County of Buffalo Alma, Wisconsin Notice of Public Meeting

, County of Buffalo Alma, Wisconsin Notice of Public Meeting

Committee: Land Conservation & Ag and Extension Committee Date: Monday, October 5, 2020 Time: 6:00 p.m. Location: 3rd Floor County Board Room – Buffalo County Courthouse 407 S 2nd Street Alma, WI 54610 AGENDA Join Zoom Meeting https://uwmadison.zoom.us/j/91892372302?pwd=c2t3ekNualJJT3djWmN2Y3pjU3JBZz09

Meeting ID: 918 9237 2302 Passcode: 239981

This meeting is open to the public. The following matters may be considered and acted upon at the meeting, but deviation from the order shown may occur:

1. Call to Order 2. Roll Call of Members 3. Public Comment Regarding Posted Agenda Items 4. Review/Discussion/Action ~ Minutes of the Previous Meeting

Ag & Extension 5. Review/Discussion/Action ~ 2021 Wildlife Damage & Abatement Budget by USDA Alex Sundelius 6. Review/Discussion/Action ~ Extension 4-H Associate Position 7. Review/Discussion/Action ~ 136 Contract 8. Educator Reports

Land Conservation 9. Review/Discussion/Action ~ Outdoor Recreational Plan Update & Services Provided by Mississippi River Regional Planning Commission by Abbey Nicewander, Senior Planner https://www.buffalocounty.com/DocumentCenter/View/959 10. Review/Discussion/Action ~ The Committee May to Go into Closed Session to Discuss Contract Terms and Conditions

The Committee may enter into closed session and return to open session pursuant to WI State Statutes 19.85(1)(f) for the purpose of discussing contractor obligations and action if contractor does not meet contract which may have a substantial effect on the reputation of the person involved. 11. Review/Discussion/Action ~ The Committee May Return to Open Session 12. Review/Discussion/Action ~ Tell Farms Reimbursement Process for Outstanding Invoices 13. Review/Discussion/Action ~ DATCP Funding for the Land Conservation Department 14. Review/Discussion/Action ~ Land Conservationist Vacant Position 15. Review/Discussion/Action ~ Land Conservation Project Planning, Authorization and Workload Prioritization 16. Review/Discussion/Action ~ Land and Water Resource Management Plan https://www.buffalocounty.com/DocumentCenter/View/682

17. Chairperson Report 18. Public Comment Unrelated to Agenda 19. Review/Discussion/Action ~ Next Meeting Date 20. Adjournment.

Date: September 29, 2020 Dwight Ruff, Chair

______By: Roxann Halverson, County Clerk

Board Members: If unable to attend, please contact the Committee Chair at 608-323-7372. If unable to reach the Chair, please call the County Clerk’s Office at 608-685-6209. If neither are available, please call the Administration Office at 608-685-6235. Persons with Disabilities: If you require special accommodations in order to attend this meeting, please contact the County Clerk’s Office at 608-685-6209. Public Access to the Courthouse: The South Entrance will be the only access to the building after 4:30 p.m. Draft Buffalo County Minutes

Committee/Board: Land Conservation & Ag and Extension Committee

Date of Meeting: August 3, 2020

Electronic and Hardcopy Filing Date: August 4, 2020

Call to order: Meeting called to order by Dwight Ruff, Chair, at 6:03 p.m.

Members present: Dwight Ruff, Brad Schmidtknecht, Steve Nelson, John Sendelbach, Bill Bruegger. Dave Linse absent.

Others present: Carrie Olson, Tim Wucherer, Pat Malone

Attending via video: Kristin Foehringer, Mary Wood, and Annie Lisowski

Public Comments regarding Agenda Items: None

Review/Discussion/Action – Minutes of the Previous Land Conservation and Ag & Extension Education Committee Meeting: Motion by Bill Bruegger, seconded by Brad Schmidtknecht to approve the minutes of the last Land Conservation and Ag & Extension Education Committee meeting as presented. Motion carried.

Review/Discussion – LCC Roles and Responsibilities: Carrie Olson presented information relative to the roles of the Land Conservation Committee (LCC) Supervisors and the relationship with Land Conservation Department staff. Committee members inquired and Olson explained that the LCC is required to include one (1) representative from the FSA committee, at least two (2) representatives from the Ag & Extension Committee, and also may include other county board or citizen members. LCD staff, Tim Wucherer and Kristin Foehringer, reported on their specific conservation program roles and highlighted their whole farm approach for fieldwork inspections.

Review/Discussion/Action – Beaver Creek Reserve and Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Grant: Olson presented information regarding WDNR rule changes and a revised grant program available to counties for AIS control work. She discussed a proposal to collaborate with Beaver Creek Reserve, along with multiple counties to accomplish work goals, including purple loosestrife biocontrol, wetland invasive species outreach & education, and aquatic invasive control in trout streams. Schmidtknecht inquired and Olson answered there would be no matching requirement and no fiscal impact for the county to participate in the grant. Committee members asked Olson to review this proposal with Administrative Coordinator to determine next steps for approval. Schmidtknecht made a motion to approve Buffalo County participation in the DNR grant and enter into a cooperative agreement with Beaver Creek Reserve to act as the county agent, pending appropriate approvals, seconded by Bruegger. Motion carried.

Review/Discussion/Action – 2021 Land Conservation & Non-Metallic Mining Budget: Olson presented the proposed 2021 budgets. The budget request for mileage, supplies, and equipment is similar to previous years’ requests. The non-metallic mining budget is funded through annual dues, with no request for county levy. The land conservation budget is largely funded by state grants, with a request for 1/3 of the annual expenditures funded by county levy. Nelson made a motion to approve and forward the 2021 budget to Finance Committee, seconded by Schmidtknecht. Motion carried.

Review– Monthly Vouchers/Invoices: The June-July Voucher was presented which included purchase of Trimble GPS equipment for surveying, paid by available budget funding.

Land Conservation County Conservationist Report: Olson shared the following: • Rose Valley pond restoration has been completed; fish stocking by the DNR is currently on-hold due to state reopening policy. • In cooperation with UW-Extension, Land Conservation received a grant from Mississippi State University for conservation farming practice work with agricultural producers in the Lower Trempealeau River Watershed to reduce nutrient loading in the Mississippi River. • Cost-share funding for nutrient management planning is being utilized and funds are available for soil sampling and plan writing. • Assisted County Highway Department with hydrology data for proper culvert sizing. • Successful summer season for conservation project installation, including: 1 CCC dam, 3 grade stabilization dams, 1 barnyard transfer pit, 1 feed storage pad, and a large farm relocation project.

@ 7:00 LCD left and UW-Extension presented—

Summary of Department Educational Activities: Malone shared the educators’ summary report for the period of April 1 through July 31, 2020. She noted this is a new format to help streamline presentations to the committee and to provide an overview of the key work done by educators. There is also a section that includes work specially done in response to Covid-19. The report is on file in the Extension Office. • Highlights include the plot work that Duley is conducting on alternative crops. These include barley, hops, winter rye, and industrial hemp among others. He also shared the work he did as part of a team to deliver farm tractor safety training. It included virtual as well as hands-on training. • Wood is focusing much of her work with Moving Forward Reentry Program. This effort is done between Buffalo, Pepin, and Dunn Counties. She secured two grants, one for $90,000 and one for $14,000 to continue to develop this effort. • She also teaches workshops and participates in a state level team that works with incarcerated and justice-involved parents and caregivers and children birth to 9. The goal is to support parent-child connections as well as building literacy rich home environments. This has a number of positive impacts. • Lisowski is continuing her efforts with Teen Court. She and Ritscher provided training to peer panelists and conducted hearings via Zoom. This effort was the first in the state and one of the first in the country to go on-line. • She has also implemented a STEAM@Home program. This offers youth materials for science experiments and art activities that promote math learning and practice critical thinking. • Since the 4-H educators in the region couldn’t have their regular summer camp program they created “4-H Camp Kinnissippewa in a Bag.” Review/Discussion/Action ~ Division of Extension Buffalo County 2021 Budget Preparation: Malone presented the proposed 2021 budget. At the time of the meeting she had not yet received the changes to the county staff’s salary and benefits. She will add that when it is available. She reduced the anticipated revenue. However, the salaries and fringe due to the University was decreased. The total general budget is $194,720, which is a $3000 decrease from last year, although the tax levy reflects an increase because the revenue was reduced.

MOTION: Schmidtknecht/Bruegger to accept the budget as proposed with the changes that will be made with adding in wages and benefits for Weisenbeck and to forward all the budget materials to the Finance Committee. CARRIED.

Review/Discussion/Action ~ Extension 4-H Associate Position: Malone and Lisowski discussed where Extension currently is at regarding the Extension Associate position. We were just about to offer it to a candidate when the Dean shut down any hiring. Over that period of time, we have been working with the Dean and his team to get permission to move forward. Over this time frame, the formula for calculating the benefits for a fully county funded position changed. As a result, we do not have enough money to hire someone as the position is currently structured. This extra support is critical to maintaining the 4-H program and supporting the community youth development work of Lisowski. We kept much of the funding in the proposed 2021 budget. We are working hard to find a solution that solves our challenges and is fiscally responsible. We will keep the committee informed.

Review/Discussion/Action – Determine Next Committee Meeting: October 5, 6:00 p.m. Extension will be first on the agenda.

Public comments not regarding Agenda items – There were no public comments.

Adjournment: Motion by Bruegger, seconded by Sendelbach to adjourn the meeting. All in favor. Carried. The meeting was adjourned at 7:47 p.m.

Submitted by: Patricia Malone, Area Extension Director

Carrie Olson County Conservationist

Contract Account # BUFF2021A

Contract Between Buffalo County and Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System

This contract is by and between Buffalo County, State of Wisconsin (County), and Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System, on behalf of the University of Wisconsin - Madison, Division of Extension (Extension) and is entered into pursuant to the authority vested in the County Committee on Agriculture and Extension Education by sections 59.22(2)(d) and 59.56(3) of the Wisconsin Statutes.

Whereas, Extension is organized both around geography, as faculty and staff deliver programs in communities throughout the state, and around academic disciplines. The broad disciplines currently include the Department of Agriculture & Natural Resources and the Department of Youth, Family & Community Development that oversee programmatic and academic functions;

Whereas, Extension is committed to maintaining an office in every county willing to commit to continued funding and space for Extension staff. Extension recognizes the value in keeping a local presence in every county and keeping the shortest distance possible between the people of Wisconsin and the Extension staff delivering programming to them;

Whereas, Extension provides opportunities to additional resources such as statewide specialists and UW-System campus resources to address specific local issues in core areas of expertise;

Whereas, the County is a critical partner in developing and implementing key educational priorities for county residents. In collaboration with Extension leadership, counties will identify local services of priority to their communities. County will agree to co-fund Extension faculty and staff based upon annually established flat fees for positions as defined below; and

Whereas, the parties need to define their respective rights and responsibilities;

Now therefore, the parties agree as follows:

1. Term, Amendment & Termination.

a. The term of this contract is one (1) year. The term shall run from January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2021, unless amended or terminated as set forth below.

b. Any additions, changes, modifications or renewals of this contract are subject to the mutual agreement and written consent of authorized representatives of both parties.

c. Either the County or Extension may cancel this entire Agreement with or without cause upon sixty (60) days' written notice delivered by mail or in person; provided, however, the County shall be responsible for paying a prorated amount of fees

under Section 3.a. through the notice period. In addition, if the contract is cancelled before the end of the term, the discount identified in Section 3.a. shall be prorated (i.e. the discount amounts to roughly $834 per month).

2. Extension Responsibilities. Extension agrees to:

a. Hire local Extension staff who will deliver educational services aligned to County priorities. As vacancies occur, and if the County and Extension agree to continue to support the desired program and position, Extension will seek County input when filling vacant positions.

b. Invoice the County semi-annually, by March 31st and September 30th for amounts due under this agreement.

3. County Responsibilities. In consideration of the programs that Extension provides to County under this contract, the County agrees to:

a. Pay to Extension the County share of up to $116,650 for the period of January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2021 as allocated below.

Positions Fee FTE Total

Human Development & Relationships $42,330 0.5 $21,165 Extension Educator

Agriculture Extension Educator $42,330 1.0 $42,330

4-H/Positive Youth Development $42,330 1.0 $42,330 Extension Educator

First Educator Discount ($10,000)

Subtotal $95,825

Professional Development $500 2.5 $1,250

County-Funded LTE Support $19,575 NA $19,575

Final Total $116,650

b. Provide travel and appropriate job expenses to the staff, office facilities and equipment, office supplies and demonstration materials, salary and fringe benefits for the clerical support staff, and other supporting budgetary items through regular County budgetary procedures in which funds are appropriated for such purposes under applicable Wisconsin law.

4. General Conditions This contract is established under the following conditions:

a. Notices. Any notice or demand which must be given or made by a party to this

Agreement or any statute or ordinance shall be in writing, and shall be sent via e- mail and certified mail. Notices to the County shall be sent to County Representative(s). Notice to the Extension shall be sent to Area Extension Director. b. Employer, Personnel Rules, Volunteers and Liability. Any employees hired by Extension under Section 2.a. of this contract are employees of Extension, and are subject to the personnel rules, policies, and procedures for faculty, academic staff or University staff, as appropriate to the respective appointment in Extension as established by Wisconsin statute, and, or administrative rules; and, or, by policies or procedures adopted by the Board of Regents and the University of Wisconsin - Division of Extension. Any individual who meets Extension’s definition of a volunteer and completes all registration requirements will be considered an Extension volunteer. Extension will be responsible for ensuring that its employees and volunteers take affirmative steps to make clear, when entering into relationships with third parties, that they are employees or volunteers of Extension. Extension shall be liable for the acts and omissions of its employees while acting within the scope of such employment. To the extent they are acting as agents of Extension, Extension shall be liable for the acts and omissions of its volunteers while acting within the scope of such agency.

Any individuals who are employed by the County in order to satisfy obligations under Section 3.b. of this contract are County employees and are subject to applicable County personnel rules, policies and procedures. Any volunteer engaged by County to further the purposes of this contract will be considered a volunteer of County. County will be responsible for ensuring that its employees and volunteers take affirmative steps to make clear, when entering into relationships with third parties, that they are employees or volunteers of County. County shall be liable for the acts and omissions of its employees while acting within the scope of such employment. To the extent they are acting as agents of County, County shall be liable for the acts and omissions of its volunteers while acting within the scope of such agency. c. Billing. For the period January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2021, Extension shall bill the County for the total amount under Section 3.a. of this contract. The County will be billed for the first half of the total contract by March 31st and the second half of the total contract by September 30th. If services are not rendered or excess services are provided to the County by Extension during the contract period, the parties will use good faith efforts to adjust the total contract amount and update future bills to coincide with the new agreed upon amount. The County shall pay the amount billed within 30 days of the billing. d. Insurance. The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System as an agency of the State, and consequently, Extension, is self-funded for liability (both public and property) under ss. 893.82 and 895.46(1), Wis. Stats. As a result, such protection as is afforded under respective Wisconsin Statutes is applicable to officers, employees, and agents while acting within the scope of their employment or agency. Since this is statutory insurance, there is no liability policy as such that can extend protection to any others.

County agrees to maintain appropriate insurance to cover the potential liability of its officers, employees and agents while acting within the scope of their employment or agency. Such insurance may be provided through a self-insurance program.

e. Nondiscrimination/Affirmative Action. The County and Extension will comply with all applicable state and federal laws and rules prohibiting unlawful discrimination. During the performance of work under this contract, Extension agrees not to discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, creed, ancestry, religion, color, sex, national origin, age, disability, arrest or conviction record, marital status, political affiliation, sexual orientation, or membership in the National Guard. This provision shall include, but not be limited to, the following: employment, upgrading, demotion or transfer; recruitment or recruitment advertising; layoff or termination; rates of pay or other forms of compensation; and, selection for training, including apprenticeship. Extension further agrees to take affirmative action to ensure equal employment opportunities.

By: Date: By: Date: County Representative County Representative

By: Date: By: Date: Area Extension Director County Representative UW-Madison, Division of Extension

By: Date: By: Date: Director of Financial Services On Behalf of Board of Regents of UW-Madison, Division of Extension The University of Wisconsin System

BUFFALO COUNTY

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Department: Land Conservation and Resource Management

Position Title: Conservation Technician

Pay Rate: Salary – (EP) Exempt Professional

Direct Supervisor: County Conservationist

Date: February 2015

Purpose of Position:

The purpose of this position is to develop and design soil and water conservation plans, structural conservation practices and nutrient management plans and provide technical expertise in the implementation and installation of the plans and practices in accordance with the NRCS Field Office Technical Guide. This individual is administratively responsible to and is under the supervision and daily direction of the Director of Land Resources.

Essential Duties:

This list of duties is not to be construed as all-inclusive and may be modified as need requires. Special duty assignments will occur.

• Assist county landowners in developing conservation plans and construction of structural conservation practices in various state, county and federal programs in accordance with the USDA- NRCS Field Office Technical Guide standards and specifications. This includes landowner consultation, marketing of conservation practices, knowledge of cost-share programs, surveying, information gathering, designing using appropriate software programs, operations and maintenance plan drafting, visits during implementation, and follow-up monitoring. This person is responsible for attending training to enhance themselves, and the services provided by the Land Conservation and Resource Management Department. • Establish and maintain good working relations with landowners, operators, and multi-agency personnel. Work with outside agencies, such as the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and organizations when requested. • Assist the Natural Resources Specialist and County Conservationist in farm visits, SWIMS program, and animal waste complaints. • Team with the Natural Resources Specialist and County Conservationist for maintenance of the PL-566 structures in the county. This includes, but not limited to, the eradication and treatment of brush, mowing and landowner consultation. • Document projects including detailed notes and photography. • Assist landowners in attaining correct permits for conservation projects. Office Use Only: Job Classification – Technician 1

• Maintain engineering job approval for designing conservation practices. • Assist in Annual Tree Program. This includes mailings, calling landowners, answering questions, ordering proper amounts of trees, tree pick up, organizing days of pick up for landowners, and • Teach landowners and students in educational settings. • Input, update and maintain data files in readable, useable form as needed for work in the field office. • Write news articles and news releases. • Other duties include minimal typing/keyboarding, filing and basic clerical duties. . Minimum Training, Experience, and Qualifications Required to Perform Essential Job Functions:

• 2-year technical degree in engineering, conservation, agriculture or related field with 3-years’ experience, or

• Combination of education, training and experience which provides the necessary knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position.

• Good knowledge of the criteria and technical standards used in applying conservation practices; fundamentals of engineering, surveying and planning practices as it pertains to conservation plans, practices and activities.

• Basic knowledge of all software applications, used within the LCD office: word processing, spreadsheets, Rusle2, SNAP+, databases. Scanning software, PowerPoint, GIS/ArcView, AutoCAD and Land Development may also be useful.

• Ability to interpret aerial photography, soils maps, USGS quadrangles; be familiar with WI DNR Surface Water Data Viewer and/or NRCS Web Soil Survey

• Knowledge of programs and responsibilities of the County Land Conservation Department office to implement those programs and basic understanding of governmental funding sources for conservation programs.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

• Must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to coordinate eyes, hands, feet and limbs in performing slightly skilled movements.

Office Use Only: Job Classification – Technician 2

• Ability to exert very moderate physical effort to sedentary to light work, typically involving some combination of stooping, kneeling, crouching and crawling, lifting, carrying, pushing and pulling up to 20 pounds. • Ability to recognize and identify degrees of similarities or differences between characteristics of shapes, sounds, and objects associated with job related objects, materials, and tasks. • Ability to sustain prolonged visual and mental concentration.

Environmental Adaptability:

• Ability to work under generally safe and comfortable conditions where exposure to environmental factors such as hazardous conditions or exposure to disease may cause discomfort, but pose little risk of injury, and are present only in unusual situations.

Buffalo County is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the County will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.

______Employee’s Signature Supervisor’s Signature

______Date Date

Office Use Only: Job Classification – Technician 3

BUFFALO COUNTY

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Department: Land Conservation

Position Title: Buffalo County Conservationist

Pay Rate: Salary

Direct Supervisor: County Administrator

Date: January 2019

Purpose of Position: The purpose of this position is for the administration of county conservation programs that are under the jurisdiction of the Land Conservation Committee (LCC). The position provides technical support to county landowners/operators regarding soil and water conservation practices. The County Conservationist works under the direct supervision of the LCC. The employee prepares and carries out annual and long-range plans and compiles background information to facilitate the decision- making and policy-setting functions of the county LCC. The County Conservationist provides for training, supervises, and directs the work of all other employees in the Land Conservation Department (LCD) and serves as department head.

Essential Duties: This list of duties is not to be construed as all-inclusive, and may be modified as need requires. Special duty assignments will occur. • Secures grant funds for structural and non-structural conservation practices. • Prepares and administers s.92.10, ATCP 50, and DNR grants, necessary to carry out implementation of the guidelines in conjunction with the Land and Water Resource Management Plan and the implementation of NR 151 Runoff Management and NR 135 Nonmetallic Mining Reclamation. • Provides for individual training to LCD staff and authorizes advanced state or federal training. Maintains necessary job approval (DATCP, Agricultural Engineering Practitioner Certification, Certified Conservation Advisor) for technical staff. Conducts annual reviews of staff. • Oversees encumbrance and expenditures of 92.10 and DNR grant funds, reimbursement requests, and reports, which comply with state audit requirements. • Administers state cost-share grant agreements with landowners including necessary approvals in accordance with DATCP and DNR policy and procedures. • Maintains and submits accurate and timely reports to DATCP and DNR of accomplishments as required. • Coordinates computer software applications and utilizes computer programs such as RUSLEII, SNAPPlus, AutoCad Civil 3D for tracking cost-share

1 agreements, planned practices and progress in achieving erosion control goals. • Provides technical assistance to landowners under Buffalo County’s Land and Water Resource Management plan including conservation and nutrient management planning and implementation of such plans. • Oversees technical assistance to landowners under the program, including contracted engineering assistance. • Administers work performed under service contracts, local assistance agreements, and education assistance agreements through DATCP and DNR for implementation of the ongoing state and federal conservation programs. • Coordinates educational activities with University of Wisconsin-Extension. • Prepares agendas and meeting schedules for LCC or Local Advisory Committee and reports on such activities at regular LCC meetings. Conducts the regular LCC Meeting. • Coordinates ongoing state and federal soil and water conservation programs. • Completes and submits annual and long-range plans and annual reports to the county board, DATCP, and DNR for approval. • Prepares annual budgets for the LCD, including the funds received through state grants from DATCP and DNR for staff and support. • Organizes and conducts annual programs including the Conservation Speaking and Poster Contests, outstanding conservation achievement awards, Bluff Prairie Winter and Summer Management meetings, and Trout Celebration Day. • Prepares news releases and articles on soil and water conservation programs and issues. • Works with local rod and gun clubs, conservation groups, and farm organizations. Attends group meetings when requested. • Prepares speeches and presentations to youth and adult groups. Attends NRCS, DATCP, and DNR engineering and program training sessions when appropriate. • Approves soil and water conservation plans in conjunction with the provisions of federal farm programs. Promotes county participation in state conservation programs such as the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), Farmland Preservation, Tree Planting Program, Stream Monitoring (Water Action Volunteers), and Wisconsin Conservation Corps.

PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION: Soil and Water Resource Management (SWRM) – Administer the county SWRM grant program, including county soil and water conservation staffing grant, landowner conservation practice cost sharing, and nutrient management planning. Activities include: apply for grant funding, adhere to contract, ensure conservation practices meet technical standards, prepare reports on completed conservation activities, track nutrient load reductions, and manage reimbursement funding to landowners from DATCP.

2 Farmland Preservation Program (FPP) – Prepares schedule of compliance for landowners not meeting soil conservation standards and recommends individual or group farm planning. Tracks FPP participants’ compliance with soil and water conservation requirements and standards using computerized database applications. Provides technical and cost-sharing assistance to FPP participants including preparation or revision of soil and water conservation plans and their implementation.

NR135 Reclamation Program – Administration of reclamation program. Plan reviews, inspections, and compliance of non-metallic mining operations. Review and manage operator’s financial assurance.

PL-566 Watershed Structures – Oversees repair and annual maintenance to ensure safe operation. Solicits bids and works with contractors for necessary maintenance repair. Obtains necessary permits for repair.

Animal Waste – Acts as county representative for animal waste complaints and assists DNR with on-site investigations. Provides for technical assistance to landowners cited with an animal waste violation or issued a WPDES permit. Assists landowners through grant application and obtaining cost-share agreements for implementation of runoff control measures. Advises the LCC on programs including preparation of a county animal waste storage and management ordinance or a county animal waste management plan.

Minimum Training, Experience, and Qualifications Required to Perform Essential Job Functions: • Bachelor of Science degree in agriculture, natural resources, conservation or a related field with 4-5 years experience in soil and water conservation work. • Thorough knowledge of the principles and practices of soil and water conservation, including the ability to provide program compliance for conservation and nutrient management planning. • Knowledge of land surveying principles and practices and an ability to operate GPS, levels and transit. • Familiarity with NRCS technical guides and standards. • Knowledge of farming operations including crop and livestock management and the herbicides/pesticides likely to be encountered in farming operations. • Leadership and management skills with the ability to establish and maintain good working relationships with department personnel, State and Federal agencies, landowners, and farm operators. • Extensive knowledge of county, state, and federal soil and water conservation programs, policies, administrative rules and regulations. • Oral and written communication skills. • Knowledge and familiarity with computers and database and word processing, budgeting and accounting, and GIS land records applications. • Maintain a valid driver’s license.

3 Physical Requirements: • Ability to operate a variety of office equipment and machinery with some requiring complex and rapid adjustments, including computer, telephone, fax machine, calculator, and photocopier. • Ability to coordinate eyes, hands, feet, and limbs in performing slightly skilled movements. • Ability to exert very moderate physical effort to sedentary to light work, typically involving some combination of stooping, kneeling, crouching and crawling, lifting, carrying, pushing and pulling up to 20 pounds. • Ability to recognize and identify degrees of similarities or differences between characteristics of shapes, sounds, and objects associated with job related objects, materials, and tasks. • Ability to sustain prolonged visual and mental concentration. • Ability to communicate orally and in writing with others.

Environmental Adaptability: • Ability to work under generally safe and comfortable conditions where exposure to environmental factors such as hazardous conditions or exposure to disease may cause discomfort, but poses little risk of injury, and is present only in unusual situations. • Seasonal activity will result in exposure to extreme heat and cold in an outdoor environment.

______Employee’s Signature Supervisor’s Signature

______Date Date

4 BUFFALO COUNTY

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Department: Land Conservation and Resource Management

Position Title: Resource Management Specialist

Pay Rate: Salary – (EP) Exempt Professional

Direct Supervisor: County Conservationist

Date: February 2015

Purpose of Position:

The purpose of this position is to develop and design soil and water conservation plans, nutrient management plans, and provide environmental assistance to nonmetallic mines in Buffalo County. This individual is administratively responsible to and is under the supervision and daily direction of the County Conservationist.

Essential Duties:

This list of duties is not to be construed as all-inclusive and may be modified as need requires. Special duty assignments will occur.

• Assists in the implementation of nutrient management plans; to include landowner education, plan reviews and follow-up for compliance with NRCS standards and specifications. • Establishes and maintain good working relations with landowners, operators, and multi-agency personnel. Work with outside agencies and organizations when requested. • Assists in the administration and implementation of the County Manure Storage Ordinance. • Assists in the administration and implementation of the County Nonmetallic Mining Reclamation Ordinance. • Assists with the Farmland Preservation Program • Assists in design and survey of conservation practices and maintenance of PL- 566 and other conservation structures with the Conservation Technician • Assists in the coordination of the DNR's SWIMS (Surface Water Integrated Monitoring System) for Buffalo County • Attends workshops, conferences and seminars as approved that pertain to duties assigned • Assist in Annual Tree Program with the Conservation Technician.

• Teach landowners and students in educational settings (May consider changing to Provides educational training and resources to landowners and students. 1 • Inputs, updates and maintains data files in readable, useable form as needed for work in the field office. • Writes news articles and news releases. • Other duties include minimal typing/keyboarding, filing and basic clerical duties. • Other duties as assigned. . Minimum Training, Experience, and Qualifications Required to Perform Essential Job Functions:

• Bachelor of Science Degree from an accredited College in Agriculture/Civil Engineering, Soil and Water Conservation, Agriculture, Natural Resource Management, Watershed Management, or closely related field, or • 2-year technical degree in engineering, conservation, agriculture or related field with 3-years’ experience, or • Combination of education, training and experience which provides the necessary knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position. • Good knowledge of the criteria and technical standards used in applying conservation practices; fundamentals of engineering, surveying and planning practices as it pertains to conservation plans, practices and activities. • Basic knowledge of all software applications, used within the LCD office: word processing, spreadsheets, Rusle2, SNAP+, databases. Scanning software, PowerPoint, GIS/ArcView, AutoCAD and Land Development may also be useful. • Ability to interpret aerial photography, soils maps, USGS quadrangles; be familiar with WI DNR Surface Water Data Viewer and/or NRCS Web Soil Survey • Knowledge of programs and responsibilities of the County Land Conservation Department office to implement those programs and basic understanding of governmental funding sources for conservation programs. • Excellent verbal and written communication skills. • Must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license.

Physical Requirements: . • Ability to coordinate eyes, hands, feet and limbs in performing slightly skilled movements. • Ability to exert very moderate physical effort to sedentary to light work, typically involving some combination of stooping, kneeling, crouching and crawling, lifting, carrying, pushing and pulling up to 20 pounds. • Ability to recognize and identify degrees of similarities or differences between characteristics of shapes, sounds, and objects associated with job related objects, materials, and tasks. • Ability to sustain prolonged visual and mental concentration.

Environmental Adaptability:

______Employee’s Signature Supervisor’s Signature

______Date Date

BUFFALO COUNTY

OUTDOOR RECREATION PLAN 2016-2020

Prepared by the Mississippi River Regional Planning Commission under the Direction of the Buffalo County Board of Supervisors MRRPC

Buffalo County Outdoor Recreation Plan 2016-2020

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction ...... I Goals and Objectives ...... I Authority ...... I Community Participation and Cooperation ...... I Citizen Groups and Service Clubs ...... ii

1. GEOPOLITICAL PROFILE ...... 1-1 Buffalo County ...... 1-1 Landscape ...... 1-1 Agricultural Characteristics ...... 1-2 Local Governments...... 1-2 Ecological Landscape ...... 1-2 Driftless Area ...... 1-2 Table 1.1 – Buffalo County Assessed Land Uses...... 1-1 Map 1.1 – Buffalo County Location ...... 1-1 Map 1.2 – Ecological Regions ...... 1-2

2. SOCIO-ECONOMIC PROFILE ...... 2-1 Population ...... 2-1 Population Age ...... 2-1 Gender Characteristics ...... 2-1 Urban/Rural ...... 2-2 Farming ...... 2-2 Housing Trends ...... 2-2 Employment ...... 2-2 Employers ...... 2-3 Per Capita Personal Income ...... 2-3 Tourism Expenditures ...... 2-3 Table 2.1 – Buffalo County Population Data ...... 2-1 Table 2.2 – Buffalo County Gender Characteristics...... 2-1 Table 2.3 – Buffalo County Housing Trends ...... 2-2 Table 2.4 – Buffalo County Occupations by Industry ...... 2-3 Table 2.5 – Buffalo County Employers ...... 2-3 Table 2.6 – Buffalo County Tourism Impact ...... 2-3 Map 2.1 – Buffalo County Populations ...... 2-4

3. STATEWIDE COMPREHENSIVE OUTDOOR RECREATION PLAN FINDINGS (SCORP) 2011-2016 ...... 3-1 Recreational Trends and Demand ...... 3-1 Table 3.1 – Projected Trends in Wisconsin Outdoor Recreation Activities ...... 3-2

4. RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES ...... 4-1 Introduction ...... 4-1 Developed Land Activities ...... 4-1 Driving for Pleasure ...... 4-1 Camping ...... 4-1 Golf ...... 4-2 Tennis ...... 4-3

Buffalo County Outdoor Recreation Plan 2016-2020

Picnicking ...... 4-3 Playground Activities ...... 4-4 Horseback Riding on Trails ...... 4-4 All-Terrain Vehicle Trails ...... 4-4 Limited Development Activities ...... 4-4 Trail Activities ...... 4-5 Hiking and Walking Trails ...... 4-5 Bicycle Trails...... 4-5 Hunting ...... 4-6 Private Hunt Clubs ...... 4-7 Water Activities ...... 4-7 Fishing ...... 4-7 Swimming ...... 4-9 Motor Boating/Water Skiing ...... 4-9 Canoeing/Kayaking and Sailing ...... 4-10 Scuba Diving ...... 4-10 Winter Activities ...... 4-11 Snowmobiles ...... 4-11 Downhill/Cross Country Skiing and Snowboarding ...... 4-11 Ice Fishing ...... 4-11 Ice Skating/Hockey ...... 4-11 Viewing and Interpretive Activities ...... 4-11 Historical and Cultural Sites ...... 4-12 Historical Sites ...... 4-12 State Historical Markers ...... 4-12 Museums ...... 4-12 Cultural Events ...... 4-13 Sightseeing ...... 4-13 Table 4.1 – Buffalo County Public and Private Campgrounds ...... 4-2 Table 4.2 – Buffalo County Picnic Areas ...... 4-3 Table 4.3 – Buffalo County Playground Areas ...... 4-4 Table 4.4 – Buffalo County Public Lands Open to Hunting ...... 4-7 Table 4.5 – Buffalo County Upper Mississippi River Boat Landings ...... 4-8 Table 4.6 – Buffalo County Trout Streams by Class ...... 4-9 Table 4.7 – Buffalo County Museums ...... 4-12 Map 4.1 – Buffalo County Designated Auto Tours, Scenic Drives and Waysides/Rest Areas ...... 4-15 Map 4.2 – Buffalo County Campgrounds ...... 4-16 Map 4.3 – Buffalo County Picnic Areas and Golf Courses ...... 4-17 Map 4.4 – Buffalo County Major Hiking Trails...... 4-18 Map 4.5 – Buffalo County Bike Suitability ...... 4-19 Map 4.6 – Buffalo County Public Accessible Hunting Lands ...... 4-20 Map 4.7 – Buffalo County Water Related Recreation Features ...... 4-21

5. Recreation Resource Inventory ...... 5-1 Federal Outdoor Recreation Facilities ...... 5-1 State Outdoor Recreation Facilities ...... 5-1 State Wildlife Areas and State Natural Areas ...... 5-2 County Outdoor Recreation Facilities ...... 5-2 Parks and Attractions in Buffalo County’s Cities and Villages ...... 5-2 6. Actions ...... 6-1 Table 6.1 Buffalo County Recreational Action Plan ...... 6-1

Buffalo County Outdoor Recreation Plan 2016-2020

Introduction To accomplish this objective, the following goals have been identified: Outdoor recreation aids citizens’ physical health, as well as the health of the economy, as high-quality recreation opportunities 1) Maintain an outdoor recreation program that protects the natural environment and responds to the outdoor attracts visitors to the county each year. Buffalo County recreational needs of the area’s citizenry. recognizes the need for an updated comprehensive outdoor recreation plan. County, city, village and town officials as well as concerned citizens are aware of the need for local outdoor 2) Formulate an action agenda plan to meet the determined recreation facilities and are also aware that the needs vary needs or unsatisfied public demands for outdoor within the county and its municipal subdivisions in the recreation facilities in the county and municipalities. development of specific recreation programs and long-range objectives. The plan is also intended to assist in local 3) Have a program that enables the county and government’s budgetary considerations when planning for the municipalities to continually maintain and improve their maintenance and further development of recreation facilities. recreation programs in a way that is economically feasible The recommendation and proposals found within this plan are and environmentally sound. aimed at the continued preservation, acquisition, development, and improvement of the area’s outdoor recreation facilities. It 4) Encourage the private sector to provide certain quality is local government’s responsibility to periodically further services and facilities for outdoor recreation enthusiasts. investigate and seriously consider the recommendations cited within this plan that provide for the orderly growth, 5) Consider the impact on the local economy of the many development, and maintenance of the area’s outdoor visitors and tourists in the area that utilize the county and recreation resources. municipal outdoor recreation facilities.

This plan is also intended to assure the county’s and 6) Establish a policy of re-evaluating goals and objectives municipalities’ eligibility to participate in the Land and Water and project plans when necessary. Conservation Fund Program (LAWCON) and the State Stewardship Program. The existence of a recreation plan will 7) Receive maximum benefits from the Land and Water also assist the county and communities with their overall Conservation Fund (LAWCON) and State Stewardship planning and development efforts for which financial Program funds. assistance is also available from other federal and state programs designed to promote and assist in the development of viable communities. The provision of adequate recreation facilities is a goal that concurs with the national emphasis on Authority improving the quality of life in our communities and preserving a balanced environment. The Mississippi River Regional Planning Commission (MRRPC) prepared this County Outdoor Recreation Facilities Plan on behalf of the Buffalo County Board of Supervisors who will adopt the plan. Goals and Objectives Community Participation and Cooperation Buffalo County’s objective in preparing this Outdoor Recreation The strength of the outdoor recreation program in Buffalo Plan is twofold; the first is to provide an orderly framework for County can be gauged by participation and enthusiasm of guiding future development of the County’s own recreation numerous local citizen groups and service clubs that create properties; and the second is to provide a single source outdoor recreational opportunities and support governmental document in which the individual community plans can be efforts at improving outdoor recreation facilities and brought together to provide a county-wide inventory of existing opportunities. Below are some of these groups and events that outdoor recreation facilities and opportunities and also to provide help make outdoor experiences of all kinds available in the an opportunity to view the entire county for future planning County. purposes.

Buffalo County Outdoor Recreation Plan 2016-2020

Citizen Groups and Service Clubs

Act 1, Community Theatre Guild (Mondovi) Fountain City Lions Club Alma Historical Society Fountain City River Players Alma, Inc., WI Post 224 Fountain City Rod and Gun Club Alma Lions Club Girl Scouts Alma Rod and Gun Club Glencoe Drifters (Snowmobile Club) Alma Snow Drifters of Wisconsin Inc. (Snowmobile Club) Great Rivers Anglers Chapter (Buffalo City) Arcadia Sportsmen’s Club Hilltop Trailblazers (Snowmobile Club) Big River Theatre Company (Alma) Midnight Riders Saddle Club Boy Scouts Mondovi American Legion Buffalo City Historical Society Mondovi Area Historical Society Buffalo County 4-H Clubs Mondovi Business Association Buffalo County Historical Society Mondovi Conservation Club Buffalo County Land & Trails Trust (nonprofit for the Flyway Mondovi Garden Club Trail) Mondovi Gilmanton Sno Blazers (Snowmobile Club) Buffalo County Snowmobile Assoc. Inc. (Snowmobile Club) Mondovi Lions Club Cochrane Buffalo City Lions Club Nelson Lions Club Cochrane Historical Society Nelson-Urne Trail Snowmobilers (Snowmobile Club) Dillon-Johnson-Anderson, Inc., WI Post 154 River Valley Riders (Snowmobile Club) Forrest-Gunderson-Klevgard, WI Post 264 Trout Unlimited Fountain City Area Historical Society Waumandee Area Lions Club Fountain City Business & Community Group Waumandee Rod and Gun Club Fountain City, Inc., WI Post 56 Waumandee Trailblazers (Snowmobile Club) Wings Over Alma

Buffalo County Outdoor Recreation Plan 2016-2020

1. GEOPOLITICAL PROFILE

Buffalo County Chien dolomitic limestone. The limestone once covered Located in west central Wisconsin, Buffalo County’s most of the surface of the county, but with erosion much 2010 Census population was 13,587. The County is of the original plan has been deeply dissected and worn located in west central Wisconsin, with parts of the away; such that it is found only as remnants capping the southern portion within a 30-minute drive of the La ridge tops and higher hills. This is underlain by Crosse urban area and the northern portion of the same sandstone and, at lower levels, a sandy shale or shale distance from Eau Claire, and also serves as a suburban sandstone. Outcroppings of bedrock are common, venue for Winona, Minnesota, across the Mississippi including sheer bluff faces along the Mississippi. River, Map 1.1. Loess, alluvium, and colluvium form the uppermost Buffalo County is 28.5 miles east-west at its widest part, geologic deposits and, in addition to the bedrock, are the and about 40.5 miles north-south at the tallest part. It parent materials for many of the soils in the county. Soil borders Pepin and Eau Claire Counties to the north and types range from shallow silty clay loams on steep rocky Trempealeau County to the east. The rest of Buffalo land to deep silt loams on the valley bottoms, with smaller County is bordered by the Mississippi River and areas of sandy outwash soils. Aeolian silt deposits range Minnesota, which cover all the west and south. from 0.5 to 16 feet deep, with decreasing depths from southwest to northeast.

Physical Characteristics According to the Wisconsin Department of Revenue 2013 Statement of Assessment, Buffalo County has 334,946 acres of assessed lands. About 90% of land in the County is assessed as agriculture, agriculture/ forest, or forest. Land in farms as of the 2012 Agriculture Census in the County was classed as cropland (53.3%), woodland (33.3%), pastureland (6.6%) and other uses (6.8%). Other land categories are Residential 1.7%, Commercial .2%, Industrial .2%, and Undeveloped and other 8%. There are no county, state or National forest lands in the county.

Table 1.1 Buffalo County Assessed Land Uses 2013

% of Assessed Land Classification Acres Land Acres Residential 5,818 1.7 THE LANDSCAPE Commercial 968 0.3 Buffalo County is located within the unglaciated, Driftless Area Manufacturing 801 0.2 of Western Wisconsin. It has a varied topography with high Agriculture 210,545 62.9 ridges, long narrow valleys and steep slopes. Bluffs rise Undeveloped 23,712 7.1 above the river bottoms by 500 feet in some areas. The Forest (1) 21,569 6.4 land area of the county is 684.5 square miles, or about Agriculture Forest 67,942 20.3 438,061 acres. Other 3,591 1.1 334,946 The principal soil type is silt loam over limestone Source: Wis. Dept. of Revenue – 2013 Statement of Assessment bedrock. Soils are underlain by sedimentary bedrock Agricultural Characteristics consisting mainly of Cambrian sandstones and Prairie du

1-1 Buffalo County Outdoor Recreation Plan 2016-2020

Agriculture is the dominate land use in Buffalo County with is from mid-October through mid-November. 2) The dairy, crop and mixed livestock operations. The 2012 Census Cochrane City Bluffs harbor good quality prairie and oak of Agriculture County reported 1,061 farms on 305,302 acres savanna complexes. 3) The 194,000 acre Upper Mississippi with an average size of a farm of 288 acres. Comparing these River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge Extends 284 miles statistics to 2007 Ag Census, the total number of farms in the from Wabasha, MN to Rock Island, IL. The refuge plays host County declined by 14%, land in farms declined by 1%, and to significant waterfowl migrations, including some of the the average size of a farm increased by 15% from 2007 to continent’s largest concentrations of migrating tundra swans 2012. The agriculture commodities ranking highest in sales and canvasback ducks. Boating, fishing and waterfowl as of 2012 were milk from cows ($68,920,000); grains, hunting are popular recreation pursuits. 4) The Lower oilseeds, dry beans and dry peas ($67,609,000); and poultry Chippewa River and Prairies located in Buffalo, Dunn and and eggs ($59,408,000). Pepin Counties feature the largest concentration of remaining prairies and savannas in the state. 5) The Trempealeau Local Governments River Delta situated between the Trempealeau National The County has 6 incorporated communities and 17 Wildlife Refuge and Perrot State Park consist of undeveloped townships. The 17 town governments range in population uplands that provide an opportunity to establish a from the Town of Milton’s 16.3 square miles to the Town of conservation corridor. Nelson that covers 40.6 square miles. The villages range in size from Cochrane’s 0.8 square miles to the Village of Nelson Driftless Area with 1.44 square miles. Alma is the largest City at 7.9 square The Driftless area, an area covering 15,425,920 acres or miles. See Table 2.1 for the population of each municipality 24,103 square miles covers all or part of 57 counties in as of the 2010 Census. southeast Minnesota, southwest Wisconsin, northeast Iowa and a small portion of northwest Illinois in the Upper Ecological Landscape Mississippi River Basin. Buffalo County is part of this unique The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has area, an area that was by-passed by the last continental divided the state into 16 ecological landscapes based on glacier some 10,000 years ago resulting in a steep, rugged topography, soils, aquatic features, current vegetation, past landscape. The area is characterized by karst topography vegetation, and other factors. Within each ecological with shallow limestone bedrock, caves and sinkholes. landscape, legacy places have been identified. Buffalo County’s land area is within the Western Coulee and Ridges Map 1.2 Ecological Regions Landscape, Map 1.2. This Landscape is characterized by highly eroded non-glaciated topography. Its steep sided valleys are heavily forested with hardwoods and agricultural activities, primarily dairy and beef farming, are confined to the valley floors and ridge tops. Large and small meandering rivers and streams are also a characteristic. Soils are typically silt loams, and sandy loams in the uplands and alluvial or terrace deposits on the valley floors. The area’s pristine waters, forested hills and valleys, and rich biodiversity are a significant asset in the county. Thousands of acres protected as natural areas, state parks, and fish and wildlife refuges are a testament to the area’s value to local and national ecosystems.

