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SUMMER 2009 Protecting& Rehabilitating for HEALTHIER LAKES A PUBLICATION FROM AMERY LAKES PROTECTION AND REHABILITATION DISTRICT

WHAT’S INSIDE

LAKE LITTER IT’S A PROBLEM ...... P. 2

BOARD NOTICES & MEETINGS ...... P. 2

LAKE NEWS ...... P. 3 CLEAN LAKES City of Amery… PROJECT ...... P. 4 COMPLETES ARMC: ENSURING THE MANAGEMENT PLAN HEALTH OF AMERY’S RESIDENTS AND .. P. 5 The Amery City Council approved the Stormwater LAKE DISTRICT Management Plan at its Q&A March 2009 meeting. The WHO PAID FOR THE STORMWATER plan examines the sources of MANAGEMENT ...... P. 6 MANAGEMENT PLAN, AND WHO WILL PAY TO pollution to Amery Lakes and IMPLEMENT THE PLAN? the Apple River and provides The stormwater management plan and initial specific recommendations for implementation is funded by two Department of If you have issues or concerns, addressing these sources. The Natural Resources grants to the City of Amery. A stormwater planning grant allowed the city to please join us at one of our major goal of the stormwater hire the engineering firm SEH to develop the plan plan is to protect and improve scheduled meetings or call one with the help of a local stormwater committee. A of our board members. the of the Amery lake protection grant provides funds to educate See page 2 for details. Lakes: Pike, North Twin, and city residents and pay for technical and financial South Twin. Recommendations assistance to put clean water practices in place. in the plan will also provide The grants are matched in large part by the Amery water quality improvement for Lakes District. The city also provides staff time to match the lake protection grant. the Apple River.

cont. p. 2 cont. p. 2 City of Amery… COMPLETES STORMWATER NEWS MANAGEMENT PLAN Laby Jon R. !Bergquiste

WHAT IS STORMWATER, AND WHY WHAT ARE THE IS IT A CONCERN FOR AMERY? RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE PLAN, AND HOW DO THEY PROTECT Stormwater is the water that flows WATER QUALITY? from city roofs, lawns, streets, and The recommendations in the plan parking areas after a rainfall or are focused on keeping stormwater snowmelt. Stormwater carries particles clean and soaking or infiltrating the and dissolved substances that can stormwater into the . Stormwater negatively impact lakes and rivers. is cleaner when soil erosion is limited Phosphorus and sediment are major through proper construction practices pollutants of concern for Amery Lakes. and when use of phosphorus fertilizers in avoided. A city construction site WHY SHOULD I BE CONCERNED and stormwater ordinance for new ABOUT PHOSPHORUS IN construction that mirrors a Polk County STORMWATER RUNOFF? ordinance will help to ensure that new development has minimal impacts Phosphorus is a naturally occurring on water quality. Installation of water element that is necessary for quality practices such as gardens Lake Litter a growth. It is present in adequate levels that capture water and allow it to soak in most . However, in Amery lakes, into the ground are another important Problem it is the phosphorus levels that limit how element of the plan. These practices much algae grows. An increase of one can even divert and infiltrate stormwater Lake users are reminded to not litter pound of phosphorus in a lake can lead runoff from city streets! to the growth of 500 pounds of algae! when using the lakes. Most lake us- WHAT CAN I DO TO SUPPORT ers are very careful to avoid littering HOW DO AMERY LAKES COMPARE CLEAN LAKES IN AMERY? EHWKH\ERDWHUVFDQRHLVWV¿VKHUV TO NEARBY LAKES? • Call or visit City Hall for more or ATV or snowmobile enthusiasts. The Amery Lakes of Pike Lake, North information: 268-7486 However, there always seems to be Twin, and South Twin are in remarkable • Request a free technical assistance that bad apple in the bushel. This condition given that they receive visit – experts are winter the City Public Works crew stormwater from developed areas of the available to assist you in reducing UHPRYHGDQDEDQGRQHGLFH¿VKLQJ City of Amery. Recent measurements the runoff from your stack from North Twin. Although of water clarity and phosphorus put • Install a free rain barrel – save roof VWDWHODZUHTXLUHVWKDWLFH¿VKLQJ them on par with nearby lakes such as runoff to water Bone Lake and Deer Lake. However, • Learn more – request an Amery shacks be labeled with the owner’s studies have shown that Amery Lakes Clean Lakes Program brochure name and address, this one was not. are very susceptible to slight increases • Don’t use phosphorus fertilizer Thanks to removal by the city crew, in phosphorus loading from stormwater – most lawns have plenty of the shack did not drop to the bottom runoff. phosphorus, and it is detrimental to of the lake. the lakes

