Winneconne

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

WWLAT MEETING: Jan. 31, 2024

On: January 22, 2024

In: 2022, army corps, Butte des Morts, Calumet, Event - FWWA, Fond du Lac, Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance, FWWA, habitat, Lake Management, lake management planning, meeting, menasha dam, neenah dam, notes, Poygan, water fluctuations, water level, Water quality, Waushara, Winnebago, Winnebago Waterways, Winneconne, WWLAT, WWLAT meetings, WWLAT Related Posts, WWP Event, WWP Meetings

If you would like to attend the Jan. 31, 2024 meeting either in-person or virtually, please RSVP to Katie Reed at katherine@fwwa.org or 920-851-6472 by 1/29/24. Thank you!

The Winnebago Water Level Assessment Team provides a collaborative opportunity for stakeholder representatives and experts to develop realistic and achievable water level recommendations and related goals that reasonably balance the top priorities of multiple system users and the health of the lakes.

Meeting details:
Date: January 31, 2024
Time: 9:00 am – 11:00 am
Facilitator: Katie Reed, Winnebago Waterways Program Coordinator, Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance, katherine@fwwa.org, (920)851-6472 & Jim Wickersham, Winnebago Waterways Program Director, jim@fwwa.org
Where: Virtual and In person options – In Person at Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance office in Appleton & Virtual Option (see agenda for details)

CLICK HERE for the meeting agenda

Check back here for the meeting notes and presentation slides after the meeting

To visit the WWLAT website for other meeting notes and updates, CLICK HERE.

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

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https://fwwa.org/2024/01/22/wwlat_2024_01_31/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=wwlat_2024_01_31

WWLAT MEETING: Sept. 27, 2023

On: October 2, 2023

Meeting details:
Date: September 27, 2023
Time: 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm
Facilitator: Katie Reed, Winnebago Waterways Program Coordinator, Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance, katherine@fwwa.org, (920)851-6472 & Jessica Schultz, Executive Director, Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance, jessica@fwwa.org
Location: Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance office in Appleton (see agenda for address)

CLICK HERE for the meeting agenda

CLICK HERE for the meeting notes and presentation slides

To visit the WWLAT website for other meeting notes and updates, CLICK HERE.

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

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https://fwwa.org/2023/10/02/wwlat_2022_09_29-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=wwlat_2022_09_29-2

October 2023 Strategy Meeting Notice

Army Corps: Oct 3, 2023

On: September 29, 2023

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?

Visit the WWLAT website: CLICK HERE

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

Volunteers Needed! Shoreline Buffer Demonstration Site Set To Be Installed at Marble Park, Winneconne

On: August 9, 2023

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

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

Water Quality Monitoring Season off to a good start!

On: June 29, 2023

In: fox-wolf, Fox-Wolf Basin, FWWA, Katie, lakes, monitoring, Outreach and Education, phosphorus, pollution, Poygan, program, reed, sediment, streams, system, volunteer opportunity, volunteers, Water quality, watershed, Winnebago, Winnebago Waterways, Winneconne

Our wonderful water quality monitoring volunteers have kicked off the 2023 monitoring season!

Volunteers are monitoring sites located throughout the Winnebago Waterways Recovery Area. During the growing season, volunteers monitor once a month for physical, chemical, and biological data as part of the Winnebago Waterways Water Quality Monitoring Program. Their hard work and effort results in data that allows us to monitor the water quality from month to month and year to year. Already this season, they’ve faced dry, rainy, and smoky/hazy conditions. Thank you for all you do water quality monitoring volunteers!!

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

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https://fwwa.org/2023/06/29/ww-wq-volunteers-2023-season-start/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=ww-wq-volunteers-2023-season-start

Meet Your 2023 Aquatic Invasive Species Education Team!

