Becoming a Player in the Watershed Game

​Congratulations to the 49 individuals who are now trained facilitators in use of the Watershed Game!  Last month, LWV Jo Daviess County brought in trainers from the University of Minnesota for two days of training in Galena, Illinois.  These trained facilitators will become leaders in the new wave of watershed education that will take place across the Upper Mississippi River Region watershed. 
 
On October 24, members of the ILO from Wisconsin’s Sinsinawa, La Crosse, and Madison Leagues, Illinois’ Galena, Glenview, Rochelle, Sycamore and East Dubuque Leagues and Iowa’s Dubuque and Ottumwa Leagues take the next step in their water leadership work.  These trained facilitators will be an essential part of the team in the Rotary-LWV partnership as this work moves into full swing with the January conference “Water – We are all in the Same Boat!”  Learn more about this exciting work here.

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​October 25’s training group was from Jo Daviess County, where watershed-based actions are being undertaken in the Apple Plum watershed to improve water quality through science-based stewardship and evidence-based decision-making.  Working with more than 20 stakeholders from around the county, the LWV Jo Daviess and the Jo Daviess County Soil and Water District have worked to develop a plan identifying and assessing issues related to surface and groundwater in the county. 

At the 52nd national convention of the League of Women Voters held June 16-18, 2016 in Washington, D.C., LWV Jo Daviess County received the Effective Community Engagement Award for its water resource management plan project. The project was one of four finalists. League members from more than 800 local Leagues around the country voted online to award the honor.

Local issues identified during the two-year planning process fell into three broad categories: 1) storm water management; 2) groundwater management; and 3) water quality. Topography, soils, and geology of the county were found to create challenges in each of these areas.  The plan documents consensus on three broad goals with specific objectives and includes a multi-year action plan designed to achieve incremental, sustainable improvements to water resource management across the county.
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The plan is now being presented to county township boards, city councils, resort core boards, county board and other organizations. These groups will be invited to collaborate and focus on possible actions to accomplish the goals and objectives in the multi-year action plan.
Find a link to the plan in the “current issues” tab of lwvjodaviess.org.