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In: army corps, Boating, Butte des Morts, Community & Events, dam, drawdown, Event - Non-FWWA, fishing, Fox-Wolf Basin, Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance, FWWA, Lake and River Management, lake level, Lake Management, Lake Winnebago, management, menasha dam, non-Fox-Wolf, Poygan, Projects and Programs, regulation, strategy, water level, Winnebago Waterways, Winneconne, winter, WWLAT ACOE

TheTheT The Army Corps of Engineers has announced details of their upcoming Winnebago 2026 Lake Winnebago Winter Coordination Video Conference which is open to the public: Feb. 18, 2026 - Lake Winnebago Winter Coordination Video Conference Army Corps website: https://www.lrd.usace.army.mil/Missions/Projects/Article/3623884/lake-winnebago/ DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS, CHICAGO [...]

The post Army Corps: Winter 2026 Call – Feb. 18, 2026 appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2026/02/03/acoe-winter-2024-strategy-call-notice-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=acoe-winter-2024-strategy-call-notice-2

Katie Reed

On:
In: 2024, AIS, aquatic invasive species, Boating, Butte des Morts, Fox River Navigational System Authority, invasive, Lake Butte des Morts, Lake Poygan, Lake Winnebago, Lake Winneconne, little lake butte des morts, menasha lock, Outreach, round goby, watershed, WDNR, Winnebago, Winnebago Lakes, Winnebago Waterways

Cost for Electric Fish Barrier Significant, Board Votes to Stop Project

Original Story: Fox River Navigation System Authority

The Fox River Navigational System Authority (FRNSA) board voted in late June to halt work on the Menasha lock re-opening project, with no set date for resuming development of an electric barrier in the lock channel.

The Menasha lock (located between Lake Winnebago and Little Lake Butte des Morts) had been the most-used lock in the system between Lake Winnebago and Green Bay. After the discovery of a round goby below the Neenah dam in 2015, FRNSA voluntarily closed the lock in an effort to keep the invasive fish out of Lake Winnebago. Since then, the round goby has become abundant in the Fox River and Little Lake Butte des Morts.

The FRNSA has spent more than $750,000 on a proposed electronic barrier which would have allowed boats to pass through the lock, but emit a DC current to repulse fish from entering the lock channel.

However, with an installation cost of $7 million, plus an annual operating cost of $300,000-$400,000, the FRNSA board voted to stop work on the project. Since 2015, FRNSA has been working with experts in aquatic ecosystem management to design a plan using a system of an electric deterrent barrier and water flow regulation at the Menasha lock. Board members indicated further work on the proposal was not within the organization’s budget.

Prior to closing the Menasha lock, it had been the busiest lock on the system; now the DePere lock is the busiest. The locks are the only way the Fox River is navigable—from Menasha to the Bay of Green Bay the river drops in elevation 168 feet. From the Menasha lock to the Rapide Croche lock the river has 17 miles of navigable water. On the northern end of the river from Rapide Croche to the Bay of Green Bay the river is navigable for 20 miles.

“Our goal has always been to restore navigation of the Fox River through the lock system, but we also want to ensure we are protecting the waterways,” Ramlet said. He added FRNSA has maintained a testing program for invasive species for years.

Photo Credit: FRNSA

Questions? Comments? Contact Chris Acy, the AIS Coordinator covering Brown, Outagamie, Fond du Lac, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties at (920) 460-3674 or chris@fwwa.org!

Follow the Fox Wolf Watershed Alliance’s Winnebago Waterways Program on our Winnebago Waterways Facebook page or @WinnWaterways on Twitter! You can also sign-up for email updates at WinnebagoWaterways.org.

Winnebago Waterways is a Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance program. The Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance is an independent nonprofit organization that identifies and advocates effective policies and actions that protect, restore, and sustain water resources in the Fox-Wolf River Basin.

Check out the Keepers of the Fox Program at https://fwwa.org/watershed-recovery/lower-fox-recovery/

Reporting invasive species is a first step in containing their spread. Maintaining and restoring our waters and landscapes can reduce the impacts even when we don’t have other management options to an invasive species.

