Engineering

Did you miss Wisconsin Stormwater Week 2023? The City of Madison is a partner in the annual statewide stormwater education campaign.While the week is done for this year, there are still plenty of ways to learn more about stormwater in our community! The Engineering Division does a number of things to share information about stormwater, one being the Everyday Engineering Podcast! Check out these stormwater related episodes, all just 20 minutes each: 

Historic flooding: 1 year anniversary:

In recent years , heavy rains have become heavier and more frequent in the Madison area. After the major flooding event in August of 2018, the City began and continues to work on citywide watershed studies with the goal of determining possible solutions to reduce the chances for this type of flooding in the future. In this podcast, City of Madison Engineering Division Public Information Officer Hannah Mohelnitzky hosts engineers Jojo O’Brien and Phil Gaebler to learn about what happened, why the flooding happened and ways every homeowner can flood-proof a home so devastating flooding can be minimized.

Before You Redo Your Basement:

Each year, thousands of homes undergo some sort of renovation. The average cost to finish a basement, according to smartasset.com, is about $30,000. When someone invests that much the last thing they want is the money to go down the drain, figuratively and literally. Basement drainage, moisture and flooding is an important topic for any resident to understand, and if you don’t, then listen to this podcast so you don’t make the same mistakes as people who invest and end up paying out thousands of dollars in addition to the renovation. In this episode, City of Madison Engineering Division Public Information Officer Hannah Mohelnitzky hosts engineer Phil Gaebler and Jojo O’Brien to talk about everything basements and the main questions every resident should ask before investing thousands of dollars into a renovation that may be doomed to begin with.

Salt: Great for French Fries, not so Great for Fish Fry:

Garage floors, sidewalks, lakes, you name it, salt is ruining or weakening it. Why should you care? Salt Certification may not mean much to anyone, except winter maintenance professionals, until now. In this episode, salt certification and why you should be selecting professionals who responsibly use the common tabletop standby is explained in a way you haven’t heard of before. Not only is salt impacting our water quality in Madison, but it puts aquatic life and freshwater resources at risk, it’s costly to remove, weakens and damages the concrete, brick and stone that makes up our homes, garages, bridges and roads. In this episode, City of Madison Engineering Division Public Information Officer Hannah Mohelnitzky hosts Engineer Phil Gaebler and Christal Campbell from Dane County, who is the Stormwater Education Coordinator, and is part of the Madison Area Municipal Stormwater Partnership. Gaebler and Campbell talk about why every resident should choose a professional who uses salt responsibility.

A “Mulch” Better Option for Your Leaves:

Raking would be so much better if we didn’t have to do it, right? Well, how about ditching the rake, and mulch instead this fall? Mulching is a great option for any homeowner with a ton of benefits to the environment, soil, the lawn, and it’s less work than raking, bagging and loading or moving them to the curb for pickup. In this podcast episode, you’ll learn proper leaf management technique, how to mulch and why it’s important from a water quality standpoint. City of Madison Engineering Division Public Information Officer Hannah Mohelnitzky hosts engineer Phil Gaebler and Olbrich Botanical Gardens Horticulturist Erin Presley to talk about all things mulching and what tools you need to help your lawn look the best come spring. You’ll also learn the impacts of “Leaf Tea” and how raking before storms can significantly help improve the quality of area lakes by 80 percent, come the heaviest leaf fall.

Finish your Fall To-Do List: Leaves, Gutters and More:

Keeping leaves at bay during the fall is important for any property owner, even when the work is dreaded. From City crews cleaning up leaves to you clearing them out of your gutters, the leaves require some attention otherwise it could impact your wallet in the long run. In this episode, Engineer Jojo O’Brien and Streets Division Public Information Officer and Recycling Coordinator Bryan Johnson talk about what you need to know to wrap up your leaf management at the end of fall, even if winter is moving in quickly. City of Madison Engineering Division Public Information Officer Hannah Mohelnitzky hosts O’Brien and Johnson to talk all things leaves: from the type of technique that will cut down on your gutter cleaning, to what happens if you decide not to tackle the outdoor work. Don’t let fall catch you off guard, and complete your fall to-do-list with our experts.

