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Watershed Project

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In: 2023, erosion, Fox-Wolf Basin, Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance, FWWA, habitat, Lake, Lake Management, Lake Winnebago, lwcd, phosphorus, phosphorus removal, project, recreation map, recreational use, restoration, Stream, streambank, survey, Water quality, Watershed Project, wetland, Winnebago, Winnebago Waterways, Wisconsin, wwpHomeProject

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance is implementing conservation projects to protect our waters for future generations. Help us prioritize future restoration projects and strengthen funding requests by telling us how you enjoy the lakes!

Please be specific – we are interested in the areas you use the most (we are looking to improve your spots, not steal them!). The map will be made public but your name will not be tied to the points you add.

To get started, please click the button “Take the Survey Now!” or use the QR Code on the right.

Once on the map, click the “Edit” icon located on the upper left corner underneath the search bar. The icon looks like a list with a pencil. Select the type of activity that you would like to add, then click on the map where you do this activity to add it.

Add as many points as you’d like, keeping in mind we are interested in the areas most important to YOU. Adding an area that covers a whole lake is not as helpful as adding three points of the areas you fish the most and the boat launch you use to access it.

If you enjoy our waters in a way not listed, please select the most similar activity or select “other”, and add a description of the activity in the notes.

Thank you for your help and participation!

Take the Survey Now!

Contact Katie R with any questions or concerns at katherine@fwwa.org

Winnebago Waterways is a Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance recovery initiative. Contact us at wwinfo@fwwa.org

The post Tell us where and how you use the waterways! appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2024/01/15/recreationsurvey/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=recreationsurvey

Katie Reed

On:
In: 2023, erosion, Fox-Wolf Basin, Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance, FWWA, habitat, Lake, Lake Management, Lake Winnebago, lwcd, phosphorus, phosphorus removal, project, restoration, Stream, streambank, Water quality, Watershed Project, wetland, Winnebago, Winnebago Waterways, Wisconsin, wwpHomeProject

Project Overview

In 2020, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) developed a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for the Upper Fox and Wolf River (UFW).  A TMDL is a calculation of the maximum amount of a pollutant that a body of water can absorb and still meet water quality.  The TMDL was utilized in the creation of the EPA’s Nine Key Elements (9KE). Within the 9KE there is a requirement for reductions in pollution to meet water quality goals.  The goals within this plan are to reduce Total Phosphorus (TP) which also relates to the reduction of Total Suspended Solids (TSS) such as erosion and flooding.

Approximately 34% of the reduction from the TMDL needs to come from the Winnebago Waterways Recovery Area with 51% of that reduction assigned to agriculture.  Alteration in farming practices and structural changes will help make reductions.

Currently, a missing piece in the TMDL and draft 9KE plan is streambank erosion. Streambank erosion is lumped in with agricultural loading estimates and required reductions in the TMDL. In some watersheds, we anticipate streambank erosion being a significant contributor to the total TMDL agricultural load. We need to inventory the streambanks in each HUC12 so that we can estimate potential TP/TSS reductions that could come from stabilizing streambanks to stop streambank erosion and to prioritize project locations. Stabilizing streambanks would be paired with efforts to increase infiltration on the land to reduce the volume and rate of flow that damages streambanks during storm events.

For this project, we will begin by completing streambank inventories in the four highest loading HUC12s located within the WWRA. The pollutant load from these HUC12s significantly contributes to water quality impairments of the streams within each HUC12, the Winnebago Lakes, and Lake Michigan. In addition to providing loading estimates from streambank erosion, this project also seeks to identify and prioritize potential locations for future restoration projects to help reduce nutrient loading and protect or enhance existing habitat. Going forward, this project will serve as a template for completing future streambank inventories for the remaining 28 HUC12s located in the WWRA.

Target HUC12 Subwatersheds in the 2023 Streambank Erosion Inventory

HUC12 to be Inventoried                                HUC12 Code                                Stream Miles

Town of Dale-Rat River                                      040202022102                                         60

Eldorado Marsh-Fond Du Lac River                 040302020204                                         63

Lake Poygan – Willow Creek                             040302022006                                          88

Pipe Creek – Frontal Lake Winnebago            040302020303                                          91

Project Timeline

In the Spring of 2023, a method was developed using GIS to determine streambanks to be physically inventoried as they are representative of the HUC12 they are located in. The method developed has been recorded in SOP#1: Streambank Erosion Inventory Desktop Review so it can be duplicated.

