5 local projects get funding to help clean area lakes

Five projects in communities around the area will receive a total of more than $600,000 to address urban runoff and help clean area lakes, according to a release.

Dane County Executive Joe Parisi announced Thursday projects in Madison, Fitchburg, Sun Prairie and Monona will get funding as part of the county’s Urban Water Quality Grant Program.

The program helps municipalities construct storm water management facilities that capture trash and phosphorus-laden debris from washing directly into lakes and streams during heavy rain or snow melts, according to the release.

“Working together with local municipalities toward a shared goal, we are able to get more done and make a bigger impact than we could alone,” Parisi said in the release. “Every pound of phosphorus removed from the watershed prevents 500 pounds of algae growth, a big step in improving the quality of our waters.”

When the projects are complete, they will prevent nearly 72,000 pounds of sediment and 211 pounds of phosphorus from getting into Dane County lakes, officials said.

Projects
Madison: Cherokee Pond at Wheeler Road

Cost – $300,000
Grant award – $100,000

Fitchburg: Lacy Heights Bioretention

Cost – $68,289
Grant award – $34,145

Fitchburg: McKee Farms Pond Improvements

Cost – $212,270
Grant award – $100,000

Monona: Graham Park, Pirate Island, Winnequah Park improvements

Cost – $423,200
Grant award – $317,400

Sun Prairie: Liberty Square Stormwater Facility improvements

Cost – $183,219
Grant award – $50,000