MARATHON COUNTY: 319 Match LMI - Riparian Restoration to Improve Water Quality and Habitat

Marathon CLWC Department (County) are sponsoring a grant to implement the Fenwood Creek 9-Key Element Plan, collaborate with Marathon County lake associations and riparian owners to restore near shore habitat throughout the county and build more stakeholders.

Final deliverables 1) Reduce phosphorus to streams by 50-90% in the Fenwood Creek Watershed by installing practices on 15 new farms over 3 years, focus on riparian buffers in the Fenwood Creek watershed to have at least 25,000 linear feet of 35 foot buffer and all agricultural land to meet a phosphorous index (PI) of 2.5 2) inventory agricultural lands with and without buffers 3) Monitor for TP and TSS to track nutrients in the watershed, and in 5 other streams in the county 4) Work with Lake Wausau Association to form a Lake Wausau Watershed group, 4) Conduct education events with landowners in the Big Eau Pleine Watershed and the county.

Project activities include: 1) Sample lake and stream water quality, 2) provide technical assistance and education 3) develop relationships with property owners in the county and watersheds 4) Implement the Marathon CLWR management plan, Fenwood Creek 9 Key Elements plan, Lake Wausau Protection and Improvement Plan, and Big Eau Pleine Strategies for Reducing Fish Kills Plan.

Special Conditions: 1) Collaborate and share with DNR all monitoring data, 2) Collaborate with Wisconsin Valley Improvement Company to sample tribs and lake water quality for the BEP, 3) Work closely with EPPIC and BEPCO and other lake associations to improve shoreline stability4) Semi-annual meetings with DNR water quality staff and the Wisconsin River TMDL Coordinator for updates and data sharing.

This scope summarizes the project detail provided in the application and does not negate tasks/deliverables described therein. Data, records, and reports, including GIS-based maps, and digital images, must be submitted to the Department in a format specified by the regional Lake Biologist.

Final Report and Products

• LPT 801 23_Progress Report_2023 [PDF 2 MB]