Water quality tours offered
As a dairy farmer, water quality is vital to your business and community.
UW Discovery Farms and PDPW is teaming up to provide a series of water quality tours highlighting innovations and partnerships between towns, farms, municipalities, reservations and businesses. Learn how these diverse stakeholders find common ground through their investment in water quality using a combination of science, engineering and management to achieve common goals.
Hear about how regulations are impacting them and connect with key project collaborators like Land Conservation Departments and the Natural Resources Conservation Service during three separate tours on June 7, 14 and 21.
During this chartered tour, hear what progressive farmers like yourself, business owners, and treatment plant key decision makers are doing to improve water quality across Wisconsin. The tour includes stops at a local municipality, food production facility and dairy farm, each day.
Between tour stops, learn about the landscape-specific water quality challenges of each area. Participats will have ample time to ask questions and get answers.
The tour is open to the public, including farmers, business owners, elected officials, municipality leaders, and citizens who are interested in water quality. Register for one day, two or all three to see the full breadth of Wisconsin's water landscape.
Cashton - June 7
Discovery Farms Jersey Valley Watershed Project — Hear firsthand from those involved while touring water quality monitoring sites. Participants will follow water quality from the field to the stream to the lake
Malin Farm — On this 80-cow dairy north of Westby, Participants will see the equipment used to monitor water quality. Owner Paul Malin and UW Discovery Farms co-director Amber Radatz will discuss what they're learning as a result of their partnership
Sparta Wastewater Treatment Plant — The wastewater plant is working with the local community on phosphorus trading and adaptive management. Participants will see the variety of work they're doing and visit a recent stream restoration site.
Green Bay: June 14
Belgioioso Cheese, Inc. — This award - winning company has a wastewater treatment plant and follows strict water conservation practices. They operate nine manufacturing facilities and produce a vast array of Italian cheeses, all made in the U.S
NEW Water Wastewater Treatment Plant — As NEW Water works on its phosphorus reduction plan, it's also pursuing adaptive management. They've partnered with the community around the Silver Creek Watershed and are working to collectively reduce phosphorus.
Brickstead Dairy — This 900-cow dairy is one of four demonstration farms in the Fox River Watershed. Owner Dan Brick is a leader in conservation in his community, collaborating with other community partners to solve the phosphorus problem in this region.
Oconomowoc: June 21
Koepke Farms — The Koepke family has farmed in southeastern Wisconsin for more than 135 years. Find out how this fifth-generation family farm acted as a launching pad for other Discovery Farms projects.
Oconomowoc Wastewater Treatment Plant — The city of Oconomowoc is looking to partner with farmers on adaptive management to help meet their Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) requirement. Hear about what they're doing to get it off the ground.
Tyranena Brewing Company — This 18-year old brewery has a production capacity of 45,000 barrels. Participants will learn about their water needs and usage, and how they effectively manage wastewater from the brewing processes.
Pickup and return time for the chartered tours is 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. at the following sites: June 7 tour — park/board at Country Inn & Suites, 737 Avon Rd., Sparta; June 14 tour — park/board at BelGioioso Cheese, 5810 County NN, Denmark; June 21 tour —park/board at Summit Park and Ride, 36337 Delafield Rd., Summit.
Registration fee of $30 for each tour includes a chartered bus, snacks, refreshments and lunch. Register by calling: 800-947-7379 or visiting www.pdpw.org.