On: May 24, 2023

In: AIS, ais educators, aquatic invasive species, Butte des Morts, CBCW, Clean Boats, Clean Boats Clean Waters, clean drain dry, drain, Fond du Lac, Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance, FWWA, inspect, invasive, Lake Butte des Morts, Lake Poygan, Lake Winnebago, Lake Winneconne, never move, Outreach, Outreach and Education, prevention, remove, seasonal, Winnebago, Winnebago Lakes, Winnebago Waterways, Winneconne

Education Team Welcomes You to the Boat Launches

Every summer, the Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance and partner organizations across the state welcome new hires to help prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species. These new staff members help with the Clean Boats, Clean Waters Program and talk with water users at local boat launches. Thanks to a contract from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance was able to grow our aquatic invasive species program in the Winnebago Waterways by hiring five educators for Summer 2023! Take a minute to learn more about the seasonal team that is working directly to protect your local waters!

Tim – CBCW Coordinator

Tim joins the Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance doing the Clean Boats, Clean Waters project as the project Coordinator. He is a junior at UW-Oshkosh majoring in Environmental Studies, with a minor in Geography. He loves to be in his garden and outside; plants are kind of his thing! In addition to being at the boat launches this summer, Tim will be coordinating the CBCW Program including making schedules, checking in on with the Educators, and getting our data uploaded correctly!

Leah – AIS Educator

Leah is joining the CBCW crew as an AIS educator for her first year. She is a senior at the University of Wisconsin and is studying to finish a degree in Environmental Studies with a Geology minor. She has always loved being outside in nature. Growing up, she went camping and hiking a lot with her my mom and she would always pick up garbage. She is now dedicating her life to advocating for the needs of the Earth and for all other beings. She is thrilled to start her position with the Clean Boats, Clean Waters Program to help conserve our local waters.

Mikayla – AIS Educator

Mikayla returns for her second year with the Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance as an Aquatic Invasive Species Educator. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh with a Biology Degree. She is excited to be back this summer and meet some new boaters! Mikayla also works at a local YMCA as the Building Supervisor!

Lisa – AIS Educator

Lisa joins the Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance and the Clean Boats Clean Waters Program team as a first year Educator! Originally from New York City, Lisa has called Wisconsin home for over 30 years! For the past two years, she’s been located on a canal on Lake Winnebago in Oshkosh. Lisa ran her own Chiropractic office for 27 years. She is looking forward to working to protect her favorite place; the great outdoors!

Steve – AIS Educator

Steve Berholtz is working on his fifth year (!!) as a summer AIS employee with the main job of informing and educating boaters at various boat landings. Steve graduated in 1974 from UW-Oshkosh with a BS in Mathematics and a minor in Economics. He worked for 40 years for Canteen Vending and also put in 34 years in the Army Reserves. He loves to hunt pheasants in South Dakota and Wisconsin with his hunting dog, Skye. Steve wants to help improve and protect the Winnebago System for future generations!

If you’re a boater or angler, make sure to say hello if you see our team at your favorite boat launch!

Photo Credit: Tim Burns, Leah Fleury, Mikayla Wing, Steve Berholtz, Lisa Roth, Alyssa Reinke (Fox-Wolf), Chris Acy (Fox-Wolf)

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 Meet Your 2023 Aquatic Invasive Species Education Team! appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

https://fwwa.org/2023/05/24/meet-your-2023-aquatic-invasive-species-education-team-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=meet-your-2023-aquatic-invasive-species-education-team-2

Chris Acy

Ice-Out officially called for Lake Winnebago – April 6, 2023

On: April 27, 2023

In: 2023, ACOE, alliance, army corps, Butte des Morts, drawdown, fox-wolf, ice off, ice out, Lake, lake level, Lake Management, level, Outreach and Education, pool, Poygan, spring, summer, target, water, Water quality, watershed, Winnebago, Winnebago Waterways, Winneconne, winter, WWLAT Related Posts

Ice out on Lake Winnebago was officially called by the Army Corps of Engineers on April 6, 2023 as determined by MODIS satellite imagery. Ice out (aka ice off) is when ALL ice is gone from the lake surface as observed by satellite. This is important because ice out marks the date that the Army Corps transitions their management of Lake Winnebago from maintaining winter pool to focus on spring refill.

Ice out dates for Lake Winnebago 2006 to 2023 (Source: ACOE)

The Army Corps of Engineers – Chicago District manages water levels for Lake Winnebago by regulating outflow at the dams in Menasha and Neenah under the Federal Marshall Order of 1886. The Marshall Order is intended for flood risk management.

