By Justin Markofski
Northside News
Longtime Northside resident Jack Hurst has been on a mission to improve the Warner Lagoon for over 20 years, and many others have joined in his concerns and cause. In fact, a formal city-led restoration process began in February 2016, thanks in part to the prior years of advocacy and awareness raising of Jack and other residents and constituents wishing to sustain and improve the wonderful resource that Warner Park and Warner Lagoon is here on the Northside.
While slower than hoped for by Northside residents, fishers, activists and environmental groups, an official Warner Lagoon Water Quality Plan report was completed by City Engineering and Parks staff with lots of stakeholder input. This official plan was accepted by the Board of Park Commissioners in April 2021 and the Board of Public Works in May 2021.
A joint letter of support for the project and appeal for increased dredging of the lagoon was submitted by Wild Warner and the Yahara Fishing Club back in March 2020 and is included in Appendix G of the 184-page report.
That letter of support, signed by then presidents Kathlean Wolf and Phil James, respectively, speaks to the asset that Warner Lagoon is and the importance of maintaining the lagoon and its fishery:
“Increasing fish habitat and shore fishing opportunities in the lagoon will help restore an important environmental, recreational, and for many, food resource in a diverse and economically challenged neighborhood. As part of its commitment to social equity, our groups believe the City of Madison should pursue all feasible opportunities to restore environmental resources in neighborhoods and communities that need them most.”
Fast forward to the present and the status of this Warner Lagoon Water Quality Plan is getting fresh attention and interest by residents and community members with a growing desire to see the implementation of the clear priorities and objectives laid out in the 2021 report. There are concerns that investment into the implementation of this well-made and long-sought plan is being diverted and postponed to other areas of the city and other projects.
Recently, local experts Kurt Welke and Pat Hasburgh, who have been involved in the Warner Lagoon effort for around a decade, drafted a letter to help stakeholders understand more of the history of both the lagoon itself and the still relatively recent planning process. Here are some excerpts from their letter:
“The Warner Park lagoon was added to the Madison Parks properties in the mid-1960s. A wetland was dredged to create a 28-acre lagoon with the initial objective of providing fish spawning habitat. With development, it became the primary storm water management feature for the expansion of housing and retail occurring on the Northside of Madison. Now, some 60+ years later, the form and functionality of the lagoon has diminished significantly. Currently, the lagoon is a low-quality water body characterized by high sediment and nutrient loading that is mostly only suitable for carp and blue-green algae blooms. Sometimes winter fish die.
“Given the challenges of urban life, residents need high quality open spaces more than ever. Improving the lagoon meets larger stormwater, water-quality, social equity, and access goals consistent with what makes Madison such a great place to live. Additionally, the Warner Park Lagoon is poised to offer excellent recreational opportunities in the form of accessible food to folks in a part of town that needs it most.
“For over 20 years, citizen advocacy and partnerships to rehabilitate the lagoon resulted in an approved restoration plan published in 2021. Warner Lagoon Water Quality Plan provides an excellent path towards a brighter future for the lagoon. However, 10 years after the planning process began, too little of the plan has been implemented and commitments keep getting pushed further back.
“A planning investment has been made and a plan has been completed, vetted, and approved. Now is the time to stop the delays and commit to the spirit, intent and actions called out in the plan with a more substantial and timely budgetary commitment from the City of Madison to move this important project forward.”
An anonymous public comment in the appendix of the Plan expresses the same call to action and timely investment in implementation, “Appreciate the slog this has been — now we need to see the package presented as a budgetary request with a schedule. Let’s get going — action is needed to maintain momentum…,”
Our two Northside alders, Amani Latimer Burris of District 12 (which officially contains Warner Park and Lagoon) and Charles Myadze, have both been interested to learn more and are active in giving this important issue attention by following up with city staff, past alders, and Northside residents and groups to represent this issue adequately and substantially within the city.
Principal City Stormwater Engineer Janet Schmidt is listed as the project contact on the city website where the full report is published as a pdf document (cityofmadison.com/engineering/projects/warner-lagoon-water-quality-plan). Schmidt responded to questions asked about the status of the plan and its implementation in a recent email:
“We have funding to start the initial design for some of the Castle Creek water quality improvements. We have done some prep work to get tree assessments, wetlands identified, and topographical survey work done. We are hoping to have a public informational meeting sometime this winter/spring to officially kick this off to the public.
“Additionally, the following parts of the plan have already been implemented: An accessible fishing pier in 2020. Stormwater quality catch basins installed on Forester in 2021 to control sediment loading. Carp Barrier installed 2022 (by friends’ group with $5,000 contribution by Engineering). Fall 2022 dredging the channel from the lake to Woodward Drive at the request of the Friends group was completed.”
Actions are being taken at the time this article goes to press that may have an impact on the timelines and future trajectory of this Warner Lagoon Water Quality Plan and its complete implementation. We will continue to follow this story and provide updates as they occur.
Please reach out directly to director@northsideplanningcouncil.org if you have comments to share and feel free to let the city know your wishes regarding this project as well.