Amery Lakes Protection MEETINGS and Rehabilitation District Quarterly Meetings BOARD OF DIRECTORS The second Tuesday of February, April, June, and Steve Schieffer, Chairperson 268-7565 August at 6:30 pm in the High School Library Neil Isakson, Secretary Jon R. Bergquist, Treasurer Annual Meeting

Ray Siggens, Director • Second Tuesday of September at 7:00 pm in the Jeremy Williamson, Director High School Library Mick Larson, County Board Representative 2 Kay Erickson, City Council Representative ARMC: Ensuring the Health of Amery’s Residents and

The rain garden captures parking lot runoff after a summer storm.

By Breanna Draxler The Amery Regional Medical Center’s outweighed by benefits to Amery’s (ARMC) new facility was constructed in water resources. Concern for the 2007 with stormwater management in environment motivated the ARMC mind. Since the new hospital is located to invest in the very best stormwater so near the Apple River, and inevitably management system available. This included significant areas of impervious goal was achieved with the help of surfaces, controlling stormwater was Emmons & Olivier Resources Inc—a of paramount importance. Thanks to a collaborative group of environmental state-of-the-art system, that includes a professionals out of Oakdale, MN. series of rain gardens and a green roof, the facility is able to divert and infiltrate According to Bob Janis, director of stormwater long before it reaches the facilities management, there is no river. economic benefit or savings associated with the system. Instead, For rainfalls up to 3 inches, the green what they are saving is the Apple River. roof is able to retain all water that He said that it is important to do what’s falls on the roof. The plants soak up right—for the environment as well as the water through their root systems, future generations. where it can be stored for months at a time. Any water that exceeds the plants’ The stormwater management system storage capacity flows down leaders to is now in place at ARMC, and working an underground storage system, where like a charm. As with all rain gardens, it is then directed into rain gardens. though, it takes 3 to 5 years for the plants to become well-established. Until This excess roof water, along with this time, the maintenance staff at the runoff from the parking lots, makes its hospital is still busy weeding, feeding, and The Medical Center way into a series of seven rain gardens, replacing plants as necessary, in order where it can soak into the soil. All for the system to run smoothly. rain gardens add seven gardens are linked together in order to distribute the water evenly and Next time you’re in town, take some natural beauty to ensure timely infiltration. Altogether, time to enjoy the paths that skirt the the stormwater system can handle 12 ARMC’s rain gardens. Perhaps they will the area as well as inches of rain falling in a 4 day period. inspire you to plant an equally beautiful serving to keep the and beneficial garden on your own. The system was a significant investment, property! Apple River Clean. but the costs are undoubtedly 5 Protecting& Rehabilitating for HEALTHIER LAKES AMERY LAKES PROTECTION AND REHABILITATION DISTRICT 754 107th Street Amery, WI 54001

What’s happening on YOUR lake?