The post Menasha Lock Re-Opening Plans Put On Hold Indefinitely appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2024/07/02/menasha-lock-re-opening-plans-put-on-hold-indefinitely/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=menasha-lock-re-opening-plans-put-on-hold-indefinitely

Chris Acy

On:
In: Barb Huberty, Boating, fishing, Kelsey Prihoda, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Minnesota Sea Grant, sailing, St. Louis River recreation, swimming in the St. Louis River, Todd Furo, where to swim

Trolling for muskie in the St. Louis River. Image credit: Todd Furo

Between the Fond du Lac Dam and Minnesota and Wisconsin points, the St. Louis River Estuary is becoming a destination for many types of water recreation. Thanks to pollution remedies and controls combined with habitat restoration, the river is cleaner than it has been in decades.

Despite these improvements, there are still safety hazards people should consider before recreating in the estuary. Whether people swim, paddle, hunt waterfowl, fish, sail or pleasure cruise on the river, local partners including the St. Louis River Area of Concern Coordinators and Sea Grant Programs in Minnesota and Wisconsin offer a web page with tips for appropriate precautions.

A shorter, “quick tips” fact sheet with similar information can be downloaded from here.

“We receive a lot of inquiries from people who want to know if it’s safe to swim in the estuary now,” said Barb Huberty, St. Louis River Area of Concern coordinator with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. “I reached out to the Sea Grant programs for help because of their community connections and communications expertise. We worked since last fall to gather input on what should be included in the fact sheet and web page from various water safety and harbor groups, and we are happy to have compiled information to give people.”

The text was written by Kelsey Prihoda, Great Lakes transportation extension educator with Minnesota Sea Grant. Editing and design services were provided by Wisconsin Sea Grant, which also distributes the information.

The post Heading for the St. Louis River? Local groups offer water safety tips first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

Original Article

News Releases | Wisconsin Sea Grant

News Releases | Wisconsin Sea Grant

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/heading-for-the-st-louis-river-local-groups-offer-water-safety-tips/

Marie Zhuikov

On:
In: 2024, AIS, angling, aquatic invasive species, Boating, conservation, fishing, Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance, FWWA, invasive, invasive species, Lake Butte des Morts, Lake Poygan, Lake Winnebago, Lake Winneconne, Spiny Waterflea, waterflea, Winnebago, Winnebago Lakes, Winnebago Waterways

Additional Monitoring Reveals No Other Spiny Waterfleas

Following up from a spiny water flea finding in Lake Winnebago in 2022, the WI Department of Natural Resources and local partners conducted extensive monitoring for spiny water fleas through the summer and fall of 2022. Biologists were searching for additional adult spiny waterfleas as well as eggs that would have been laid in the sediment of the lake. Following analysis of the samples collected, we are please to report that no evidence of spiny waterflea were found which includes not finding any eggs!

This is fantastic news for our waterways! Currently, there is no evidence that the spiny waterfleas found in 2022 were able to establish a population in Lake Winnebago. Ongoing monitoring by UW-Green Bay as part of the Fox River Navigational System Authority (FRNSA) AIS Monitoring Program will continue to keep an eye out for spiny waterflea and other invasive species.

Remember- an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. It’s easy to help prevent the spread of all aquatic invasive species between lakes. No matter what lake or river you visit, follow these steps to protect your wild places:

Spiny waterflea on a fingertip

· Inspect equipment (boats, fishing line, etc.) for attached aquatic plant, animals, or mud

· Remove all attached plants or animals

· Drain all water from buckets and containers

· Never move live fish away from a waterbody (fish out of water = dead)

Photo Credit: Riley Schultz (UWGB), WI Sea Grant, Donn Brandstrator (UM-Duluth), Chris Acy

Questions? Comments? Contact Chris Acy, the AIS Coordinator covering Brown, Outagamie, Fond du Lac, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties at (920) 460-3674 or chris@fwwa.org!

Follow the Fox Wolf Watershed Alliance’s Winnebago Waterways Program on our Winnebago Waterways Facebook page or @WinnWaterways on Twitter! You can also sign-up for email updates at WinnebagoWaterways.org.

Winnebago Waterways is a Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance program. The Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance is an independent nonprofit organization that identifies and advocates effective policies and actions that protect, restore, and sustain water resources in the Fox-Wolf River Basin.

Check out the Keepers of the Fox Program at https://fwwa.org/watershed-recovery/lower-fox-recovery/

Reporting invasive species is a first step in containing their spread. Maintaining and restoring our waters and landscapes can reduce the impacts even when we don’t have other management options to an invasive species.