There are five legacy places identified in the County. 1) The Buffalo River Corridor runs from Jackson County to the Mississippi River and contains a diverse mixture of high quality habitats ranging from broad wetlands to large forest block to oak savanna. The lower end of the Buffalo River provides valuable nesting and migratory habitat for many species of birds in the Mississippi River Valley and serves as an important staging area for migrating tundra swans. There is a Watchable Wildlife Observation Platform at Rieck's Lake Park near Alma, Wisconsin. The best time to view the tundra swans

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Buffalo County Outdoor Recreation Plan 2016-2020

2. SOCIO-ECONOMIC PROFILE

Population Population Age The population of Buffalo County decreased 1.6% between Buffalo County, according to 2010 U.S. Census figures, had a 2000 and 2010. As shown in the following table, the County’s median age of 44.1. This is an increase of almost 5 years since population decreased by 217 people during the last decade. the 2000 Census and is higher than the median age of the The Towns experienced a population loss of 52, while the State (38.5) and the Nation (37.2). The County’s percentage incorporated communities experienced a decrease of 165 of population 65 years and older was 18.1%, this figure is also people or -2.6%. Estimates and projections made by the higher than the State’s percentage which, was 13.7% and the Wisconsin Department of Administration indicate that the Nation’s which was 13%. On the other end of the age scale County will continue to decline in population slightly with a the percentage of the County's population that is under the age population loss of just 1.4% projected by the year 2034. This of 20 was 24.5%, which is lower than the State’s 26.4% and minimal decline in population does not deter from the fact there the Nation’s 26.9%. is always a demand for quality outdoor recreation facilities and the need for an updated outdoor recreation plan. Map 2.1 on page 2-4 shows the location of the incorporated cities and Gender Characteristics villages and unincorporated towns, their 2010 census numbers In 2010 the population breakdown in the County by gender was and 2015 population estimates. 50.5% male and 49.5% female. The Town of Belvidere had the largest gender difference with 55.3% male and 44.7% female, Table 2.2. Table 2.1 Buffalo County Population Data Population # % Table 2.2 Gender Characteristics - 2010 Census 2000 2010 Change Change Municipality Census Census 00-10 00-10 % Tota Municipality T Alma 377 297 -80 -21.2 Male % Male Female Female l T Belvidere 442 396 -46 -10.4 T Alma 160 53.9 137 46.1 297 T Buffalo 667 705 38 5.7 T Belvidere 219 55.3 177 44.7 396 T Canton 304 305 1 0.3 364 51.6 341 48.4 705 T Cross 366 377 11 3.0 T Buffalo T Dover 484 486 2 0.4 T Canton 162 53.1 143 46.9 305 T Gilmanton 470 426 -44 -9.4 T Cross 199 52.8 178 47.2 377 T Glencoe 478 485 7 1.5 T Dover 264 54.3 222 45.7 486 T Lincoln 187 162 -25 -13.4 208 48.8 218 51.2 426 T Maxville 325 309 -16 -4.9 T Gilmanton T Milton 517 534 17 3.3 T Glencoe 260 53.6 225 46.4 485 318 354 36 11.3 T Modena T Lincoln 89 54.9 73 45.1 162 T Mondovi 449 469 20 4.5 165 53.4 144 46.6 309 T Montana 306 284 -22 -7.2 T Maxville T Naples 584 691 107 18.3 T Milton 274 51.3 260 48.7 534 T Nelson 586 571 -15 -2.6 T Modena 172 48.6 182 51.4 354 T Waumandee 515 472 -43 -8.3 T Mondovi 236 50.3 233 49.7 469 7,375 7,323 -52 -0.7 Town Totals T Montana 146 51.4 138 48.6 284 V. Cochrane 435 450 15 3.4 T Naples 344 49.8 347 50.2 691 V. Nelson 395 374 -21 -5.3 291 51.0 280 49.0 571 C Alma 942 781 -161 -17.1 T Nelson C Buffalo City 1,040 1,023 -17 -1.6 T Waumandee 238 50.4 234 49.6 472 983 859 -124 -12.6 C Fountain City V. Cochrane 214 47.6 236 52.4 450 C Mondovi 2,634 2,777 143 5.4 V. Nelson 204 54.5 170 45.5 374 6,429 6,264 -165 -2.6 City & Village Totals C Alma 398 51.0 383 49.0 781 13,804 13,587 -217 -1.6 Buffalo County C Buffalo City 509 49.8 514 50.2 1,02 3 Wisconsin 5,363,715 5,686,986 323,271 6.0 C Fountain City 456 53.1 403 46.9 859 2,77 Source: 2000 & 2010 Population U.S. Department of Commerce-Bureau C Mondovi 1,287 46.3 1,490 53.7 of the Census 7 Source: 2010 Census

2-1 Buffalo County Outdoor Recreation Plan 2016-2020

Urban/Rural In 1960 the County had 36% of its population living in Table 2.3 Buffalo County Housing Trends % incorporated communities and in 2010 over 46% of residents Change were living in incorporated communities, a 10% increase. This Municipality 1990 2000 2010 90-10 movement of people will have an impact on the access and T Alma 157 157 171 8.9 amount of public lands for recreation purposes. The small lot T Belvidere 218 222 219 0.5 urban dweller, whether it is a city of 2,000 or a village of 200, does T Buffalo 263 277 316 20.2 not have the capability to provide a myriad of extensive outdoor T Canton 109 112 126 15.6 118 141 165 39.8 recreation experiences on his or her own land and therefore is T Cross T Dover 147 156 199 35.4 more dependent upon a public park system which offers a T Gilmanton 173 180 190 9.8 broader range of outdoor opportunities including hunting, hiking, T Glencoe 171 180 208 21.6 camping, and picnicking. As more people move to the T Lincoln 106 106 123 16.0 incorporated communities and rural areas and farms are sold off T Maxville 120 123 152 26.7 for development, lands previously used for recreation are lost. T Milton 181 227 253 39.8 Many rural residents can find extended outdoor recreation T Modena 148 155 161 8.8 experiences on their own land. Snowmobiling, cross-country T Mondovi 183 165 200 9.3 skiing, hunting, hiking, and scenery viewing can all be done on T Montana 113 116 122 8.0 T Naples 190 231 278 46.3 their own property and their dependence upon a government T Nelson 237 265 291 22.8 sponsored recreation facility may be primarily for support of team T Waumandee 193 198 217 12.4 sports like softball. V Cochrane 216 197 234 8.3 V Nelson 190 201 204 7.4 C Alma 414 495 488 17.9 Farming C Buffalo City 447 492 577 29.1 Farming is a major part Buffalo County’s economy. In 2012 C Fountain City 410 470 467 13.9 farmers harvested 65,100 acres (9.6 million bushels) of corn C Mondovi 1,082 1,232 1,303 20.4 for grain; 23,800 acres (1.1 million bushels) of soybeans; and Buffalo Co. 5,586 6,098 6,664 19.3 Wisconsin 2,055,676 2,321,144 2,624,358 27.7 19,800 acres (51,300 tons) of hay alfalfa. During that period Source: U.S. Department of Commerce-Bureau of the Census the county had 18,100 dairy cows that produced $363.8 million pounds of milk. Over a period of 20 years between 1992 and 2012 the number of farms in Buffalo County increased from Employment 982 farms to 1,061 farms but the total acreage in farms According to the 2009-2013 American Community Survey, the decreased from 323,482 acres to 305,302 acres, a 5.6% top employment industries in the county were Educational decline. This decline in rural farms has a detrimental effect on Services, Health Care and Social Assistance (20.6%); outdoor recreation. Manufacturing (19.5%); and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, Hunting, and Mining (11.3%). It is important to note that there are large numbers of residents who commute to places of Housing Trends employment outside the county, especially to Winona County, Table 2.3 shows housing trends in Buffalo County and the MN and Trempealeau and Eau Claire counties in Wisconsin. State of Wisconsin from 1990-2010. During this period both The Wisconsin Department of Work Force Development Buffalo County housing units increased by 19.3% and the reported the County unemployment rate for 2013 was 6.0 State’s housing units increased by 27.7%. The 2010 census percent. This rate was down from the 2009 unemployment reported that of the 6,664 housing units reported, 85.7% were rate of 7.0 percent. Table 2.4 shows occupations by industry occupied housing units, 14.3% were vacant. Of the vacant for Buffalo County. housing units 7.3% were categorized for seasonal, recreational, or occasional use. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.8%.

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Buffalo County Outdoor Recreation Plan 2016-2020

Table 2.4 Buffalo County Occupations by Industry INDUSTRY Wisconsin Buffalo County Table 2.5 Buffalo County Major Employers Estimate % Estimate % Number of Employees Civilian employed population 16 years and over 2,839,636 2.5 6,936 Establishment (January 2015) Agriculture, forestry, fishing, hunting, and mining 70,743 5.3 784 11.3 Marten Transport 250-499 employees Construction 151,201 18.2 569 8.2 Dairyland Power Co-op 100-249 employees Manufacturing 515,649 2.7 1,355 19.5 American Lutheran Home 100-249 employees Wholesale trade 77,035 11.4 181 2.6 Foremost Farms 50-99 employees Retail trade 324,973 4.4 630 9.1 La Crosse Milling Company 50-99 employees Transportation and warehousing, and utilities 124,407 1.7 450 6.5 St. Michaels Lutheran Home 50-99 employees Midwest Dental 50-99 employees Information 48,652 6.2 76 1.1 Source: State of Wis., Department of Workforce Development, 2/15 Finance and insurance, and real estate and 176,812 7.9 385 5.6 rental and leasing 225,521 23.2 277 4.0 Professional, scientific, management, administrative and waste management services

Educational services, health care & social assist. 657,565 8.7 1,432 20.6 Arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation 246,390 4.2 394 5.7 and food services Other services, except public administration 119,054 3.6 229 3.3 Public administration 101,634 2.5 174 2.5 Source: 2009-2013 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates

Employers Bluff along Mississippi River Agriculture, manufacturing, education, and health sectors largely shape the economic character of Buffalo County, and Per Capita Personal Income growing industries like transportation and non-metallic mining In 2013, Buffalo County had a per capita personal income are providing new opportunities for employment. The largest (PCPI) of $44,853. This PCPI ranked 9th in the state and was employer in Buffalo County is Marten Transport with between 104 percent of the state average of $43,244, and 100 percent 250-499 employees. Other major employees are Dairyland of the national average, $44,765. Power Co-op and American Lutheran Home, Table 2.5. A number of residents in Buffalo County commute to Winona and Tourism Expenditures Wabasha Counties in Minnesota and Trempealeau, Eau Visitor expenditures in Buffalo County grew from $9.8 million Claire, Pepin, and La Crosse Counties in Wisconsin for in 2012 to $10.38 million in 2013, Table 2.6. This same trend employment. was prevalent in over 80% of other counties in the State. The neighboring counties of Pepin and Eau Claire also increased visitor expenditures from 2012-2013, while Trempealeau County experienced a decrease. Tourism employment in the county also increased by 3.3% from 2012 through 2013. Buffalo County ranked 69th in the State in tourism expenditures.

Table 2.6 Tourism Impact County Name Visitor Spending (County Rank in (Millions) Employment State) 2012 2013 2012 2013 Buffalo (69) 9.8 10.38 179 185 Eau Claire (16) 188.82 195.80 3,958 3,963 Pepin (70) 5.22 5.43 98 100

Scenic view along Mississippi River Trempealeau (60) 22.62 22.26 373 365 Source: http://industry.travelwisconsin.com/

2-3 Buffalo County Outdoor Recreation Plan 2016-2020

MAP 2.1 BUFFALO COUNTY

POPULATION 37

10 Mondovi 10 MAXVILLE CANTON 2,776 2,777 309 312 NAPLES 309 305 RIVER MONDOVI 700 475 691 469 DOVER 88 NELSON 487 601 MODENA 486 CHIPPEWA 571 25 357 121 354 35 GILMANTON 88 Nelson 436 426 373 374

37 35 N L MONTANA 25 ALMA O 282 304 C 284 397 N Alma I MISSISSIPPI 168 786 L 162 781

BELVIDERE GLENCOE 398 WAUMANDEE 492 396 467 485 472 35 Coch- rane 447 88 Buffalo 450 1,013 RIVER 1,023 MILTON 95

547 2015 Estimated Population 534 RIVER CROSS 2010 Census Population 388 377

Fountain

Scale In Miles City BUFFALO TREMPEALEAU 850 704 859 705 0 1 2 3 6 35 54 Produced By the Mississippi River Regional Planning Commission 2/1/16 54

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Buffalo County Outdoor Recreation Plan 2016-2020

3. STATEWIDE COMPREHENSIVE OUTDOOR RECREATION PLAN (SCORP) 2011-2016

RECREATIONAL TRENDS AND DEMAND an increasing demand, a decreasing demand and those which will remain stable. Every five years, Wisconsin publishes a Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) to serve as a blueprint for state Chapter 3 discusses the inclusion of health and wellness in and local outdoor recreation planning as required by the Federal outdoor recreation planning. Outdoor activities were identified Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Act of 1965. For the yielding the greatest health benefits. 2011-2016 Wisconsin SCORP, the State not only met the requirements of the (LWCF) Act but also reflected on the America’s Great Outdoors (AGO) Initiative, launched in 2010 by President Chapter 4 explores current urban offerings of urban recreation Obama, for an approach that asks American people to become across municipalities in Wisconsin when compared to similar partners in preserving and enhancing their conservation and peers. Chapter 5 examines public and private holders of recreation heritage for the 21st century. 1 recreation land through Wisconsin and the programs that encourage conservation and acquisition of public land and For guidance on the demand for recreational outdoor activities protection and public access of private land. a review of the Wisconsin Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) 2011 – 2016 was conducted. Chapter 6 lists seven goals, each with a list of actions, SCORP is the State-wide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation designed to encourage the connection of Wisconsin’s Plan. residents to the great outdoors with their state. The goals are: 1. Assess, understand and adapt to growing recreation tourism Chapter 2 of the SCORP analyzed demand for outdoor demands and preferences. recreation activities by popularity and by setting. The outdoor 2. Improve integration of outdoor recreation interests and needs recreation activities presented in the 2011-2016 SCORP are in land use and other relevant planning efforts. 3. Continue to provide and enhance public access to Wisconsin primarily based on the 2005-2009 National Survey on recreation land and waters. Recreation and the Environment (NSRE) and Outdoor 4. Conserve rural landscapes and forests through partnerships Industry Foundation (OIF) studies, Table 3.1. The number and incentives. one outdoor recreation activity identified is Walking for 5. Address funding challenges associated with managing Pleasure, with 87.7 percent of the surveyed public engaging Wisconsin Outdoor Recreation Resources. in this activity. This is an activity that can be carried out in both 6. Promote outdoor recreation as a means of improving public urban and rural settings with no special equipment needed health among Wisconsinites. and can be enjoyed equally by all ages. The second most 7. Establish great urban parks and community green spaces. popular outdoor activity is Gardening or landscaping for pleasure, with 65.4% participating. Other activities ranking at As we progress into the future events and issues that the top were View/photograph natural scenery (65.3%); influence outdoor recreation are always changing. Buffalo Attend outdoor sports events (65.0%); Family gathering County’s population has fluctuated through the decades. In (63.5%); Visit nature centers etc. (63.5%); 1960 the County has a population of 14,202 and in 1970 the View/photograph other wildlife (57.9%); Driving for county’s population had dropped to 13,743, a decrease of pleasure (52.8%); View/photograph wildflowers, trees, 3.2%. In 1980 the county’s population increased by 4.1% to etc. (52.4%); Sightseeing (50.6%); Bicycling (48.7%); 14,309 only to decline again in 1990 to 13,584. Between 1990 Boating (any type) (47.3%); Picnicking (47.0%); Visit and 2000 the County’s population increased by 1.6%, and historic sites (46.7%); and Snow/ice activities (any type) then between 2000 and 2010 the County’s population (45.9%). Activities with less than 2% of the population decreased by 1.6%. The County’s median age increased from participating are: Orienteering (1.6%); Scuba Diving (1.1%); 34.9 in 1990 to 35.3 in 2000 and again in 2010 to 44.1. As Windsurfing (1.1%) and Surfing (1.0%). people age the recreation activities they participate in may change. Chapter 2 looked at 15-year recreation trends. Table 3.2 shows projected trends in Wisconsin Outdoor Recreation Changes in family structure (an increase in single parent Activities. The table identifies those activities which will have families) also change recreation choices. As of 2009-2013 American Community Survey 5-year estimates it was

1 Wisconsin SCORP 2011-2016 “Chapter 1 - Introduction” 3-1 Buffalo County Outdoor Recreation Plan 2016-2020 estimated that 12% of households in Buffalo County are single families with female householder, no husband present, had family households. Income levels can also determine incomes below the poverty level. Another interesting estimate participation in an outdoor activity. During that same time was that 12% of the County’s (noninstitutionalized) population period it was estimated that about 7% of families and 23% of was living with some kind of disability.

Table 3.2 Projected Trends in Wisconsin Outdoor Recreation Activities Increasing Adventure racing Popular as both an individual and a group activity Demand Driving for pleasure An easy activity for the aging baby boomer generation Developed/RV camping Baby boomers are a continued driving force for this growth

Kayaking Cheaper entry points have attracted more participants Visit a dog park Urban residents continue to demand more of these areas

Soccer outdoors Youth growth is still strong in urban areas BMX biking X games popularity may be driving this growth ▲ Climbing Indoor climbing walls have led to an outdoor resurgence Stand up paddling/paddleboarding A fast growing water sport sweeping the country Triathlon (on-and off-road) Varying distance events have allowed for growth Off-highway vehicle driving Post-recession growth continues Gardening or landscaping for pleasure The “grow local” concept is taking hold at many levels Stable Demand Walk for pleasure Market saturation does not allow for large growth

Running or jogging Gen Y replacing the baby boomers for this activity

Water parks Recession may have caused this growth to slow Motorboating Still easy access in a water-based state

Day hiking Popular with many generations Golf Time constraints do not allow for growth ▬ Tent camping Continues to be stable, growth is illusive Snowboarding May have peaked after 20 years of growth Trail running A stable niche activity with Gen Y View/photograph wildlife An easy activity that spans generations Bicycling (road and non-paved) Popular with many generations – access is still key Snowshoeing After large growth, this has stabilized Decreasing Hunting Continues to struggle with generational loss and private access Demand Inline skating A large decrease in the last six years, the bottom may be near

Skateboarding/skate parks Gen M is free-skating with longboards ▼ Horseback riding on trails Recession impacts have caused this to decrease with no rebound Softball Baby boomers continue to leave this sport Downhill skiing Gen Y does not have the numbers to replace aging baby boomers Source: Wisconsin Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) 2011-2016

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Buffalo County Outdoor Recreation Plan 2016-2020

4. RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES

Introduction Driving for pleasure is engaged in by 52.8 percent of the state's residents and one that can be enjoyed even when it is not the Outdoor recreation is an integral part of the fabric of human participant's major purpose is scenic driving, or "sightseeing". environment. Over 87% of Wisconsinites enjoy some form of Since it occurs while sitting in a fuel consuming vehicle, an outdoor recreation. Therefore, the planning of outdoor environmental purist might not consider it outdoor recreation; recreation facilities is of utmost importance for the yet it is clearly an activity directly dependent upon the beauty development of healthy and viable communities. Three of nature and upon facilities with which to view this natural important parts of recreation planning are: (1) Determine the beauty. demand for different types of outdoor recreation activity, (2) Inventory the existing facilities which accommodate the The Great River Road (STH 35) Wisconsin’s only National various types of outdoor recreation activity, and (3) Evaluate Scenic Byway parallels the Mississippi River on Buffalo the existing facilities and determine the need for improvements County’s western border and travels through the Villages of or additions to meet the existing and anticipated recreational Cochrane and Nelson and the cities of Alma, Buffalo City and demand. Fountain City. The Great River Road offers incredible scenery passing through natural areas provides exceptional bird Proactive planning is important to ensure that recreation is watching opportunities, and offers agritourism attractions. accessible to all citizens. One of the greatest challenges is Map 4.1 on page 4-15 shows the location of the Great River understanding the ever-changing needs of those participating Road, other scenic routes and waysides. in outdoor recreation. The 2011-2016 SCORP examines outdoor recreation by recreation setting, the environment in which people recreate. The activities were divided into five groupings: 1. Developed Land Great River Road Signage along 2. Limited Development State Highway 35 3. Water 4. Winter 5. Viewing and Interpretive

1. DEVELOPED LAND ACTIVITIES Camping There are probably few other outdoor recreation experiences Outdoor recreations in developed settings are those activities where the demands or expectations of the participants vary so which use some form of manmade development (such as widely. Some campers want amenities such as electricity, hot roads or sidewalks) or involve a high level of social interaction. showers, laundry facilities, and amusements like miniature golf Developed Land setting outdoor recreation is the most popular and movies. Other campers seek solitude and campfires with form of recreation, two activities, Walking for Pleasure (87.7% their amusement being morning bird song and hiking. Private participating), and Gardening/ Landscaping for Pleasure for profit campgrounds in the county make no apologies for (65.4% participating), are the two most popular forms of trying to meet the expectations of the former group. The recreation in Wisconsin. Other activities in this grouping are expectations of the latter or "wilderness" group will probably Attending outdoor sports events (65%), Family gathering not be fully met anywhere in Jackson County simply because (63.5%), Driving for pleasure (52.8%), Bicycling (48.7%), there is no "backpack trails - high mountain country" terrain in Picnicking (47%), Yard games (44.7%), Golf (41.8%), Soccer the county. outdoors (32.3%), Running or jogging (32.1%), Developed camping (25.4%), Handball or racquetball outdoors (23.5%), In the 2011-2016 SCORP, “Developed Camping” was reported Horseback riding (any type) (8.7%), Tennis outdoors (8.5%), as an activity in which 25.4 percent of the adult respondents Horseback riding on trails (6.6%), and Inline skating (2.5%). engaged in. Frequently, camping is the primary purpose of the trip, but camping can also be an adjunct to another purpose. For example, families may view camping as a way to save lodging money while on a vacation. Driving for Pleasure 4-1

Buffalo County Outdoor Recreation Plan 2016-20120

Buffalo County is rich in camping opportunities. Following is a All public and private campgrounds were inventoried with brief description available camping facilities in the County. results tabulated and shown in Table 4.1 and Map 4.2 on page 4-16.  Buffalo County Resort campground is available for campers, motor-homes and tents with electrical Table 4.1 Public and Private Campgrounds hookups. There are also 10 cabins available for rent Camp and a stocked trout stream and a restaurant/bar on Name/Area Owner Sites site. Merrick State Park, Fountain City State 65 Riecks Lake Park, C. Alma City 20  Drift Inn located north of Fountain City has 13 Tourist Park, C. Mondovi City 6 campsites with water, and electric hook-ups and four Buffalo County Resort, T. Waumandee Private cabins. Drift Inn, Fountain City Private 13 Great River Harbor, C. Alma Private 125  Great River Harbor Campground and Marina has Henderson’s Sliver Moon Park, C. Alma Private 13 125 campsites offering tent and trailer camping as Nelsons Landing RV Park, V. Nelson Private 100 well as cabins. There are campsites with and Olson’s Fishing Camp, C. Alma Private 6 without hookups, overnight docking, a marina, Pecks RV Camping, Buffalo City Private 50 restaurant and bar, an 18-hole mini golf course, Sleepy Hollow Campground, Fountain City Private 35 playground, lounge, game room, trails, and boat Total 433 launch. Source: Mississippi River Regional Planning Commission, 2015

 Hendersons Silver Moon Park located north of Alma has 13 sites with water and electric hook-ups.

