Watershed - Fox River - Appleton (LF04)
Fox River - Appleton Watershed

Details

The Fox River - Appleton Watershed includes a 39 square mile (102 square kilometers) area of land in southcentral Calumet County. This includes the city of Appleton. The main tributary to the Fox River is Mud Creek and there are many unnamed tributaries. The headwaters were mainly agricultural and are rapidly becoming developed by industrial parks. This, of course, results in large increases of stormwater velocities to these streams. Construction of these new businesses also creates large erosion problems and heavy doses of sediment to the streams. In 1992 a watershed assessment was conducted by WDNR to determine the impacts of nonpoint source pollution on water quality. The Fox River - Appleton Watershed was ranked "High" for streams. The watershed is now eligible for selection as a priority watershed under the Wisconsin Nonpoint Source Pollution Abatement Program. There are two municipal point source dischargers and four industrial point source dischargers in the Fox River - Appleton Watershed: Appleton City, Heart of the Valley Metro. Sewerage District, Anchor Food Products, Foremost Farms USA Coop Appleton (2 facilities) and Thilmany Division International Paper.

Date  1999

Population, Land Use

Sewer service area plans are developed under Wisconsin Administrative Code NR 121 for cities, towns, villages etc., with populations exceeding 10,000. Plans are developed to control growth in outlying areas and to protect water quality of streams, wetlands, lakes, and groundwater. The 1995 census estimated 68,244 people in city of Appleton and an estimated population of 77,643 for 2015 (WDOA 1995 and ECRPC 1997). A Sewer Service area plan was developed for the Fox Cities (Appleton, Grand Chute/Menasha West, Heart of the Valley and Neenah/Menasha) by East Central Regional Planning Commission in 1979 and updated in 1990 and 1997

Date  1999

Ecological Landscapes for Fox River - Appleton Watershed

Ecological Landscapes

The Fox River - Appleton Watershed lies primarily in the Southeast Glacial Plains Ecological Landscape which makes up the bulk of the non-coastal land area in southeast Wisconsin. This Ecological Landscape is made up of glacial till plains and moraines. Most of this Ecological Landscape is composed of glacial materials deposited during the Wisconsin Ice Age, but the southwest portion consists of older, pre-Wisconsin till with a more dissected topography. Soils are lime-rich tills overlain in most areas by a silt-loam loess cap. Agricultural and residential interests throughout the landscape have significantly altered the historical vegetation. Most of the rare natural communities that remain are associated with large moraines or in areas where the Niagara Escarpment occurs close to the surface. Historically, vegetation in the Southeast Glacial Plains consisted of a mix of prairie, oak forests and savanna, and maple-basswood forests. Wet-mesic prairies, southern sedge meadows, emergent marshes, and calcareous fens were found in lower portions of the Landscape. End moraines and drumlins supported savannas and forests. Agricultural and urban land use practices have drastically changed the land cover of the Southeast Glacial Plains since Euro-American settlement. The current vegetation is primarily agricultural cropland. Remaining forests occupy only about 10% of the land area and consist of maple-basswood, lowland hardwoods, and oak. No large mesic forests exist today except on the Kettle Interlobate Moraine which has topography too rugged for agriculture. Some existing forest patches that were formerly savannas have succeeded to hardwood forest due to fire suppression.

Date  2010

Watershed Documents
Watershed Grants
Grant Details
Lake Protection Grant
Date
5/5/1997
Waters Involved
Daggets Creek
Status
Complete

Butte Des Morts Conservation Club, Inc: Acq-Lake Butte Des Morts Land Acquisition-Molinski Property: The Butte des Morts Conservation Club will acquire approximately 1,183 acres of land, including 13,000 feet of shoreline, situated on Lake Butte des Morts in Winnebago County to protect Lake Butte des Morts, and its fish and wildlife habitat. The property is primarily shallow marshland including cattails, sedges and grasses. It also includes 164 acres of upland containing trees and shrubs. The goals of the property's management plan focus on 1) the protection of the lake and the Winnebago Pool Watershed, 2) the protection and restoration of the property's plant communities and fish and wildlife habitat, and 3) allowing public access to the property for recreational purposes.


