Dane County Executive Joe Parisi is proposing to spend $3 million to study the feasibility of a digester that can turn manure into renewable fuel and keep it out of lakes.
There are two commercial digesters in Dane County that process manure from about 10,000 cows, capturing methane, a highly potent greenhouse gas, and extracting fertilizer that can be returned to farmers in concentrated form.
But the county has about 155,000 cows that produce almost as much waste as the population of Chicago. Spread on fields, particularly in the winter, much of that waste gets washed into lakes, where it can trigger algae blooms, which Parisi said are responsible for “most of the challenges facing our lakes.”
Parisi announced the proposal at a news conference Tuesday outside the county’s $28 million renewable gas pipeline injection facility at the Rodefeld Landfill, saying a digester would be a “game changer” for water quality while also eliminating a major source of greenhouse gas emissions.
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Parisi is expected to release his full budget proposal on Monday.
Parisi said the feasibility study will look at options for manure transportation and handling, possible pipeline needs and what components would be needed to process large volumes of waste in the smartest way possible.
The goal, Parisi said, is a digester that could process manure from about 30,000 more cows, reducing manure spreading while protecting the county’s legacy as a top dairy producer and achieving greenhouse gas reductions equivalent to taking more than 21,000 cars off the road.
“We can create a one-stop service for farmers’ manure and help transport it to one central location, giving both large and small farms an opportunity to access technology to treat rather than spread it on fields,” Parisi said. “This project is the path to a future where we see fewer wintertime pictures of manure-coated snowy farm fields.”
The proposal is the latest in a series of initiatives the county has undertaken to reduce agricultural runoff and the subsequent algae blooms.
The county has removed 180,000 pounds of phosphorus as part of a four-year, $12 million stream-dredging initiative. Parisi is requesting another $2 million in the 2023 budget for the “suck the muck” campaign.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct the number of cows in Dane County.
Full report: Attention turns to avoiding next great flood for Madison area
Several Wisconsin counties are struggling with rising river and lake levels after multiple rounds of torrential rain. Authorities are urging residents to be vigilant. See the latest coverage here.
An analysis of last summer’s historic flooding of the Yahara River chain of lakes by a Dane County work group has yielded options for preventi…
"There's one practical solution to this problem, and it's easily within our grasp," Soglin said. "That is to lower the level of our lakes."
Flooding, tornado damage total reaches $232 million; Scott Walker wants federal help for 17 counties
Flooding and tornado damage estimates in Wisconsin reached almost a quarter-billion dollars from storms that ravaged the state last month, according to figures sent to FEMA to start the ball rolling on federal aid.
With flood damages fresh in mind and the climate getting wetter, Dane County wants to prevent a worse disaster next time.
Black Earth residents and flood victims through Wisconsin got good news from the state on Friday, in regard to bridge work and flood cleanup and repair.
Things are finally returning back to normal in Montello, after massive flooding over the past two weeks shut down the main road in the village and delayed the opening of school.
First-floor residents were allowed to return this week, others not until an elevator is operational.
Work on restoring the very popular Capital City Bike Trail near Monona Terrace took a header Tuesday night, when someone stole seven out of eight pumps being used to pump out floodwater on the trail.
As floodwaters slowly recede, the sun is warming up Madison's lakes and growing new blooms of hazardous bacterial algae.
East Johnson Street, closed along Tenney Park since Aug. 22, has partially re-opened, the city of Madison said Monday.
Shorewood Hills is at the end of a drainage basin into Lake Mendota, meaning all of the water falling onto the northern parts of Madison's Near West and West sides makes its way through the village, Administrator Karl Frantz said.
Many boats were removed from the water, while others must stay within special speed limits.
While the lakes may fall to manageable levels, rain in the coming weeks could cause floodwaters to return, Madison's mayor said.
Eastbound Interstate 90/94 is down to one lane Friday morning as crews place sandbags, and additional closures are likely as weekend traffic increases.
State officials are tentatively planning to incorporate weather-related damages in a 20-county area that stretches from La Crosse to Manitowoc.
Just like last week, the river overflowed its banks and covered parts of Reedsburg before taking aim at Rock Springs, North Freedom and Baraboo.
Heavy rain this week in south-central Wisconsin pushed back the timetable for floodwaters to recede, with some communities looking at continued flooding into next week.
