By Topf Wells

Supporters of Badger Mill Creek are growing increasingly concerned about the creek’s future in light of the Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District’s impending decision on the amount of phosphorus it discharges to the creek. You may recall the article from last month’s Newscasts.

Under DNR regulations the District must reduce the amount of phosphorus over the next five years.  One possible solution is to eliminate any discharge to the stream.  The concern is that the highly treated and aerated effluent constitutes about 20% of the stream’s flow and probably is helping to sustain Badger Mill as a healthy and improving trout stream.

Neighbors, anglers, local officials, and environmentalists have attended MMSD meetings on the topic and reviewed some MMSD documents.  They’ll meet soon to discuss what they and we can do to make sure that MMSD does not hurt the creek.  It appears that MMSD has at least two options that would continue the flow of Badger Mill and, in one instance, have many conservation benefits.

MMSD also has at least two consulting studies underway and the DNR will soon release its assessment of Badger Mill Creek and other trout streams in the Upper Sugar River Watershed.

As soon as SWTU knows more about what we can do to protect Badger Mill Creek, we’ll inform all of our members.