Grant Details
Lake Protection Grant
Date
5/5/1997
Waters Involved
Fox River
Status
Complete

Butte Des Morts Conservation Club, Inc: Acq-Lake Butte Des Morts Land Acquisition-Molinski Property: The Butte des Morts Conservation Club will acquire approximately 1,183 acres of land, including 13,000 feet of shoreline, situated on Lake Butte des Morts in Winnebago County to protect Lake Butte des Morts, and its fish and wildlife habitat. The property is primarily shallow marshland including cattails, sedges and grasses. It also includes 164 acres of upland containing trees and shrubs. The goals of the property's management plan focus on 1) the protection of the lake and the Winnebago Pool Watershed, 2) the protection and restoration of the property's plant communities and fish and wildlife habitat, and 3) allowing public access to the property for recreational purposes.


Grant Details
Lake Protection Grant
Date
5/5/1997
Waters Involved
Lake Butte des Morts
Status
Complete

Butte Des Morts Conservation Club, Inc: Acq-Lake Butte Des Morts Land Acquisition-Molinski Property: The Butte des Morts Conservation Club will acquire approximately 1,183 acres of land, including 13,000 feet of shoreline, situated on Lake Butte des Morts in Winnebago County to protect Lake Butte des Morts, and its fish and wildlife habitat. The property is primarily shallow marshland including cattails, sedges and grasses. It also includes 164 acres of upland containing trees and shrubs. The goals of the property's management plan focus on 1) the protection of the lake and the Winnebago Pool Watershed, 2) the protection and restoration of the property's plant communities and fish and wildlife habitat, and 3) allowing public access to the property for recreational purposes.


Grant Details
Lake Protection Grant
Date
5/5/1997
Waters Involved
Spring Brook
Status
Complete

Butte Des Morts Conservation Club, Inc: Acq-Lake Butte Des Morts Land Acquisition-Molinski Property: The Butte des Morts Conservation Club will acquire approximately 1,183 acres of land, including 13,000 feet of shoreline, situated on Lake Butte des Morts in Winnebago County to protect Lake Butte des Morts, and its fish and wildlife habitat. The property is primarily shallow marshland including cattails, sedges and grasses. It also includes 164 acres of upland containing trees and shrubs. The goals of the property's management plan focus on 1) the protection of the lake and the Winnebago Pool Watershed, 2) the protection and restoration of the property's plant communities and fish and wildlife habitat, and 3) allowing public access to the property for recreational purposes.


Grant Details
Lake Protection Grant
Date
5/5/1997
Waters Involved
Unnamed
Status
Complete

Butte Des Morts Conservation Club, Inc: Acq-Lake Butte Des Morts Land Acquisition-Molinski Property: The Butte des Morts Conservation Club will acquire approximately 1,183 acres of land, including 13,000 feet of shoreline, situated on Lake Butte des Morts in Winnebago County to protect Lake Butte des Morts, and its fish and wildlife habitat. The property is primarily shallow marshland including cattails, sedges and grasses. It also includes 164 acres of upland containing trees and shrubs. The goals of the property's management plan focus on 1) the protection of the lake and the Winnebago Pool Watershed, 2) the protection and restoration of the property's plant communities and fish and wildlife habitat, and 3) allowing public access to the property for recreational purposes.


