April 2014
What's Inside:
Member Spotlight
Events Around the Watershed
Isthmus features USRWA
Opening on Board of Directors
USRWA Annual Meeting was a success
LSRWA to have Annual Meeting April 5th
Member Spotlight
Rodd Wangen

- USRWA Board Member since January 2014 and serves on the Agricultural and Adaptive Management committees

 

- Maintains two water quality sites for USRWA and is an avid fisherman in the watershed

 

- Serves on the Conservation Committee for Trout Unlimited

 

- Enjoys working on old muscle cars, music and gardening 

 

- Graduated from UW-Madison with a degree in Agronomy

 

- Native of Cannon Falls, MN

 
Events Around the Watershed
Lower Sugar River Watershed Association Annual Meeting
Saturday April 5th
10am-2pm
Broadhead Public Library

USRWA Board of Directors Meeting (public welcome!)
Monday April 14
7pm-8:30pm
USRWA Office
207 E. Main Street
Mt. Horeb, WI 53572

USRWA Sugar River Clean-up Day
Saturday April 19th
10am-2pm
Meet at Paoli Park in Paoli


 
Spring is here (sort of)!
 
Work at the Upper Sugar River Watershed Association really begins to change gears in the month of April as the weather becomes more favorable.  Paddling season is upon us which means we will be looking for volunteers on river clean-up days, the first of which happens on Saturday April 19th from 10am-2pm starting at Paoli Park in Paoli.
Sculpture of trash found in the Sugar River from a 2013 river clean-up day
 
This is also the time we start organizing ourselves for water quality monitoring season. Currently USRWA volunteers manage 25 sites around the watershed, but that number is growing with new volunteers.  If you'd like to take part, become educated as a monitor or have questions please email me at usrwa@usrwa.org or call 608-437-7707.  There are lots of classes offered in the area that train people to become volunteer water quality monitors in just one afternoon. 

Looking forward to a great season in the water and around the watershed!

Wade Moder
Executive Director
Upper Sugar River Watershed Association
USRWA featured in Isthmus

If you didn't already see it, Isthmus did a great feature on USRWA in their March 13th edition.  Read all about our work, the Dane County land purchase along the Sugar River and more in the article.

Opening on USRWA Board of Directors

Due to former Board Member Sara Souther leaving to take a job out of state, there is now an opening on the USRWA Board of Directors and we are currently accepting applications.  Being on the Board allows you to have a part in shaping the organization first hand and help to carry out the mission of the Upper Sugar River Watershed Association.  

Board members are required to attend board meetings once per month, participate on a committee(s) and be a current member of USRWA.  If you are interested in filling out an application or would like to learn more, please contact Wade Moder at usrwa@usrwa.org or call 608-437-7707.
USRWA Annual Meeting was a huge success!

It was wonderful to see so many new faces amongst the 80 attendees at USRWA's Annual Meeting on March 16th.  The day featured an annual review of 2013, a presentation of USRWA's Candle on the Water award to Allison Werner from River Alliance of Wisconsin, and a screening of the documentary Mysteries of the Driftless.  Film Producer George Howe and Geologist Eric Carson were also on hand to answer questions after the film about the Driftless Area as well.

See photos from the event and more on our Facebook page.
Lower Sugar River Watershed Association to have Annual Meeting on Saturday April 5th

The Lower Sugar River Watershed Association will be having their Annual Meeting on Saturday April 5th from 10am-2pm at the Broadhead Public Library. The meeting will feature WDNR Water Quality Biologist Jim Amrhein who will give a presentation on the results of phosphorus, temperature, and habitat monitoring in the Lower Sugar River Watershed, along with an update on plans for continued and expanded sampling efforts and volunteer opportunities in 2014.  If weather conditions allow, there will also be an opportunity to travel to sample locations and understand conditions that may be contributing to elevated phosphorus levels. 

If you have questions regarding the meeting, please contact LSRWA President Susan Lehnhardt at info@lsrwa.org
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