Down the Drain: Bowling Balls, Bacon Grease, Legos:

Once the water from your faucet or soggy noodles from dinner go down the drain, it’s just the beginning of a major process that most of us take for granted. One of the biggest misconceptions about drains is you can put anything down it, as long as it melts or you chase whatever you put down the drain with soap. If it never makes it through the pipe, chances are, you’ll have some major issues that will go deep into your wallet. In this episode, City of Madison Engineering Division Public Information Officer Hannah Mohelnitzky hosts City of Madison Engineering Operations Supervisor Jay Schlimgen and Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District Pollution Prevention Specialist Emily Jones to talk about what you should and shouldn’t be putting down your drain, and their answers may surprise you! From a field trip experiment to a bowling ball or two, you never know what you will find in the City’s sewer. Before you grind anything up in your garbage disposal, you’ll want to listen to this episode to learn what can go down the drain so you’re not paying for it in the long run.

PFAS Explained Clearly:

PFAS, or perfluorinated compounds, are a class of chemicals widely used in cookware, food packaging, stain and water-resistant clothing, upholstery and firefighting foams. The compounds do not degrade and are showing up in dust, soil and water worldwide. It’s a busy conversation for a number of people across the nation, and more specifically and locally here in Madison, it’s captivated and necessitated the attention of homeowners, politicians and city government leaders. However, there’s a lot of information floating around and uncertainty about the topic, so in this episode City experts want to explain PFAS in a way anyone can understand. Engineering Public Information Officer Hannah Mohelnitzky, Engineering’s Hydrogeologist Brynn Bemis and Madison Water Utility Quality Manager Joseph Grande sit down to talk about some of the information out right now, and share what the City is doing to educate and connect with the community.

A Sweet Perspective on salty Storms:

Anytime Wisconsinites see a snowy forecast, they know, travel is typically not advised, and planning begins until the roads are cleared of snow and ice. However, there’s a lot more planning that happens from the City’s perspective far before the snow starts to fall. In this episode, listen to City of Madison Streets Division’s Steve Schultz and Engineering Division’s Phil Gaebler on how City crews decide how much salt goes on the roads to keep you safe. Engineering Public Information Officer Hannah Mohelnitzky hosts Schultz and Gaebler to talk about road plowing and salting from a perspective that may make you appreciate the crews working nonstop to clear roads in the dead of winter.

What’s going on with the watershed?:

Flooding impacts last years after devastation, and so does the work to look at ways to provide possible solutions so flooding doesn’t reoccur. Knowing how the watershed works as a whole and sharing every step toward finding solutions is the core of the City Engineering Division’s Watershed studies. It takes time, but to improve storm water infrastructure correctly, time will allow engineers to do work right. In this episode, City of Madison Engineering Division Public Information Officer Hannah Mohelnitzky hosts Engineers Jojo O’Brien and Caroline Burger to talk about how close the division is getting to presenting answers to the public along with why it takes so long to put plans and modeling together. If you’re wondering what the City is doing to prevent flooding from happening in the future since the devastating flooding in August of 2018, listen to this episode, chances are, your questions will be answered.

Garden on the Roof: How Green Roofs Help Minimize Runoff:

A green roof, or living roof, is a roof a building that is partially or completely covered with vegetation and a growing medium. Plants on the roof or garden on the roof, if you picture it in your head, not only looks cool but it has a number of benefits to the environment and also stormwater mitigation. In this episode, listen in to City of Madison Engineering Division Public Information Officer Hannah Mohelnitzky as she hosts Engineering’s Stormwater Section Principal Engineer Janet Schmidt and Facilities Management Section Principal Architect Bryan Cooper to talk about green roofs, how many the City has and how they are referred to as an option as the City looks at updating its stormwater ordinance.

Rain Rain Go in my Garden:

Rain gardens, they’re green, beautiful and help our infrastructure, but if you’ve never built one, have one or even know of how to make it happen in your yard, it can be hard to understand the benefits. A rain garden is a garden of native shrubs, perennials, and flowers planted in a small depression, which, sometimes, is built on a natural slope. A rain garden is also a great option for stormwater management as it temporarily holds and soaks in rainwater runoff that flows from roofs, driveways, patios or lawns. In this episode, you’ll find not only ways to help the City accomplish it’s 1,000 rain garden goal, but you’ll learn step-by-step instruction on how to build a rain garden, and how to build a rain garden on a budget. City of Madison Engineering Division Public Information Officer, Hannah Mohelnitzky hosts Engineer Phil Gaebler and Greenway Vegetation Coordinator Maddie Dumas to explain what plants to select, how to measure and build a rain garden, in addition, to the most common mistakes to avoid.