Fieldwork was accomplished in the summer of 2023. Streambank information from the desktop review was utilized to complete a physical inventory of these sections.

December 2023 – February 2024: Streambank Inventory Data Analysis was developed along with the extrapolation. These tools will allow an estimation of sediment loss and load & phosphorus loss and load for an entire watershed.

Project Funding & Partners

Winnebago Waterways is a Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance recovery initiative. Contact us at wwinfo@fwwa.org

The post Prioritizing stabilization projects using streambank erosion inventories in the Fox-Wolf River Basin appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2024/01/11/streambank-inventory/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=streambank-inventory

Katie Reed

On:
In: Agriculture, andy kiefer, conservation, conservation champions, cover crops, Fox-Wolf Basin, Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance, GLRI, huebner farm, in progress, Keepers of the Fox, kesler farms, land and water, low disturbance manure application, Lower Fox River, manure injection, no-till, Outagamie County, outagamie county land conservation, regenerative, seven oaks dairy, soil health, Water quality, Watershed Project

As we come to the conclusion of the Fox Farmer Conservation Champions grant, the outcomes of this initiative to promote sustainable farming practices are becoming increasingly evident. The collaboration between Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance, Outagamie County Land and Water Conservation Department (LWCD), and local producers have not only yielded successful results but have also fostered trust and a shared commitment to the journey toward enhanced soil health.

Despite the conclusion of the grant this winter, the enthusiasm among local farms remains palpable. The prospect of experimenting with new ideas and implementing previously successful strategies underscores the enduring commitment of producers to soil health practices.  And producers beyond those enrolled in the grant project are on board.    Due not in a small part to the influence of the project’s farmers, many surrounding farms are installing cover crops with and without cost-share payments. The commitment the participating farms have to soil health practices has been one of the project’s most noted successes. This commitment is shown by both expanding soil health practices on acres outside those under contract and continuing practices on acres that no longer receive cost share from this grant or others. Soil health practices are beyond the minimum requirement of cover crops and no-til and are being incorporated as part of each farm’s operation.  At first, the different practices seemed challenging or an extra step, for example buying seed or finding someone to drill in cover crop directly after harvest.  With each year, the farms were able to better manage these challenges or “extra steps.”  Now planting cover crop, for example, is almost fully incorporated into their mindsets.

A triumph of this initiative lies not only in tangible outcomes such as acres implemented but in the relationships and trust woven between farms and project staff. The willingness of producers to confront challenges head-on, coupled with their commitment to learning and adaptation

paints a vivid picture of the great work our these and other local farmers are undertaking. Thanks to funding and investments in planning resources, producers are empowered to navigate obstacles, forging a resilient path rather than abandoning sustainable practices. The harmony between producers and project staff reflects a shared dedication to the soil health journey.

As we wrap up this Great Lakes Restoration Initiative project that started back in 2019, the success stories and lessons learned from this collaborative venture resonate as a model to replicate in other grant projects. The commitment to innovation and adaptability by the producers and the strong relationships established between producers and project staff have demonstrated the need for conservation staff to support producers in adopting soil health practices. With each growing season, agricultural conservation work across the basin shows that by sowing the seeds of collaboration and sustainability, the harvest reaped is one of resilience, prosperity, and environmental stewardship.

These efforts are possible through a GLRI grant focused on:

  • Continuing to build on conservation momentum in the Plum and Kankapot subwatersheds by providing support to producers by Outagamie County Land Conservation Department staff
  • Working with Conservation Champions to overcome the hurdles of consistent implementation of cover crops, no-till, and low disturbance manure injection and
  • Tracking successes and challenges and communicating best practices to other local producers

Questions? Want to learn more? Contact the Lower Fox River Watershed Program Director, Katie Woodrow, at katie@fwwa.org

Questions? Contact us:

Basin Agriculture Coordinator: Justin Loehrke, 920.841-6938 or justin@fwwwa.org

Climate Smart Agriculture Project Manager: Katie Woodrow, 920.915.5767 or katie@fwwa.org

To receive periodic updates on these projects as well as many others, please subscribe to our newsletters: CLICK HERE

The post Sowing Success: Fox Farmers Wraps Up appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2023/12/19/fox-farmers-wraps-up/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=fox-farmers-wraps-up

Katie Woodrow

On:
In: 1000 islands, 2023, Event - FWWA, Event - Non-FWWA, focus on the fox, fox river, Fox-Wolf Basin, Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance, kaukauna, Keepers of the Fox, Lower Fox, Lower Fox River, Outreach, Outreach and Education, september, TFW, trash, trash free waters, trashfreewaters, Urban Stormwater, volunteer, volunteer opportunity, Volunteer Spotlight, volunteers, Watershed Project