The Marshall Order defines the limits of regulation for Lake Winnebago:

May 1st to October 1st (navigation season):
- High end of limit: 3.45 ft.
- Low end of limit: 0.18 ft.

October 2nd to April 30th:
- High end of limit: 3.45 ft.
- Low end of limit: 1.68 ft

While meeting their mission of flood risk management is the priority, the Army Corps also tries to meet the needs of various stakeholders within their operating limits. This requires finding a reasonable balance among multiple competing interests. Each year, with stakeholder input, the Army Corps sets their annual regulation strategy which guides their daily management decisions.

Their annual regulation strategy represents that balance and can be broken down by certain times of the year: fall drawdown, winter pool, spring refill, and summer pool. Water level targets are set along this strategy in a schedule. These targets are listed in the Army Corps 2022 – 2023 Lake Winnebago Regulation Strategy (shown in the image below). The green band in the annual strategy represents the “target band”. The Army Corps tries to hold water levels within this band. The dotted lines represents the average lake level across all years as noted in the key.

Average Water Level for Lake Winnebago

Lake level for Lake Winnebago is an average of readings from four gages located around the lake and is in reference to the Oshkosh Datum.

Fall Drawdown: As of the 2021/2022 regulation strategy, fall drawdown has been scheduled to begin between Sept 1 and Oct 1 each year at the discretion of the Army Corps through an adaptive decision making process.

Winter Pool: Each February, the Army Corps evaluates basin conditions and the forecast to determine their winter drawdown target.

The Army Corps draws down Lake Winnebago every winter to reduce the risk of damage caused by ice shoves, protect shoreline properties, and provide enough space within the lake to hold excess water that flows into Lake Winnebago each spring (snow melt and rain storm runoff from a 5,900 square mile watershed). The 2023 winter drawdown target operating band for Lake Winnebago this year was 1.25 ft to 1.3 ft.

Spring refill: When the Army Corps determines ice out has occurred on Lake Winnebago based on satellite imagery, spring refill is triggered. For many boaters, people interested in habitat protection, and stakeholders working to restore the lakes, refill is of particular interest. According to the most recent annual strategy, refill targets are as follows:

May 1st – 2.5 ft (Operating band: 2.4 to 3.6 ft)
June 1st – 2.8 ft (Operating band: 2.7 to 3.9 ft)
June 15th – 2.9 ft (Operating band: 2.8 to 3.0 ft)

Summer Pool: The Army Corps tries to maintain the lake within a target band for summer recreation navigation.

The total seasonal water elevation change is typically about 1.8 ft in a given year.

Recent conditions:

Despite having all available gates open at the dams since March 6, 2023, the average level of Lake Winnebago has been well above the target band since the beginning of April. This is likely due to the lake not being drawn down far enough or early enough to accommodate spring runoff from snow melt and precipitation. When inflows to Lake Winnebago exceed outflow capacity of the gates, the lake begins to rise uncontrolled. Overshooting the target band increases risk of flooding, significantly damages habitat and limits water quality restoration gains (among other impacts).

A graph from April 21, 2023 shows the recent average lake level (dashed line). Hopefully, precipitation will ease up and the Army Corps will be able to regain control before too much damage is done to the wetlands and aquatic habitat.

Additional Water Level Related Information:

1.) Water Level Management for the Winnebago Waterways: This report describes water level management including the process of developing an annual strategy, the considerations for the strategy, and the reason the strategy (schedule) is in its current form. CLICK HERE for the report.

This report is part of a larger planning effort for the Winnebago Lakes. The rest of the lake plan can be found here: https://fwwa.org/lake-management-planning-2/

2.) Winnebago Water Level Assessment Team (WWLAT): This is a stakeholder group that holds discussions about water levels independent of the Army Corps public input process. The website for the Team provides information about the background, past recommendations, and more. Interested stakeholders are welcome to participate. Link: https://fwwa.org/winnebago-waterways/wwlat/

3.) The Army Corps provides access to a lot of data and information through their Lake Winnebago webpage: CLICK HERE

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

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