Lake District NEWS Laby Jon R.! Bergquiste Fisheries Management

Fisheries management is a high priority for In late October 2008, the District the Amery Lakes District Board. Heath purchased a total of 3,200 Benike, DNR Fish Manager for our area, ¿QJHUOLQJVWKDWUDQJHGLQVL]HIURPDERXW attended the June 2008 quarterly board 5 to 9 inches and had them stocked in meeting and discussed past and future North Twin and Pike Lakes. The stocking DNR Fisheries Management activities for UDWHZDVDERXW¿QJHUOLQJVSHUODNH Amery Lakes. He supported continuing acre. Fishers are reminded that most of the Lake District’s past efforts in stocking WKHVH¿VKZLOOQRWEHRIOHJDOVL]H\HWWKLV ¿QJHUOLQJZDOOH\HVLQ3LNHDQG1RUWK summer. Please handle and release any Stocking walleye in North Twin 2008 Twin lakes. He noted that DNR was not under the 15 inch size limit with able to stock the lakes with walleye fry in care so that next year, when they are of 2007 because of the concerns related VHS legal size, there will be opportunities to ¿QJHUOLQJVDJDLQLQWKHIDOORI7KH DYLUDO¿VKGLVHDVHSRWHQWLDOO\SUHVHQWLQ FDWFKWKHVH¿VKDJDLQ Lake District Board has already contracted ¿VKIU\ +RZHYHUWHVWLQJSURFHGXUHVDUH ZLWKDUHOLDEOHSULYDWH¿VKIDUPFRPSDQ\ now established to insure that authorized DNR is planning on stocking North Twin WRSURYLGHWKH¿QJHUOLQJVLQ2FWREHU VWRFNHG¿VKDUH9+6IUHH'15LVVXHG and Pike Lakes with walleye fry in early Fisheries Biologist Benike also told the the required permits to allow the Lake summer of 2009. Because there was no Board last June that he is planning to District to purchase tested walleye stocking in 2007, Benike has indicated FRQGXFWD¿VKVXUYH\RIWKHODNHVLQ ¿QJHUOLQJVDQGVWRFNWKHPLQ1RUWK7ZLQ that he will approve permits for the Lake budgets permitting. That data will be made and Pike Lake last fall. District to stock about 3,000 walleye available in the future. CLEAN LAKES PROJECTS right here in Amery!

A rain garden collects runoff from a parking area and alley. It prevents pollutants on the pavement from entering North Twin lake.

The rain garden incorporates a pathway and bench to add interest to the landscape. The garden was designed and installed by a professional landscaper.

This small rain garden on South Twin was dug out with the help of a group of hardworking Amery High School students supervised by Steve Schieffer. 4 Free Financial and Technical Assistance for Amery and Pike Lake Residents

Amery Lakes Priority Area If your home or business is in the shaded area, you are eligible to receive financial assistance to install rain gardens and other water quality practices. Free technical assistance is available to all Amery residents. Call City Hall 268.7486 for more information.

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NEWS Laby Jon R. !Berquiste New Aquatic Invasive Additional Lake District Lake District Meetings Species Ordinance Activities Welcome the Public

Boaters are reminded of a new City The Lake District has and will The District holds quarterly of Amery ordinance concerning continue to provide docks and meetings on the 2nd Tuesday of the . The new ordinance port-a-potties at the public boat months of February, April, June, prohibits individuals from having landings on North Twin and South and August. The annual meeting is weeds (aquatic plants) attached to Twin Lakes. The District also held the 2nd Tuesday of September. their watercraft or trailer in the City provides the dock at the boat landing The public is welcome to attend the of Amery. The City Council passed on Pike Lake. The Town of Lincoln meetings. The time and location this ordinance at the suggestion of the had a lease with the owner of that of the meetings are noticed in the Lake District Board as an additional landing for many years. But that Amery Free Press. step in preventing invasive plant lease has expired, and the Town of and animal species from entering Lincoln has regretfully not been able our lakes. Invasive species such as to obtain a new long term lease for Eurasian water milfoil can be readily the landing. moved on boats and trailers from lake to lake. A similar ordinance applies to rural areas of Polk County. 3