For the second year, Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance has partnered with 1000 Islands Environmental Center for their Focus on the Fox event. Focus on the Fox is a family-friendly event that celebrates World Rivers Day and the Fox River. Activities offered during the event include guided crayfish and critter hunting, guided nature hikes along the Fox River, fishing instructions for children with the KHS Fishing Team, Fox Lock demonstrations – Lock #3 with shuttle available, paper making, photo scavenger hunt, viewing of “The Power of the River” documentary, and river cleanup with Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf’s Trash Free Waters program began recruiting cleanup volunteers for the event back in July and we were excited to see that registration filled during the week prior to the event. Amcor employees made up a majority of the group, along with a Boy Scout troup and other conservation-minded volunteers.

During the cleanup from 10 a.m. to noon, volunteers worked hard cleaning up trash and debris from sites within 1000 Islands and nearby locations in downtown Kaukauna. In total, volunteers removed 27 bags of trash, 1,034 cigarette butts, 130 plastic bags, and 53 straws. After weighing up all of the trash, the total was 134 pounds of trash and debris! Other interesting finds include: a tire with rim, orange cone, metal trash can lid, fireworks, baseball, tarp, and a container with two hard-boiled eggs from Costco. Check out the infographic!

All of us at Fox-Wolf appreciate the continued partnership with 1000 Islands Environmental Center in Kaukauna. To learn more about 1000 Islands, visit https://1000islandsenvironmentalcenter.org/

For more information, please contact:
Kelly Reyer
Trash Free Waters Program Coordinator
Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance
✉ kelly@fwwa.org
📞 920-915-1502

Support Trash Free Waters
Join the Trash Free Waters Email List

The post Volunteers Remove Over 100 Pounds of Trash During Focus on the Fox Event in Kaukauna appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2023/09/26/onhs-students-improve-water-quality-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=onhs-students-improve-water-quality-2

Kelly Reyer

On:
In: Butte des Morts, columbia park, cost share, county, demo site, diversions, fish sticks, Fond du Lac County, Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance, FWWA, grant, habitat, Healthy Lakes, katie reed, korin doering, Lake Management, lakes, lakeshore, lwcd, native plantings, Poygan, rain gardens, restoration, shoreland, shoreline, Watershed Project, WI DNR, Winnebago, Winnebago Waterways, Winneconne, Wisconsin, Wolf River

Visitors to Marble Park in Winneconne, Winnebago County can soon stop by three native plant beds to enjoy beautiful native plants! Installation is scheduled to start on August 22, 2023. We anticipate needing volunteers to help the remainder of the week (Aug 22-23). If you are interested in volunteering to help install and plant these beds, please fill out the following form and select “Shoreline Planting/Work Crew”. We look forward to seeing you at the park!

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance partnered with the Village of Winneconne to install the native plant beds. The goal of this project is to increase the adoption and installation of native shoreline plantings around the Winnebago System. We are excited to see the project come together and watch the plants grow!

Shoreline property owners are eligible to receive reimbursement of up to $1000 to install this type of best management practice through a Wisconsin DNR Healthy Lakes and Rivers grant by partnering with Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Come check out what this shoreline best management practice looks like, what the requirements are for the Healthy Lakes and Rivers Grant, and what shoreline property owners can expect from the process of planning, installing, and maintaining the native plant beds.

Under a Healthy Lakes and Rivers grant, native plantings must:

  • Total 350 contiguous square feet,
  • Be at least 10 feet wide in any direction,
  • Be adjacent to the shore,
  • Follow the Healthy Lakes requirement for number of native plants and species.

A Healthy Lakes native planting project can augment an existing area of shoreline vegetation under certain circumstances.

The demonstration site at Marble Park will meet all of these requirements, and is intended to give shoreline property owners a good idea of what to expect from their native plantings, while also educating visitors about how native plantings can improve wildlife habitat, natural beauty, and decrease runoff into the Wolf River.

The Demonstration Site will showcase three different plant lists: a low-growing bed showcasing species that grow <5 ft tall, a shoreline edge bed with species that thrive close to the water and a pollinator bed which will showcase species specifically intended to attract pollinators.

If you have any questions or are interested in installing a Healthy Lakes native plant bed on your shoreline property, please contact Katie Reed at katherine@fwwa.org or 920-851-6472.

