Through a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency, the Upper Sugar River Initiative was formed, joining local government, natural resource agencies, private organizations, community groups and volunteers. The Initiative identified and prioritized water resource concerns in the watershed to develop an action plan. The Upper Sugar River Initiative Coordinating Committee (USRICC) was developed to oversee the implementation of the Initiative's Action Plan.

Although the USRICC and USRWA are similar, they are different types of organizations. The USRWA is a formal group that consists of those who live, work or play in the watershed, has a board of directors, has a paid membership and has their own funds. The USRICC is an informal group of local government officials, natural resource agencies personnel, and representatives of groups such as the Izaak Walton League. The USRICC acts as an advisor to the DNR on what projects the EPA grant should fund (see partial list below). It has no board of directors, no paid membership, or funds of its own. The USRICC addresses inter-governmental and "institutional issues," whereas the USRWA is more a site specific, hands-on, projects group.

Through the funds provided by the EPA grant, the USRICC sponsored many projects, including providing a forum for citizens to learn more about the Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) proposal to return treated effluent to the watershed via Badger Mill Creek; conducting tours of the watershed to look at water quality problems and further discuss issues; forming partnerships between local governments and conservation groups in the watershed; and providing resources for implementing other recommendations in the Upper Sugar River Initiative Action Plan.

USRICC funds are also supporting the following efforts:

• The Village of Belleville to complete water quality studies for proposed Lake Belle View Restoration Project;
• The Cities of Madison and Verona and the Village of Mount Horeb for the development of a comprehensive stormwater management plan;
• Belleville, Verona and Mount Horeb high schools to develop environmental education curricula emphasizing water quality in the watershed;
• MMSD for dissolved oxygen monitoring on Badger Mill Creek;
• Dane County Parks Adult Conservation Team to feature articles in its newsletter ACTION;
• Dane County Conservation League to assist with resource conservation projects in the Upper Sugar River watershed;
• The Badger Mill Creek Restoration Project for seed;
• Dane County Parks Department in funding the publication "Southwest Metropolitan Planning Area Resource Guide;" and
• To support the formation of a grassroots, self-sustaining, conservation organization--the Upper Sugar River Watershed Association (USRWA).

Although the EPA grant is nearing its end, the USRICC intends to continue meeting to discuss issues pertinent to elected officials of the municipalities in the watershed.

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