Innovative ‘Green’ Way of Thinking about Infrastructure:

You’ve heard the buzz word, but what does it actually mean? Green Infrastructure: rain gardens, permeable pavement, green roofs, you name it. It’s infrastructure that works with the environment, and in our case, here in Madison, a forward thinking way of approaching stormwater and flood management. City of Madison Public Information Officer Hannah Mohelnitzky hosts engineers Phil Gaebler and Jojo O’Brien to talk about why the City is approaching this forward way of thinking and how City Engineering is working with residents to make it not only easy to install, but beneficial for everyone in the City.

Maximize your Soil Soak: EASY 5’ by 5’ DIY Project:

When we hear the term “Soil Amendments,” the first thought that comes to mind may not be an easy fix in the front yard. However, in this podcast episode, engineers explain simply how not only are soil amendments easy to do in your yard, but they have huge impacts to helping mitigate flooding if that’s an issue for your neighborhood. City of Madison Engineering Division Public Information Officer Hannah Mohelnitzky hosts engineers Phil Gaebler and Jojo O’Brien as they explain how residents should learn about soil amending, especially if they’ve never heard about it. They explain what tools residents need (not many) and how soil amendments make a huge impact.

Not a Hard Topic: Water Softeners:

A lot of residents want the feeling of soft water, the silky-hair-out-of-the-shower-feeling, which is possible with salt. However, have you ever thought of how much damage you’re doing thanks to the amount of salt you’re putting into your water softener? It’s a question City of Madison Engineering Public Information Officer Hannah Mohelnitzky asks to Water Resource Engineer Phil Gaebler and Wisconsin Salt Wise Coordinator Allison Madison, both experts in salt and salt reduction. Not only do they explain what sort of impact salt from your softener can have on the environment, they’ll tell you what to look for when deciding if you need to replace your softener.

The Price of a Perfect Green Lawn:

Having a green, lush, lawn makes for a beautiful visual, but at what cost? Some people use fertilizers, others use different means to make the perfect lawn cushy and vibrant. City of Madison Engineering Division Public Information Officer Hannah Mohelnitzky hosts City of Madison Engineering Division Engineer Phil Gaebler and Engineering Division Greenway Vegetation Coordinator Maddie Dumas to talk about the lasting impacts your lawn can have on the area lakes. They also share what sort of fertilizers you should look for, while also trying to support local waterways. Is it possible? That question is answered in this 20-minute episode that will get you closer to your perfect, green lawn.

‘Bee’ the Change for our Pollinators:

Have you heard what all the buzz is all about? The City of Madison is a Bee City USA and it’s busy season for our black and yellow pollinator friends! Our Engineering Division Crews are also busy tending to the pollinators and sharing why its important to support the pollinator habitat. Engineering Division Public Information Officer Hannah Mohelnitzky hosts the Engineering Division Greenway Vegetation Coordinator Maddie Dumas and Field Ecologist Emily Jorgenson to talk about how our division focuses on making the community bee-friendly and pollinator friendly. From new bee boxes and plant selection to learning about the “bad boys” of the pollinator world (wasps!), in 20 minutes learn how you can help the City continue to be a Bee City USA.

Roger Bannerman: A Stormwater Legacy:

It takes all of us to improve our stormwater system. It's a total team effort. But, if you have someone like the late Roger Bannerman leading the way through hard work and dedication, the difference for the community is huge. In this podcast episode, you will learn more in depth about Roger Bannerman, his passionate work that he accomplished for the City, and the strong influence he had on the stormwater community- which ultimately lead to the Rain Garden Initiative to be named after him. City of Madison Engineering Division Public Information Officer Hannah Mohelnitzky hosts Roger’s Wife, Jane Bannerman and Stormwater Engineer Phil Gaebler to discuss the impact Roger’s work made on the greater Madison area, including Wisconsin as a whole. You will also learn about the new rain garden that was dedicated to Roger on the corner of Fox Avenue and Sheldon Street, next to the Southwest commuter bike path in the City of Madison.