 Nelsons Landing RV Park located at the foot of the bluffs on the Great River Road offers 100 RV sites with sewer, water, and electric.

 Olson’s Fishing Camp offers six campsites with water and electric hook-ups. Camping at Rieck’s Lake  Pecks RV Camping has 50 campsites and provides water, sewer, and electrical hook-up to all sites. Golf The 2011-2016 SCORP indicates that 41.8 percent of the  Merrick State Park has 65 campsites. Showers and population plays golf. This sport has shown remarkable growth in flush toilets are available as well as a dumping participation, from 10 percent in 1985, to 17 percent recorded in station. Electric hookup is also available. the 1991 SCORP survey, to the current jump to 41.8 percent in 2011. It represents the aging of the “Baby Boomer” generation,  Riecks Lake Park, a city of Alma park has 20 campsites that in the 1970’s sparked the growth of tennis courts, and now, with electricity. Full restroom facilities are available as the “Boomer’s” grandchildren are beginning to flock to the with showers. soccer fields, the “50 something” generation is turning increasingly to the relatively more relaxed sport of golf. As long ago as 1990,  Tourist Park, a city of Mondovi park has a small citizen outdoor recreation planning sessions in western Wisconsin campground with six sites offering electric and water attached a “Medium” priority to the development of golf facilities, hookup. with a general agreement that more courses were needed for the existing population and growing number of golfers. A generally  Sleepy Hollow Campground, located in Eagle Valley, accepted standard for determining golf course capacity is that one near Fountain City, extra-large pull-thru sites 9-hole golf course can accommodate 250 golfing occasions per featuring full hookups, including water, electric, day. and sewer. There is also cabin rentals, tent sites and hike-in primitive camping sites. There is also There are two private golf courses available to the public in Buffalo an office store with private showers, washers and County, Map 4.3 on page 4-17. Other quality golfing opportunities dryers. are available to County residents in Trempealeau and Eau Claire, Wisconsin and Winona, Minnesota.

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Buffalo County Outdoor Recreation Plan 2016-2020

The Valley Golf Course (Mondovi) is an 18-hole course for Picnicking golfers of all skill levels featuring beautiful views of picturesque Picnicking implies that people are traveling to a predetermined farmsteads. There is a clubhouse that can accommodate up location to eat a meal in an outdoor setting. It may be the major to 350 people. purpose of the outing or it may just be auxiliary to a camping trip or a ball game. Many areas with picnic tables located along Walnut Grove Golf Course (Cochrane) is an 18-hole course highways are used for resting more often than picnicking. nestles between the bluffs. Some picnic areas, especially in village or city parks, are often used for large family gatherings or reunions which last for The private sector has typically been a participant in developing several hours, while some highway rest stops are used almost golf courses, although acquisition and continued operation of exclusively by travelers for just a few minutes. Picnicking former membership “country clubs” by local governments is also ranked as the thirteenth most popular outdoor recreation common. Demand for new courses needs to be mentioned in the activity with 47 percent participation rate. market place, as the establishment of new courses is capital intensive as well as having environmental impacts. Roadside parks and some city waysides provide picnic tables that are used primarily by transients or visitors to the area. Also, private and public camping areas include picnic tables, but these are used primarily by campers. The specific number of tables varies from year to year, or even during the season.

There are many developed, publicly owned picnic areas in the county, Table 4.2. State and municipal Picnic and Park Areas are shown on Map 4.3 on page 4-17.

Table 4.2 Picnic Areas Name and Description of Picnic Area 1. Merrick State Park (Fountain City): Picnic areas along the Mississippi and three picnic shelters 2. Buena Vista Park (Alma): Picnic shelter and scenic view Walnut Grove Golf Course 3. Buffalo City Park: Picnic shelters Tennis 4. Foelsch Riverside Park (Buffalo City): Picnic area Tennis is both a participatory and spectator sport, which 5. Goose Memorial Park (Cochrane): Picnic area gained great popularity in the late 70's and early 80's. Many 6. Harmonia Park (T. Waumandee): Picnic area small communities constructed tennis courts in their village 7. Memorial Park (Mondovi): Picnic Shelters and arboretum parks. It is not an activity which has been traditionally 8. Mirror Lake (Mondovi): Picnic areas and shelters associated with such other outdoor recreation activities as 9. Riecks Lake Park (Alma): Picnic area & observation platform hunting and fishing, but the federal Land and Water 10. Sharps Point Park (Mondovi): Picnic shelters & Veterans Memorial Conservation (LAWCON) Fund has funded many of the courts 11. Tourist Park (Mondovi): Picnic shelters and now is being used for major rehabilitation of existing facilities. Tennis has an 8.5% participation rate according to 12. Veteran’s Memorial Park (Buffalo City): Picnic shelters the 2011-2016 SCORP. Demand is varied from community to Source: Mississippi River Regional Planning Commission, 2015 community based upon local interest and programs. A version of tennis called “Pickle Ball” is gaining popularity especially The theoretical "standard" for measuring the use of picnic among the older generations. Pickle Ball can be played on areas assumes each picnic "event" involves four people and tennis courts, but takes up less space. the turnover rate per table per day is one and one-half. This means that each picnic table provided for the public Tennis is the type of outdoor activity usually associated with accommodates six people per day. Although this seems very urban parks. The individual communities must evaluate their low, especially when you consider the many people that may own residents' desire for tennis courts versus the other park sit at a table in a given day at a busy highway rest area; they activities. Existing courts should be maintained and are also averaged in the all day long family parties. Since no rehabilitated as necessary to insure a quality-playing surface. projected demand figures exist, no theoretical number of Tennis courts are available in Alma, Buffalo City, Fountain City, tables to meet the potential demand can be stated. Picnic and Mondovi. areas that exist as part of a broader outdoor recreation experience or that are located in a pleasant environment are

4-3 Buffalo County Outdoor Recreation Plan 2016-20120 more apt to be used than a table in a small park or one apparatus safety considerations. Table 4.3 inventories haphazardly located. playground facilities in Buffalo County.

Each community can observe the pressure for picnic tables at Table 4.3 Playground Areas its own parks and determine if additional units should be Name and Description of Playground Area added. As with most types of demands, the peak period is only 1. Merrick State Park (Fountain City): Playground and nature center a small portion of the total time; but picnic tables, especially if 2. Buena Vista Park (Alma): Playground added nearby to existing tables, are a relatively inexpensive 3. Buffalo City Park: Playgrounds, volleyball and tennis courts outdoor recreation device. 4. Harmonia Park (T. Waumandee): Playground area 5. Memorial Park (Mondovi): Playground equipment, volleyball Playground Activities courts, and baseball/softball fields Public parks are an essential component of the outdoor 6. Mirror Lake (Mondovi): Playground equipment recreation structure including the variety of playground 7. Riecks Lake Park (Alma): Playground and ball diamond activities offered. The 2011-2016 SCORP provided state 8. Ede’s Park (Mondovi): Playground apparatus participation rates for the following: Attend outdoor sports 9. Fountain City Park: Ball Park and playground equipment events (65%); Yard games, e.g. horseshoes (44.7%); Soccer 10. Veteran’s Memorial Park (Buffalo City): Baseball/softball fields outdoors (32.3%); Handball or racquetball outdoors (23.5%); Source: Mississippi River Regional Planning Commission, 2015 and Tennis outdoors (8.5%). It should be noted that the 2011- 2016 shows participation rates for people 16 years old and Horseback Riding On a Trail - Horseback riding on a trail is not older. an activity that has a lot of participation Statewide. According to the 2011-2016 SCORP Horseback Riding on a trail had a The term "Playground Activities" as used here refers to 6.6% participation rate at the State level, and Horseback playground facilities including ballfields, swings, slides, Riding (any type) had an 8.7 % participation rate. general-purpose recreation fields, and other facilities that provide for outdoor games or activities. The fact that most of The 36-mile Buffalo River State Trail that connects the the participants using playgrounds are children should not communities of Fairchild and Mondovi allows horseback riding detract from its importance as an outdoor activity. when there is not enough snow cover for a groomed snowmobile trail. See Map 4.4 on page 4-18 for the location of this trail. Buffalo County has one private riding stable located near Fountain City that offers private riding lessons.

All-Terrain Vehicle Trails – According to the 2011-2016 SCORP off highway vehicle driving had a 19.8% participation rate at the State level.

ATVs are permitted on the 36-mile Buffalo River State Trail that connects the communities of Fairchild and Mondovi. See Map 4.4 on page 4-17 for locations of this trail.

Playground apparatus at Rieck’s Lake Park 2. LIMITED DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES

Playgrounds can range from simple to elaborate. Any Limited Development activities take place in undeveloped, or community planning to develop or expand its playground primitive sites and general involve hiking, camping, or some apparatus should consult with experts at the University of form of hunting. Activities in this group are: Day hiking Wisconsin-La Crosse, or other recreational departments for an (36.7%), Visit a wilderness or primitive area (33.7%), Mountain update on the latest technology. Installation of playground biking (30.7%), Hunting-any type (22.2%), Big game hunting equipment, while a primary responsibility of the municipality (18.0%), Small game hunting (11.3%), Primitive camping operating the park is also a good project for community civic (11.4%), Migratory bird hunting (4.1%), Backpacking (7.4%), groups. Individual community park plans present additional Rock climbing (3.8%), Mountain climbing (2.7%), Caving information on specific needs and actions regarding (2.6%) and Orienteering (1.6%). Following is an inventory of playgrounds, and the appendix contains information on the land based and limited development activities in Buffalo County.

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Buffalo County Outdoor Recreation Plan 2016-2020

Trail Activities through the park and offering river views. The Buffalo River Providing “trails” can accommodate many of the most popular State Trail is open all year to hiking and biking. Mississippi outdoor recreational activities. Activities such as wildlife Valley Conservancy – Angel Bluff property (20 acres) located watching or bird watching can be enjoyed through the use of in Buffalo Township is open to hiking. Foelsch Riverside trails, in addition to the more traditional trail activities such as Park in Buffalo City offers ten acres of woodland with walking and bicycling. Trails serve a multitude of recreational meandering walking trails to view wildlife. Joseph Peterson activities, although bicycle trails can also serve as legitimate Arboretum, a 10-acre natural area in Mondovi offers hiking in transportation facilities. With the exception of snowmobile and a peaceful, tranquil setting. At Alma you can enjoy hikes, bird cross-country ski trails, which are treated separately, trails are watching, and nature studies at Mossy Hollow Trail, a 102- definite features existing on the ground, and are maintained in acre area in the valley on the south end of the city extending order to keep them serviceable. Hiking, walking, nature up 12-mile bluff, as well as on the scenic Buena Vista Trails, walking, horseback riding, all-terrain vehicle, and bicycle trails which extends from Main Street up Alma Bluff to Buena Vista are considered together in this section. Map 4.4 on page 4- Park and overlook. Eagle Valley Trails located in Eagle Valley 18 shows significant walking trails, and bicycling suitability of near Fountain City offer miles of scenic connecting trails. The the public road system. Village of Nelson recently acquired a new public park through donation of a private landowner. Thrive! Park is a 25-acre Hiking and Walking Trails - Outdoor recreation planners define property featuring hiking trails winding through woodlands with "hiking" as a walking trip of more than four hours (usually 8 a scenic blufftop view overlooking the Village of Nelson. miles) duration. Often times camping facilities are associated with this type of long distance hiking trail. A "walk" is any foot Bicycle Trails - Wisconsin is fortunate to have the fine bicycle travel for pleasure of less duration than a hike and may include trail system it has developed statewide. It was one of the first a rugged terrain interpretive nature trail two or three miles long, states to promote a “rails to trails” program. The Buffalo River or a paved surface a few hundred feet in length from a parking State Trail extends from Fairchild in Trempealeau County to lot to a scenic overlook. Buffalo County is home to some Mondovi, near the northern boundary of Buffalo County. abundant and unique hiking opportunities. Some unique Established in 1976, the surface of this trail is not finished, Hiking opportunities in the County are identified below. many areas of old cinder ballast or sand blows make this trail better suited for mountain bikes or hiking rather than the typical narrow tired touring type bicycle.

Buffalo County Land & Trails Trust Inc, is a community-driven startup that formed with a goal to develop the “Flyway Trail”, a proposed multi-use trail between Nelson, WI and Winona, MN, along the Mississippi River and connecting to the Great River State Trail in Marshland, WI. The Flyway Trail will offer area residents and visitors unique and diverse recreation and transportation experiences through a variety of trail typologies, including shared-use paths, shoulder bikeways, bike lanes, and signed on-street bike routes for the entire 40-mile corridor. Trail in Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge A feasibility study has been written for the trail, which includes

recommended trail alignments, operations, maintenance, State Wildlife Areas and State Natural Areas (SNAs) design guidelines, and trail facilities (trailheads, bicycle located in Buffalo County that allow hiking are: Big Swamp parking, seating, lighting, trail signage, and trail Wildlife Area and Big Swamp Tamarack Fen SNA; Lower intersections/crossings). Chippewa River SNA; Trempealeau River Meadow SNA;

Whitman Bottoms Floodplain Forest SNA; Tiffany Bottoms Buffalo County has also taken the lead on the Great River Wildlife Area; and Whitman Dam Wildlife Area. Tiffany State Trail Winona Connector project. With funds from the Bottoms Wildlife Area is a 12,500-acre area, which protects the Wisconsin DOT and DNR a proposed 3.9 mile crushed Chippewa River bottomlands and supports a number of rare limestone, multi-use trail would be built to allow for safe plants and animals. The Lower Chippewa River SNA is one of crossing of the Burlington Northern Railroad Santa Fe DNR’s hallmark projects. It protects the largest concentration Railroad. The new trail would then angle south following the of remnant dry prairies and globally-imperiled oak savannas in old railroad grade towards to the Town of Buffalo. A new the Midwest. Parts of the Upper Mississippi River National bridge would be placed on the abandoned cut stone foundation Wildlife and Fish Refuge are also available for hiking. once used by the railroad and would then follow the old railroad Merrick State Park has two miles of hiking trails that meander grade on the south side of STH 35 to the parking lot of the

4-5 Buffalo County Outdoor Recreation Plan 2016-20120

Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge and the Great River that is removed from the land; yet true sportsmen hunters are State Trail. sensitive to environmental issues and have, through license fees and personal financial and labor contributions, improved Off Road Mountain Biking is becoming a popular sport in the land cover conditions so that all people, hunters and non- Midwest. Several mountain biking trails are being constructed hunters alike, may enjoy wildlife observation. This of course in Buffalo County to accommodate off-road bicycling. The City cannot ignore the fact that some persons carrying firearms in of Alma has two trails in development. Mossy Hollow Trail is the field, by their actions, cause public condemnation for their an off-road trail loop utilizing a newly constructed Xcel Energy behavior, which threatens, continued public support for all access road as the up-slope path, starting from Mossy Hollow hunting activities. Road winding up the bluff to Danzinger Winery and looping back down to the city, utilizing existing trails. An additional Statewide, hunting remains a popular sport as indicated in the public trail is proposed surrounding the Shawnee Estates 2011 – 2016 SCORP with participation rates of 22.2%. development, the City Memorial Cemetery, and the City Public hunting areas with enough land to allow safe hunting, Landfill with access of County Road I, on the north end of need to continue to be maintained and expanded as Alma. necessary. Hunter education needs to continue to stress courtesy and respect, both to private landowners, and to the Wisconsin has long been considered a premier state for population of non-hunters who hear stories of rude and bicycling, especially due to the large amount of paved roads. arrogant hunters. The hunters' rule in supporting habitat Bicycles are considered vehicles by state statute, and have a preservation and environmental responsibility needs to be legal right to operate on any public roadway except where publicized. Local sportsmen’s clubs should continue to specifically prohibited, such as on the Interstate highway cooperate with state and national conservation organizations system or other freeways, or on some bridges. Common and with the Department of Natural Resources in hunter sense however indicates not all bicyclists feel comfortable, or education programs, and in maintaining good relations are competent to ride in certain traffic conditions, just as some between hunters and landowners. motorists feel uncomfortable in heavy or fast traffic conditions. The Department of Transportation (DOT), with input from The County’s land and water resources provide valuable county highway and district DOT staff has examined several habitat for wildlife and in turn offers some of the best hunting variables, with traffic volume (Average Daily Traffic-ADT) and in the state with large populations of deer, turkey, small game roadway and shoulder width being the major ones, to classify and waterfowl. Buffalo County is nationally recognized as all state and county roads in unincorporated areas as having trophy country for Whitetail Deer. Hunters can also enjoy “Best”, “Moderate”, or “Undesirable” conditions for bicycling. In hunting turkey and waterfowl. Although privately owned lands cooperation with the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin (BFW) provide most of the hunting opportunities in Buffalo County four maps, which together cover the entire state, have been there are also public lands open to hunting, see Table 4.4 and published and are available for public sale. Portions of Map 4.6 on page 4-20. Highway STH 35, STH 95, and STH 37 were suggested as “Best for Bicycling” in Buffalo County. The state and county road suitability based on these criteria is shown on Map 4.5 on page 4-19. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation's (WisDOT) county bike maps provide a bicycling conditions assessment that benefits both cyclists and transportation planners. The county maps were updated in 2015 are based on the 2015 Wisconsin State Bicycle Map. The Buffalo County map shows a majority of named county and state highways as being designated, “Best Condition” for Bicycling, meaning they have light volumes of traffic and may have other favorable factors such as good sight distance, minimal truck traffic, and paved shoulders.

Alma Rod & Gun Club Hunting Table 4.4 Buffalo County Public Lands Open to Hunting Hunting and consumptive uses of natural resources in general, Site Location Size has come under increasing criticism from an urban population

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Buffalo County Outdoor Recreation Plan 2016-2020

Upper Mississippi Fish and Wildlife Along Mississippi sloughs, ponds, and marshes can fill with silt, resulting in Refuge River undesirable boat launch sites, hazardous pleasure boating, Merrick State Park (Hunting allowed Fountain City and decreased habitat for waterfowl and fish. This “non-point” in open areas from11/15 to 12/15 Big Swamp Tamarack Fen SNA T. Mondovi 354 acres pollution consisting of soil runoff from farms, construction (located in Big Swamp Wildlife area) projects, and other disturbed soil; and biologic wastes from Big Swamp Wildlife Area 796 acres inadequately protected farms and home septic systems is Tiffany Bottoms State Natural Area Located on 717 acres often a significant cause of water quality degradation. (located within Tiffany Wildlife Area) Chippewa River Watershed planning and adherence to plans, can help make Tiffany Wildlife Area between Nelson & 13,000 acres the rivers and lakes of Buffalo County cleaner and more Durand Trempealeau River Meadow SNA T. Cross 443 acres enjoyable for outdoor recreation use.

Whitman Dam Wildlife Area T. Milton 2,253 acres Fishing Whitman Bottoms Floodplain Forest 154 acres SNA (Located in Whitman Dam Fishing and Wisconsin are almost synonymous in many Wildlife Area) people's minds. Wisconsinites also must think fishing is good Source: Wisconsin DNR, USFWS, and Mississippi River Regional Planning in Wisconsin as it is the 22nd most popular outdoor recreation Commission, 2015 activity with 37.4% of the population participating in Freshwater fishing. Buffalo County is a haven for fishing with Private Hunting Clubs: its rivers, sloughs, lakes and streams filled with northern pike, There are some sportsmen’s clubs around the county that provide bluegills, crappies, walleye, bass, trout and catfish. The their members with hunting and target shooting opportunities. It County has numerous public boat launching ramps and fishing should not be assumed that these lands are open to public use floats positioned on the Mississippi River just below the dams. without permission. Private clubs within the county are: Mondovi Lake Pepin with three public boat landings in the County: 1) Conservation Club, Arcadia Sportsman’s as well as Rod and Gun Beef Slough Landing – Town of Nelson; 2) Pontoon Slough Clubs in Alma, Fountain City and Waumandee. Landing – Town of Nelson and 3) Alma Marina – City of Alma has Panfish, Largemouth Bass and Northern Pike. Mirror Local sportsmen’s clubs in alliance with the Buffalo County Lake (19 acres) in Mondovi has one public boat landing and Conservation Club have continued to cooperate with state and fish include Panfish, Largemouth Bass and Trout. Buffalo national conservation organizations and with the Department of County has numerous boat landings accessing the Mississippi Natural Resources in hunter education programs, and in River and its numerous backwater fisheries, Table 4.5. maintaining good relations between hunters and landowners. Private landowners will continue to provide hunting opportunity for Trout fishing is also possible in Buffalo County. According to themselves and friends, although as individual parcels of private a comprehensive Trout Stream list prepared by the DNR, there ownership become smaller, and sub urbanization increases, more are approximately 131 miles of Class II and Class III trout and more private lands will undoubtedly be posted against streams in Buffalo County. Class II streams have good water hunting. conditions and may have some natural reproduction, but light to moderate stocking is necessary to insure adequate density for good sport fishing and Class III streams have marginal 3. WATER ACTIVITIES water conditions for sustaining trout populations on a year- round basis. Continual hatchery stocking is necessary to Water-based outdoor activities are among the most popular provide adequate fishing. recreation activities in Wisconsin. The 2011-2016 SCORP estimates participant rates for the following water activities: Walk-in access to trout streams is often via easement or at public Boating, any type (47.3%); Visit a beach (42.3%); Swimming road crossings, in which case public access may literally be in lakes, streams etc. (41.7%); Freshwater fishing (37.4%); limited to the streambed itself via wading. There are Motorboating (36%); Swimming in an outdoor pool (34.5%); approximately 5,400 acres of state land designated as state Warmwater fishing (33.2%); Visit other waterside, besides fishing areas in the western part of the county, which serve trout beach (22.6%); Canoeing (17.9%); Waterskiing (13.0%); streams. Some of this acreage also includes upland areas for Coldwater fishing (12.8%); Rafting (9.2%); Kayaking (7.3%); hikers and hunters, and another 1,400 acres is designated as Rowing (7.2%); Use personal watercraft (6.5%); Snorkeling state wildlife area, which may have some water access, but (6.2%); Sailing (3.9%); Scuba Diving (1.1%); Windsurfing fishing is not the principal resource. The only “public amenity (1.1%) and Surfing (1%). improvements” at these State parcels in the western part of the county are provisions for off-road parking. Siltation and continuous water turbidity can affect the quality of facilities and opportunities for outdoor recreation. Many

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Table 4.5 Buffalo County Upper Mississippi Boat Landings Stream health and trout natural reproduction has been Name Description Location improving, resulting in reclassification of trout streams by the Indian Slough Landing, USFWS 1 concrete plank Hwy 25 DNR. ramp, 1 gravel ramp Pontoon Slough Landing, Buffalo Co. gravel ramp Hwy 25 Walk-in access to trout streams is often via easement or at public Beef Slough Landing, USFWS gravel ramp Hwy 25 road crossings, in which case public access may literally be Nelson Trevino Landing, USFWS Hwy 25 limited to the streambed itself via wading. Nine easements are held by local Rod and Gun or Conservation Clubs, allowing public Cedar Ridge Resort Landing, Private STH 35 access. Buffalo County has developed a County-held trout Buffalo River Landing, USFWS/C. Alma concrete plank ramp C. Alma stream easement program, and local Conservation Clubs will Alma Marina, Private concrete ramp C. Alma continue to acquire fishing easements as the need arises. There Tank Pond Landing, C. Alma fishing pier C. Alma are approximately 5,400 acres of state land designated as state Alma Landing, Wisconsin DNR/Alma concrete ramp C. Alma fishing areas in the western part of the county, which serve trout Great River Harbor, Private concrete ramp (fee) STH 35 streams. Some of this acreage also includes upland areas for Belvidere Slough Landing, WI DNR paved ramp Belvidere hikers and hunters, and another 1,400 acres is designated as Slough state wildlife area, which may have some water access, but Whitman Dam Wildlife Area, WI DNR gravel ramp Whitman Dam fishing is not the principal resource. The only “public amenity Wildlife Area Buffalo City Landing, Buffalo City paved ramp Buffalo City improvements” at these State parcels in the western part of the county are provisions for off-road parking. Merrick State Park, WI DNR two asphalt ramps Fountain City

Fountain City Boat Dock, Fountain City concrete ramp Fountain City There is always a need for developed bank fishing facilities and Lower Fountain City Landing, FC two concrete ramps Fountain City for additional fishing sites accessible to the physically Breezy Point Marina, Private concrete ramp STH 35 handicapped population. There is also a need for more walk Source: Mississippi River Regional Planning Commission, 2015 in access sites for ice fishing, and adequate, safe parking is needed for both ice fishing access as well as the bank and handicapped access sites.

