by Beth Baransky, Project Coordinator, LWV Jo Daviess County remote water quality sensing project

The U.S. EPA, in partnership with the Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Standards and Technology, United States Geological Survey, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, put forth a challenge to submit proposals for the deployment of low-cost (less than $15,000) continuous nutrient sensors to address an important nutrient pollution water quality problem.

The League of Women Voters of Jo Daviess County in Illinois (LWV-JDC) has been actively seeking water quality data for several years in order to increase our local knowledge. The ultimate goal is to achieve science-based stewardship of the water resources in our area. The Nutrient Sensor Action Challenge fit in well with the League's efforts. We submitted a proposal for the challenge describing the installation of two sensors, one each at the top and bottom of the Lower Galena River subwatershed to gather continuous data on nitrate levels in this portion of the river.  Sam Panno, Senior Geochemist at the Illinois State Geological Survey; Walt Kelly, Groundwater Science Section Head at the Illinois State Water Survey; and Beth Baranski, Project Coordinator for the League of Women Voters of Jo Daviess County were the team members on the proposal.

Having been selected as one of the winners of the challenge, in part because “The technical review panel determined that your submission could help better inform decision-making for nutrient reduction in our nation’s waterways,” the League will receive $10,000 in prize money.  We’ve been told we can spend the prize money on a trip to Hawaii if we want, but - as tempting as that is - we’re thinking about how best to use the funds to advance water resource management work in the area. This prize money is being awarded for Stage 1 of the challenge, and consideration is now being given to competing in Stage 2 as well, which would involve actual sensor deployment.

Guest Post by Beth Baranski, LWV Jo Daviess County Illinois

            The League of Women Voters' structure and approach allow members to play an instrumental role in efforts to address complex issues. Organized at the local, state, regional, and national levels, League efforts and resources can be scaled up and down as appropriate. With a formal process for studying issues important to voters and coming to consensus before taking action, the League has become widely respected for its non-partisan, fact-based, educational approach.
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            In Jo Daviess County, Illinois, the local chapter of the League of Women Voters (LWV-JDC) is creating a model that showcases how "The League Way" is working with residents in this rural area on the locally controversial, nationally important, and globally critical topic of water resource management. Here are some highlights:

• Following a divisive multi-year (2007-10) controversy (based in large measure on differing opinions on potential contamination of groundwater in the karst aquifer) over the siting of a 10,000-head confined dairy feeding operation, the LWV-JDC organized a public forum bringing in representatives from the Illinois EPA, the Illinois Department of Agriculture, and others to provide information on the siting process and the pressures impacting the dairy industry.

• In 2013, the LWV-JDC organized a public forum entitled "The Land and Water Beneath Us" at which scientists from the Illinois State Geological and Water Surveys shared information they currently had on the hydrogeology of the area, explained what scientific information was lacking, and proposed ways to obtain new information.

• From 2014-16, local League members organized and facilitated a countywide water resource management planning project. A diverse set of stakeholders were brought to the table to learn together about the area's water resources, and to agree on a set of facts so that we could develop goals and objectives to maintain our resources effectively. We agreed to use evidence-based decision making to achieve science-based stewardship. We presented to and surveyed every local governing board (county, municipal, township, and resort community) at the start and at the finish of our planning effort. An Illinois EPA approved Quality Assurance Project Plan was completed for the survey effort. To date, the county, 9 municipalities, 5 townships and a resort community have approved this plan. This project, a 100% volunteer effort, received the "Community Engagement Award" at the 2016 National League Convention.

• One of the county plan action items was a focused sub-watershed plan to identify specific projects for water resource management. The sub-watershed surrounding the City of Galena was selected, and - using private donations and volunteer time for match - a 2016 $38,000 Illinois EPA Grant was obtained to cover technical assistance, printing costs, and planning consultant expenses for this 2-year planning project.