The post Update: 2022 Spiny Waterflea Findings in Lake Winnebago appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2024/04/24/update-2022-spiny-waterflea-findings-in-lake-winnebago/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=update-2022-spiny-waterflea-findings-in-lake-winnebago

Chris Acy

On:
In: army corps, Boating, Butte des Morts, dam, drawdown, Event - Non-FWWA, fishing, Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance, FWWA, lake level, Lake Management, Lake Winnebago, management, menasha dam, Poygan, regulation, strategy, water level, Winnebago Waterways, Winneconne, winter, WWLAT ACOE, WWP Event

Feb. 8, 2024 – Winter Strategy Conference Call Notice

Army Corps website: https://www.lrc.usace.army.mil/Missions/Water-Management/Lake-Winnebago/

Interested in joining other stakeholders in ongoing discussions about water levels in the Winnebago System?

The Winnebago Water Level Assessment Team (WWLAT) provides a collaborative opportunity for stakeholder representatives and experts to develop realistic and achievable water level strategy recommendations and related goals that reasonably balance the top priorities of multiple system users and the health of the Winnebago System. This team is led separately from the Army Corps public input process by Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance. Recommendations from the WWLAT are submitted to the Army Corps to help inform the Corps regulation of Lake Winnebago.

Visit the WWLAT website: CLICK HERE

The post Army Corps: Winter 2024 Call – Feb. 8, 2024 appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2024/01/24/acoe-winter-2024-strategy-call-notice/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=acoe-winter-2024-strategy-call-notice

Katie Reed

On:
In: army corps, Boating, Butte des Morts, dam, drawdown, Event - Non-FWWA, fishing, Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance, FWWA, lake level, Lake Management, Lake Winnebago, management, menasha dam, Poygan, regulation, strategy, water level, Winnebago Waterways, Winneconne, winter, WWLAT ACOE, WWP Event

October 2023 Strategy Meeting Notice

Army Corps website: https://www.lrc.usace.army.mil/Missions/Water-Management/Lake-Winnebago/

Interested in joining other stakeholders in ongoing discussions about water levels in the Winnebago System?

The Winnebago Water Level Assessment Team (WWLAT) provides a collaborative opportunity for stakeholder representatives and experts to develop realistic and achievable water level strategy recommendations and related goals that reasonably balance the top priorities of multiple system users and the health of the Winnebago System. This team is led separately from the Army Corps public input process by Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance. Recommendations from the WWLAT are submitted to the Army Corps to help inform the Corps regulation of Lake Winnebago.

Visit the WWLAT website: CLICK HERE

The post Army Corps: Oct 3, 2023 appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2023/09/29/acoe-fall-2023-strategy-meeting/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=acoe-fall-2023-strategy-meeting

Katie Reed

On:
In: appleton locks, Boating, fox locks, Fox Locks in the News, fox river, Fox River Navigational System Authority, Important information, Press Releases

Attention boaters–all four Appleton locks are closed to boat traffic as of 6.12.22. Repairs are needed to lock 3 to replace rotted boards on the giant lock gates. Our team is hard at work to get this done as quickly as possible and we hope to re-open by the Fourth of July. If you have any questions, please contact our offices at 920-455-9174.

Original Article

Blog – Fox Locks

Blog – Fox Locks

http://foxlocks.org/2022/06/15/appleton-locks-closed-to-traffic/

Fox Locks

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In: appleton locks, Boating, fox locks, Fox Locks in the News, fox river, Fox River Navigational System Authority, Important information, Press Releases

June 30th, 2022 UPDATE: The Appleton, Cedars, Little Chute and Combined locks will be open this weekend and will operate until 11:00PM on July 3rd and 4th!

Little Rapids and De Pere will be open until midnight on July 4th!

Original Post June 15th

Attention boaters–all four Appleton locks are closed to boat traffic as of 6.12.22. Repairs are needed to lock 3 to replace rotted boards on the giant lock gates. Our team is hard at work to get this done as quickly as possible and we hope to re-open by the weekend of the 4th of July.

We are fixing a sink hole in the levee at Little Chute, so that lock and Combined Locks are closed this weekend, June 18 & 19. Stay tuned to our website and Facebook page to find out when these locks will re-open.

If you have any questions, please contact our offices at 920-455-9174.