Boat/canoe access sites and roadside parking areas at bridges over rivers would help increase the usefulness of the water resource. The Department of Natural Resources will continue to acquire fishing easements as the need arises.

Fountain City Lower Landing

Several local fish ponds are located in the County, including in the City of Mondovi and a currently drawn-down pond in Rose Valley. Trout fishing is becoming a popular recreation activity in Buffalo County. According to a comprehensive Trout Stream list prepared by the DNR, there are approximately 131 miles of Class II and Class III trout streams in Buffalo County. Trout Stream Class II streams have good water conditions and may have some natural reproduction, but light to moderate stocking is Table 4.6 Buffalo County Trout Streams necessary to insure adequate density for good sport fishing Trout and Class III streams have marginal water conditions for Local waterbody name Miles class sustaining trout populations on a year-round basis. Continual Armour Creek 3.79 II hatchery stocking is necessary to provide adequate fishing. Center Creek 4.35 II 4-8

Buffalo County Outdoor Recreation Plan 2016-2020

Little Bear Creek 8.82 II handicap units). Public outdoor swimming pools are provided by Newton Valley Creek (Shoe Creek) 4.27 II the City of Mondovi and the Village of Cochrane. Motels and North Branch Little Bear Creek 1.39 II commercial campgrounds and resorts located in nearby Winona, North Branch Little Bear Creek 5.4 II MN may also provide outdoor and indoor swimming opportunities Rossman Creek 3.66 II Spring Creek 2.88 II for Buffalo County residents. With the recent closing of Fountain Tamarack Creek 3.83 II City’s swimming pool, there is a need for additional public Unnamed Cr T24n R12w S5 (5-9) 3.27 II swimming pools in the County. Poor water quality and erratic Weisenbeck Valley Creek 5.15 II currents make river and stream swimming undesirable. Map Total Class II miles 46.81 4.7, page 4-21 shows the location of these public swimming Bear Creek 2.5 III facilities. Cooke Valley Creek 2.8 III Doelle Creek 5.07 III Motor Boating/Water Skiing and Jet Skis Eagle Creek 4.81 III According to the 2011-2016 SCORP, motor boating is Eagle Creek 8.47 III Elk Creek 13.19 III engaged in by 36 percent of the adult resident population in Elk Creek, South Fork 5.06 III Wisconsin. The discovery of aggressive aquatic invasive Harvey Creek 3.81 III plants in Wisconsin’s waters underscores the need for boaters Hoyts Creek 9.66 III to clean their boats. In Wisconsin, motor trolling is prohibited Kilness Creek 4.05 III on all waters unless specifically authorized. Buffalo County Little Waumandee Creek 10 III does not have any restrictions on motorboats, however all Owen Valley Creej 2.16 III boats should follow Wisconsin boating laws and regulations as Sport Valley Creek 3.44 III well as any local regulations. Motor boats are not allowed on Tamarack Creek 1.87 III Waumandee Creek 6.92 III Mirror Lake in Mondovi and the Town of Belvidere has an Total Class III miles 83.81 ordinance in place for a slow-no-wake zone for Spring Lake Islands on the Mississippi River. Buffalo County has an Total Miles 130.62 Source: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources abundance of public boat access sites, See Table 4.5 on page 4-8, and Map 4.7, page 4-21.

Swimming Personal watercraft are a controversial issue in water use as In the 2011-2016 Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor inexperienced jet ski operators have caused serious injury or Recreation Plan, swimming in lakes and streams had a death to themselves and others, and the impact of only a few participation rate of 41.7%, swimming in an outdoor pool craft operating at high speed can adversely affect many other 34.5%, and visiting a beach 42.3%. water users and wildlife habitat.

Water skiing is a more established sport, and is dependent upon motorboats for its conduct. It requires a lot of room, and allows little opportunity for other users on the water while skiing is occurring. Waterskiing had a participation rate of 13%.

Water Skiing and Motorboating are recreational sports that require large, flat water areas. There are opportunities for these activities on Lake Pepin and the Mississippi River. The county’s lakes are either too small to allow unlimited motor cruising or have restrictions on motor boat use. Over half the lakes in Buffalo County have water depths of less than five feet. Related to water skiing but gaining in popularity are tubing behind a boats and wake boarding. Both of these activities are included within the Water Skiing category.

Swimming Pool in the Village of Cochrane Canoeing/Kayaking and Sailing These three water sports are generally low impact activities, The Alma Beach and Recreational area provides a 300-foot sand although in some parts of the state popular canoeing waters swimming beach area located on the Mississippi River one mile can become very crowded with the resultant adverse impact north of Alma, staffed with lifeguards as posted, beach on the natural environment. In Wisconsin 17.9% of the bathhouse with restroom facilities and showers (including population considers canoeing a sport in which they

4-9 Buffalo County Outdoor Recreation Plan 2016-20120 participate. Other types of non-motorized watercraft use have but the paddling is great and the views of the Buffalo River fewer followers, Kayaking was listed as having a 7.3% Valley are exceptional. Follow the open path among the participation rate, and Sailing was listed at only 3.9%. A boat wetland grasses and keep turning right you will end up in launch adjacent to the lower boat landing at Merrick State Park Rieck's Lake in front of the small park where Tundra offers easy access for canoeists and kayakers. The park was Swans gather in the fall. named for George Merrick, a riverboat pilot from Prescott. An  BEEF SLOUGH/MISSISSIPPI BACKWATERS TRAIL - excellent self-guided canoe trail will take paddlers through In Alma across Highway 35 from Rieck's Lake Park is Merrick State Park’s extensive wetlands that make up much of Brekow's Landing. Paddle to the left out of Brekow's the park. Landing until you reach the flowage from the Buffalo River out into Beef Slough and the backwaters of the Mississippi There is also ample opportunity for canoeing and kayaking in River. Paddle to the right, going under the railroad the backwaters of the upper Mississippi River. There are two bridge. At this point you are in Beef Slough, paddle to the official U.S. Fish and Wildlife Refuge trails with signage, right. Follow the slough to the end and you will come to a including the 4.8 mile Nelson-Trevino Canoe trail and the 5.2 sand island on the Mississippi River. Leaving the island mile Alma to Finger Lakes Canoe trail. Additional trails are to the left you will return to the railroad bridge, pass under mapped, but not signed, see attached ‘Paddling in Alma’ list of and to the left to return to Brekow's Landing. water trails for canoeing and kayaking. The Buffalo River also  BELVIDERE SLOUGH/MISSISSIPPI BACKWATERS offers excellent canoeing and kayaking opportunities for all TRAIL - From Belvidere Slough Landing in Buffalo ages and skill levels due to its shallow, wide channel that winds City paddle up river or down river, the choice is through undeveloped wetland areas. Access from private yours. There are several cuts which lead into backwaters lands or bridges currently limits paddling opportunities. where motors are not allowed. Development of boat landings, parking facilities, acquisition of  SPRING LAKE TRAIL - Spring Lake, a 300-acres lake properties, signs, and maps for access is needed throughout can be accessed from Spring Lake Landing on this river system. County Hwy OO in Buffalo City. From the landing head Paddling Trails to the left and follow the dike road along the edge for  Alma to Finger Lakes Canoe Trail (Designated A beautiful views. Sand islands reduce wind fetch and National Trail) - In Alma at the south boat landing (WI related waves.  TIFFANY BOTTOMS/CHIPPEWA RIVER - To access State Highway 35) and the Dairyland Power Plant paddle across the main channel angling toward the North to the this area use the Chippewa River Landing located at islands. Trail enters through the islands and winds all the the Chippewa River bridge on State Highway 35. Paddle way to Finger Lakes. This is an official USFWS canoe trail out to the Chippewa River turning left. Tiffany Bottoms with signage, although most of the signage is for those State Wildlife Area is to your left, there are several entry paddling from the other direction. points. This is a premier birding spot and well known for  NELSON-TREVINO BOTTOMS CANOE TRAIL Bald Eagle viewing, especially in the fall season as the (Designated A National Trail) - This official USFWS backwaters begin to freeze.

canoe trail (with signage) can be accessed from the

Nelson/Trevino Landing or the Pontoon Slough Scuba Diving Landing both of which are located on Highway 25 Recreational Scuba Diving is a sport that is dependent upon between Nelson and Wabasha Minnesota. large clear bodies of water. In Wisconsin, Scuba Diving has a  NELSON-TREVINO BOTTOMS CANOE TRAIL to BIG participation rate of only 1.1%. Lake Wazee, the deepest lake LAKE - Paddle the Nelson-Trevino trail all the way out in Wisconsin is located in Jackson County in Western to Big Lake across from Cedar Ridge Resort. This is Wisconsin. Lake Wazee is one of the best scuba diving where 1000s of tundra swans gather in the Fall. Several locations in the Midwest and draws divers from all over the great blue herons. This is an official USFWS canoe trail country. with signage. 4. WINTER ACTIVITIES Snow-and Ice based activities are those that involve some  BUFFALO RIVER/RIECKS LAKE TRAIL - In Alma, form of frozen water. Winter activities are very popular with across Highway 35 from Rieck's Lake Park is Brekow's Wisconsinites with just over 45% of residents participating in Landing. Paddling to the left out of Brekow's Landing, go some form of snow or ice activity. The 2011-2016 SCORP under the Highway 35 bridge and paddle to the right into estimates participant rates for the following winter activities: the Buffalo River. This winding river is shallow and narrow Sledding (28.2%), Snowmobiling (18.3%), Ice skating outdoors 4-10

Buffalo County Outdoor Recreation Plan 2016-2020

(13.5%), Ice fishing (13.1%), Cross-county skiing (8.8%), snowmobile trail is not usually conducive to good skiing. There Downhill skiing (7.0%), Snowshoeing (6.1%), and are also cross country skiing opportunities available at Merrick Snowboarding (3.7%). Winter also brings Bald and Golden State Park, Foelsch Riverside Park at Buffalo City, and Tiffany Eagle viewing opportunities along the Mississippi River, where Bottoms. Buena Vista and Mossy Hollow Hiking Trails at Alma they congregate around open water areas. are for snowshoeing only.

Snowmobiles Ice Fishing Snowmobiling is the 41st most popular outdoor recreation pursuit, Buffalo County offers excellent ice fishing on the Lake Pepin with 18.3 percent of the population participating. Snowmobile and the Mississippi River. Each year in February an ice fishing registrations, administered by the Department of Natural contest is held on Mirror Lake at Mondovi. Resources, provide a funding source to acquire trail easements and to maintain the trails by grooming and signing. Snowmobile Ice Skating/Hockey clubs also participate in trail building and maintenance. The Ice skating outdoors had a 13.5 percent participation rate in number of snowmobiles registered in Buffalo County, and the 2011-2016 SCORP. Within Buffalo County, there appear to throughout the state, seems to have peaked in the 1970’s. There be a few more or less formally designated public ice skating rinks, was a decline throughout the 80’s, but interest has picked up most of which are created by flooding a land area after outside again over the last decade, as seen by the increased number of temperatures hold below freezing. Skating on rivers and lakes registrations. can be dangerous, as ice thickness is often not determined, and cannot be controlled. Since the sport has grown slightly in The County participates in the State funded snowmobile trail popularity, and due to our climate, sports such as ice hockey have program. The seven snowmobile clubs in the County help become more popular. Schools or local civic organizations make the 218 miles of trail possible. These trails are located sponsor teams, in which some have indoor practice facilities that primarily on privately owned land with easements to support can be utilized by the public when not in use by the teams. their use and maintenance. These trails may provide opportunities for trail alignments, as property owners have Since most of the skating is done on facilities that are built by historically been amenable to public use of their lands for people, it is important for municipalities to continue to provide recreation. The Buffalo River State Trail between Mondovi skating rinks. Sometimes skating facilities are made by flooding and Fairchild, operated by the DNR, provides snowmobiling parking lots, but this has the obvious disadvantage of reducing opportunity. For a current map of the various trails and for trail parking space at a recreation facility even as it is being used. conditions go to the Buffalo County Snowmobile Association Flooding portions of a golf course, or ball diamond has detrimental web page at www.snowbc.org. effects on the turf cover come spring time. At least one facility in a municipality will provide lights for night skating, for the Downhill/Cross Country Skiing & Snowboarding recreational needs of the working person. A warming house is These popular winter sports are mentioned together although also a nice facility to consider. only cross country or "touring" skiing uses a trail system. Downhill or "alpine" skiing and Snowboarding areas require groomed slopes and a lift to be considered by serious 5. VIEWING AND INTERPRETIVE sportsmen. Participation rates for these activities are: 8.8% for ACTIVITIES Cross Country skiing, 7.0% for Downhill skiing and 6.1% for The most population viewing an interpretive activity Statewide Snowboarding and. Jackson County does not have any formal is viewing or photographing natural scenery with a participation downhill ski areas, but there are hills in nearby counties. rate of over 65%. The 2011-2016 SCORP estimates

participant rates for the following viewing and interpretive In the 2011-2016 SCORP cross-county skiing with an 8.8% activities: Attend outdoor sports events (75%), Visit nature participation rate and was the 53rd most popular activity statewide. centers (63.5%), View/photograph other wildlife (57.9%), A trail used for biking or hiking in the summer is usually suitable for View/photograph wildflowers, trees, etc. (52.4%), sightseeing use as a cross-county ski trail in the winter, except for some hiking (50.6%), Visit historic sites (46.7%), Gather mushrooms, trails especially in wooded areas which may be too steep or curved berries etc. (42.8%), View/photograph birds (41.7%), Visit a for ski trails. farm or agricultural setting (35.3%), Attend outdoor concerts,

plays etc. (32.8%), View/photography fish (26.7%), Visit There are 10 miles of trails along the Buffalo River State Trail, prehistoric/archeological sites (15.5%) and boat tours or however, the typical cross-county skier seeks a quiet solitude excursions (13.9%). and therefore trails, which permit snowmobiling, such as the

Buffalo River State Trail, are usually not considered prime cross-county skiing trails. The surface condition of a

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Historical and Cultural Sites Buffalo County has one historical marker within the county. The 2011-2016 SCORP estimates that over half of state The Marker entitled Beef Slough is located on STH 35 .5 miles residents have gone sightseeing in the past year, while just north of the City of Alma. under half visited historic sites. Scientific or natural areas may never attract as many tourists as water slides or ball games, Museums but tourism is not their primary purpose. The county and Buffalo County is rich in historical museums and exhibits that are communities should support efforts to identify and preserve shown below in Table 4.7. unique ecological or cultural features within the county. Table 4.7 Buffalo County Museums Historical Sites The Buffalo County landscape and its Mississippi River corridor possess features that reflect ancient processes and Museum Name Description historic times. Old geology, unaltered landscape types, Native Alma Area Museum Houses century old memories and American, agricultural, river, and industrial history are still artifacts visible. Dugways—steep narrow valley roads unique to the Castlerock Museum- Alma An arms and armor museum; exhibits county—still operate for daily commuting. Heritage farms, include arms and armor from many points in European history historic cemeteries, historic site markers; farm, village, and Fountain City Historical Museum One of the best collections of prehistoric upland place names (e.g. Urne, Czechville, Praag, Garden Native American artifacts and arrowheads Valley, Town of Cream) dot the landscape, as do historic in the state buildings in upland areas, river town neighborhoods and along Rural Life Museum - Mondovi Exhibits and displays dedicated to farm the River. Old rip rap, historic wing dams and dredge piles and small town life. Alma National Historic District 346 acres and 200+ bldgs are included in along the River’s banks testify to the continuous engineering and Walking Tour - Alma the designation of the City of Alma as a required since the 1860’s to mold and maintain its navigable National Historic District channels. Country School and Rural Life Restored 1-room schoolhouse and rural Museums and the Machine life museum featuring exhibits dedicated There are 13 sites in Buffalo County listed in the National Shed - Mondovi to small town and farm life Source: Mississippi River Regional Planning Commission 2015 Register of Historic Places: 1) Alma Historic District; 2) Berni, Jacob, House; 3) Burlington Hotel; 4) Fugina House; 5) Harmonia Hall; 6) Laue, Frederick, House; 7) Laue, Frederick, Jr., House; 8) Senn, John L., House; 9) Sherman House; 10) Steiner, John, Store; 11) Tenny, Dr. J. T., House; 12) Tester and Polin General Merchandise Store; and 13) Walser, Ulrich, House. All sites are located in Alma with the exception of the Fugina House in Fountain City and Harmonia Hall in Waumandee.

In 1982, 346 acres and over 200 buildings were included in the designation of the City of Alma as a National Historic District when it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The historic district is roughly bounded by railroad tracks, 2nd Street, Swift Street and Cedar Street recognizing the building history periods of

1850-1874, 1875-1899, and 1900-1924. Alma Area Museum Cultural Events The Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory Collection The Buffalo County Fair is an annual event in Buffalo County (AHI) provides details on historic buildings, structures and that offers an abundance of activities including judging of 4-H objects that reflect Wisconsin's distinct cultural landscape. projects, junior livestock Sale auction, tractor pull, carnival There are 467 sites listed for Buffalo County. rides, demolition derby, food, music, and entertainment. The 4-H Festival of Arts is another annual event in the County that State Historical Markers provides 4-H youth a platform to share their skills and talents by Wisconsin has more than 530 official Historical Markers in the exhibiting in the arts, crafts, photography, marketing, State. These markers tell the stories about events, individuals, communication arts (speaking), music and drama. buildings, or sites of local, state, or national significance. 4-12

Buffalo County Outdoor Recreation Plan 2016-2020

Each year in the spring (May) or fall (September) migration there are two opportunities to ride the Chippewa Valley Motorcar Association's Mini-Train with a bird guide and a train historian through the Tiffany Bottoms DNR State Natural Area.

Many communities in the County hold annual cultural events and celebrations throughout the year. Each year in the City of Alma, Swiss Heritage Days is celebrated in August with food, music, art and childrens activities. The Alma Music and Arts Festival happens in September featuring food, music, art and childrens activities and in October the historical society holds its annual quilt show in Alma.

In the City of Mondovi, Mondovi Friendship Days is held annually Great River Road near the 4th of July featuring food and beverage, a parade, entertainment, special events, and fireworks. The Little Britches The Wings Over Alma Nature and Art Center has a 50-foot Rodeo is held in late spring in Mondovi; the annual Bluegrass view deck to watch wintering bald eagles. From mid- and Gospel Music Festival is held just outside of Mondovi each December through mid-March, dozens to hundreds of bald summer; and the annual Ice Fishing Contest is held on Mirror eagles can be seen sitting on the ice. Alma is known for the Lake each February. annual fall bird migration and viewing tundra swans. The Great Wisconsin Birding and Nature Trail is a mapped auto trail that Fountain City host several events throughout the year. The Old reaches into every area of Wisconsin, including Buffalo Tyme Farm Fest highlights old and new tractors and machinery County. Buena Vista Park located 500-feet above the village with food, a tractor pull and entertainment. Each fall the Lions of Alma offers a beautiful view of the Mississippi River for miles Club in Fountains City hold its annual fall festival. The Cochrane- to the north and south. Merrick State Park located near Buffalo City Lions Club annually sponsors a Winter Fest Ice Fountain City on the backwaters of the Mississippi River is a Fishing Contest. great place to bird watch any time of the year. Rieck's Lake Park has viewing platforms that allow for great looks at Tundra Sightseeing Swans during peak migration times in spring and fall. Tiffany Buffalo County is located in the Driftless region with land Bottoms, occupying both sides of the Chippewa River between surrounded by the last glaciers and sculpted by the melt Nelson and Durand has the largest intact floodplain forest in waters. The Driftless Area consists of dramatically sculpted the state and attracts nearly every species of bird found in karst topography born from eroding limestone. Forested bluff Wisconsin. sides slope steeply into deep cold-water trout stream valleys cut from bedrock. Lush deciduous woodlands and oak Lock and Dam 4 at Alma located on River mile 752.8 was savannahs, rock outcroppings, remnants of ridge top prairies, constructed in 1935. The federal lands in Pool 4 are mostly wetlands, and grassland river bottomlands provide habitat for dedicated for wildlife reserves as part of the Upper Mississippi diverse wildlife and vegetation. The Mississippi River Valley River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge. The pool is large and furnishes some of the most rugged topography and includes Lake Pepin. The site also has a public observation picturesque scenery to be found in the Driftless Area along the platform open from April to November. “coast” of western Wisconsin. Steep slopes and bluffs (some as high as 650 feet) enclose bottomland forests, wetlands, and Kinstone Megalithic Garden, a 30-acre bluff-top property home sloughs. These floodplain backwaters (1 to 6-1/2 miles wide) to over 100 standing stones including a large stone circle and serve as an internationally recognized breeding, migration, megalithic dolmen, classic 7-circuit labyrinth, thatched and wintering habitat for hundreds of migratory birds and a cordwood chapel, natural buildings, permaculture gardens, highly productive refuge for fish, wildlife, and plants. and terraces is located in rural Fountain City just off County Spectacular overlooks are abundant and country roads are Road M. Located outside of Cochrane on Highway 35 is the overflowing with picturesque beauty. The Great River Road, Prairie Moon Sculpture Garden and Museum, a premiere folk Wisconsin’s only scenic byway travels along Buffalo County’s art site. western border.