• The LWV-JDC initiated the formation of the Upper Mississippi River Region Inter-League Organization to work on water resource management at a larger scale. This 4-state entity was incorporated with 60 local League chapters participating in October, 2016.

• The League used private donations and a grant from the Galena Lions Club to purchase copies of "The Watershed Game" created by the University of Minnesota Extension, and to offer two training days for those wishing to be able to facilitate the game for local governing boards, service organizations, students, etc. Forty-seven individuals, including 30 in Jo Daviess County, were trained in October, 2016, and a second training scheduled for September, 2017, is funded with a grant from 1 Mississippi.

• The LWV-JDC partnered with the Galena Rotary Club to put on a day-long conference in January, 2017, entitled "Water: We're All in the Same Boat" - bringing in speakers to share information about current water management issues and approaches, and providing breakout sessions with presenters sharing information about local projects. The League and Rotary is actively working to expand this organizational partnership for conferences and educational programming in other areas of the Upper Mississippi River Region.

• Using private donations and volunteer time as match, a 2016 U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) grant for $7,000 was obtained to conduct spring sampling with scientists from the Illinois State Geological and Water Surveys. This sampling will help establish baseline water chemistry in the area's shallow aquifer for future reference. The project also included the development of a model karst feature database to store information on springs, sinkholes and bedrock fractures to be used both locally and by the USFWS.

• Participated in the USFWS Fishers & Farmers Leadership Network workshops in 2016, and continue involvement - working with others in the network and maintaining a Leadership Network website for the Apple-Plum watershed.

• Using the Galena Watershed planning project, state EPA grant funds, along with financial contributions from the City of Galena, a local fertilizer plant, local not-for profits and private donors for match, a 2017 U.S. Fish & Wildlife Fishers & Farmers grant for $20,000 was obtained to support the formation of a farmer advisory group in the Galena Watershed. Workshops, field days, river water sampling, and soil nitrate testing will be conducted to engage the agricultural community in water resource management.

 
And the work continues...

​Our water is in trouble and we are all in the same boat.  We need clean water for drinking and industry, and healthy ecosystems to support the life around us.  It is time for us all to jump in, learn about what can be done, and get going on doing it! 
 
On January 11, the Galena Rotary partnered with the League of Women Voters Jo Daviess County to hold a day-long conference at Eagle Ridge Resort and Spa in Galena.  This conference, titled “Water, We're all in the Same Boat” was part of the 30th Annual Galena Rotary Roundtable.   There was a series of excellent talks at this conference, most of which are now posted on YouTube for all who missed the conference.  Thanks to Robert Lieberman for the videos, and to all the speakers for their presentations! 
 
Chapter 1: Mississippi River Watershed Report Card Harald Jordahl, Director, America’s Watershed Initiative    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuGacnAyIIo

Chapter 2: Illinois’ Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy Amy Burns Walkenbach, Manager, IEPA Watershed Management   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTeDQRrLm3w&t=9s

Chapter 3, The 4Rs: On-Farm Nutrient Stewardship Jean Payne, President, Illinois Fertilizer & Chemical Association  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0BLY-sNE9g

Chapter 4. One Drop at a Time: Valuing Rain Water Marcus De La Fleur, Landscape Architect, de la fleur LLC  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDoeK3AGokw

Chapter 5, Panel Discussion  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSJwkXl7COU

Chapter 6, The World Water Crisis–Rotary Solutions , Val Johnson, member, Board of Directors of the “Water and Sanitation Rotary Action Group”, representing North America in Rotary’s quest to provide safe water, sanitation and hygiene education throughout the world    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXZhYkLv5hM&t=450s

Chapter 7: Building Consensus – Bonnie Cox and Beth Baranski, League of Women Voters of Jo Daviess County  https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=kd7vU5g1nIw 

Chapter 8: Apple Canyon Lake Watershed Plan Paula McFeely Wiener and Darryle Burmeister, Resource Conservationist, Jo Daviess SWCD  https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=c5a_QhZEVz4