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Fond du Lac River Priority Watershed
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General
Watershed Characteristics
The Fond du Lac River Watershed drains approximately 250 square miles,
of which 209 square miles is in Fond du Lac County and 41 square miles in
Winnebago County. The Winnebago County portion of the watershed
encompasses the lower half of Van Dyne Creek and several other smaller
intermittent tributaries to Lake Winnebago. The watershed also includes
the southern half of the city of Oshkosh.
Agriculture
is the predominant land use in the watershed. It comprises almost 62% of
acres in the Fond du Lac River Watershed. Dairy farming, grain farming,
and the production of crops for canning dominate the agricultural land
use. |
Project
Goals
Sediment Reduction:
40%
Phosphorus Reduction:
40%
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Project
Status
The Fond du Lac River Watershed was selected as a Priority Watershed in
1995 and planning began in 1996. Inventory results showed sediment and
nutrient delivery from agricultural fields was the most significant source
of non-point pollution in the watershed. The Winnebago Comprehensive
Management Plan listed the watershed as being the single highest
contributor of sediment to the Winnebago System. After an 18-month
planning period, the Land & Water Conservation Board approved the
watershed plan in December 1997. Signing of landowner cost-share
agreements for the installation of Best Management Practices could have
began in the latter part of 1998, but the uncertainty of state funding
prevented this until 1999.
To date
there are 82 signed cost-share agreements in the Fond du Lac River
Watershed. This represents 6,823 acres that are signed up for
conservation tillage. These acres result in a sediment reduction of
11,326 tons per year and 16,989 pounds of phosphorus saved each year.
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For more information, please contact Melanie Leet, FDL Project Manager,
at (920) 232-1950.
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