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Driftless Area Recognized As An
Official Partner
The National Fish Habitat
Board, a group of the nation's leading authorities on aquatic
conservation, has officially recognized the Driftelss Area as one of the
first four "National Fish Habitat Partnerships." These
partnerships are part of a bold newinitiative to reverse persistent
declines in the quality of our nation's rivers, streams and coastal
areas. The partnerships follow the successful "Joint
Venture" model of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan,
which changed the face bof wetland conservation in the 1980s. See www.fishhabitat.org for more
information.
“Thanks to an approach that teams federal, state and local partners,
these waters soon will begin to heal under the National Fish Habitat
Action Plan,” said John Cooper, chair of the National Fish Habitat Board.
“These partnerships mark the beginning of an unprecedented effort to
prevent the further decline of aquatic habitat across the country.”
In 2007 the Driftless Area received $220,000 for projects and administration. In
2008 we anticipate matching or exceeding this funding amount; 21
proposals were submitted. The long term financial goal of the National
Fish Habitat Action Plan is to generate over 100 million dollars for
projects nationwide.
The National Fish Habitat Action Plan was publicly released last spring,
alongside the “More Fish” campaign administered by the National Fish and
Wildlife Foundation. The new initiative will improve the quality of our
nation’s rivers, streams and coastal areas. The More Fish Campaign
is taking the lead in raising funds for projects that complement and
support the Action Plan. Information about the campaign can be found at www.morefish.org.
TUDARE Strategic Plan Completed
The “Driftless Area Restoration Effort Strategic Plan” is a regional
strategy to link upland conservation with stream corridor and headwaters
restoration, improving upland health, water quality and fish habitat.
With contributions from partner organizations TU has compiled maps, set
goals and prioritized strategies for the restoration of watersheds across
the Driftless Area. If you have not received a copy of the plan and
would like one, please contact Jeff Hastings.
Spring Creek Partners Program
The Spring Creek Partners Program is a hat sale that started as
a way to raise money for the Nohr Chapter Trout Unlimited’s award winning
restoration work on the Blue River. It worked so well that other chapters
wanted to use the same program for their projects. Now any TU
chapter with a stream restoration project in the Driftless Area can
participate. In 2007 the Nohr Chapter raised $5,750 for Big Spring and
Blue River; Ocooch Chapter $1,000 for Camp Creek; Leopold Chapter $500
for Spring Creek; Blackhawk Chapter $349 for Reads Creek, and Coulee
Chapter raised $500 for Hornby Creek. This fundraiser is managed by the
Nohr Chapter. Memberships for 2008 are now being collected. See www.springcreekpartner.org
for more information.
Outreach Plan in Development
A multi-state conservation
grant is making it possible for TUDARE to contract with Biodiversity
Project to develop an outreach strategy plan. In hopes of increasing
public support and expanding steam restoration efforts, a five-year
outreach plan will be created to engage broader audiences over time. The
consultant will meet with regional Chambers of Commerce and State Tourism
Boards to identify key audiences, effectual messages and communications
media. The recommendations will be put into practice by Trout Unlimited,
DNRs, Chamber of Commerce and State Tourism Boards when completed this
winter.
Second Annual Driftless Area Symposium Big
Success
By John “Duke” Welter
DECORAH, IA - River
specialists met for the Second Annual Driftless Area Symposium to study
the effects of the August floods on area rivers, which caused hundreds of
millions of dollars in damage, killed over 20 people and destroyed almost
1,000 homes in Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Experts agreed watershed restoration efforts across the “Driftless Area”
of southeast Minnesota and southwest Wisconsin will be most
successful where stream corridor work is combined with upland land
use practice that reduce soil erosion and slows rapid runoff.
High-gradient streams (those with the most drop in elevation and
narrowest valleys) were most susceptible to flood damage and property
losses.
Rebuilding efforts need to avoid repeating past mistakes, such as
replacing blown-out culverts with new, poorly–placed culverts, or
replacing lost bridges with new ones which have the same susceptibility
to flood damage.
The Saturday session of the second annual “Science in the Driftless”
workshop brought together scientists who study rivers, land use,
fisheries and infrastructure to review the lessons to be learned from the
tragic and record-setting floods. Organizers included state DNRs,
the U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Trout Unlimited and colleges and
universities from across the region.
Farmers lost streamside grazing areas to new deposits of limestone rubble
and sand and gravel bars, as vertical banks collapsed and rivers formed
new, wider flood plains in the flood. Trees fell into steams and
were washed downstream until they piled against bridges or culverts and
tore them out, or formed “tree dams” which in turn blew out steam banks
and caused more erosion and property damage.
Dry runs carried runoff from ridgetop fields into stream valleys, and the
rushing waters carried trees, soil and limestone boulders
downhill. Further analysis will explain whether increased
reliance on corn and soybeans this season has also increased the
susceptibility of upland fields to rapid runoff and increased erosion.