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prairies, the tallest bluff lands along the Mississippi, rare and endangered plant species, and steep valley Native American and pioneer tracks, called “dugways.” The area is internationally significant for its unusual geology and unique habitats. The area offers great opportunities for fishing, bird watching, wildlife viewing, and interpretation in the bottomlands, open water, upper wooded bluffs, and sand prairies. Area farmers and residents actively participate in goat prairie and trout stream restoration projects, other conservation activities, and environmental education. The County is also popular for whitetail deer, turkey, and grouse hunting. Unbroken ridgelines, dramatic and wooded bluffs, and steep river and stream valleys provide intimate scenes of the Driftless Area’s most notable features. Overlook vistas from bluff tops or views from the open water of the river Lock & Dam 4 at Alma back toward uplands and river towns, provide panoramic views

of the region’s beauty and scale. Quiet roads through farmland

and valleys offer serene and scenic experiences of the places For a unique sightseeing experience visitors can visit the Rock- that make this area so important to an understanding of the in-the-house in Fountain City where you can see where a 55- region’s ecology and culture. ton bolder came crashing through the roof of a small house and came to rest in the family’s master bedroom.

The County possesses some of the best examples of the Driftless Area’s unique natural and cultural features—goat

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Buffalo County Outdoor Recreation Plan 2016-2020

Map 4.1 Buffalo County Designated Auto Tours, Scenic Drives and Waysides/Rest Areas

25 10

Mondovi 10 MAXVILLE CANTON NAPLES

RIVER MONDOVI

MODENA DOVER NELSON 25 121 CHIPPEWA 35 GILMANTON 88  Nelson  37 35 N 25 ALMA L MONTANA O  C N MISSISSIPPI Alma I L

 GLENCOE BELVIDERE

 35 WAUMANDEE 95

Coch- rane State/US Highway 88 RIVER Buffalo Town boundary MILTON CROSS City / Village 35 RIVER  Great River Road 95

Routes Locally Noted as Fountain 

Particularly Scenic City BUFFALO TREMPEALEAU  Waysides, Turnouts, and Recognized Roadside Scale In Miles  35 Parking Areas 54 Auto Tours Featured 0 1 2 3 6 54 in Publication of Wisc. Produced By the Mississippi River Dept. of Tourism Regional Planning Commission 9/10/15

4-15 Buffalo County Outdoor Recreation Plan 2016-20120

Map 4.2 Buffalo County Campgrounds

25 10

Mondovi 10 MAXVILLE CANTON G NAPLES

RIVER MONDOVI

MODENA DOVER NELSON 25 121 CHIPPEWA 35 GILMANTON 88 Nelson J

37 35 N 25 ALMA L MONTANA O MISSISSIPPI A C B N Alma I L

A. Riecks Lake B. Olson's Fishing Camp F GLENCOE C. Great River Harbor H BELVIDERE D. Pecks RV Camping C E. Merrick State Park WAUMANDEE 95 F. Buffalo County Resort D G. Tourist Park Coch- H. Henderson's Silver Moon 88 Buffalo rane I. Drift Inn RIVER J. Nelsons Landing RV Park K. Sleepy Hollow Campground 35 MILTON CROSS I RIVER K State / US Highway E 95 Town Boundary County Boundary Fountain

City BUFFALO City / Village TREMPEALEAU

Scale In Miles 35 54 Produced By the Mississippi River 54 0 1 2 3 6 Regional Planning Commission 2/1/16

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Buffalo County Outdoor Recreation Plan 2016-2020

Map 4.3 Buffalo County Picnic Areas and Golf Courses

37 7 8 10 25 10 A  Mondovi  MAXVILLE CANTON NAPLES

RIVER 11 MONDOVI 10

MODENA 15 DOVER NELSON  25 121 CHIPPEWA 35 Nelson GILMANTON 88  16 9 37 35 N 25 ALMA L MONTANA MISSISSIPPI O  C N Alma I L  Parks  2 1. Merrick State Park 2. Buena Vista Park  6 GLENCOE 3. Buffalo City Park BELVIDERE

4. Foelsch Riverside Park WAUMANDEE 95 12 35 5. Goose Memorial Park 6. Harmonia Park Coch- 3  rane 7. Memorial Park   88  B 8. Mirror Lake Buffalo 4 5 RIVER 9. Riecks Lake Park MILTON CROSS 10. Sharps Point Park RIVER 11. Tourist Park 1 35 12. Veteran's Memorial Park  95 13. Bluff Siding Park 14. Fountain City Park 15. Rainbow Lake Park Fountain 16. Castleburg Park City  BUFFALO 13 TREMPEALEAU Scale In Miles 14 GOLF COURSES  A. The Valley 0 1 2 3 6 B. Walnut Grove 54

Produced By the Mississippi River Regional Planning Commission 2/1/16

4-17 Buffalo County Outdoor Recreation Plan 2016-20120

Map 4.4 Buffalo County Major Hiking Trails

37 10 AA PP F FF A W H BB WW  V Mondovi F A 25 FF J A 10 AA HH V HH  F TT H RIVER JJ VV BB V AA J ZZ H K Z F  88 KK D Z D J Z B H BB I D D 25 F D KK CHIPPEWA  121 35 J D KK 88 Q  I Nelson F NN  II 37 U X 35 I X N 25 CC XX U S C MISSISSIPPI Alma N  EE U E C County Road  E St / US Highway N Town Boundary E E County Boundary O 95 City / Village Boundary Coch- rane O 88 Buffalo HIKING RIVER  Major Trail Generalized Area  G 95 35 Buffalo River RIVER  State Trail  P

Fountain City

M TREMPEALEAU

35 Scale In Miles 54

54 0 1 2 3 6 Produced By the Mississippi River Regional Planning Commission 2/1/16

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Buffalo County Outdoor Recreation Plan 2016-2020

Map 4.5 Buffalo County Biking Suitability

37 10 AA PP F FF A W H BB WW  V Mondovi 10 F A 25 FF J A

AA HH V HH F TT H

RIVER JJ VV BB V AA J ZZ H K Z F 88 KK D Z D J Z B H BB I D D 25 F D KK CHIPPEWA 121 35 J D KK 88 Q Nelson I

F NN II 37 U X 35 I X N 25 CC XX U S C MISSISSIPPI Alma N EE U E C

N Town Boundary E E County Boundary O 95 City / Village Boundary Coch- rane O 88 Buffalo RIVER

G 95 35 BIKING RIVER P State Bicycle Trail

Best Conditions Fountain Moderate Conditions City M

Higher Volume, TREMPEALEAU Wider Paved Shoulders P 35 High Volume, Scale In Miles 54 Undesirable Conditions 54 0 1 2 3 6 Produced By the Mississippi River Regional Planning Commission 2/1/16

4-19 Buffalo County Outdoor Recreation Plan 2016-20120

Map 4.6 Buffalo County Public Accessible Hunting Lands

10 25 10 Mondovi  MAXVILLE CANTON NAPLES

RIVER MONDOVI

MODENA DOVER NELSON 25 121 CHIPPEWA 35  GILMANTON 88

Nelson 

37 35  N 25 ALMA L MONTANA  O C N MISSISSIPPI Alma I L

ROD & GUN CLUBS GLENCOE BELVIDERE  Alma Rod & Gun Club WAUMANDEE 95  Modena Sportsmen Club 35  Mondovi Conservation Club Coch- rane JL Hunting Club  88 Dodge Sportsmen Club  Buffalo RIVER Buffalo County Hunters  MILTON CROSS RIVER PUBLIC HUNTING LANDS 35 Big Swamp State Wildlife Area 95  Whitman Dam State Wildlife Area Fountain

Tiffany Bottoms State Wildlife Area City BUFFALO TREMPEALEAU U.S. Fish & Wildlife Shore Land and River Islands 35 Nelson-Trevino Bottoms 54

Upper Mississippi River U.S. Fish & 54 Wildlife Refuge Scale In Miles

Buffalo River State Trail 0 1 2 3 6 Produced By the Mississippi River Regional Planning Commission 2/1/16

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Buffalo County Outdoor Recreation Plan 2016-2020

Map 4.7 Buffalo County Water Related Recreation Features

10 37

Bear Cr

Harvey Cr Spring Cr Unnamed Cr  Hoyts Cr 10 Mondovi Rossman Cr

MAXVILLE North  Newton Valley Cr  Weisenbeck CANTON Branch NAPLES

Armour Cr RIVER MONDOVI

Valley Little

Cr Bear

Cr Owen Valley Little Bear Tamarack Cr Center Cr 88 Elk Cr DOVER Cr NELSON MODENA South Fork Elk Cr 25  CHIPPEWA Kilness Cr 121 35 Cooke GILMANTON 88 Sport  Valley Cr Valley Nelson Cr   37    35 25  ALMA N Little WaumandeeL Cr MONTANA O  Cr  C Alma N MISSISSIPPI I L

 Waumandee BELVIDERE GLENCOE  WAUMANDEE St / US Highway 35 95 Town Boundary Coch- County Boundary   rane  88 City / Village Boundary Buffalo Doelle Cr RIVER

Eagle Cr MILTON  CLASS I, II, or III Trout Stream    Public Boat Ramp RIVER  CROSS Marina   95  Improved Public Shore Fishing access or Public Beach Fountain City  BUFFALO

 Outdoor Swimming Pool TREMPEALEAU Marked Canoe Trail   35 Scale In Miles 54  54 0 1 2 3 6 Produced By the Mississippi River Regional Planning Commission 2/1/16

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Buffalo County Outdoor Recreation Plan 2016-2020

5. RECREATION RESOURCE INVENTORY

So far in this recreation plan each activity has been considered At its southern tip, Buffalo County contains part of the individually. Buffalo County offers an abundance of year round Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). The 6,226- recreational opportunities for residents and tourists. The acre Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) is located County offers some of the best hunting in the state with its in southern Buffalo County and southwestern Trempealeau sizeable populations of deer, turkey, small game and County. About 2,500 acres are located in Buffalo County. The waterfowl. Buffalo County has even been referred to as the refuge, located along the eastern edge of the Mississippi River, Whitetail Deer capital of the world. There are excellent fishing was established in 1936 as a refuge and breeding ground for opportunities with the Mississippi River forming the county’s migratory birds and other wildlife. western border. Residents and visitors alike can fish for bluegills, crappies, bass, catfish, walleye and panfish. Trout There are also three Corps of Engineers Lock and Dams, streams are also plentiful in the County. The County has over Nos. 4, 5 & 5a located in Buffalo County. Lock and Dams 4 ten public boat launching ramps and piers floating on the and 5 have observation platforms open to the public. Mississippi just below the dams. Thousands of people enjoy recreational boating and visiting the lock and dams. Picnicking, camping, hiking, biking, swimming, cruising the river, canoeing or kayaking are all popular during the summer State Outdoor Recreational Facilities and during the winter recreationists enjoy ice fishing, snowmobiling, skating, and cross country skiing. Residents Merrick State Park (322 acres) is located on the Mississippi and tourists alike have the opportunity to view the huge flocks River North of Fountain City. The park offers camping, boat of ducks, geese, and other waterfowl gathering during their landings, canoeing, hiking/snowshoe trails; fishing and bird spring and fall migrations. watching. The park is popular with boaters and its marshy backwaters provide habitat for egrets, herons, muskrats, and This section reviews the physical facilities available in the otters. unincorporated areas of the County available upon which to carry out some of these activities. Buffalo County has a recreational resources available from private, local governments, and state and federal governments. Lands owned by Public School Districts in Buffalo County may be treated ambiguously in this plan. In some cases, Public School outdoor recreation facilities are specialized in function for school purposes and are not available for general public use. In other cases, School Districts provide facilities that are available for general public use. This latter category of school lands is mentioned as appropriate in the community recreational inventories. When Public School-owned lands are available for general public use, they are also eligible for LAWCON and Wisconsin Stewardship funding provided the school district has adopted the outdoor recreation plan. Merrick Park Canoe Rentals

Federal Outdoor Recreational Facilities The newly established Lower Chippewa State Natural Area, in the Village of Nelson, allows outdoor enthusiasts to explore the Buffalo County is home to Upper Mississippi River Nat’l breathtaking views from the high bluffs overlooking the Wildlife & Fish Refuge lands. There are over 15,000 acres Mississippi River and Great River Road. The 161 acres not of the refuge in Buffalo County; a significant portion of federal only provides scenic views of the bluff lands, but also provides refuge in Buffalo County is the Nelson-Trevino bottomland excellent habitat for raptors, reptiles, and rare plant life found (3,000+ acres) in Chippewa River delta featuring an extensive, in few other parts of the state. Once used by the Native undisturbed wilderness portion of the largest delta floodplain Americans, this site was designated by the Wisconsin forest in the upper Midwest. The 4.8 mile “National Historical Society as an important archaeological site. This site Designated” Nelson-Trevino Canoe Trail located in Buffalo not only protects the natural beauty of Buffalo County but also County takes canoeists and kayakers into the backwater areas the County’s historical heritage. of the Refuge.

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State Wildlife Areas and State Natural Areas Parks and Attractions in Buffalo County’s Cities and Wisconsin can take pride in its vast treasure of natural Villages resources. Since 1876, the Wisconsin has been acquiring land to meet conservation and recreation needs. Wildlife areas are Small municipal parks can be found all throughout the County. managed to sustain the wildlife and natural communities found Many of these parks include playground equipment and green on the properties and to provide a full range of traditional space or open areas for organized sports. Surrounding many outdoor recreational uses. State Natural Areas (SNAs) are of these parks, residents can find additional amenities such as areas that are being preserved by the DNR to protect tennis and basketball courts and baseball diamonds. These outstanding examples of Wisconsin's native landscape. Public recreational areas not only provide a safe atmosphere for our lands managed by the Wisconsin DNR provide recreational county’s youth to play but also provide an outlet for physical opportunities and public spaces for hunting, fishing, trapping, fitness and community wellbeing. Private golf courses can be hiking, canoeing or wildlife viewing, Table 5.1. found near the Village of Cochrane and the City of Mondovi. A third golf course, just north of the County lines near Durand, Table 5.1 State Natural and Wildlife Areas Located in Buffalo County has the availability to serve the residents of Buffalo County as Name Description Access Recreational well. Opportunities Tiffany Wildlife Diverse wildlife Located along the Hunting, Area population. It’s a great Chippewa River trapping, hiking, Buffalo City: Foelsch River Side Park has a one-mile nature (13,000 acres) place for birds and between Nelson skiing, berry trail and several boat ramps near Buffalo City provide access birders offering up the and Durand; west of picking, migration of tundra STH 25 and mostly canoeing, rafting, to the river. swans and other water N of STH 35 camping (by fowl twice a year. Has permit only), Cochrane: Goose Lake Memorial Park has a community one of the state's wildlife viewing, largest, continuous and bird swimming pool and is a popular spot in the summer. One of bottomland hardwood watching the Cochrane’s most popular attractions is the Prairie Moon forests. Gardens and Museum, located two miles south of Cochrane Whitman Dam Floodplain forest and Three miles SE of Hunting, State Wildlife marshland Cochrane across trapping, hiking, off of Prairie Moon Road. Prairie Moon features the sculptural Area main river channel wildlife viewing works of Herman Rusch, a farmer who retired in 1952 and (2,253 acres) from Merrick State and birdwatching Park became a self-taught sculptor. Big Swamp Upland hardwoods and 5 miles west of Hunting, Wildlife Area marsh Mondovi south of trapping, hiking, (796 acres) Hwy. 10 wildlife viewing and bird watching Trempealeau High quality wetland Intersec. of STH Hiking, fishing, River Meadow complex featuring large 95/35 in Fountain cross country SNA undisturbed sedge City, go E & N on skiing, hunting, (443 acres) meadow and a diversity Hwy 95, then E on trapping and of species Wolfe's Dugway Rd wildlife viewing (Doelle Valley Rd) to the T-intersection with River Rd and park along the road Tiffany Bottoms Part of an extensive From Nelson go N Hiking, fishing, State Natural 8,000-acre beaver/ otter on Hwy 25 seven cross country Area (SNA) closed area miles to a parking skiing, hunting, (717 acres) area, then overland trapping and and across Buffalo wildlife viewing V. of Cochrane Goose Lake Memorial Park Slough to the site. Or from Ella by boat, directly across Fountain City: The community has a public boat landing as the Chippewa River well as several unique restaurants, shops and attractions, to the N boundary. including Elmer’s Toy Car Museum, located up on Eagle Bluff. Fountain City is also home to Lock & Dam 5A and is a great County Outdoor Recreational Facilities place to watch barge traffic. There is also a floating fishing Buffalo County recently established the County Fairgrounds as platform below the dam. The strangest attraction in Fountain its first County Park. The Fair Board will continue to operate City is the Rock in the House. For a small donation, you can and maintain the grounds. Opportunities for increased see where a 55-ton bolder came crashing through the roof of camping and improvements now have potential due to County a small house and came to rest in the family’s master bedroom. ownership. Just north of Fountain City, you’ll find Merrick State Park, a favorite destination for boaters, anglers and birdwatchers. The

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Buffalo County Outdoor Recreation Plan 2016-2020 park was named for George Merrick, a riverboat pilot from waterfowl habitat that attracts a number of migrating bird Prescott. An excellent self-guided canoe trail will take paddlers species, the most popular being the tundra swan. Detailed through Merrick State Park’s extensive wetlands that make up outdoor displays help to explain what visitors are seeing as much of the park. they gaze out over the wetlands and explain the history of the area. A number of waterside campsites are also available at Nelson: Nelson sits at the lower end of Lake Pepin, the widest Rieck’s Lake Park along the banks of the Buffalo River. Rieck’s part of the river on the Wisconsin Great River Road. Nearby, Lake Park and Campground offers a playground and picnic the Chippewa River spills into the Mississippi River, forming a area to the north with full restroom facilities (including massive sandbar that acts as a natural dam and forms Lake showers), two shelters and a kitchen shelter, and 20 campsites Pepin. North of Nelson on Highway 35 is the 12,500-acre with electricity (no water). Tiffany Bottoms Wildlife Area River, which protects the Chippewa River bottomlands and supports a number of rare A winding roadway to the top of the bluffs takes you to Buena plants and animals. Village of Nelson’s latest acquisition is Vista Park. From the park, you can see the lock and dam, the Thrive! Park, donated by Gary Christopherson. The park town of Alma and Minnesota on the far shore. Buena Vista features hiking trails, with a scenic blufftop view overlooking Park offers a picnic shelter, picnic tables, sitting areas and the Village. vault bathrooms.

City of Alma: (Source: http://wigrr.com/river-towns/alma/) Recreation includes two marinas, a swimming beach and a popular fishing float, where, for a small fee, anglers can spend the day fishing mid-river on a special floating fishing platform strategically located below the roller dams. The Alma Beach and Recreational area provides a beach area, staffed with lifeguards as posted, beach bathhouse with restroom facilities and showers (including handicap units), a tennis court, basketball court, volleyball courts, playground area for children and a softball/baseball field. The City of Alma Boat Launch and the Alma Marina are also located at this site. The area provides a gazebo with beautiful views of the river and can be reserved.

Alma is also home to Lock and Dam #4. A special steel View from Buena Vista Park in City of Alma walkway over the railroad tracks leads to an excellent observation deck for an up-close look at barge traffic passing through the lock.

Wings over Alma Nature Center is located right on Main Street.

It is open daily with the exception of Thanksgiving and

Christmas Day. The center offers an outdoor viewing deck overlooking the Mississippi River, equipped with spotting scopes and binoculars to view a variety of wildlife year-round.

The Mississippi Flyway brings hundreds of migrating birds past the Center. During the winter months, dozens of eagles can be viewed from the deck feeding in the open water below Lock and Dam #4. Wings Over Alma overlooks the Upper

Mississippi River Wildlife Refuge.

Just north of Alma, you’ll find Rieck’s Lake Park, one of the top birding hotspots on the Wisconsin Great River Road. This widening of the mouth of the Buffalo River is a high quality

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Buffalo County Outdoor Recreation Plan 2016-2020

6. Actions This recreation plan will only be beneficial if it influences how the County makes park and recreation planning and budgeting decisions. This plan is intended to become a key policy document for local government officials in the development of desired and well-coordinated recreation activities that will improve public health, safety and economy of the County.

The following improvements are planned for Buffalo County Outdoor Recreation Facilities.

High Priority Actions These are items that are a priority for the county.  Improve access to the Buffalo River and other navigable streams for recreational boaters and canoers/kayakers. Construction of developed boat ramps and landings with parking access for motorized boats and for canoes/kayaks could include signs, maps, and parking.

 Provide and promote public fishing opportunities on public waters. Provide access to the Buffalo River, fishable ponds, and the Mississippi River and backwater areas. Proposed improvements would include land acquisition, parking areas, boat landings, shore fishing opportunities, ice fishing, signs, and maps.

 Provide and promote public trout stream fishing opportunities on local trout streams. Proposed improvements would include easements and/or land acquisition, parking areas, trout stream habitat restoration projects, signs, and maps.

 Construct safe bicycling trails for landowners and visitors of all ages. Action Needs: trail development, access, acquisition, infrastructure, bicycle racks, maps, signs, maintenance, and vegetation management. New proposed recreational trails include: o Mississippi River Flyway Trail along Highway 35 and the Mississippi River. o Winona Connector from Nelson, WI south to Winona, MN and would connect with the Great River State Trail (boundary of Trempealeau and Buffalo Counties). This trail would create a regional/multi-state trail system.

Medium Priority Actions These are items that are on-going or moderate importance for the County  Continue to improve and maintain existing snowmobile and ATV motorized trail routes to increase safety, post signs, construct bridges, provide access and/or parking, develop maps, and maintenance of vegetation management. Upgrade trails with bridge crossings across waterways and wetlands.

 Promote and develop Birding and Wildlife watching opportunities- Buffalo County has outstanding year-round bird watching opportunities both on the Mississippi River Flyway and inland forests. Continue to promote maps, trails, and other information for non-residents: http://www.wingsoveralma.org/nature-center.html http://www.wingsoveralma.org/bird-wildlife-veiwing.html  Mountain biking (off-road bicycle) trail development

 Develop bicycle and pedestrian facilities. Also, working towards obtaining “Bicycle Friendly Community” designation.

 Hiking trails- Maintenance and Development of trails, maps, and signs and promotion. Trails could be located in scenic woodland trails, rugged bluff land and prairie hiking trails, or boardwalk trails in waterways and wetland ecosystems.

 Build and maintain an outdoor public swimming pool for recreational swimming.

