Secret Pond Storm Water Project–Week 2 Update

The Secret Pond storm water project site in Madison, WI as it appeared on Sunday June 26,2011. The project is also known as the UW-Arboretum/Manitou Way Outfall Improvement Project. The project is sponsored by the City of Madison, WI and the University of Wisconsin Facilities Planning and Management (FP & M) and is authorized by a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the City, UW and other municipalities in the metropolitan area. The ravaged tree is a common cottonwood (Populus deltioides). For perhaps 60 years this tree cast shade on Manitou Stream, it was a favorite nesting site of Baltimore orioles (a neotropical migrant), and delighted neighbors (except when dispersing "cotton" each June).

 

 

In week 2, Diggers' Hotline showed up; stacked logs were ready for removal from the site; and erosion control fencing was erected.

Chain-link fence marks the project boundary. Orange snow fence protects a horticultural specimen tree.

Manitou Stream uncovered; erosion prone soil unprotected. The project site as it looked on Sunday July 3, 2011. This is the condition the site was left in on Friday afternoon July 1, 2011, the end of week two. Notice the lack of erosion control fence (or other erosion prevention measures) on the banks of Manitou Stream to prevent soil from washing into the stream if there were to be a rainfall. A rainfall event would wash literally tons of soil (and lots of phosphorus) into the stream and to Lake Wingra This eventuality (which fortunately has not yet happened and is perhaps just dumb luck), is at best ironic, since the stated purpose of the storm water project is to prevent soil, other sediments, and phosphorus from washing into Lake Wingra.