The dates for next year symposium have already been set for October 3rd
& 4th at the Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center near
Lanesboro, Minnesota.
Economic Assessment Underway
One aspect of ensuring long-term sustainability of the Driftless Area
Restoration Effort initiatives, such as the National Fish Habitat Action
Plan, is demonstrating TUDARE's benefits to a broader constituency than
anglers or fish and wildlife agencies. Enhancing angling opportunities through
improvements in habitat restoration often has positive impacts on local
economies. A similar study from 2002 conducted in Minnesota showed a
remarkable $30,000,000 associated with trout fishing.
NorthStar Economies, Inc. is performing an assessment of projected
regional economic impacts as a result of stream restoration.
Surveys were sent to anglers who bought stamps in Minnesota, Wisconsin,
Iowa, and Illinois. As the results are being compiled, the assessment
should be complete and ready for distribution this winter.
Three Showcase Projects Completed
Three projects have recently been completed in the Driftless Area;
Pine Creek, Clear Creek, and Trout Run. Additionally, the National Fish
and Wildlife Foundation will partially fund two more showcase projects in
2008: Little Turkey Creek in Delaware County, IA and Bad Axe River
in Vernon County, WI.
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Tom Dornack reports on Trout Run
 The Trout Run project is one of the most successful
projects completed to date. The cooperative project extended from Loham
Bridge downstream and around the corner from the Hormel Presidents'
Cabin. The Large Partnership included: Minnesota DNR, MTA, Win-Cres TU
Chapter, Twin Cites TU Chapter, Eillott Donnelly TU Chapter (Chicago),
Kiap-TU-wish Chapter, Hiawatha Chapter, Mid-Missouri TU Chapter, United
States Fish and Wildlife, TUDARE and some very happy landowners.
The restoration consisted of nine pool areas using rock weirs and bank
hide structures. These pools provide depth and cover for adult trout. In
addition, six mid-depth pocket water areas were created for 8-10 inch
trout. Finally, the banks were dramatically sloped, seeded and covered
with an erosion control blanket.
The trout populations are expected to respond similarly as they
did to the Mayer’s project. Completed in 2005, the Mayer’s project
on Trout Run increased trout populations from 3,800 per mile to 7,126 per
mile in only a year and a half. Impressively over 400 trout per mile were
over 12 inches. See pictures from the 2007 project.
·
Greg Dietl reports on Pine Creek
 The first phase of Pine Creek restoration was
completed with 375 volunteer hours. In addition, chapter members spent
over 100 hours taking pre-project measurements for the Pine Creek
Assessment, an ongoing data gathering project to monitor the effects of
the restoration.
The restoration project is a joint effort between Kiap-TU-Wish, Twin
Cities TU chapter, Ojibleau Chapter, the West Wisconsin Land Trust, the
WDNR and many neighbors from the area. Pine Creek is a tributary of the
Mississippi River and flows directly into Lake Pepin.
Phase one of the Pine Creek Restoration project was completed late last
summer. Steep eroding banks were graded and reseeded, plunge pools and
LUNKER structures were constructed and in-stream boulders were
strategically placed. Habitat conditions such as steam depth
and velocity and the quality of the gravel substrate were all dramatically
improved.
Furthermore, plans for prairie restoration of the surrounding
area are in the works. Funding is being sought for phase two, to
begin summer of 2008. Phase two will include restoration of 3,600
feet upstream from the 2007 project. For more information on the Pine
Creek project go to the Kiap-TU-Wish website.
· Karen Rivera Report on Clear
Creek
 This fall, improvements were finished on a segment
of Clear Creek in Apple River Canyon State Park, Illinois. With help from
the Illinois DNR, the Oak Brook Chapter, and the Lee Wulff chapter ten
LUNKER structures, one vortex weir and over 400 feet of bank
stabilization were completed. This project was possible because of
additional financial contributions from the Rock River Fly Casters,
Illinois Smallmouth Alliance, and the Federation of Fly Fishers.
Only two weeks after the installation of the LUNKER structures, Dan
Sallee used an underwater camera to view the progress. He was
already able to see several rainbow trout sucessfully adjusting to their
new home.
Patagonia's World Trout T-Shirt
Patagonia will donate five dollars from the sale
of every World Trout shirt to be split between the Midwest Driftless Area
Restoration Effort and the Balkan Trout Restoration Group.
$29.00 - Style No. 59759 (Men's)
Driftless Google Calendar
Steve Carlton & John Mowery from the MN Twin Cities Chapter have
started a “Google Calendar” called "Driftless Area Conservation
Events" for all of us to list our events happening in the Driftless.
Hopefully, this will help us all better communicate our programs and keep
us from scheduling conflicts. If you are not currently posting events and
would like to post to this calendar just let me know and I will add your
email, and you will be enabled to add events. The more users the better!
This is completely user dependent and only as good as we make it, so
please commit to using this calendar.
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