Ways to Meet Future Needs in Addressing Urban/Residential and Sewer/Storm Sewer Issues

The watershed project wants to address residential concerns and ideas. More efforts are needed to better address these issues and audiences. The following ideas came from public input and focus efforts on the urban/ residential sector rather than the agricultural sector. The ideas are in one of three category areas of:

	Future program or practice needs
	Future educational and public relation needs
	Future monitoring, evaluation and research needs

Future Urban/Residential Program Needs

	Catch/settling basins in which larger parking areas drain
	Develop soil stabilization practices and programs for developers and construction companies to improve water quality
	Finding and maintaining grants for groups working to improve water quality in the watershed
	Litter prevention programs and recycling programs
	Develop a community composting facility
	Comprehensive sewer/storm sewer testing - management - monitoring and maintenance program
	Increase green spaces in development areas
	Develop groundwater pollution potential for watershed
	Using wetlands for filtering runoff
	Mapping of water wells, public and private, marking abandoned wells, plugging options, testing procedures and programs
	High visibility project in the lake rather than on farm land

Future Urban/Residential Educational and Public Relation Needs

	What is a Watershed and What is water quality
	Storm drain stenciling around lake and in communities in the watershed
	Point & non-point source pollution: cause & cost
	Develop maps showing areas under sewer system and information on areas needing sewers
	Dredging vs. dredge prevention
	Educate how the sewer system operates and that there is not raw sewage going into the lake
	Agricultural achievements in watershed
	Problems and solutions to water quality
	Showcase water quality activities accomplished by local school students
	Stakeholder action opportunities and volunteer efforts
	Information on fecal coliform and its levels in the lake
	Urban fertilizer and chemical affects on water quality; grass clippings and leaves' effects on lake water quality and ecosystems watershed management
	Information on how to make old septic tanks and leach beds function best
	Water quality monitoring results
	Develop a homeowner/landowner guide to improve backyard water quality
	Programs about not feeding the ducks and geese
	Waterfowl issues
	Conservation farming practices and soil savings efforts
	Educational programs on algae growth in lake and ways to reduce algae growth
	Address household hazardous waste issues
	Why increasing hard surfaces decreases water quality and alternatives to hard surfaces and guides to reduce hardening of surfaces in new construction
	What other watershed projects are doing
	Dredge spoil for landscaping and gardening
	Septic systems information - operation - maintenance

Future Urban/Residential Monitoring, Evaluation and Research Needs

	Study and prioritize pollution sources and target them for improvements and reduction.
	Monitor effluent from storm sewer drains
	GIS mapping of urban and sewer pollution sources
	Develop volunteer septic inspections monitoring program
	Monitor for fecal coliform
	Study where sewer improvements are needed throughout the communities within the watershed
	Monitor programs for drinking/well water

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