This project is ultimately aimed at improving the water quality of Delavan Lake. The watershed of Delavan Lake is 26,000+ acres, 23.9% of which comes from the Brown's Channel sub-watershed. Nutrients from this watershed flow into Delavan Lake by way of Brown's Channel. Delavan Lake has a high watershed-to-lake area ratio of 13:1. The high input of nutrients from this large watershed makes Delavan Lake very vulnerable to eutrophication. If the community can obtain this land and proceed with watershed improvements it is hoped that it will pave the way for additional watershed protection initiatives and extend their efforts to reduce the nutrients and suspended solids that enter Delavan Lake.

Photos and maps of the location of the Brown Parcel.

Photos and maps of the location of the Odling Parcel.

Recent Delavan Lake watershed monitoring efforts have indicated that high concentrations of suspended sediment continue to enter Brown's Channel via the South Shore Drive road culvert as a result of significant rainfall events that have occurred during the spring and summer of 2013. Therefore, the Town of Delavan requested that an evaluation of the Brown's Channel Tributary and its Watershed be completed to preliminarily identify potential sources of sediment and to make recommendations for future action with regard to reducing the rate of sedimentation in Brown's Channel prior to undertaking any additional dredging efforts.

The Delavan Lake Sanitary District (DLSD) will use this grant to pay for part of the purchase of 18 lots along Browns Channel, part of Delavan Lake, located in the Town of Delavan. The project includes the Brown parcel (1.38 acres) and the Odling Parcel (0.30 acre), zoned Lowland Conservation District (C4). The parcel borders other DLSD lands under protection. The DLSD will manage two invasive species, buckthorn and bush honeysuckle and other woody vegetation through yearly removal or cutting, with the goal of removing 80% within three years of property purchase. Native species will be planted in areas that non- native species are removed. Bank stabilization and stream channel habitat improvement projects will also take place.

1.68 acres of land was acquired along Delavan Lake - Brown's Channel.

The Delavan Lake Sanitary District (DLSD) will use this grant to pay for part of the purchase of 18 lots along Browns Channel, part of Delavan Lake, located in the Town of Delavan. The project includes the Brown parcel (1.38 acres) and the Odling Parcel (0.30 acre), zoned Lowland Conservation District (C4). The parcel borders other DLSD lands under protection.