2018 Local Needs Provost Amherst Millpond
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Purpose

Amherst Millpond The Amherst Millpond (WBIC 268200) is an impoundment on the Tomorrow River (WBIC 270400; Class I trout stream) in the Village of Amherst, Portage County. There is a public boat landing, undeveloped parcels, and a county park on the east shoreline. Homes dominate the west shoreline. Reconstruction of the dam in 2016 required a drawdown. Repairs were completed in 2017. Prior to dam reconstruction, the Amherst Millpond was a 38 acre pond with a maximum depth of 7 feet. The substrate was 20% sand and 80% muck. During the drawdown, the muck was compacted and emergent vegetation took hold in most areas of the lakebed. Once the new dam was completed and the impoundment was allowed to fill back up, the emergent vegetation remained thus channelizing the river towards the east. The substrate in this new channel is now mostly gravel. Aerial photographical evidence clearly show channelization and significant emergent vegetation growth. There is substantial interest in the Amherst Millpond and its recent transformation by the local Trout Unlimited chapter, area residents, UW-Stevens Point researchers, and DNR water quality and fisheries staff. Many partnerships have developed between interested parties during several discussions and site visits to the Millpond. Through this project, we hope to continue to foster these partnerships and encourage citizen based monitoring efforts. Several area citizens and TU members have already expressed interest in such monitoring.

Objective

This proposed Local Needs project will allow us to monitor the recent changes on the Amherst Millpond. This project will have several components. 1.) The first being water quality monitoring upstream and downstream of the impoundment by citizen volunteers. This water quality data (i.e. CBM protocol) will allow us to understand how the pond is impacting the area aquatic communities, build public awareness, and enhance partnerships that will eventually work with County LWCD staff to address land use. 2.) We would also like to work more with a particular area resident who owns an unmanned aerial vehicle (i.e. drone)with imaging capabilities. He worked with us last fall to take photos of Amherst Millpond. We would like photos of the impoundment during the peak growing season and he has agreed to take them. 3.) In addition to this Local Needs project, we are also proposing a Directed Lakes project. The data acquired from both projects will help us build a comprehensive analysis of the Amherst Millpond and its recent transformation. For example, the data from the PI survey data in the Direct Lakes project will help us understand the pond's substrate. In this proposed Local Needs project, we would like to be able to map the substrate in order to demonstrate how the drawdown impacted lakebed constituents. 4.) The local DNR fisheries supervisor understands the significance of the Amherst Millpond transformation and has plans to conduct their own electrofishing survey. In addition, fisheries staff will be deploying temperature probes above and below the pond and in the middle of the pond. The data obtained from these DNR fisheries staff will be analyzed by water quality staff to help further our understanding of this transformation. 5.) This project will help to further cultivate local partnerships with locals and all other interested parties. 6.) Data obtained from the Direct Lakes project, this Local Needs project, and fisheries surveys will be used to write a final comprehensive report.

Outcome

The data from this proposed Local Needs project will be used in conjunction with the data from the related Directed Lakes project and will allow us to develop a comprehensive analysis of the recent Amherst Millpond transformation and ultimately enhance community awareness and participation in the watershed. This project will allow us to determine the effects of the drawdown on habitat, stream hydraulics and whether or not the aforementioned has created a channelize flow o stream water cool enough for cool to cold water fish species to survive year round or only during certain months. If this water is able to support trout, we can reclassify this stream to increase environmental protection and potentially receive more trout restoration money. It will also allow the Department to learn more about water level manipulation effects beyond typical habitat responses. A report will be finalized and uploaded to SWIMS at the completion of this project.

Study Design

Surveys and sampling will be conducted according to WisCALM and other pertinent DNR monitoring protocols.

Related Reports

Run Project Summary Report
View Umbrella-Projects
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Competitive Projects
Evaluation Monitoring
West_21_CMP18
2018
Proposed
 
Reports and Documents
AMherstLocal needs illustrative supplement - DRAFT
AMherstLocal needs illustrative supplement - DRAFT
 
Activities & Recommendations
Train Volunteers
Monitor Water Quality or Sediment
The data from this proposed Local Needs project will be used in conjunction with the data from the related Directed Lakes project and will allow us to develop a comprehensive analysis of the recent Amherst Millpond transformation and ultimately enhance community awareness and participation in the watershed.
 
Watershed
Waupaca River
 
Waters
Tomorrow River
Monitoring Data