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The Nature Conservancy in Wisconsin Press Releases
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Chris Anderson
(608) 381-0746
canderson@tnc.org

The Nature Conservancy Works to Restore Mississippi River Tributary

Project is Expected to Reduce Erosion, Improve Wildlife Habitat and Store Floodwater

MADISON, Wis — September 2, 2008 — The Nature Conservancy announced today that it is working to restore another stretch of a key Mississippi River tributary. Partners include the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR), Wisconsin Waterfowl Association and the University of Wisconsin.

Starting last week, heavy machinery is being used once again to return the East Branch of the Pecatonica River to a more natural condition. As shown with an earlier project on a nearby section of the river, the new effort is expected to reduce erosion, improve wildlife habitat and store additional floodwater. 

 

Stream restoration -east branch of the Pecatonica River

Restoration work on east branch of the Pecatonica River. Photo © Eric Booth
This is the second time in two years the Conservancy has teamed up with the state and the Wisconsin Waterfowl Association to restore a segment of the river on Conservancy-owned land south of Barneveld. Students from the University of Wisconsin played a key role in not only planning the latest restoration work but also how to assess its environmental benefits by researching soil conditions, stream flows and water levels and water temperature.

The restoration work will result in the removal of excess sediment from a quarter-mile section of the stream bank that has prevented the Pecatonica from reaching its floodplain. The soil will be transported off site to be used by a local contractor. Once the soil is removed, the ground will be seeded with diverse native plants to restore the wet prairie and wetlands that originally bordered the river. 

The project is expected to double the amount of floodplain in this part of the river so that it can store more water and retain nutrients that would otherwise contribute to flooding and pollution problems downstream.

Steve Richter, who oversees The Nature Conservancy’s work in western Wisconsin, said that the earlier restoration of a nearby stretch of the Pecatonica is working as designed.

“The stream banks have now withstood severe flooding over the past two summers and very little sediment was released into the river,” Richter said. “The ecological response has been phenomenal. The year after construction more than 50 native plants and five species of native frogs and toads have been identified. These are great signs that the restoration is working and that this stretch of the river has been transformed into a healthy, natural ecosystem.”

Bob Hansis, WDNR watershed supervisor for the project, said that the upper Pecatonica could become a model for additional small river and stream restoration work. 

“Everything we’ve seen so far shows that we can reduce sediment and flooding and benefit wildlife both in the river and along the banks,” Hansis said. “We will look for opportunities to apply what we’re learning on the Pecatonica elsewhere in Wisconsin.”

Researchers from the University of Wisconsin will monitor the project to determine its effect on flooding, sediment and wildlife habitat.

 

Stream restoration on Pecatonica River-meander bend with erosion mat

Erosion mat installed along stream meander where 1 to 3 feet of sediment were removed. Photo © Eric Booth
"The Pecatonica River is a great outdoor laboratory and classroom," said Eric Booth, a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin who is studying how restoration is affecting the hydrology of the river and its floodplain. "This is an incredible opportunity to study the many benefits of reuniting a river with its floodplain."

The project is being funded with a WDNR grant. The Wisconsin Waterfowl Association has also contributed money for the work. Both the state and the waterfowl association are contributing staff time to supervise the restoration work. 

The restoration site is located within the 50,000-acre Military Ridge Prairie Heritage Area (MRPHA) in Dane and Iowa counties. The MRPHA includes more than 60 native prairie remnants and pasture land. Because of this high concentration of grassland, the area is considered one of the best opportunities in the Midwest to protect prairie remnants and rare or declining species such as grassland birds. The WDNR has identified the MRPHA as its highest priority for landscape-scale grassland protection. .

The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. In Wisconsin, the Conservancy has helped conserve more than 140,000 acres since 1960. The Conservancy has more than 21,000 members in Wisconsin and offices in Madison, Baraboo, East Troy, Minocqua and Sturgeon Bay. To date, the Conservancy and its more than one million members have been responsible for the protection of more than 15 million acres in the United States and have helped preserve more than 102 million acres in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. Visit The Nature Conservancy on the Web at nature.org/wisconsin.