Weyauwega Lake-Waupaca River Watershed Nine Key Element Plan

Purpose

The Weyauwega Lake-Waupaca River Watershed is a subwatershed of the Wolf River Basin in Wisconsin and is located in southern Waupaca County. The watershed drains a total area of 20,742 acres with City of Waupaca on the west side and City of Weyauwega on the east end. Historically, the land in the area was covered with forests, prairie and wetlands. Waupaca County was home to the Menominee Indian Tribe before Europeans began to settle in the area in the early 1800’s. The farming and forestry industry in the area has led to clearing of forests and natural areas and draining of wetlands in the watershed. Farming, industry, and urban development have led to a decrease in water quality in the watershed. Waters in the Wolf River Basin are impaired due to excess phosphorus and total suspended solids. The Federal Clean Water Act requires states and authorized tribes to identify and restore impaired water bodies. A draft Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been developed for the Upper Fox and Wolf Basins to identify the sources of pollutants and the reductions necessary to address water quality impairments. The development of implementation plans for the subwatersheds of the Upper Fox and Wolf River Basin are necessary to meet the assigned daily loads of the TMDL. The dominant land use in the watershed is agriculture and is responsible for approximately 46% of the phosphorus load and 75% of the sediment load in the watershed. Wetlands and forest land have been cleared and drained to increase agricultural production in this area. A predominant focus on maximum production of all available acreage combined with a lack of awareness of the need for conservation practices and sustainable management of farmland in this area has led to significant sediment and nutrient loss from agricultural land.

Objective

Goal #1: Improve surface water quality to achieve Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources/Environmental Protection Agency water quality standards. Goal #2: Increase citizens’ awareness of water quality issues and active participation in stewardship of the watershed. Goal #3: Reduce runoff volume and flood levels during peak storm events. Goal #4: Conserve and restore aquatic and terrestrial habita

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Water Quality Planning
Nine Key Element Plan
NKE99
2019
Active
 
Reports and Documents
The Weyauwega Lake-Waupaca River Watershed is a subwatershed of the Wolf River Basin in Wisconsin and is located in southern Waupaca County. The watershed drains a total area of 20,742 acres with City of Waupaca on the west side and City of Weyauwega on the east end. Waters in the Wolf River Basin are impaired due to excess phosphorus and total suspended solids. The Federal Clean Water Act requires states and authorized tribes to identify and restore impaired water bodies. A draft Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been developed for the Upper Fox and Wolf Basins to identify the sources of pollutants and the reductions necessary to address water quality impairments. The development of implementation plans for the subwatersheds of the Upper Fox and Wolf River Basin are necessary to meet the assigned daily loads of the TMDL. The Weyauwega Lake-Waupaca River Watershed plan provides a framework to accomplish the following goals: Goal #1: Improve surface water quality to achieve Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources/Environmental Protection Agency water quality standards. Goal #2: Increase citizens awareness of water quality issues and active participation in stewardship of the watershed. Goal #3: Reduce runoff volume and flood levels during peak storm events. Goal #4: Conserve and restore aquatic and terrestrial habitat.
 
Activities & Recommendations
County Land and Water Management Plan
Waupaca County Land and Water Conservation Department is sponsoring a project to develop a Nine Key Element Watershed Plan for the Weyauwega Lake Watershed which is an impoundment of the Waupaca River in Weyauwega, Wisconsin Project final deliverables include: The Nine Key Element Watershed Plan is the primary deliverable in hard copy and electronic form. Specific project activities include: 1.Hire staff to write the Nine Key Element Plan in January through March 2018. 2. Convene stakeholder group for information, education and goal achievement recommendations before March 31st, 2018. 3. Run EVAAL, STEPL, and ACPF models to identify the high-risk non-point source areas within the watershed (late Spring/Summer 2018). 4. Establish partner network to assist with monitoring strategy with the Weyauwega-Fremont High School and WDNR to verify results (Summer 2018). 5.Create draft of Weyauwega Lake Nine Key Element Watershed Plan by October 2018. The report will summarize current conditions, provide comparisons to earlier information, projections for future conditions and potential risks, and recommendations for protection and restoration. 6. Update and distribute the Weyauwega Lake Nine Key Element Watershed Plan to WDNR and EPA by December 31st, 2018. Three hard copies will be sent to WDNR Water Resources staff along with the link to the electronic .pdf. 7. Provide list of stewardship groups, agencies, schools and municipalities receiving the report and copies of publications of the report in local newspapers to the WDNR Water Resources staff. 8. Provide dates, agendas, and minutes from meetings with municipality boards and WLR, Inc related to the Weyauwega Lake Nine Key Element Watershed Plan to WDNR Water Resources staff. 9. Provide a description of how the report will be distributed to watershed property owners to WDNR Water Resources staff (by December 31st, 2018).
Nine Key Element Plan
Weyauwega Lake-Waupaca River Watershed Nine Key Plan
 
Watershed
 
Waters