Beleaguered residents in southern Wisconsin recovering from massive flooding are getting good news Thursday: there is no rain in the forecast.
Insurance covered only about 2 percent of the $78.3 million in residential damage caused by the flooding.
Officials said the swim and run courses remain unchanged and that "removal of debris and monitoring the water quality remain top priority. Ironman officials are continuing to work with the local authorities to closely monitor the current situation."
The losses are estimated at about $300,000 at the Baseball Card Shoppe at Westgate Mall.
The city of Monona is calling for more volunteers Thursday to help fill sandbags to brace against the record-high waters on Lake Monona, the waters only expected to drop a half-inch a day.
The drenching of south-central Wisconsin is soon to be over.
After what looks to be a mostly dry day Tuesday across southern Wisconsin, storms and heavy rain are expected again on Wednesday, extending the area’s flooding woes, according to forecasters.
Road closures and lane reductions in Madison's Isthmus could create for long and complicated commutes on the first day of school Tuesday.
The plan involves going after some "low-hanging fruit" by redirecting the water that collects in underground parking garages and the basements of unfinished projects.
Thunderstorms are forecast to spread north through southern Wisconsin mainly Monday afternoon, delivering locally heavy rain with frequent lightning, although severe weather is not anticipated.
East Washington Avenue was temporarily closed early Sunday morning, and officials warn it'll likely close during future rainstorms forecast for the week.
Last month's flooding knocked down bridges, uprooted trees and even eroded a hillside in the green space north of Lake Mendota.
Q: What caused last month’s flooding?
After a break in the showers and thunderstorms on Sunday morning, more are expected to develop in the afternoon and evening, delivering more heavy rain to southern Wisconsin, according to forecasters.
Lake Mendota, at the head of the Yahara chain of lakes, was 9 inches above its state-mandated maximum level before the rain hit.
Launches at Winnequah Trail, Tonyawatha Trail and Lottes Park are closed because of continued high lake levels and debris floating in the water.
Southern Wisconsin could see 1 to 2 inches of rain though Sunday, and more showers and storms into late next week, extending and exacerbating the area’s flooding woes, according to forecasters.
The Baraboo River was so high at Rock Springs that the automated water level gauge stopped recording at 12:45 a.m. Friday.
The forecast through Monday night calls for periods of heavy rain, with up to 3 inches possible in some locales, adding to the flooding woes crippling the region for the past 12 days.
Volunteers moved all the locomotives and train cars to higher ground before flood waters started to reach the museum.
At least eight tornadoes touched down during storms Tuesday and Wednesday, and rivers are still cresting in central and western Wisconsin.
A week after finding Ugg boots and Nike shoes drifting through the store like toy boats, owner Steve Schmitt has reopened.
Southern Wisconsin’s flooding woes might get worse before they get better as forecasters predict 1 to 1.5 inches north of Madison, 1.5 to 2 inches in the Madison area, and 2 to 3 inches southwest of Madison from Friday night through Sunday, with more chances for showers and storms into the middle of next week.
Columbia County emergency management officials established additional emergency slow no-wake zones.
After days of punishing rains swamped first Dane County and then large sections of south, central and western Wisconsin, Gov. Scott Walker on Wednesday declared a statewide emergency.
An 11-year-old boy sucked into a flooded Wisconsin storm sewer was saved when an eagle-eyed firefighter saw the boy’s fingers pop through an opening in a manhole cover.
If pilot lights are snuffed out gas can accumulate inside homes, creating an explosion hazard.
Even though the weather forecast has no rain in it on Wednesday or Thursday, flooding concerns are mounting because of the torrential rains that fell in south-central and central Wisconsin on Tuesday.
The national passenger rail company announced service on its Empire Builder trains had resumed a little before 12:30 p.m. Wednesday.
With more water on the way, a reminder that floodwaters carry risks of contaminants, debris and unpredictable currents.
Many tenants are upset with the property owner and manager about their evacuation, poor communication, and a lack of progress and support, and the owner will now be delivering checks to defray some expenses and care packages.
Severe weather moving into Wisconsin could be the worst we've seen so far this summer, not good for flooded areas still trying to recover.
The aid operation — dubbed "Operation Muck'em Bucky" — began Monday in coordination with local and state authorities.
