1. Groundwater – Vital to Healthy Communities Steve Gaffield – Montgomery Associates Thomas Hovel – City of Fitchburg, WI Madeline Gotkowitz – Wisconsin Geological Survey

2. Topics Groundwater basics & current issues Madison’s drinking water issues Fitchburg’s groundwater issues & approach Project examples from Fitchburg Discussion! Wisconsin DNR TravelWisconsin.com

3. The water cycle… aquifer recharge

4. Groundwater discharges to springs, streams and lakes USGS Circular 1139 (1998) Stream Baseflow Lakes are the water table…

5. Wells intercept groundwater and diminish discharge to streams, springs and lakes Pumping groundwater reduces discharge to surface water somewhere, always.

6. Changes to the water table and baseflow can be significant Little Plover River, Portage County

7. May 2012 Clear Lake, Milton Wisconsin July 2009

8. Regional groundwater system: Madison, Fitchburg, Verona, Sun Prairie, Middleton, Monona, McFarland Well 17 Monona Terrace

9. Upper aquifer Deep aquifer Confining unit Low dissolved oxygen High dissolved oxygen

10. Madison Water Utility Board Policies

11. Madison’s groundwater use 1960 - 2014 2008 water conservation goal: decrease 20% by 2020: 73 gal/person/day → 58 gpd (now at 64 gpd)

12. 63,000 wireless transmitters and water meters to comply with PSC requirements, in order to move to a conservation rate structure, ~ $12 M

13. Madison became the largest city in Wisconsin to offer a residential conservation rate structure Cost of 4,000 gallons/month will increase 13% ($17.24 to $19.51)

14. Groundwater and Healthy Communities Planning Challenges What is Important: Quality of life Health Environment

15. Balance competing concerns Resource-based neighborhood plans Today, we are concentrating on one aspect important to our way of life….

16. …water

17. Where is Fitchburg?

18. The Comprehensive Plan sets forth a long-range growth boundary of 50 years. Several Neighborhoods have been established to provide for future growth. Completed Neighborhood Plans: North Stoner Prairie (NSP) McGaw Northeast (NE)

19. Each Neighborhood has its own set of challenges arising from its unique natural features NE—Ephemeral wetland McGaw—S branch Swan Creek NSP—Closed depression

20. Northeast Neighborhood Upper and lower aquifer Housing to the northeast built on hydric soils

21. Source: DCI map 9/18/2015 Photo from Ed Minihan Northeast Neighborhood Town of Dunn--Meadowview flooding

22. Waubesa Wetlands a State Natural Area Spring flow Calcareous fens Nine Springs and Swan Creeks Source: madmimi.com Northeast Neighborhood

23. McGaw Neighborhood Maintain stream flow in Swan Creek Waubesa wetlands Meet higher density desires & retain sufficient recharge, but be concerned about higher groundwater levels

24. North Stoner Prairie Neighborhood Closed basin Emergency pumping overflow Groundwater mounding Nine Springs Creek, spring flow Closed depression flooding in June 2013 following 2” rain Source: MARS

25. Water recharged at NSPN will flow east-northeast toward Nine Springs Creek Opportunity to enhance baseflow Little risk of groundwater flooding to south Gradient to Nine Springs Cr is 5x higher than gradient toward Lake Harriett Groundwater follows path of least resistance & highest gradient Source: SAA and MARS North Stoner Prairie Neighborhood

26. Groundwater is an important resource Balance between withdrawal and recharge Stream base flow Methods to how that can be accomplished is the next part of the presentation Well zones of contribution Source: Dane Co Water Quality Plan

27. Evapotranspiration Tree Canopy Interception Surface Runoff Natural Urban Water Balance Stormwater runoff Developed

28. Low Impact Development Stormwater infiltration NE Neighborhood Plan

29. Urban Groundwater Balance

30. Groundwater Response Modified from USGS ?

31. Review available data Install monitoring wells Simple analytical equations Computer models (Bouwer, 2002) (USGS, 2010) Evaluating Groundwater Response

32. Northeast Neighborhood: Flooding Concerns Groundwater rise predicted if recharge increased. Plan designed to maintain existing recharge No rise expected (RJN Environmental Services)

33. McGaw Neighborhood: Downstream Resources Computer model available Increase in recharge with stormwater infiltration Increased water supply pumping McGaw

34. Where Does Groundwater Go? McGaw

35. Partial Offset of Pumping Increase 2 in/yr recharge increase predicted Water demand scenarios: low, mod & high Streamflow losses limited to 1-5%

36. North Stoner Prairie Groundwater Concerns Closed depression flooding Basement flooding

37. Borings and Monitoring Wells

38. County Water Table Map Water table slopes east Consistent with borings & wells Land rises to east No flooding impacts expected in adjacent neighborhood Recharge will benefit Nine Springs Creek (WGNHS) West: groundwater shallow East: groundwater > 20 ft

39. “Take Homes” Groundwater is an important resource for people and nature. Groundwater should be considered in urban water management. Managing urban land use and groundwater requires a balancing act.

40. Why Bother? Drinking water quality and quantity Quality of life & property values Mental & social benefits of natural areas Physical & economic benefits (American Rivers) http://depts.washington.edu/hhwb/