Monday, October 30th.

The 2006 Citizen-Based Monitoring Conference will be held on the shores of Rowley's Bay at the Wagon Trail Resort in Door County October 5-6. This year's conference will focus on reviewing and initiating successful monitoring efforts for individual properties including state parks, forests, wildlife areas, lakes, rivers or private lands. Agenda topics will help property managers and citizen groups interested in participating in monitoring to develop monitoring programs that lead to more effective conservation efforts.

Is the 2007 Wisconsin Lakes Convention is looking for you?

We’re looking for presentations from lake leaders that highlight local lake management experiences for the 2007 Wisconsin Lakes Convention. This year’s theme is “Agents of Change.” We’ll focus on ways citizens and lake organizations can be a force for positive changes that will result in clean, safe, healthy lakes. The deadline to submit a proposal is October 20, 2006.

Wisconsin Lake Stewardship awards

Wisconsin Lake Stewardship Awards recognize an individual or group whose outstanding contributions of time and effort have made a positive difference in the well-being of a Wisconsin lake (or lakes) and the human communities and natural life living around and in the lake (or lakes). Winners of this prestigious award will join a distinguished group of lake leaders that have been formally recognized for the mark they made on Wisconsin’s lakes, lake life, and/or lake people. Deadline for nominations is March 16.

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin- Madison and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources are successfully fighting off the invasive rusty crayfish in northern Wisconsin. Over harvesting (trapping) adult rusty crayfish combined with maintaining high populations of fish that like to feed on young crayfish are reducing the crayfish population without damaging the lake. Intensive trapping and hands on fish-management has reduced the rusty population in Vilas County's Sparkling Lake by 90%. The technique—which does not use chemicals or high-tech equipment, and is relatively inexpensive—can be used by individual lake associations.

Rusty crayfish appeared in Wisconsin waters in the 1950s, likely introduced when anglers brought them in as fishing bait, and dumped their unused bait into the water. Rusty crayfish out compete native crayfish, clear cut aquatic plants, devour tiny invertebrates, and reduce or destroy certain fish populations by demolishing their nursery, feeding and hiding grounds.