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Buffalo County Outdoor Recreation Plan 2016-2020

Low Priority Actions These are items that are in need, but have a low urgency for development  Continue to explore opportunities to develop county and local parks for public use. Sites could include: Picnic grounds, campgrounds, other recreational sporting parks, water access parks, trail access, beaches, Historic sites, performing arts stage, or overlooks/vistas.  Develop a local or state road historic or scenic by-way. Sites could include: CCC Camp chimney on Hwy. 88, CCC PL- 566 watershed structures, other scenic viewpoints, other archaeological or historic sites, etc.  Develop maps and driving routes promoting ecotourism of Buffalo County or historic sites.  Snow bicycle (“fat bikes”) trail development, maps, and trail signs.  Develop new and continue to maintain existing cross-country ski trails with good partnership efforts. Trails require maintenance in off seasons to trim back overgrown branches, and winter to continually groom trails with appropriate tracked equipment for both skate skiing and classic skiing tracks.  Golf course maintenance and development  Equestrian trail development  Mississippi River Docking- Including docks for larger commercial type vessels, tour boats, rental boats, transient boats, or permanent (seasonal) mooring

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Table of Contents

Mission Statement …………………………………………………. 4

Executive Summary ……………………………………………….. 5

Acknowledgements ……………………………………………….. 7

Overview of the County ………………………………………….. 9

Introduction & Plan Development ……………………………….. 10

Public Participation ………………………………………………. 11

Resource Assessment …………………………………………….. 13

Water Resources

Surface Water …………………………………… 13 303d Streams – TMDLs ………………… 14 Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations 17 Soils of Buffalo County ………………… 17 Transect Survey ………………………… 19 PL-566 Structures ………………………. 20 Major Watersheds ………………………. 22

Ground Water …………………………………... 26 Land Use ……………………………………………….. 29 Farmland Preservation – Working Lands Initiative …… 33 Manure Storage Ordinance …………………………….. 34 Non-Metallic Mining Ordinance ………………………. 35 Stormwater NR-216 …………………………………… 35

Objectives, Actions & Goals ………………………………….. 35

Implementation ……………………………………………….. 38

Workplan ……………………………………………… 42

Existing Programs ……………………………………. 50

Information & Education ………………………………..…. 55

Monitoring ………………………………………………….. 56

Partnerships …………………………………………………. 57

Conclusion ………………………………………………….. 57

Acronyms ……………………………………………………. 59

Appendix A ………………………………………………….. 60 Agenda for Landowner Meeting …………………….. 61 Notice of Public Hearing ……………………………. 62 Agenda for Public Hearing & LCC Approval of Plan …… 64 Agenda for Buffalo County Finance Committee …… 65 Agenda for County Board Approval ……………….. 66 Adopted Resolution for County Plan Approval ……. 67 Animal Unit Calculation Worksheet ………………… 68 Manure Spill Response Guide ……………………….. 69 Landowner Commitment Form ……………………… 71 List of Conservation Practices ……………………….. 74 Farmstead/Cropping Assessment Checklist …………. 75 Transect Route ………………………………………… 78 Manure Storage Ordinance …………………………… 79

Appendix B …………………………………………………… 88 Buffalo County Map ………………………………….. 89 Township Map ………………………………………… 90 Phosphorus Data Map ………………………………… 91 Waterbodies of the County ……………………………. 92 PL-566 Structure Location ……………………………. 93 Sub-Watershed Map …………………………………… 94 Soil Associations Map …………………………………. 95 CAFO Farm Location Map in Buffalo County ……….. 96

References ……………………………………………………… 97

Mission Statement

“ Committed to Serving the Public by Providing Leadership for the Conservation of our Natural Resources.”

Buffalo County Land Conservation Committee And Land Conservation Department

In a close working relationship with

USDA – Natural Resource Conservation Service

UW – Cooperative Extension

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

USDA – Farm Service Agency

Executive Summary

The Buffalo County Land and Water Resource Management Plan is intended to be our master plan for meeting the requirements of Act 27 and Chapter 92 of the Wisconsin Statutes. This is a five (5) year (2011-2015) plan and will outline Buffalo County’s long term plan for incorporating all of our existing conservation practices along with the new goals and objectives for protecting the water quality of Buffalo County. This plan will utilize the existing resources of the county to provide planning, information and education, technical assistance and administration from a wide array of funding sources to serve the conservation needs, while at the same do what is in the best interest of the residents of Buffalo County.

The initial Buffalo County Land and Water Resource Management Plan was written and approved by the Land and Water Board in 1999. The plan was revised, approved by the Land and Water Conservation Board and the Buffalo County Board of Supervisors in the spring of 2006. This plan is intended to complement and coordinate with existing plans rather than replace them. This is a 10-year plan to begin in 2012. It will guide department activities for the next 10 years, through 2021.

The plan is divided into six sections: Introduction and Plan Development, Public Participation, Resource Assessment, Objectives, Actions and Goals, Implementation, Information & Education, Monitoring, Partnering and Conclusion.

1. Introduction and Plan Development. Will explain the history and the purpose of the plan. It will provide information on existing plans in Buffalo County and how the plans will compliment each other. The Introduction and Plan Development begins on page 10.

2. Public Participation. The Land and Water Resource Management Plan is intended to be locally driven based on the resource concerns in each individual county, therefore a component of the plan needs to show involvement of the public. Public Participation begins on page 11.

3. Resource Assessment. Provides information on the water resources (surface and ground water), 303(d) (impaired waters) in the county, soils of the county and soil erosion conditions, the major watersheds of the county, land-use, forestry in the county, State Parks, State Wildlife Areas, the Farmland Preservation Program, Manure Storage Ordinance, Non-Metallic Mining Reclamation Ordinance and Stormwater Discharge responsibilities. Resource Assessment begins on page 13.

4. Objectives, Actions & Goals. Identifies the specific objectives of the plan and provides actions on how to achieve the goals identified in the plan. The Local Advisory Committee was very instrumental in coming up with a workplan of activities to meet

the goals spelled out in the plan. The annual workplan is part of the implementation and starts on page 42. Objectives, Actions and Goals begin on page 35.

5. Implementation. Implementation can be looked at, as the second phase of the plan. A plan is only as good as it is implemented. Implementation is targeted at working with landowners one-on-one to reduce soil erosion in the county to improve water quality. It also identifies a procedure to address the agricultural performance standards with landowners for compliance. Buffalo County will use voluntary, priority farm and non- compliance strategies for compliance. There will also be an opportunity for an appeal process and enforcement. Land Conservation Department staff will work directly with the DNR Watershed Basin Leader or their designee on issues of non-compliance. This section will also provide information on existing programs that will be used to provide funding for staff and cost share. Implementation begins on page 38.

6. Information & Education. The Local Advisory Committee felt that this component of the plan should be increased to provide the landowners of the county with better knowledge of the services that are provided through the Land Conservation Office. Information and Education activities provide an opportunity to talk about what we do. Information and Education activities begin on page 55.

7. Monitoring. A plan needs to be monitored for success. This section of the plan identifies ways that will be used to monitor the plan and tract the success or reasons why the goals of the plan were not met. Monitoring begins on page 56.

8. Partnering. Buffalo County has a long history or working cooperatively with conservation partners in and outside the county and the courthouse. This section identifies each of the agencies and begins on page 57.

9. Conclusion. Provides closing statement about the plan, contents of the plan and the need for continued work in conservation for preservation of our natural resources. The Conclusion is on page 57.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The Buffalo County Land and Water Resource Management Plan was developed by the Buffalo County Land Conservation Department under the authority of the Land Conservation Committee.

Buffalo County’s Land and Water Resource Management Plan was developed with input from a diverse group of individuals with a wide range of backgrounds and expertise. Each of the individuals played a role in providing input to address the resource concerns of the county. The Local Advisory Committee took the resource concerns identified at the landowner information meeting and established objectives and actions to achieve the goals spell out in the plan.

Thank you to everyone who helped with the contents of this plan.

Buffalo County Land Conservation Committee John Schlesselman, Chairman Larry Balk, Vice Chairman Allen Carothers, Member Corey Lewis, Member David Bauer, Farm Service Agency Representative

Buffalo County Land Conservation Department Julie Lindstrom, County Conservationist Thomas Schultz, Conservation Technician Chad DeWyre, Conservation Technician

USDA – Natural Resource Conservation Service Todd Mau, District Conservationist James Ritscher, Conservation Technician Christine Bouzek, Soil Conservationist Marie Livingston, Office Automation Clerk

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Dan Helsel, Basin Leader

Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection Dennis Presser, Environmental Analysis and Review Specialist

Local Advisory Committee Joe Bragger, Dairy Farm, President Local Farm Bureau Mark Noll, Dairy Farm, Conservation Congress Matt Danzinger, Dairy Farm Randy Rotering Dairy Farm John Schlesselman, Chairman, Buffalo County Land Conservation Committee

Landowner Information Meeting Attendees

October 6, 2010

John Schlesselman Land Conservation Committee, chairman Bruce Cornish Landowner, General Manager – Garden Valley Co-op John Stettler Landowner Mark Noll Wisconsin Conservation Congress, Landowner, Dairy Farm Barry Johnson Town Chairman, Landowner, Dairy Farm Tom Schultz Land Conservation Department Technician Larry Balk Land Conservation Committee, vice chairman Allen Carothers Land Conservation Committee, member Steve Weiss Buffalo County Board of Supervisors, Landowner, Agriculture Business John Bauer Buffalo County Board of Supervisors, Landowner Lee Wieland Buffalo County Board of Supervisors, Landowner Matt Danzinger Dairy Farm Randy Rotering Dairy Farm, Landowner Loren Wolfe Dairy Farm, Landowner, Buffalo County Farm Bureau Board Member Joe Bragger Dairy Farm, Landowner, Buffalo County Farm Bureau Board Member/Dist. Representative - State Farm Bureau Board. Chad Dewyre Land Conservation Department Technician Christine Bouzek NRCS Soil Conservationist Todd Mau NRCS, District Conservationist Carl Duley UW-Extension Agriculture Agent Julie Lindstrom Land Conservation Department Conservationist

Overview of Buffalo County

Buffalo County is located in west-central, within the unglaciated, Driftless Area of Wisconsin. Pepin and Eau Claire Counties form the northern border, while Trempealeau County lies to the east.

The county has many high ridges and steep escarpments. See map on page 91). It is dissected by streams that are bordered by bottom lands or flood plains. The lowest part of the county, the flood plain of the Mississippi River in the extreme southern part of county has an elevation of approximately 650 feet. Farther back from the streams and along the edges of the flood plains are the stream terraces. The highest terraces are in the valley of Bear Creek in the northern end of the county. They rise to an elevation of approximately 900 feet.

Three rivers border the county; the Chippewa River on the West, the Mississippi on the south and west and the Trempealeau on the lower eastern border. The entire county drains into the Mississippi River.

The land area of the county is 684.5 square miles or 438,080 acres. The county is 27 miles wide at its northern end, but in the southern part it tapers gradually to a point near the place where the Trempealeau and Mississippi Rivers join. It is approximately 38 ½ miles long. The county ranks fortieth (40) in size among the 72 counties in Wisconsin. There are 17 civil townships (see map on page 92); Alma is the county seat. With a total population of 13,425, density is approximately 19.6 people per square mile, which is about the same as it was 10 years ago.

Buffalo County lies in two separate basins as defined by the DNR. The north-western part of the county, the Bear Creek Watershed, lies in the Lower Chippewa River Basin and the balance of the land in the county lies in the Black-Buffalo-Trempealeau Basin.

1. Introduction & Plan Development

Statutory Authority. 1997 Wisconsin ACT 27 and 1999 Wisconsin ACT 9 (the 2000-2001 Budget Bill), amended Chapter 92 of the Wisconsin Statutes to create a county Land and Water Resource Management Planning Program. The idea behind the program is to support a locally led process to make the best use of local, state and federal funds, based on each individual county’s resources. Buffalo County wrote their initial Land and Water Resource Management Plan in 1999 and revised it in 2006 to end in 2010. This plan is a 10-year plan from 2012 – 2021, with a requirement to review it at the end of 2016. The plan is designed to use existing resources of the county as a building block to provide planning, information and education, technical assistance and administration to more effectively seek state, federal and other funding sources that are vital for the implementation of conservation practices by individual landowners to meet or exceed water quality standards.

This plan is intended to complement and coordinate with existing plans rather than replace them. The plan encourages cooperation with our conservation partners, from the USDA – Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), UW-Extension Office, WI DNR Local Office, USDA- Farm Service Agency (FSA) and others. It also encourages the utilization of resources that are available to the partner agencies and organizations and serves as a tool to assess our resource needs and conditions, decide how to manage them and then provide us with a means to track the accomplishments of the plan.

Successful implementation of the plan is dependent on the conditions that are present when the plan is written. Several factors that will need to remain constant, include, but are not limited to, ability to maintain a minimum of (3) three full-time staff and availability of funding for implementation of conservation practices and education activities.

Existing Plans.

Buffalo County Agricultural Lands Preservation Plan. The Farmland Preservation Plan for Buffalo County was prepared and approved by the Buffalo County Board of Supervisors, by resolution on April 19, 1983. No changes have been made to the plan since then. The Farmland Preservation Plan was written in conjunction with the opportunity for agricultural landowners and local governments to participate in the Wisconsin Farmland Preservation Program, which was established by the Wisconsin Legislature in 1977 to provide tax relief in the form of state income tax credit for eligible farmers.

In the initial phase of the program, 1977 – 1982, farmers could voluntarily sign contracts, agreeing not to develop their land and then became eligible for the income tax credit. Tax credits after 1982 depended on whether the Buffalo County Board of Supervisors would prepare and approve a County Farmland Preservation Plan, which became known as the Buffalo County Agricultural Lands Preservation Plan.

As part of Wisconsin’s 2009-2011 biennial budget process, the Wisconsin Working Lands Initiative was passed. The Wisconsin Working Lands Initiative can be found primarily in Chapter 91 of Wisconsin State Statutes, which includes a component to Expand and modernize the state’s existing farmland preservation program. Under the proposal, every county is required to have a farmland preservation plan (Agricultural Lands Preservation Plan), regardless of whether that county participates in the state farmland preservation (tax credit) program. To fully participate in the Working Lands Program and allow farmers to continue to receive the farmland preservation tax credit, the Agricultural Land Preservation Plans must be updated and recertified as complaint with the state standards. Recertification deadlines for existing plans range from December 31, 2011 to December 31, 2015. A schedule for recertification of these plans in Wisconsin has been established by Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP). Buffalo County will be expected to have their Agricultural Lands Preservation Program updated by December 31, 2015.

Township Land Use Plans. There are sixteen Townships in Buffalo County. Most of these townships either have a draft plan, are in the process of completing their draft plan or will be starting their Land Use Plans in 2011.

In the Town Land Use Plans that are in draft form, in general most of the town plans show a positive attitude to do whatever possible to maintain prime soils as farmland and encourage growth in the agricultural industry by encouraging proper soil erosion control and runoff control methods, encourage the Buffalo County Board to maintain soil conservation staff and implement grants to county landowners, discourage housing or development in “prime farmland” soils, encourage young people to enter the farming industry and explore if any, incentives that can be given to help beginning farmers.

County Comprehensive Plan. Buffalo County is currently in the process of completing their County Comprehensive Plan and expect to have it completed during 2012.

2. Public Participation

The Buffalo County LWRM Plan was written/updated with partner agencies such as the Wisconsin DATCP (Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection) and Wisconsin DNR (Department of Natural Resources).

A landowner information meeting was held on October 6, 2010, attended by individuals with varying backgrounds, including, landowners, farmers (dairy & cropping), members of the Land Conservation Committee and county board of supervisors, Farm Bureau members, an individual that serves on the Wisconsin Conservation Congress and others. The agenda for the landowner information meeting is one page 67. From that meeting a group of 5 individuals volunteered to serve on the LAC (Local Advisory Committee).

The LAC served to put together the initial work plan. They met on November 2, 2010 and again on December 1, 2010. The thought pattern that they followed was, “What should the staff in the Land Conservation Department be involved with for the next 10 years”. They used the comments from the landowner information meeting as a basis to make their decision. In addition to using the comments from the meeting to write the workplan, they also felt it was necessary to identify, in the plan, what the challenges may be for not meeting plan goals. They wanted the goals to be attainable, but also initially thought about why some of the goals would or could not be met. Following are some of the comments that came from the landowner information meeting, they are not prioritized, however they were rated by priority when the workplan was completed:

 Topography of the county – excessive runoff – prevention – erosion is a natural process and a challenge to work with  Small dams (grade stabilization structures) in the valleys have merit, so do the ones on the blufftop – value of a grade stabilization conservation practice vs. the cost of construction  Compliments on engineered dams that worked to a “T” in a rainfall event; NEED TWICE AS MANY – many non-engineered dams held in the recent rainfall as well – good contractors in the county  Keeping the trained, knowledgeable qualified staff in the county – reduce high engineering costs to landowners  What conservation practices work in excessive rainfall events – trend of excessive rainfall events in the last 6 -10 years  Need to construct more waterway systems and maintain existing ones – strip cropping should be encouraged – value of residue – how woodland erosion fits into a conservation plan – more accurate yield data when completing conservation farm plans  Cost Share funding – decision on what conservation practices to fund each year – technical assistance where no cost share funding is provided

The draft of the workplan was e-mailed to the members of the LAC on December 17, 2010 for comment and feedback. The workplan in particular and the plan in general was reviewed by the LCC when they met on January 5, 2010. A final draft of the plan was reviewed and recommended to send to the Buffalo County Board of Supervisors for presentation at this time as printed at a meeting on January 25th, 2011. The final draft of the plan was presented the County Board of Supervisors on January 25th, 2011, following the Land Conservation Committee Meeting.

A public hearing was held on February 22, 2011, to allow the public to comment on the plan. The plan was available to the public for a 10 day review period. Copies of the plan were available at the Buffalo County Courthouse, 407 South Second Street, Alma, WI 54610, 4th Floor Land Conservation Department Office, Room 403. See Notice of Public Hearing on Page 63 and a copy of the Notice of Public Hearing as it appeared in the official

county paper is on page 62. The plan has been approved by resolution of the Buffalo County Land Conservation Committee, immediately following the public hearing on February 22nd. The Buffalo County Finance Committee approved and signed the resolution at an official meeting on February 23rd, 2011. The plan was adopted by resolution by the Buffalo County Board of Supervisors on March 1, 2010. Agenda for the Finance Committee Meeting and the County Board Meeting are on pages 67 and 68. A copy of the signed resolution is on page 69 of the plan. The plan will be forwarded to the Land and Water Conservation Board for discussion when they meet on April 4, 2011.

3. Resource Assessment

Buffalo County land is located in two different DNR basins, “The Lower Chippewa River Basin”, and the “Black-Buffalo-Trempealeau Basin”. Basin plans have been written to provide information about the existing natural resources of each basin and measures that can be taken to preserve and enhance those resources. The “State of the Lower Chippewa River Basin” plan was published in 2001, and the “State of the Black-Buffalo-Trempealeau Basin” plan was published in 2002. There was a different approach to how each of the plans was written, so the information available may be different for each of those areas of the county.

The Lower Chippewa River Basin, includes the northwest most part of the county and all of the Bear Creek Watershed. The Black-Buffalo-Trempealeau Basin includes the balance of Buffalo County. Information from these plans indicates that in stream sedimentation, scouring, causing loss of habitat is the greatest threat to the water quality in Buffalo County Streams. There are a few streams that are impacted by nonpoint source pollution from barnyard runoff.

Water Resources

Surface Water

There are twenty-two named and unnamed lakes in the county, all small and shallow totaling 358 acres. Of the named lakes, Mirror Lake in Mondovi, is the largest with 44 acres. One-half of the lakes have maximum depths of less than five feet.

There are 8,390 acres of water, which include 73 miles of trout streams in the county. All or part of 21 streams are classified as trout streams and are stocked with brook or brown trout. Trout habitat in most Buffalo County streams is marginal due to silt or sand covered bottoms. Some natural reproduction occurs, but trout populations are largely maintained by stocking adult-sized fish. There are no Class I streams in Buffalo County. The map on page 90 of this plan shows the water bodies in Buffalo County.

“The DNR has collected a vast amount of biological and chemical information from Buffalo County streams during the last 5 to 10 years. This information is useful in assessing the health or condition of streams and targeting both watershed and in-stream management activities within the county. For instance, the majority of the 50 plus stations assessed for fish community health using the DNR fish index of biological integrity (fish IBI) are rated as fair, good or excellent condition. However, the fish IBI do show fair to poor fish community conditions within the Little Bear sub-watershed (northwestern part of the county). This may be a watershed where watershed and in-stream conservation practices could be implemented with expected improvement in the fish IBIs. The DNR has also assessed the water quality of many streams within the county, focusing on primary water quality pollutants like total phosphorus and suspended solids (turbidity). In general, Buffalo County has relatively high in-stream phosphorus conditions that can often exceed the new, 2010 state standards of 0.075 mg/l (75 ug/l). In portions of the county where streams have high phosphorus concentration like the Lower Buffalo watershed, nutrient management planning should be promoted as a way to minimize additional input of phosphorus to Wisconsin waters.” (Helsel)

A map on page 93 of this plan shows site specific areas of the county where phosphorus levels exceed the 2010 state standard. It is a suggestion from the DNR that any sites with a number above 0.075 may be considered above the standard and therefore a place to target with NMP and watershed inventory. It is important to keep in mind that there is no pattern on when the samples are collected. They are just random samples. After rainfall events may cause levels to be higher.

303d Streams – TMDL. Buffalo County currently has (8) eight streams on the Wisconsin’s 303(d) Impaired Waters List: Buell Valley Creek, Cochrane Ditch (Rose Valley), Eagle Creek, Irish Valley, Joos ValleyCreek, Wolf Valley Creek, Yaeger Valley Creek. The 303(d) steams in Buffalo County are all located in the Waumandee Creek Watershed.

Section 330(d) of the federal Clean Water Act requires states to develop a list of impaired waters (303(d) list”). A water is consider impaired if a) the current water quality does not meet the numeric or narrative criteria in a water quality standard or b) the designated use that is described in Wisconsin Administrative Code is not achieved. A documented methodology describes the approach used to list waters as impaired. The 303(d) Impaired Waters List is updated every two years.

Wisconsin is required to develop TMDLs, Total Maximum Daily Loads, for water on the 303(d) list. A TMDL is a quantitative analysis of the amount of a particular pollutant or load a stream or lake can allow before exceeding water quality standards. A TMDL can be used to implement water quality standards.

TMDLs have been created for the 8 streams on the 303(d) list in Buffalo County. TMDL for sediment addresses sedimentation and degraded habitat impairments conditions in the upper 7 miles of Eagle Creek, and the entire length of each of the other 6 streams. All of the

streams currently support a warm water forage fishery (WWFF) with potential to support a cold water fishery (COLD III), with exception of Eagle Creek, which has potential to support a cold water (COLD II) sport fishery.

