By Topf Wells

Badger Mill Creek (BMC) is an improving Class 2 trout stream that runs through Verona and joins the Sugar River just upstream of River Road. SWTU has provided volunteer hours, funds and advocacy for over 30 years to improve BMC. It offers lots of public fishing, has a healthy population of wild brown trout, and, according to the latest DNR study, has an excellent chance of becoming a Class 1 stream if habitat is improved.

BMC’s health and the progress it’s made are now under attack. We need to protect the creek as best we can.

A key reason BMC has improved is the Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) the water it contributes to the creek in the form of highly treated and aerated effluent. DNR fisheries and water quality staff have documented the improvements that’s made to increased and stable water flows and trout habitat. In some key aspects the water acts like a huge spring.

MMSD wants to stop the water as an easy and cheap way to comply with DNR phosphorus regulations. It has other affordable and practical alternatives such as treating the effluent to remove more phosphorus or pursuing Adaptive Management (AM) across the BMC and Upper Sugar watersheds. AM involves MMSD working with local governments, conservation organizations, farmers and developers to reduce urban and rural runoff. That’s the approach MMSD has taken in the Yahara Watershed.

CARPC, Dane County’s Regional Planning Commission, now reviews MMSD’s choice and recommends disapproval or approval to the DNR, which makes the final decision. CARPC will hold its only public hearing on the case on July 11 at 6 PM at the Town of Verona Town Hall at 7669 County Highway PD.

The SWTU Board respectfully asks that you contact CARPC and ask that they DISAPPROVE MMSD’s request to stop the discharge of water to Badger Mill Creek.

You must email CARPC BY JULY 10 at: tanyas@capitalarearpc.org.

Added content: The letter SWTU submitted to CARPC on July 8, 2024.

I apologize for the short notice but I have asked CARPC and the DNR for clarification on the issues CARPC will consider and have yet to receive an answer. We cannot wait any longer.

While the MMSD process and proposal are wrong in many ways, this matter is complex. For an excellent and thorough discussion of the issues please read the June 27 article in the Verona Press.

CARPC has indicated that it will not find form letters helpful on this issue. This is a big ask of you but please take the time to write your own email. The Verona Press article outlines some key issues; another excellent source is the Friends of Badger Mill Creek website: friendsofbadgermillcreek.com/

Some key points:

The harm the loss of water will cause the creek. One example is that the DNR Water Quality biologist said that the upper part of the creek that holds trout and on which Dane County installed stream improvements costing over $200,000 may only be able to support warmwater forage fish. The County structures will often be out of the water and ineffective. MMSD’s own consultant noted that the loss of water will probably harm brown trout reproduction.

The loss of water is huge – somewhere around 305 of current flow. A team of experts and advocates studying ways to mitigate this loss of water and the harm to the creek has not developed any viable option to offset this loss.

BMC is an important and unique resource in Dane County’s fast growing metro area.

We also encourage members to attend the hearing in person or via Zoom. Find the meeting details, including links to attend remotely, here.

We’re not alone in the fight to save Badger Mill Creek. The Friends of Badger Mill Creek, the Upper Sugar River Watershed Association, and the City of Verona have been staunch in our defense of the creek.

Thanks for your patience in reading this and your willingness to help Badger Mill Creek.