Grant Details
Lake Protection Grant
Date
5/5/1997
Waters Involved
Wolf River
Status
Complete

Butte Des Morts Conservation Club, Inc: Acq-Lake Butte Des Morts Land Acquisition-Molinski Property: The Butte des Morts Conservation Club will acquire approximately 1,183 acres of land, including 13,000 feet of shoreline, situated on Lake Butte des Morts in Winnebago County to protect Lake Butte des Morts, and its fish and wildlife habitat. The property is primarily shallow marshland including cattails, sedges and grasses. It also includes 164 acres of upland containing trees and shrubs. The goals of the property's management plan focus on 1) the protection of the lake and the Winnebago Pool Watershed, 2) the protection and restoration of the property's plant communities and fish and wildlife habitat, and 3) allowing public access to the property for recreational purposes.


Grant Details
Targeted Runoff - Rural Construction
Date
1/1/2015
Waters Involved
Unnamed
Status
Complete

Outagamie County: Wagenson Farms: This grant provides funding and authorizes cost-share reimbursement by the department for the above named project as described in the grant application submitted for calendar year 2015 for the eligible best management practices listed below to address nonpoint sources of pollution. The cost-share reimbursement rate will be up to 70 % of the actual eligible installation costs, to the maximum amount contained in Part 2. Cost-share agreements (CSAs), with the appropriate operation and maintenance requirements, must be signed with any landowner involved if work is to be performed on privately owned land.


Grant Details
Targeted Runoff - Urban Construction
Date
1/3/2000
Waters Involved
Fox River
Status
Complete

City Of Appleton - Engineering: Bellaire Ravine: To provide 50% cost-sharing for eligible construction expenses of Bellaire Ravine project.


Grant Details
Urban Nonpoint - Stormwater Construction
Date
1/1/2004
Waters Involved
Mud Creek
Status
Complete

Town Of Grand Chute: Kools Pond/Spencer Street: to costshare at 30% land acquisition, design & construction of Kools detention pond


Grant Details
Urban Nonpoint - Stormwater Construction
Date
8/10/2005
Waters Involved
Unnamed
Status
Complete

City Of Appleton: 441 Regional Detention Pond: To cost-share construction of a regional wet detention pond to receive runoff from Basin NC08.


Grant Details
Urban Nonpoint - Stormwater Construction
Date
10/1/2005
Waters Involved
Unnamed
Status
Complete

Town Of Grand Chute: North Pond - Hickory Farm: To cost-share engineering and construction of an off-line wet detention pond.


Grant Details
Urban Nonpoint - Stormwater Construction
Date
10/1/2005
Waters Involved
Unnamed
Status
Complete

Town Of Grand Chute: South Pond - Hickory Farm: To cost-share engineering and construction of an off-line wet detention pond.


Grant Details
Urban Nonpoint - Stormwater Construction
Date
1/1/2008
Waters Involved
Unnamed
Status
Complete

City Of Appleton: Conkey Detention Pond: To cost-share design and construction of a wet detention pond to capture runoff upstream of Northland Creek and assist in meeting the pollution reduction goals of the City's Municipal Storm Water permit.


Grant Details
Urban Nonpoint - Stormwater Construction
Date
1/1/2008
Waters Involved
Unnamed
Status
Complete

City Of Appleton: Northland Avenue Biofilters: To cost-share design and installation of two biofilter devices adjacent to Northland Avenue to further the pollutant load reduction requirements of the City's Municipal Storm Water permit.


Grant Details
Urban Nonpoint - Stormwater Construction
Date
1/1/2009
Waters Involved
Unnamed
Status
Complete

City Of Appleton: Memorial Park South Wq Pond: To cost-share the eligible proportion of expenses for engineering services and construction of a water quality detention pond to be located within Memorial Park near the northwest corner of Ballard Road and Northland Avenue for controlling suspended solids and phosphorus suspended in urban runoff entering waters of the state.


Grant Details
Urban Nonpoint - Stormwater Planning
Date
1/1/2007
Waters Involved
Fox River
Status
Complete

City Of Appleton: Sw Management Plan Update: To cost-share storm water plan updating to include revisions in modeling analyses, performance expectation, and recommended practice installations.


