GOLDEN SANDS RC&D: Tomorrow River Awareness

Purpose

Golden Sands RC&D proposes to administer a grant on behalf of Friends of the Tomorrow/Waupaca River, the funding to be used for public information, involvement and planning designed to enhance FOTWR's capacity to facilitate river protection. Major project elements to include: 1) River Clean-up Day, 2) Development of a newsletter, 3) Water quality monitoring training for volunteers, 4) Informational signs along roadways, 5) Educational materials re: conservation easements to landowners, 6) Strategic planning.

Objective

The Tomorrow/Waupaca River Watershed is 291-square-mile drainage basin located in the Wolf River Basin in Portage, Waupaca, and Waushara Counties in central Wisconsin. The watershed includes approximately 80 named lakes, including the Chain O’Lakes, a very prominent recreational and residential area consisting of 22 interconnected lakes. The watershed also includes several streams and rivers. The main river, named the Tomorrow River in Portage County and the Waupaca River in Waupaca County, runs for approximately 63 miles. The entire watershed supports a cold water sport fishery. (DNR Wolf Basin Partnership, 2001) Please refer to the attached map of the watershed. Prior to the successful application for this River Planning Grant from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the Friends of the Tomorrow/Waupaca River (FOTWR) had already been conceived, mostly to address numerous issues, such as road development and construction, loss of sensitive and significant ecosystems, non-point source pollution and housing and industrial development. With the help of the River Alliance of Wisconsin, Trout Unlimited, UWStevens Point, Golden Sands RC&D, the Villages of Nelsonville and Amherst, watershed residents and local businesses, the Friends of the Tomorrow/Waupaca River Watershed accomplished several things. These include a riverbank restoration project and wildflower buffer in the Town of Nelsonville, acting as an advocacy group to ensure protection of the river from adjacent Highway 10 construction, and providing information about conservation alternatives for shoreline development. As the final report for the 2005 WI DNR River Planning Grant (#RP-114-06), the original project deliverables, as outlined in the grant application, are listed below, along with a short summary of their status and accomplishments.

Related Reports

Run Project Summary Report
View Umbrella-Projects
View Related-Projects

River Grant
River Planning Grant
RP-114-06
2005
Complete
 
Reports and Documents
RP-114-06 final Report
 
Activities & Recommendations
Rivers Planning Grant
Golden Sands RC&D proposes to administer a grant on behalf of Friends of the Tomorrow/Waupaca River, the funding to be used for public information, involvement and planning designed to enhance FOTWR's capacity to facilitate river protection. Major project elements to include: 1) River Clean-up Day, 2) Development of a newsletter, 3) Water quality monitoring training for volunteers, 4) Informational signs along roadways, 5) Educational materials re: conservation easements to landowners, 6) Strategic planning.
Information and Education
Golden Sands RC&D proposes to administer a grant on behalf of Friends of the Tomorrow/Waupaca River, the funding to be used for public information, involvement and planning designed to enhance FOTWR's capacity to facilitate river protection. Major project elements to include: 1) River Clean-up Day, 2) Development of a newsletter, 3) Water quality monitoring training for volunteers, 4) Informational signs along roadways, 5) Educational materials re: conservation easements to landowners, 6) Strategic planning.
Grant Awarded
Golden Sands RC&D proposes to administer a grant on behalf of Friends of the Tomorrow/Waupaca River, the funding to be used for public information, involvement and planning designed to enhance FOTWR's capacity to facilitate river protection. Major project elements to include: 1) River Clean-up Day, 2) Development of a newsletter, 3) Water quality monitoring training for volunteers, 4) Informational signs along roadways, 5) Educational materials re: conservation easements to landowners, 6) Strategic planning.
Educate and engage residents
Golden Sands RC&D proposes to administer a grant on behalf of Friends of the Tomorrow/Waupaca River, the funding to be used for public information, involvement and planning designed to enhance FOTWR's capacity to facilitate river protection. Major project elements to include: 1) River Clean-up Day, 2) Development of a newsletter, 3) Water quality monitoring training for volunteers, 4) Informational signs along roadways, 5) Educational materials re: conservation easements to landowners, 6) Strategic planning.
Install Kiosk or Sign
Golden Sands RC&D proposes to administer a grant on behalf of Friends of the Tomorrow/Waupaca River, the funding to be used for public information, involvement and planning designed to enhance FOTWR's capacity to facilitate river protection. Major project elements to include: 1) River Clean-up Day, 2) Development of a newsletter, 3) Water quality monitoring training for volunteers, 4) Informational signs along roadways, 5) Educational materials re: conservation easements to landowners, 6) Strategic planning.
Develop/Distribute Newsletter
Golden Sands RC&D proposes to administer a grant on behalf of Friends of the Tomorrow/Waupaca River, the funding to be used for public information, involvement and planning designed to enhance FOTWR's capacity to facilitate river protection. Major project elements to include: 1) River Clean-up Day, 2) Development of a newsletter, 3) Water quality monitoring training for volunteers, 4) Informational signs along roadways, 5) Educational materials re: conservation easements to landowners, 6) Strategic planning.
Train Volunteers
Golden Sands RC&D proposes to administer a grant on behalf of Friends of the Tomorrow/Waupaca River, the funding to be used for public information, involvement and planning designed to enhance FOTWR's capacity to facilitate river protection. Major project elements to include: 1) River Clean-up Day, 2) Development of a newsletter, 3) Water quality monitoring training for volunteers, 4) Informational signs along roadways, 5) Educational materials re: conservation easements to landowners, 6) Strategic planning.
Hold Workshops
Golden Sands RC&D proposes to administer a grant on behalf of Friends of the Tomorrow/Waupaca River, the funding to be used for public information, involvement and planning designed to enhance FOTWR's capacity to facilitate river protection. Major project elements to include: 1) River Clean-up Day, 2) Development of a newsletter, 3) Water quality monitoring training for volunteers, 4) Informational signs along roadways, 5) Educational materials re: conservation easements to landowners, 6) Strategic planning.
 
Watershed
 
Waters