The public was encouraged to sign up for these groups as part of the Watershed Public Information Series that happened earlier this summer. However, if anyone wants to attend the focus group meetings and did not sign up during the public information meetings, residents should feel free to attend any of the scheduled meetings in their neighborhood at their designated date and time. The Engineering Division worked with alders, and residents to find a date, location and time that worked for the specific areas.

The Engineering Division is leading eight watershed studies this year, which are located on the west and near west side. A watershed is an area of land where precipitation that falls on it, drains to a common waterway, such as a stream or lake. The watershed acts like a funnel by collecting all the water within the area and channeling it to a single point.

These focus group meetings are the next step in the watershed studies process.

During the focus group meetings, Engineers will meet with groups of residents on site, in specific areas hit the hardest by flooding in the past few years, including the August 2018 flood event. The purpose of the first round of focus group meetings will be to gather flooding information based on residents' experiences.

The meetings are expected to take one hour, and most meetings will be held outside, rain or shine, in a walk-and-talk format. If rain is predicted, please dress and accessorize appropriately with umbrellas, jackets and proper footwear.

City Engineers or the consultants building the drainage models will facilitate the group. If anyone needs accessible accommodations, or a translator present, please connect with the respective project manager for the watershed, which can be found on the City's flooding website.

The following focus group meetings are set in Madison:

Pheasant Branch Watershed Focus Group Meetings

• SW Blackhawk Pond, 7-8 p.m., Sept. 4, Bear Claw Way and Winding Way
• North Blackhawk Pond, 7-8 p.m., Sept. 5, Swallowtail Park, 901 Swallowtail Drive
• Menards Area, 11 a.m.-noon, Sept. 17, sidewalk on Plaza Drive near Pet Smart Parking Lot, 8210 Plaza Drive
• Old Sauk and Westfield, 11 a.m.-noon, Sept. 18, North Westfield Road and Walnut Grove Drive
• Wexford Village, 3-4 p.m., Sept. 25, Tramore Trail and Sawmill Road
• Junction Ridge, Attic Angel, 3-4 p.m., Sept. 26, Reid Drive and McGuffey Drive
• Old Sauk Trails, 11 a.m.-noon, Sept. 26, GHC Parking Lot, 8202 Excelsior Drive
• Tamarack Trails, 9-10 a.m., Sept. 27, Tamarack Trails Club House Parking Lot, 110 S Westfield Road

Spring Harbor Watershed Focus Group Meetings

• Mineral Point Park to Owen Park, 4-5 p.m., Aug. 28, Corner of Quarterdeck Dr and the bike path, about 150 feet north of the intersection of Landfall Dr and Quarterdeck Dr on the east side of the street
• Owen Park Concrete Channel, 6-7 p.m., Aug. 29, Corner of Forsythia Pl. and Bordner Drive
• Regent Street, Burnett Drive and Calumet Circle, 4-5 p.m., Aug. 29, Corner of Burnett Drive and S. Kenosha Drive
• Baker Avenue, Lake Mendota, 2-3 p.m., Aug. 30, Outside Marbella Tennis Court gates near corner of South Yellowstone Drive and Mineral Point Road
• Oakwood Village Association, 2-3 p.m., Sept. 18, inside meeting room of Oakwood Village Center for Arts and Education
• Bordner Park, 6-7 p.m., Sept. 19, Bordner Park Playground, 5600 Elder Place in center of park