Grant Details
Urban Nonpoint - Stormwater Planning
Date
1/1/2007
Waters Involved
Fox River
Status
Complete

City Of Appleton: Swmps For Municipal Facilities: To cost-share development and implementationof stormwater management plans for the specified municipal facilities.


Grant Details
Urban Nonpoint - Stormwater Planning
Date
1/1/2007
Waters Involved
Fox River
Status
Complete

City Of Kaukauna: Storm Water Planning: To cost-share to develop a comprehensive storm water plan, create appropriate ordinances, and establish a financing mechanism for runoff management activities.


Grant Details
Urban Nonpoint - Stormwater Planning
Date
1/1/2007
Waters Involved
Fox River Lock Channel-Kaukauna
Status
Complete

City Of Kaukauna: Storm Water Planning: To cost-share to develop a comprehensive storm water plan, create appropriate ordinances, and establish a financing mechanism for runoff management activities.


Grant Details
Urban Nonpoint - Stormwater Planning
Date
1/1/2005
Waters Involved
Unnamed
Status
Complete

Town Of Grand Chute: Stormwater Plan: development of stormwater plan for the Mud Creek drainage area within the Town's jurisdiction.


Grant Details
River Planning Grant
Date
7/1/2001
Waters Involved
Fox River
Status
Complete

Green Lake County: Fox River Water Quality Monitoring Project: Green Lake County's Department of Land Conservation proposes to conduct a water quality monitoring project on the Fox River, from the inlet of Lake Puckaway to Berlin. This project will provide a solid water quality inventory to be used as the basis for future implementation of BMPs within the watershed. The county is partnering with Fox-Wolf 2000 to not only develop a local interest group for the Upper Fox River, but also to enhance the existing Fox-Wolf 2000 group. A final report will detail all results and activities of this project.

The Department of Natural Resources will be provided with both a paper copy and an electronic copy of the final report.


Grant Details
River Planning Grant
Date
7/1/2010
Waters Involved
Fox River
Status
Complete

Green Lake County: Green Lake County Fox River Assn & Assessment Project: Green Lake County Land Conservation Department proposes to organize an official management organization with membership representing several municipalities as well as sportsman, recreational and business users along the Fox River. Specifically, Green Lake County will establish a network of volunteers to collect water quality data, host river tours and cleanup days, develop by-laws, appoint a Board of Directors for the newly formed River Association, and develop a river management plan to guide future preservation and restoration efforts. The project elements and deliverables will be completed as described in the project proposal submitted to the Department and dated April 27, 2010.


Grant Details
River Planning Grant
Date
3/15/2023
Waters Involved
Fox River
Status
Complete

Fox Wolf Watershed Alliance: Swe - Education & Awareness Through The Fox-Wolf Watershed Cleanup: Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance proposes to provide education and awareness in the Lower Fox River watershed by coordinating a trash cleanup event for the water resources.

Specific project deliverables include: 1) Purchase supplies needed for cleanup event; 2) Report cleanup results.

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 Stream Biologist.


Grant Details
River Planning Grant
Date
3/15/2023
Waters Involved
Little Lake Butte Des Morts
Status
Complete

Fox Wolf Watershed Alliance: Swe - Education & Awareness Through The Fox-Wolf Watershed Cleanup: Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance proposes to provide education and awareness in the Lower Fox River watershed by coordinating a trash cleanup event for the water resources.

Specific project deliverables include: 1) Purchase supplies needed for cleanup event; 2) Report cleanup results.

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 Stream Biologist.


Monitoring & Projects

Projects including grants, restoration work and studies shown below have occurred in this watershed. Click the links below to read through the text. While these are not an exhaustive list of activities, they provide insight into the management activities happening in this watershed.

