ATC

Energizing Your Future

Notes from the Field – Branch River Substation a haven for pollinators

Posted on October 9, 2018 10/9/18

Editor’s note: September in northeastern Wisconsin. Fall colors start to hint at future glory, native plants go to seed, providing nourishment for wildlife, while delicate asters and black-eyed Susans remain to offer bursts of color on the landscape. In wetter years, mosquitoes also make a bold stand and swarm alongside the butterflies and bees that are drawn to any of the many American Transmission Co. Pollinator planting sites. It’s the quintessential summer swan song.

ATC environmental project managers traverse hills and countryside monitoring construction activities year-round. They are the eyes and ears in the field, working with contractors to ensure that we demonstrate our environmental commitment.

Our Notes from the Field blog features highlights of what our environmental project managers see while they work on projects throughout our service area. This installment features photos and observations from Erika Biemann, ATC senior environmental project manager.

Prior to joining ATC, Erika worked for the City of Milwaukee and an engineering consulting firm. Biemann’s experience includes environmental project management, environmental site investigations, remediation, hydrogeology and waste management.

Biemann holds a bachelor of arts degree in biology with an emphasis in environmental studies from Lawrence University and a master of science degree in biological sciences from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Biemann’s graduate research focus was limnology and aquatic biology.

Biemann enjoys volunteering through ATC’s Green Team and Days of Caring programs. Biemann also is involved in school parent organizations and helps manage youth sports teams.

 

The Branch River Substation, Town of Cato, Wis., was placed in service this year. But long before the power began flowing, environmental assessments, site-specific engineering and a comprehensive planting and drainage plan were developed by the project team. Members of the team recently visited the site to view progress.

Filed under: Blog, What's Current
View of the driveway and west wet-detention basin to the south. The basin is fully restored and functioning well. Nice view of the landscape to the west, southwest, as well as the transmission circuits west of the station. A rock-check dam in a stormwater diversion swale to the north of the substation pad. These dams serve to slow down and filter stormwater before it enters the storage ponds and infiltration basins constructed near the southeast and southwest corners of the site. This image also captures the annual grasses used the restore the swale. The site is now fully restored and re-vegetated. Images of black-eyed Susan near the end of its blooming period – Black-eyed Susan is one of the flowering species included in the prairie seed mix used to restore more than 6 acres to the north of substation. This seeding is now in year two and is developing as anticipated. Images of black-eyed Susan near the end of its blooming period – Black-eyed Susan is one of the flowering species included in the prairie seed mix used to restore more than 6 acres to the north of substation. This seeding is now in year two and is developing as anticipated. Goldenrods and asters are late-summer blooming species that are noticeable around the site. View of the eastern edge of the substation and stormwater pond in the distance Construction Coordinator Rick Pieper explains some unique circuit configurations at the site while a mosquito eagerly listens. Leo Linnemanstons, AECOM, lead environmental consultant for the project, and I check restoration and function of an off-site drainage feature. Because of area topography and site constraints, there are drainage easements off-site to the east and west to disseminate overflow from on-site stormwater facilities if needed. View of the infiltration basin to the east of the substation. Recent heavy rains had caused this basin to fill. However, the water is expected to slowly infiltrate as has been observed earlier in the summer. This late-summer native pollinator is finding plenty of nectar on the grounds. This appears to be a long-horned bee, which specializes in foraging on aster species, such as the “little white” aster in the photo. Reflection of a newly-installed transmission-line structure in one of the site’s two wet-detention basins. Observing the stability of south edge of the substation and southern stormwater collection swales. View of rock-check dams in succession within the prairie area at the east side of the site. View of the east wet pond outlet structure with stone protection. Filtered overflow from this structure would discharge to the eastern drainage easement. Early-successional species such as velvet leaf and foxtail will eventually be replaced by stable prairie species (like big and little bluestem grasses) used to restore the additional land purchased and graded to the north of the substation.