County to partner with local governments in reducing stormwater pollution

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"The county is accepting applications from local governments for its Urban Water Quality Grant Program, a partnership that helps reduce urban runoff pollution from fouling area lakes.

The county wants to partner with municipalities to improve old storm drain outlets that dump untreated water and litter into our lakes....

When swimming at Bernie's Beach, thank Ghidorzi

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Here are photos of Bernie's Beach on Monona Bay, and along the shore a bit east--taken on June 7.

Weeds, stimulated by phosphorus.... thanks to Ghidorzi Companies pollution.

The light circles are fish nests.

Pollution into the bay, weeds out

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Here's a stunning example of the harmful effects of construction site erosion.

Construction causes 19% of the phosphorus in our lakes.  Phosphorus fertilizes weeds in the lake.

Gambling with our lakes.  Madison's romantic riverboat...

Weed cutting in Monona Bay, July 23, 2013

Muddy plumes in Monona Bay caused by the Ghidorzi Companies

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This is a summary of the sediment spills into Monona Bay by construction at 1102 S. Park St., by the Ghidorzi Companies.

The demolition and construction progressed from May of 2012 to July of 2013. During that time, Steve Vanko and David Thompson documented--with the photos shown below--13 sediment spills to the bay, and one extreme dust incident.

Since both Vanko and Thompson were out of town for weeks at a time, and some storms occurred at night, so additional spills probably went undetected.

Neighbors organize cleanup team for construction mess

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Neighbors on the Bay are fed up with the Ghidorzi Companies--a contractor that has caused repeated plumes of muddy water into the bay, clouds of dust on windy days, insulation blowing about, and mud on the streets.

So two retired firefighters who live on the bay, Steve Vanko and Tom Ulrich, have formed a team--to clean up the next mess--and DELIVER THE DIRT to those responsible.


The first "action" came Dec. 19, when a large "trackout" of mud from Ghidorzi on Fish Hatchery Rd was noticed at 4:30 pm.  Probably more than a hundred pounds of mud, much of it in large clods, was spread about a block south of the construction entrance.

The "rapid response team" of three was ready to go by 7:00 pm, with one "backup" on call.  The rush was to get the mud before the blizzard started. But to our as surprise, Ghidorzi had already cleaned it up!

Possibly they saw me photographing, and beat us to it.  Or even better, perhaps they had a change of heart--after six months of pollution.

Pollution of Monona Bay by Ghidorzi Companies

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Construction at the intersection of S Park St and Fish Hatchery Rd has caused repeated bouts of muddy plumes, litter, and dust pollution of Monona Bay.  The contractor is Ghidorzi Companies.

Despite complaints from neighbors, the problems have persisted for months.  Steve Vanko (right) and Tom Ulrich--retired firefighters who live on the bay--have obtained 160* signatures on a petition:

"I am a landowner, resident, or neighbor with an interest in Monona Bay.  I am concerned that activities at the Wingra Clinic construction site at 1102 S. Park Street, operated by Ghidorzi Companies, Inc., may have led to unnecessary pollution of Monona Bay, and I support action to ensure that the company fully complies with all applicable stormwater management and erosion control requirements."

Introducing Friends of Olin-Turville Park

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This is a beautiful example of how encouraging cultural activities at a park can have many benefits. Neglected public spaces--even tiny greenways--can become places where neighbors connect.