Original Article

Blog – Fox Locks

Blog – Fox Locks

http://foxlocks.org/2022/06/15/appleton-locks-closed-to-traffic/

Fox Locks

On:
In: Beaches, Boating, Paddle Sports and Sailing, Boating, COVID-19, Feature Homepage, Great Lakes, James Proffitt, lake erie, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Lake Ontario, Lake Superior, Latest News, Recreation
Great Lakes Breakdowns: There’s a thin line between affordable and not for boat tows

When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, millions of Americans suddenly found themselves out of work or working remotely, their recreational options severely limited with the closure of bars, eateries, gyms and countless public spaces.

So what better way to spend time with family while remaining socially distanced than buying a boat and hitting the water?

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/09/great-lakes-boat-tow-affordable-expensive/

James Proffitt

On:
In: Boating, boating fox river, Events, fox locks, fox river boating, fox river locks, Important information, Press Releases

Boat traffic through the lock system on the lower Fox River is up over past years, an indication that regional residents are choosing recreational activities closer to home during this time of pandemic. In June of 2020, a total of 1,250 motorized and non-motorized crafts passed through the lock system carrying 5,055 passengers. This is more than twice the number of boats through the locks than at the same time in 2019.

            “We’ve had steady growth in lock usage in recent years, but this level of traffic shows us that regional residents are becoming more familiar with the lock system and spending more time on the water,” said Jeremy Cords, CEO of the Fox River Navigational Authority (FRNSA). The Authority manages the 17 locks on the lower Fox River.

            Usage statistics show the following trends:

 BoatsNon-motorizedTOTALPassengers
June 201880640 8463674
June 2019545285732661
June 202011638712505055

            For this past 4th of July weekend, 156 boaters passed through the locks compared to 94 boaters in 2019. 

            Of the 39-mile lock system about 25 miles are open for navigation. Boaters can travel from the bay of Green Bay to the Rapide Croche lock just south of Wrightstown. The river is also navigable from the Rapide Croche lock south through Little Lake Butte des Morts to the closed Menasha lock. Both the Menasha lock and the Rapide Croche lock are closed to prevent the spread of invasive species.

            “As we open more stretches of the river to navigation, we expect these trends will continue to grow for both boaters and pedestrians interested in the lock system,” Cords said. Right now, work is underway to restore the Veterans Memorial Bridge in Kaukauna to working order, which will open the five locks in Kaukauna to boater traffic. Work is expected to be complete in 2021.

            The Menasha lock will remain closed to prevent the spread of the invasive round goby. An electric barrier has been proposed for this lock to prevent the fish from entering the Lake Winnebago watershed and research is currently underway to assess the effects of a barrier on all the life stages of the fish.

            The lock system on the Fox River is one of the only fully restored, hand-operated lock systems in the nation. From 2005-2015 the Fox River Navigational System Authority (FRNSA) restored 16 of the 17 locks on the system at an investment of $14.5 million. 

            A 2017 economic impact study conducted by the University of Wisconsin—Oshkosh indicated the lock system could generate as much as $290 million in total economic output over a ten year period and generate as many as 6,300 additional jobs. The study further indicates a fully operational lock system could generate $99 million in additional business investment over the same time period.             The Fox Locks operate through Labor Day 2020. 

Original Article

Blog – Fox Locks

Blog – Fox Locks

http://foxlocks.org/2020/07/28/fox-river-locks-usage-increases-in-june-2020/

Fox Locks

On:
In: Beaches, Boating, Paddle Sports and Sailing, Boating, Buffalo, Cleveland, COVID-19, Duluth, freighters, Gary Wilson, industry, Industry, Energy, Economic Development, lake erie, Lake Superior, Latest News, Minnesota, New York, News, Ohio, Recreation, Tourism and Culture, recreational fishing, Recreational Hunting and Fishing, shipping, Shipping and Ports, Tourism
Fishing and Freighters: Great Lakes industries take COVID-19 economic hit

Lake Erie fishing charters reel from stay at home orders, and lake freighters idle due to industry shutdowns.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/04/covid-19-coronavirus-fishing-freighters-great-lakes-industries/

Gary Wilson

On:
In: anglers, Beaches, Boating, Paddle Sports and Sailing, Boating, Cleveland, COVID-19, fishing, James Proffitt, lake erie, Latest News, Michigan, Municipalities, News, Ohio, Recreation, Recreation, Tourism and Culture, Recreational Hunting and Fishing, The States
COVID-19 Complaints: Out-of-towners coming to fish in spite of stay home orders

Residents and locals aren't happy with the number of non-residents coming to town to fish without adhering to social distancing measures.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/04/covid-19-coronavirus-complaints-anglers-out-of-towners/

James Proffitt