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Nutrient Reduction Case Study
NEW Water Silver Creek Pilot Project
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Working with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR), NEW Water, the brand of the
Green Bay Metropolitan Sewerage District, took a unique approach to address nutrient challenges on a
watershed scale. NEW Water owns and operates two wastewater treatment facilities that treat and
discharge 38 million gallons of water per day into the Lower Fox River, which has a total maximum
daily load (TMDL) for phosphorus and total suspended solids.
In 2014, WDNR combined the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits for
these two facilities into a "bubble" permit to provide more flexibility to meet its requirements during
heavy precipitation events. NEW Water worked with WDNR and others to develop a pilot project using
unique approaches that result in greater environmental benefits in a cost-effective manner, including:
•	Adaptive Management: allows the facility and landowners in the watershed to work together to
improve water quality through runoff controls and nutrient management.
•	Best Management Practices (BMPs):
o	establishing cover crops: the Silver Creek pilot project uses innovative technology to
help farmers plant cover crops between rows of corn;
o	planting grassed waterways, critical area plantings, and filter strips;
o	installing water and sediment control basins;
o	completing wetland restorations;
o	converting land from row crop operation to managed grazing;
o	implementing tillage management practices; and
o	instituting conservation and enhancing nutrient management plans.
These practices have helped NEW Water to meet its NPDES permit requirements, including
requirements driven by the TMDL to manage pollutant discharges and reduce pollution loads from
agricultural lands. Several sites in the pilot project area are showing signs of improvement as a result of
this work, including improvements in water quality, and an increase in species richness and general
population diversity in Silver Creek.
The Silver Creek Pilot project involved new partnerships
with other government agencies, nonprofit organizations,
local farmers and academia to address the challenges in
the Lower Fox River and Green Bay watershed. NEW
Water also offers hands-on educational opportunities for
local high school students that include water monitoring,
drone technology, and biological monitoring to determine
the health of a body of water. NEW Water is working to
further develop a formal adaptive management program
based off the success of this pilot project.
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Additional Information
Silver Creek Pilot Project:
http://newwater.us/projects/silver-creek-
project/
Land Owner Fact Sheet:
http://newwater.us/media/179003/2017 Si
IverCreek Landowner FactSheet FINAL.pdf
Learn more at: https://www.epa.gov/nutrient-policy-data
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