Evaluation of comprehensive plans adopted by Wisconsin communities to understand the extent of groundwater coverage and efforts to protect and manage groundwater in comprehensive plans. Our plan review consisted of:
A preliminary review where we broadly examined how groundwater was being covered in each of the nine comprehensive planning elements.
A detailed review where we selected a small number of plans based on the preliminary results to analyze the types of data, policies, and goals included in them.
Five case studies documenting exemplary efforts by rural Wisconsin communities to protect or remediate groundwater. The case studies highlight the key people, their rationale, and the social, financial and political challenges they overcame to achieve their groundwater goals.
Municipal well remediation and water conservation: City of Waupaca
Groundwater education about water quality of private wells and associated policy development: Iowa County and towns therein
Payments to farmers to grow low nitrogen input crops near municipal well: City of Waupaca
Municipal well remediation and wellhead protection ordinance: City of Chippewa Falls and Chippewa County
Groundwater study included in comprehensive plan and groundwater ordinance addressing future development adopted: Town of Richfield, Washington County