Parisi Announces Important Changes to Dane County’s Water Quality Programs this Earth Month

April 19, 2024
Ariana Vruwink, 608-267-8823
County Executive, Land & Water Resources

Today, County Executive Parisi joined Land and Water Resources staff on a Dane County farm outside Edgerton to announce changes to two important county programs that help improve water quality and reap other environmental benefits. Starting this Earth Month, Dane County will allow landowners to permanently enroll in the Continuous Cover Program, and the Urban Water Quality Grant Program will allow municipalities to receive up to 60% project funding with a maximum grant award of $1 million to help address the rising cost of urban water quality projects. These programs are more important than ever, given the dwindling land base in Dane County.

“As our community grows, we need to continue to invest in environmental programs like these,” said County Executive Joe Parisi. “Dane County voluntarily makes these investments to improve our lakes and rivers, and we invite others to join us. We can’t accomplish our community’s water goals without continued partnerships and participation.”

Dane County’s Continuous Cover Program converts land in annual row crops to permanent cover, which dramatically reduces nutrient and sediment runoff while improving habitat and water infiltration. Continuous cover complements agriculture, it does not compete against it. Landowners can enroll their wet, steep, or unproductive lands in the program along with land along streams, wetlands, and drainage ditches, leaving their most valuable agricultural soils for production.

Since first being unveiled in 2019, 133 contracts have been created, with $5.9 million being awarded to landowners. About 2,400 acres of property have been enrolled to date. Roughly one third of the acres are in cool season grasses (can be harvested or used for habitat), one third are in grazing mixes, and one third are in prairie/native/pollinator habitat. These projects are located in 29 different townships throughout Dane County.

Overall benefits of the Continuous Cover Program include increasing water infiltration, reducing soil erosion, improving water quality, building soil health, increasing wildlife habitat, and sequestering carbon. The program began accepting tree planting as an option in 2023. A perpetual easement option is now being offered in 2024. Dane County pays $2,250 for each acre enrolled in a 15-year contract and the seeding costs to establish the cover. Dane County will pay $4,500 for each acre enrolled in a permanent contract and the seeding costs to establish the cover.

Dane County’s Urban Water Quality Grant Program began in 2005 and helps municipalities treat water that would otherwise dump directly into lakes and rivers. The program’s goals include improving the quality of urban stormwater runoff entering Dane County lakes, rivers, and streams, increasing public awareness of urban water quality issues, and providing public education about urban stormwater quality improvement practices.

Stormwater standards did not exist until the early 2000s, and improving and retrofitting old stormwater outlets has become more expensive over time. Dane County is changing its program guidelines so municipalities can now receive up to 60% project funding up to $1 million. The previous cap was 50% of project costs with a maximum grant award of $500,000.

73 projects have received over $8 million in funding from Dane County’s Urban Water Quality Grant Program. Ten Dane County municipalities have received funding over the years. These investments have resulted in over one million pounds of sediment reduction per year and 2,400 pounds of phosphorus reduction per year.

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Click here to learn more about Dane County’s Continuous Cover Program, eligibility, and how to apply. Click here to learn more about Dane County’s Urban Water Quality Grant Program and view a map of current or pending projects.