[wisb] Re: Wagness, Harvey, DM Ponds Questions-Columbia and Dane Counties
- From: "Mark and Sue Martin" <goosep@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <gbrooks89@xxxxxxxxxxx>, "Wisbirdn" <wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 16 May 2010 20:29:46 -0600
Hi
I live about 3 miles from the site and remember King rails walking across
the road in 1993 when water was also high.
The Wagness, Harvey and DM ponds are dry because of pumping. In 2008 heavy
June rains filled up the basin, luckily for the farmer no crops were planted
before mid June because of wet conditions. In the past, the farmer pumped
the area dry by pumping water about 3/4 mile to the east into a wetland
basin. The basin could not hold additional water so the farmer received
permission from Columbia County to pump the water down road right of ways
for maybe 3 miles where waters enter into a ditch that flows into the
Crawfish River. The Crawfish River flows into Jefferson County. In the
summer of 2008 in Jefferson County there were thousands of acres under
water. Most of the land flooded was farmed wetlands however Snapper and
Faville Prairies (both State Natural Areas) and Madison Audubon land was
also flooded. My guess is that the farmer and Columbia County officials did
not think or care about sending more water downstream to Jefferson County.
It is my understanding that the farmer maybe spending $3,000 per month for
the electricity and is finally getting most of the water pumped out. We
have had 7 inches of rain since April 1st and it will be interesting to see
if they plant crops this summer.
When birding the area you will notice small white signs on green posts.
These are Wetland Reserve Program (WRP) signs that were placed on survey
corners a number of years ago when the farmer was looking into entering the
WRP program. However, at the last minute the farmer decided to not enter
the WRP program. If the farmer would sign up for WRP at this time he would
be paid $4,000 per acre. My guess is that $4,000 would purchase an acre of
upland cropland and with farming uplands the the farmer does not have to
worry about getting flooded out.
Mark Martin
Arlington
----- Original Message -----
From: "Gail Brooks" <gbrooks89@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Wisbirdn" <wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, May 16, 2010 7:17 PM
Subject: [wisb] Wagness, Harvey, DM Ponds Questions-Columbia and Dane
Counties
>
> So I went out birding this afternoon into the evening and took the route
> to view ponds on Wagness, Harvey, DM, K and then off to Schonenberg Marsh.
> Not a whole lot to report or going on at Wagness, Harvey and DM as there
> is hardly any ponds remaining. I confess that I gasp each time I see the
> ponds disappearing. So my questions are: 1) Are the ponds usually like
> this at this time of the year? or 2) Is it primarily due to lack of rain?
> or 3) I've also noted that more of the fields where the ponds are usually
> are plowed up. Is this something intentionally done? (Not that I have any
> issue with this of course if that is the case. Farmers need land to grow
> more crops, etc...).
>
> Trying to understand the changes I've been seeing. Thanks,
>
> Gail Brooks
> Sun Prairie, Dane
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