Some local areas could see up to 4 inches of rain, the Weather Service said, so more flooding is very likely in areas that were hard hit a week ago, when more than 15 inches of rain was reported in western Dane County.
With Madison’s lakes already brimming and its storm sewers backing up onto streets, the forecast of more rain Tuesday for the area posed a renewed risk of flash flooding.
Officials are urging people to call 211 to report damage and request free help with cleanup.
Free well water testing kits for those with private wells are now available at flood-ravaged communities in western Dane County as well as in Madison, with officials advising such residents not to drink the well water unless it's boiled.
Highway 14 between Middleton and Cross Plains was reopened Sunday, but it is still closed to through traffic due to a washed out bridge near Black Earth.
Flooding has leveled off for now, but sandbagging is continuing as more rainfall is expected Sunday evening, potentially dumping several inches onto the Madison area.
The dramatic rescues both occurred along the same road west of Verona and only four hours and about 100 yards apart.
County Executive Joe Parisi, meanwhile, said the initial damage assessment from this week's flooding totals $108 million, with about two-thirds of the total to private homes and businesses and a third to public property.
Parking is also restricted on some East Side streets.
Madison and Monona residents struggled Friday to handle flooding with more rain in the forecast.
One West Side rental car agency trucked in vehicles from as far away as Chicago and Wausau to fill requests.
Dane County Executive Joe Parisi estimates the historic rains caused $108 million in damage to public and private property.
Officials estimated about 5,000 feet of railroad tracks were damaged during Monday's rains.
The increased flow will push water levels higher on Lake Monona, which was at the 100-year flood level Thursday afternoon.
The village's administrator estimates $4 million to $5 million in damage to public infrastructure and an equal amount of damage to private properties.
Thursday was another day to repair and dry out from this week's floods.
The store was flooded and thousands of products have been trashed and removed.
Check our map for the latest updates as roads gradually reopen across Dane County.
Businesses were hit hard by the record rainfall and many won't reopen for weeks.
James A. Sewell, 70, died from accidental drowning after he was swept away by flood waters Monday night on Madison's Southwest Side.
Engine sensitivity to water and vehicles' computers and electronics make water damage particularly difficult, if not impossible, to remediate.
Waterproofing and clean-up companies are seeing booming business.
Parts of western Dane County received a summer's worth of rain in just 24 hours this week, triggering widespread flash flooding.
Communities along the Yahara Lakes were sandbagging against a possible 3- to 6-inch rise in lake levels expected by Thursday.
Water levels in Lakes Monona, Waubesa and Kegonsa could rise another three to six inches, potentially flooding properties along the lake shores.
Davis said water levels fell about 3 feet overnight Tuesday, making the situation less urgent.
Homeowners, businesses and local officials were cleaning up Wednesday after major flooding in many parts of Dane County.
Monday's storm that shattered the state's rainfall record has shut down the section of the Capital City Trail between Fish Hatchery Road and the Badger State/Cannonball/Capital City trail intersection known as the bicycle roundabout
An epic rainfall swept one man to his death, washed out bridges, swamped homes, cars and businesses, and marooned dozens of shoppers overnight…
The man, believed to be in his 70s, had been in a car that had become stuck in a drainage ditch at Chapel Hill Road.
Record rains slammed Dane County on Monday and Tuesday, leading to flooding and widespread damage.
Readers and others share photos and stories of the historic flooding and aftermath.
View these videos from media and local residents showing the drama of fast-rising waters that flooded western Dane County.
Three shelters have opened for victims of the flooding across western Dane County.
Phair, his wife and a third person helped pull stranded passengers out of a car that had stalled due to the flooding.
Dane County rainfall
Heavy rains hammered Dane County throughout Monday afternoon and evening, flooding several major thoroughfares and intersections and knocking …
As Dane County residents clean up in the aftermath of historic flooding, many will not have flood-related insurance coverage under the Nationa…
Lake levels are rising, and the area may be on the cusp of flooding unlike anything in the last 100 years, according to one expert.
The Yahara lakes - Mendota, Monona, Waubesa, Kegonsa and Wingra - have dominated our landscape and our lives for thousands of years. The Wisco…
Flooding has ravaged much of the state of Wisconsin and unfortunately there is more rain in the forecast.
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