DIY Landscaping: Creating Solutions not Problems:

When we're in landscaping and yard season, a lot of people may be trying to cut cost by doing a lot of the work themselves. So we’re here to help you in a number of ways: so you don’t create more issues for yourself from a stormwater perspective and so you can landscape without worry so that you truly are improving your yard not only to beautify but also to improve the environment.

In this podcast episode you will learn how to landscape with a purpose by improving drainage around your home, which stormwater impacts you should be looking out for, what to do with yard waste and so much more. City of Madison Engineering Division Public Information Officer Hannah Mohelnitzky hosts Stormwater Engineer Phil Gaebler to discuss what people can do to help better their lawns while improving the stormwater infrastructure. You will also learn the impacts that salt, lawn chemicals and fertilizers have on your lawn as well as the environment.

Local Municipality + passionate Community Members= Huge Rain Garden Success:

Every little bit helps. The City of Madison has a 1,000 Rain Garden Goal, and if everyone plants just a little rain garden, not big or expensive, you can really help the whole stormwater system, however, in this episode, we talk about a big effort by some awesome watershed stewards, and they’re going to tell us how they did it. City of Madison Engineering Division Public Information Officer Hannah Mohelnitzky hosts Engineering Division Stormwater Engineer Phil Gaebler, Community Volunteer Sandy Stark to talk about the massive rain gardens, and how working together with local government can actually cut the cost for the community project.

Storm Drain Mural Program: Paint, Turtles, Birds, Otters:

Do you know where the water that washes down your storm drain goes? A Storm Drain Mural Program in Dane County, Wisconsin, is using art as a vessel to help teach students and communities about stormwater and where it goes. Dane County Land and Water Resources Department and the Madison Area Municipal Stormwater Partnership started the program, and over 40 murals are painted in spots across Dane County. Learn how you can get involved, use the interactive map with your kids on a perfect Saturday educational tour, and so much more in this 20 minute podcast episode with Dane County Land and Water Resources Department Coordinator Christal Campbell and City of Madison Engineering Division Stormwater Resources Engineer Phil Gaebler as they explain to host Engineering Division Public Information Officer Hannah Mohelnitzky why the program has been so successful, and how easy it is to apply to take part.

Lets Cut Down On Your Salt: Updates to the Madison Salt Ordinance:

The next time a winter weather event moves through the City of Madison, property owners will need to remove snow and ice from public sidewalks and lots on their property, or they could face a new fine. City of Madison Engineering Division Public Information Officer Hannah Mohelnitzky hosts Engineering Water Resource Engineer Phil Gaebler and City of Madison Building Inspection Director Matt Tucker to answer the questions about the changes to the new ordinance to help you avoid paying hundreds of dollars for putting down too much salt, or a contractor you hired. Catch all the information and answers in this episode.

It’s Brine Time:

A snowy mess moves into our area, and we look directly to our City of Madison snow professionals--- why? Because the snowy system impacts everything we have planned that day, our family’s plan, our work plan, children’s plans, school and any other extra activities. Snow removal is so important, and that process includes brine! However, brine can’t be used every snow system. City of Madison Engineering Division Public Information Officer Hannah Mohelnitzky hosts City of Madison Streets Division Assistant Superintendent Roger Kleist and City of Madison Engineering Division Water Resource Engineer Phil Gaebler to talk about when the right time is to brine.

What do Watershed Results Really Mean? :

The City of Madison Engineering Division is doing Watershed Studies—where the division’s engineers comb through the City of Madison, looking at where the stormwater infrastructure system can be improved to prevent or minimize flooding, and then present results of the studies to the public.

There has been a need for even more clarity, so in this episode, the City takes some time to dig into the results that we are presenting, and what they actually mean for planning—potential construction and really how they’ll be used moving forward toward finding long-term solutions to flooding in the City of Madison.

City of Madison Engineering Division Public Information Officer Hannah Mohelnitzky hosts City of Madison Engineering Division Principal Engineer of the Stormwater Section Janet Schmidt and Stormwater Engineer Jojo O’Brien.