Grants and Management Projects
Fox River - Appleton Watershed
Watershed Recommendations
Best Management Practices, Implement
Outagamie County Nonpoint Source Pollution Reduction BMPs
Date
Status
This project is a landowner installation of nonpoint source best management practices to contribute to the restoration of Wisconsin's waters and was funded by the 319 grant. Specifically, the grantee will implement: a manure storage system; heavy use area protection; roof runoff systems; subsurface drains; and wastewater treatment strips.
1/1/2018
In Progress
Projects
 
Best Management Practices, Implement
Apple Creek Watershed Large-scale TRM
Date
Status
This project promotes nonpoint source best management practices to contribute to the restoration of the Apple Creek Watershed and was funded by the 319 grant.
1/1/2018
In Progress
Projects
 
Best Management Practices, Implement
Winnebago County Stormwater Quality Modeling Update
Date
Status
This project promotes nonpoint source best management practices to contribute to the restoration of Wisconsin?s waters and was funded by the 319 grant. Storm water planning activities will be undertaken by the municipality and will result in the following products: updated construction erosion control ordinance; updated storm water ordinance for new development and re-development; other new ordinances that affect runoff from the developed urban area; and an updated storm water management plan for part of the developed urban area.
1/1/2018
In Progress
Projects
Documents
 
Best Management Practices, Implement
Outagamie County Nonpoint Source Pollution Reduction BMPs
Date
Status
Outagamie County Nonpoint Source Pollution Reduction BMPs
1/1/2017
In Progress
Projects
Documents
 
Best Management Practices, Implement
Outagamie County - Upper Duck Creek TMDL Implementation
Date
Status
This project is an installation of nonpoint source best management practices to contribute to the restoration of Wisconsin?s waters and was funded by the 319 grant. Specifically, the grantee will implement: critical area stabilization, filter strips, grade stabilization, cover and green manure cropping, residue management, riparian buffers, waterway systems, and water and sediment control systems to remedy discharges of manure, sediment and phosphorus in runoff entering waters of the state and address the following NR 151 Agricultural Performance Standards and Prohibitions:sheet, rill, and wind erosion; tillage setback; and phosphorus index.
1/1/2017
In Progress
Projects
 
Best Management Practices, Implement
Outagamie County Farm BMPs
Date
Status
This project is a landowner installation of nonpoint source best management practices to contribute to the restoration of Wisconsin's waters and was funded by the 319 grant. Specifically, the grantee will implement: a manure storage system and a waste transfer system to remedy discharges of manure, sediment and phosphorus in runoff.
1/1/2017
In Progress
Projects
 
Best Management Practices, Implement
Outagamie County Nonpoint Source Pollution Reduction BMPs
Date
Status
This project is a landowner installation of nonpoint source best management practices to contribute to the restoration of Wisconsin's waters and was funded by the 319 grant. Specifically, the grantee will implement: a manure storage system, a waste transfer system, and a milking center waste control system to remedy discharges of manure, sediment and phosphorus in runoff.
1/1/2017
In Progress
Projects
 
Best Management Practices, Implement
Outagamie County Notice of Discharge
Date
Status
This project is a landowner installation of nonpoint source best management practices to contribute to the restoration of Wisconsin's waters and was funded by the 319 grant. Specifically, the grantee will provide 70% cost-sharing to the grantee to assist landowner(s) / operator(s) in addressing the sources of direct runoff to an unnamed tributary of the Black River, as cited in the Notice of Discharge.
5/23/2016
In Progress
Projects
 
Best Management Practices, Implement
Outagamie County Beef Farm BMPs
Date
Status
This project is a landowner installation of nonpoint source best management practices to contribute to the restoration of Wisconsin's waters and was funded by the 319 grant. Specifically, the grantee will implement: a manure storage system, a barnyard runoff control system, roof runoff systems, underground outlets, a waste transfer system, and wastewater treatment strips.
1/1/2016
In Progress
Projects
Documents
 