Funding for this project was provided by the Winnebago Waterways Program at Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance and the WI Department of Natural Resources. Project partners include the Winnebago Waterways Program at Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance and the Village of Winneconne.

Winnebago Waterways is a Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance recovery initiative. Contact us at wwinfo@fwwa.org

The post Volunteers Needed! Shoreline Buffer Demonstration Site Set To Be Installed at Marble Park, Winneconne appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2023/08/09/marble-park-demo-site/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=marble-park-demo-site

Katie Reed

On:
In: business, cleanup, Fox-Wolf Basin, Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance, Give Opportunities, Outreach, Outreach and Education, team, team building, TFW, trash, trash free waters, Urban Stormwater, volunteer, volunteer opportunity, volunteers, Watershed Project

Have you ever heard of a win-win-win? Well, scheduling a team-building cleanup with the Trash Free Waters program does just that. This private cleanup event will help to strengthen employee relations, clean up our natural environment, and support continued Trash Free Waters efforts in northeast Wisconsin. It’s lots of fun too! There are several options to choose from. Strengthen employee relations, connect outside the office, and make an impact by protecting our water resources! Let Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance host your next team building event. Click to get started!

All team-building events include:

  • Snack
  • Event Coordination
  • Team-building exercise
  • All cleanup supplies (gloves, bags, grabbers, etc.)
  • Post-event graphic to share with event attendees and on social media

Option 1
On-Land Collective Cleanup (up to 10 participants per business)
This collective option allows small groups to join a mini-cleanup. Fox-Wolf staff may partner you with up to two additional organizations.
Cost: $400 per business

Option 2
On-Land Cleanup (up to 25 participants)
Cost: $1,000

Option 3
On-Land Cleanup (up to 50 participants)
Cost: $1,500

“I was one of about 14 participants in an event to clean up our riverside parks in Neenah! It was a beautiful day, made even better by the camaraderie and good deeds for the community. Kelly was super upbeat and helpful throughout the whole event! Really enjoyed spending time with my coworkers, cleaning up the parks in the city I call home.”

Team-Building Cleanup Volunteer, Plexus Corporation

For more information, please contact:
Kelly Reyer
Trash Free Waters Program Coordinator
Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance
✉ kelly@fwwa.org
📞 920-915-1502

Support Trash Free Waters
Join the Trash Free Waters Email List

The post Team-Building Mini Cleanups are a Win-Win-Win appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2023/07/10/volunteers-play-cleanup-bingo-at-23-walleye-weekend-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=volunteers-play-cleanup-bingo-at-23-walleye-weekend-2

Kelly Reyer

On:
In: Barrel, Bay of Green Bay, build, community, Event, Event - FWWA, EVENT - NEWSC, Fox-Wolf Basin, Green Bay, Keepers of the Fox, Keepers of the Fox Event, NEW Water, NEWSC, northeast wisconsin, opportunity, Outreach and Education, project, rain, rain barrel, stormwater, Upper Fox River, Urban Stormwater, Watershed Project, Workshop

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2023/05/23/build-your-own-rain-barrel-workshop-june-17th-2023/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=build-your-own-rain-barrel-workshop-june-17th-2023

Alyssa Reinke

On:
In: bay, breakwall, Butte des Morts, Butte des Morts Conservation Club, conservation, Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance, FWWA, habitat, island, Lake Butte des Morts, rock, samers, Terrell Island, Terrell's Island, terrells, trail, TS restoration update, wall, Water quality, Watershed Project, Winnebago, Winnebago Waterways

Information from the Butte des Morts Conservation Club – original post here: Butte des Morts Conservation Club Facebook

Terrells Island Trails will be open to the public starting Monday, May 8th, 2023. Trails are open from sunrise until one hour before sunset, unless otherwise posted.
Please Note: Trail is no longer a loop. There is a turn around.
*Frank & Alice Kachur Trail is 2.1 miles one way
*Schoolhouse Trail is 1.5 miles one way
  • Please throw away all trash in receptacle at trail entrances
  • Pets should be leashed and remove/clean up all animal waste
  • Anglers – no fishing from bridge-leave no trash behind
Enjoy!
Terrells Island & Samers Bay Restoration Project Webpage

Winnebago Waterways is a Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance recovery initiative. Contact us at wwinfo@fwwa.org

The post Terrells Island Trails to Open on May 8, 2023 appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2023/04/25/terrells-island-trails-2023/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=terrells-island-trails-2023

Katie Reed

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