Best Management Practices, Implement
Outagamie County - Plum & Kankapot Creeks
Date
Status
This project is an installation of nonpoint source best management practices to contribute to the restoration of Wisconsin's waters and was funded by the 319 grant.
1/1/2015
In Progress
Projects
Documents
 
Best Management Practices, Implement
Greenville - Rain Garden Retrofits
Date
Status
This project is an installation of nonpoint source best management practices to contribute to the restoration of Wisconsin?s waters and was funded by the 319 grant. Specifically, the grantee will implement: rain garden retrofits.
1/1/2015
In Progress
Projects
Documents
 
Control Streambank Erosion
Garners Creek - Buchanan Road Stream Restoration
Date
Status
Garners Creek - Buchanan Road Stream Restoration
1/1/2017
In Progress
Projects
Documents
 
Monitor Fish Tissue
Confirm FCA: IW pre-2000 data
Date
Status
117900 name Lower Fox River (Depere Dam To Middle Appleton Dam) TMDL ID 150 Start Mile 7.39 End Mile 32.18
11/21/2011
Proposed
 
Monitor Water Quality or Sediment
Unnamed Tributary to Fox River Biology fIBI
Date
Status
Category 3 water with a single 'Poor' fIBI. Further monitoring recommended. AU: 5690561; Station ID: 10044954
5/1/2018
Proposed
Projects
 
Stormwater Planning, Implementation
Omro - Stormwater Management Plan Update
Date
Status
This project promotes nonpoint source best management practices to contribute to the restoration of Wisconsin's waters and was funded by the 319 grant. Storm water planning activities will be undertaken by the municipality and will result in the following products: updated construction erosion control ordinance; updated storm water ordinance for new development and re-development; other updated ordinances that affect runoff from the developed urban area; updated storm water management plan for the entire developed urban area; and a new storm water management plan for new development.
1/1/2018
In Progress
Projects
 
Stormwater Planning, Implementation
Harrison - Stormwater Planning
Date
Status
This project promotes nonpoint source best management practices to contribute to the restoration of Wisconsin?s waters and was funded by the 319 grant. Storm water planning activities will be undertaken by the municipality and will result in the following products: other new ordinances that affect runoff from the developed urban area; development and implementation of a new financing mechanism for funding the storm water program; updated storm water management plan for the entire developed urban area; and a new storm water management plan for new development.
1/1/2018
In Progress
Projects
 
Stormwater Planning, Implementation
Commerce Court Pond Expansion and Storm Sewer Installation
Date
Status
Commerce Court Pond Expansion and Storm Sewer Installation
1/1/2016
In Progress
Projects
Documents
 
Fox River - Appleton WatershedWatershed History Note

The Hearthstone Historic House Museum is located in Appleton in the Fox River- Appleton watershed. On September 30, 1882, it became the first residence in the world to be powered by a centrally located hydroelectric system using the Edison system. On that date the Appleton Paper and Pulp Company and the Kimberly-Clark Vulcan Paper Mill were also lit. Only Hearthstone survives. This was the first time in the world that several buildings were lighted with a central hydroelectric station using the Edison system. It is possible that Hearthstone is the sole surviving example of wiring and fixtures in their original location from the dawn of the electrical age. At that time the house was the residence of Henry James Rogers, a paper company executive and banker. It was designed by William Waters, a prominent Fox Valley turn-of-the-century architect. He gained national recognition for his Wisconsin building at Chicago's 1893 World Columbian Exposition. In the 1930s it was a public restaurant called The Hearthstone because of its nine fireplaces The Hearthstone House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. In 1986 the City of Appleton considered razing the building. A grass-roots effort by 13 or more Appleton residents raised enough money to purchase the property in December 1986, saving it from destruction. The group formed the Friends of Hearthstone, Inc. and opened the home as a museum emphasizing its Edison heritage. The building is being restored to the historic era 1880-1895. Today guests from throughout the country and the world tour this amazing example of early domestic electricity.

Date  2010