Name Length (in miles) Approved TMDL Buell Valley Creek 2.32 10/2005 Cochrane Ditch 10.06 10/2005 Irish Valley Creek 7.89 10/2005 Jahns Valley Creek 7.71 10/2005 Weiland Valley Creek 3.21 10/2005 Eagle Creek 8.47 4/2002 Joos Valley Creek 7.44 4/2002 Swinns Valley Creek 8.49 No

Sediment TMDL for Eagle Creek and Joos Valley Creek report states that both the Eagle Creek and Joos Valley Creek are severely limited by excessive sediment load, elevated water temperatures and habitat unsuitable to support a coldwater fishery. The degraded habitat in both streams can be characterized as stream banks trampled by cattle, little overhanging vegetation and loose sediment over sandy, unstable substrate. As a result, much of the length of the streams is wide and shallow; not the narrow and deep cross- section characteristic of a healthy coldwater stream in the driftless area of the state. Elevated water temperatures will be indirectly addressed by reducing sedimentation and improving overall stream habitat conditions.

The extensive sedimentation occurs year round. Undoubtedly, the amount of sediment reaches Eagle Creek and Joos Valley Creek through major rainfall and snowmelt runoff events through the year. However most of the sediment enters during spring runoff and intense summer rainstorms. Considerable sediment also enters the stream from eroding stream banks during runoff events. The best management practices to achieve the load allocation are selected and designed to function for 10-year or 25-year, 24-hour design storms; providing substantial control for the major rainfall events.

Preliminary implementation results in the headwaters of Eagle Creek show early stages of the restoration of the brook trout fishery, including natural reproduction, from limiting cattle access to the stream and stabilizing trampled and eroding streambanks. This is due in part of the significant reduction of cattle numbers in the Eagle Creek and Joos Valley Creek Sub-watersheds in particular.

TMDLs for Sediment Impaired Streams in the Waumandee Creek Watershed report (which is the balance of the 303(d) streams in Buffalo County (except Swinns Valley Creek, {where there is no TMDL report}), also states that these stream are severely limited by excessive sediment load, elevated water temperatures and habitat unsuitable to support a coldwater fishery. The degraded habitat in both streams can be characterized as stream banks trampled by cattle, little overhanging vegetation and loose sediment over sandy, unstable substrate.

The excessive sedimentation is a year-round situation. There is no seasonal variation in the sedimentation to these streams. Sediment is a “conservative” pollutant and does not degrade over time or during different critical periods of the year. Undoubtedly, the amount of sediment reaching the streams through major rainfall and snowmelt runoff events varies throughout the year. However, most of the sediment enters during the spring runoff and intense summer rainstorms. Considerable sediment also enters the streams from eroding streambanks during runoff events. The best management practices to achieve the load allocation are selected and designed to function for 10-year or 25-year, 24-hour design storms; providing substantial control for the major rainfall events.

Monitoring of the streams in this TMDL report since the 1998 listing has shown signs of habitat improvement and may be obtaining its potential use as Class III trout fisheries. The following table provides available data to show an increase in fish counts following completion of conservation practices completed during the Waumandee Creek Priority Watershed Project.

Subwatershed Brook Trout 1989 2001 Buell Valley Creek 0 27 Irish Valley Creek County RD E (Bork Property 0 6* County RD E (upstream of 0 0 bridge) Private Drive 0 na Private Drive Symitcek property) 0 52 Jahns Valley Creek 7 brown trout out of 25 fish total Weiland Valley Creek (above Hayes 0 87** Valley Road) Weiland Valley Creek (below Hayes 0*** Valley Road) * Most likely stocked **suggests the stream currently supports a Cold II fishery ***is impacted by cattle pasturing, bank erosion and feedlot runoff. Suggests the entire stream has potential to support a Cold II fishery is nonpoint sources are controlled. This is the site of several conservation practices that have been installed over the last (3) three years that has brought this farm up to the state standards.

Delisted Waters in Wisconsin. When a water has been restored so that Water Quality standards are now met, the water is removed from the state’s list of Impaired Waters. Each water has its own story – of degradation, discovery, restoration, monitoring and removal from the list.

See the Wisconsin DNR Web site for the complete TMDL reports for 303(d) streams in Buffalo County.

NR-243 – Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations

Under Chapter NR 243, DNR regulates livestock operations with 1,000 or more animal units. These CAFOs (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations) require a Wisconsin Pollution Discharge Elimination System (WPDES) permit. An Animal Unit Calculation worksheet is used by a farmer/landowner so they know where their total animal count is. An example of the Animal Unit Calculation worksheet is one page 70.

In NR 243.26, DNR can now require a WPDES permit for medium and small CAFOs, which is defined as any owner or operator of an animal feeding operation with 300 to 999 animal units before a point source discharge of pollutants to navigable waters at an animal feeding operation occurs by either a man-made ditch, flushing system or other similar man- made device or pollutants are discharged into navigable waters that originate outside of the operation and pass over, across, or through the operation or otherwise come into direct contact with the animals confined at the operation.

In 2006, the Natural Resources Board adopted proposed revisions to NR 243 to meet federal regulatory changes. The changes primarily affect CAFOs and deal with restrictions on manure applications near surface waters and during the winter, phosphorus-based nutrient management requirements, adjustments to animal unit equivalency numbers, additional groundwater protection associated with land applied manure and development of emergency management plans. The revisions to NR 243 were necessary to comply with changes to federal regulations for CAFOs and to improve consistency in implementing the associated WPDES permit program.

Buffalo County currently has (3) three permitted farms and a fourth farm will be permitted in spring 2011. A map on page 98, shows the location of these permitted farms and the proposed farm.

Soils of Buffalo County

The soil survey currently being used in Buffalo County was published in 1962. A digital form of the 1962 Buffalo County Soil Survey is available through Web Soil Survey. Web Soil Survey (WSS) provides soil data and information produced by the National Cooperative Soil Survey. It is operated by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and provides access to the largest natural resource information system in the world. NRCS has soil maps and data available online for more than 95 percent of the nation’s counties and anticipates having 100 percent in the near future. The site is updated and maintained online as the single authoritative source of soil survey information. They anticipate to have an updated soil survey for Buffalo County by 2013.

The 1962 soil survey showed eight different general soil associations of the county. The map on page 93 of this plan shows the soil associations of the county. These soil associations are as follows:

1. Silty soils of the rolling uplands and steep stony and rocky land: Dubuque, Fayette, steep stony and rocky land. 2. Loamy soils of the rolling to hilly sandstone uplands: Gale, Hixton 3. Sandy soils of the rolling to hilly sandstone uplands: Boone, Hixton 4. Sandy soils of the stream terraces: Sparta, Plainfield 5. Silty soils of stream terraces: Bertrand, Richwood 6. Loamy terrace soils underlain by sand on stream terraces: Meridian, Tell 7. Wet organic and mineral soils of bottomlands: Peat and Muck, Ettrick, Wallkill 8. Soils of overflow bottom lands: Loamy, alluvial, Marsh.

Fayette-Dubuque Association

As the largest and most uniform association in the county, the principal upland soils are Dubuque and Fayette. Down soils are also extensive. These silt-loam soils are underlain by dolomitic limestone or materials weathered from limestone and were formed under forest (Fayette and Dubuque) or prairie (Downs).

This association has the largest acreage of soils under cultivation and in pasture or trees. Although highly productive, these soils are susceptible to water erosion unless managed properly. This association is 35.6% of the soil in the county.

Gale-Hixton Association

Found mainly in the northeastern part of the county, this association consists of rolling and hilly soils underlain by sandstone. Both are forest soils; the Gale series formed in loess over sandstone, while the Hixton soils formed from materials weathered form sandstone.

The soils of this association don’t have the moisture hold capacity or productivity of the Fayette-Dubuque soils and are less erosive. This association accounts for only 8.5% of the soil in the county.

Boone-Hixton Association

This association is found mainly on the sandstone uplands of northern Buffalo County and is formed of materials weathered form sandstone. The narrow stream bottoms within the association are alluvial lands, which are too wet or subject to frequent flooding for cultivation.

These sandy soils are low in moisture-holding capacity, low in fertility, and are subject to both wind and water erosion.

Sparta-Plainfield Association

The soils in this association are nearly level to rolling soils formed in sand that were stream transported. Most of the soils are on the stream terraces throughout the county. Although the terraces in this association are not as high above the floodplain as other stream terraces in the county, they have rather steep, well-defined escartments. Soils of this association are generally droughty, low in productivity, and subject to severe wind erosion. Soils on escartments are subject to sever gullying if not protected.

Bertrand-Richwood Association

This association consists of deep, silty soils, mainly on nearly level to sloping benches or terraces along streams. The soils range from well to poorly drained.

Most of the soils in this association are highly productive, occur in fairly large areas and generally have mild relief. Some soils on bottom lands require drainage or protection form flooding. Soils with the steepest slopes are subject to water erosion or severe gullying.

Meridian-Tell Association

Soils of this association consist mainly of nearly level to sloping, loamy soils on stream terraces, chiefly along the Buffalo River. They vary from moderately to well drained.

These soils are subject to water erosion, gullying and slumping, and as a result, a large amount of sediment has been deposited in the valleys and terraces below.

Peat and Muck-Ettrick-Wallkill Association

These soils occur on flats or in depressions along streams and are poorly drained. While they are subject to flooding, they are highly productive if drained and well managed.

Soil Erosion Conditions – Transect Survey

The transect survey method was originally developed in response to the need for accountability and the need for additional data on the current status of soil conservation efforts in Wisconsin. Survey results have shown that the transect method can produce a high level of reliability combined with a relatively short data collection process.

The transect method is a statistically reliable roadside survey method with data points located on one or both sides of the roadway. Generally these points are located at half-mile intervals. Approximately 500 to 600 sample points are inventoried in an established route that traverses the county. A map of the transect route is on page 79.

The first Transect Survey was conducted in 1999 in Buffalo County. In April of 2008, “WinTransect” was released. WinTransect is a rewrite of the existing DOS-based Transect

Survey and Software that was used to compile reports from the data entered prior to that time is compatible and usable with the new software, WinTransect.

WinTransect was able to preserve the core functions and data of the existing DOS Transect Software, and extend the functions by working better with the most recent versions of Microsoft Windows to make data collection and management easier, database compatibility with GIS and other software, soil loss is calculated using NRCS RUSLE2 model, rather than USLE, and holds data for multiple years in a single set of transect data.

In 2009, one year after the release of the new software, LCD modified the location of the points, while keeping the same route. The intent of these point changes was to better capture data from points where fields were being actively cropped. The data entered from each point is used to make comparisons of data from one year to the next. Such comparisons include change in acres of individual crops planted, tillage methods, and soil loss. Data is available county-wide and by watershed.

The following table shows a comparison of the 2009 to the 2010 data.

Average Soil Loss (by acre) 2009 2010 < or = *“T” 94,635 93,516 1 – 2 “T” 13,200 19,240 2 – 3 “T” 5,593 7,830 >3 “T” 19,463 12,304

Acres of Residue < = 30 residue (mulch till) 57,043 58,162 >30% residue (mulch till) 6,487 5,369 >30% residue (no-till) 19,685 23,712 ** Other 49,675 45,648 *Tolerable Soil Loss ** Includes fields with CRP, Pasture, Idle where there is no crop (other acres are corn, soybeans, small grains & hay

As additional years of data is collected and crop rotations are completed in the annual transect data, there will be an opportunity to better analyze the data and understand fluctuations in the “T” factors and residue.

PL-566 Structures

The Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Program is commonly known as the PL- 566 Watershed Program. This program provides technical and assistance to state and local governments and tribes through the USDA – Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) to reduce flooding, control gully erosion, create fish and wildlife habitat, develop recreation and rural water supplies, and better manage land in the watershed.

There are 13 (thirteen) PL-566 structures in Buffalo County. Six (6) of them are located in the Alma-Mill Creek Watershed, two (2) in Garden Valley sub-watershed and four (4) in the South Nelson sub-watershed. A map on page 91 shows the location of these structures.

Alma-Mill Creek Watershed. The watershed work plan for the Alma-Mill Creek Watershed was prepared by the Buffalo County Soil Conservation District with assistance from the Alma-Mill Creek Watershed Association (a group of landowner living in that watershed) and technical assistance provided by the USDA-Wisconsin Conservation Department, the US Fish & Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior, the Wisconsin State Soil Conservation Committee and the Agricultural Extension Service.

The main problems in the watershed were the advance and deepening of gullies in the 5 major tributaries and sedimentation in the downstream areas of the floodplain. The structural measures planned in the watershed included 6 grade stabilization structures that would stabilize gullies in the five main tributaries and reduce sedimentation in the lower reaches by 90 percent.

The 6 structures were built between 1958 and 1962 and are known as Alma Mill Creek #1, Alma Mill #2, Alma Mill #3, Alma Mill #4, Alma Mill #5 and Alma Mill #6. The structures are of the earth-fill design with a concrete conduit principal spillway and sod emergency spillway. Following construction, Operation and Maintenance will be the responsibility of the Buffalo County Soil Conservation District, now the Buffalo County Land Conservation Department.

Garden Valley (Rose Valley) Watershed. The watershed work plan for the Garden Valley (Rose Valley) Watershed was prepared by the Buffalo County Soil Conservation District with assistance from the Rose Valley Watershed Association (a group of landowner living in that watershed) and technical assistance provided by the USDA-Wisconsin Conservation Department, the US Fish & Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior, the Wisconsin State Soil Conservation Committee and the Agricultural Extension Service.

The major watershed problems are erosion and sedimentation. Sheet, gully, and streambank erosion were gradually eating away valuable and limited crop land. Existing roads and bridges were also endangered and requiring replacement before completion of their useful life. Sediment was being deposited in constructed channels in and downstream from Cochrane. It was filling in a channel at a recently constructed bridge on Highway 35 and near the highway.

Two structures were built in the Garden Valley (Rose Valley) Watershed and were completed by 1963. Structure No. 10 is an earth fill structure with a reinforced concrete drop inlet and an auxiliary earth spillway. Structure No. 11 is a box drop inlet spillway constructed of reinforced concrete. The structure will raise the water surface and pond water against the concrete chute at the roadway. The ponding provides a pool in which the energy of the flowing water over the roadway provides a positive means to carry water

from the upstream side to a lower elevation on the downstream side without damaging the channel and thereby eliminating gully advance and degradation.

South Nelson Watershed. The watershed work plan for the South Nelson Watershed was prepared by the Buffalo County Soil Conservation District with assistance from the South Nelson Watershed Association (a group of landowner living in that watershed). Technical assistance was provided by the Soil Conservation Service, USDA-Wisconsin Conservation Department, US Fish & Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior, the Wisconsin State Soil Conservation Committee and the Agricultural Extension Service. The workplan covers three adjoining sub-watersheds – Iron Creek, Deer Creek and Spring Creek.

The principal watershed problem is damage from gully erosion and the resulting sediment deposits downstream. The structural measures planned are 4 four grade stabilization structures that were designed to provide an 84 percent reduction in the damages in Spring and Iron Creek. In Spring Creek an extremely active gully is threatening cropland and a set of farm buildings. This gully was destroying one-half acre of land each year. Sediment from gullying and bank erosion was damaging the railroad bridge, the bridge on State Highway, and filling in the valleys along a town road forcing the town to raise the road about every five year. In Iron Creek, a drop inlet structure for grade stabilization was built in 1938 and a gully above this structure had become active and was eroding away cropland and advancing to threaten a county road bridge and farm buildings. The road and bridge at the lower end required raising every ten years.

Two straight concrete notch spillways were built in Iron Creek. Each has a fall through structure of eight feel. One drop inlet structure stabilized the grade through part of the valley. A reinforced concrete drop inlet spillway and a straight concrete notch spillway were built in Spring Creek. The structures were located to flood out eroding banks and eliminate the most serious sources of sediment. There were expected to eliminate 74 percent of the sediment sources in Spring Creek and 73 percent of the sources in Iron Creek.

Following construction of these structures Operation and Maintenance became the responsibility of the Buffalo County and the Land Conservation Department in particular.

Major Watersheds of Buffalo County

Buffalo County is located in two separate DNR Water Basins. The Bear Creek Watershed in the north-western part of Buffalo County is located in the Lower Chippewa River Basin and the balance of the county is located in the Black-Buffalo-Trempealeau Basin. There are six major watersheds in the county. The following is a description of the main watersheds in Buffalo County.

Bear Creek Watershed. The Bear Creek Watershed is a tremendously agricultural area combined with great natural and considerable potential for further development of wildlife habitat. The Bear Creek Watershed has steep topography with limestone based bedrock. This formation is subject to groundwater contamination.

Several streams and the Chippewa River are predominant features in the watershed. There are 44miles of streams and 2 lakes (21.3 acres). Ground water is the sole sources of drinking water in the watershed. The Class II trout fishery is threatened by sedimentation, nutrient loading and increased water temperatures. Periodic flooding has an effect on in- stream habitat.

57% of the watershed is forested acres. The forest resources have statewide economic importance as a source of wood products and as a foundation for the recreation industry of the area. There are 9,742 acres under state DNR control (Tiffany Wildlife Area). An additional 4,600 acres are under control of the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

The Bear Creek Watershed is a very popular recreation area. The Tiffany Wildlife Area borders the entire northwest side of the watershed along the Chippewa River. There are 4.4 miles of Class III trout streams and 4.0 miles of Class II trout streams. This area is extensively used for small and large game hunting, bird watching, fishing, hiking camping and other outdoor activities. It is a very popular area for visitors from outside the county and state for numerous outdoor activities.

Lower Buffalo River Watershed. The Lower Buffalo River Watershed is located in the central part of Buffalo County and contains over 270 miles of land that drains directly into the Mississippi River. There are 29 named and 43 unnamed streams in Buffalo County, which make up a total of 250 miles of streams. The Lower Buffalo River Watershed is divided into (9) nine sub-watersheds.

Because of the diversion during the glacial period, this watershed now flows through two distinctly different geographic areas. The upper part of the watershed is characterized by broad valleys and narrow, short-crested ridges. The lower part, in contrast, is characterized by deep valleys. The largest source of pollution to the streams, where information is available in this watershed is nonpoint sources of pollution. Other sources include streambank pasturing and steambank erosion. The impact that this pollution has on the streams in this watershed is in-stream sedimentation, in particular, which is very typical of all the streams in Buffalo County.

The Buffalo River being the largest waterbody in this watershed which has water capable of supporting a community of warm water sport fish or serving as a spawning areas for warm water sport fish. There are also aquatic endangered, threatened or special concern species found in the Buffalo River. There are no waterbodies on the DNR’s 303(d) list of impaired waters that are located in the Lower Buffalo River Watershed. The nonpoint sources ranking for the Buffalo River is high.

Upper Buffalo River Watershed. Only a small part of the Upper Buffalo River Watershed is located in Buffalo County. The watershed contains a total of 194 square miles and is located in the counties of Buffalo, Eau Claire, Jackson and the largest part of the watershed is in Trempealeau County. There are 16 named and 52 unnamed streams in this watershed and only 2 of the named streams are located in Buffalo County with one of them being the Buffalo River, which stretches the whole length of this watershed and into the Lower Buffalo River Watershed.

The Buffalo River in the Upper Buffalo River Watershed suffers from non-point source pollution which causes in-stream sedimentation. Implementation of management practices could enhance the overall ecological health of the biological community. The Buffalo River is not on Wisconsin’s 303(d) list of impaired water and has an overall medium nonpoint source ranking.

Session Valley Creek is the only other creek in the Upper Buffalo River Watershed that is located in Buffalo County. Session Valley Creek is not on Wisconsin’s 303(d) list of impaired water. This creek has not been assessed and there is no individual nonpoint source rank for Session Valley Creek.

Waumandee Creek Watershed. The Waumandee Creek Watershed drains 204 square miles of land in Buffalo County and is characterized by steep topography, narrow valleys and numerous streams. Surface water drains to the Mississippi River by direct runoff or via Waumandee Creek and it tributaries. The Waumandee Creek Watershed is divided into 13 sub-watershed.

Land use in the watershed is mainly agriculture with a small population. Most of the population lies on farmsteads outside the incorporated areas. There is a trend of land use change that has been occurring in this watershed and other parts of the county where large tracts are being split into many small parcels for single family housing. This change in the rural landscape can potentially have a negative effect on natural resources.

Streams throughout the watershed suffer from moderate to severe streambank erosion and extensive channelization has occurred in some portions. Streams that were at one time cold, clear and lined with gravel riffles (conditions favorable for trout reproduction) have become blanketed with deposits of silt, sand and much. Elevated streambeds and increased runoff have resulted in downstream flooding and the loss of stream-side lands. It is suspected that the loss of streambank cover and stream-side vegetation have raised in- stream temperatures and have caused dissolved oxygen levels to fall.

The Waumandee Creek Watershed was selected by the Wisconsin DNR as a Priority Watershed Project in 1990 to receive funds for administration and cost share for individual landowners in the watershed to construct best management practices to reduce soil erosion and improve water quality. The watershed project ended with the last of practice construction in 2001. Buffalo County signed 247 cost share agreements and provided $3.7

million dollars to private landowners during the project. Eight (8) streams in the Waumandee Creek Watershed are identified as 303(d) impaired waters.

Middle Trempealeau River. The Middle Trempealeau River Watershed is a 220 square mile drainage area located in the central portion of Trempealeau County, with only 16% or 36 square miles of this watershed located in the eastern part of Buffalo County. There are 16 sub-watersheds that drain surface waters to the Trempealeau River, with only four of those in Buffalo County.

The watershed is located in a geographic area of narrow, steeply sided, wooded ridges and rolling valleys. The steep topography of the area is characterized with wooded slope and agricultural croplands in the valleys. Sixty three percent (63%) of the area is in agriculture land use, 23% is woodland and the remainder is developed wetlands. Most of the streams are considered cold water streams and some contain populations of trout. Sixty-two percent (62%) of the residents live in the four municipalities, which are all located in Trempealeau County and only 38% live in the townships. Trends in population indicate no significant growth has occurred in these areas and in some cases, there is a slight decline in overall populations for rural agricultural areas in Wisconsin.

Sources of pollution to the streams in the Middle Trempealeau River Watershed are primarily from agricultural land and the major sources of water pollution are upland, streambank and gully erosion and barnyard runoff.

The Middle Trempealeau River Watershed was selected by the Wisconsin DNR as a Priority Watershed Project in 1992 to receive funding for administration and cost share funds for individual landowners in the watershed to construct best management practices to reduce soil erosion and improve water quality. The watershed project ended in 2004, with the last conservation practice construction in 2005. Thirty (30) cost share agreements were signed and approximately $550,000.00 dollars were spent to complete conservation practice construction during the project.

There is (1) one 303(d) stream (Swinns Valley Creek) located in Buffalo County that is part of the Middle Trempealeau River Watershed. There currently is no TMDL report for this creek, however the source of pollution to this stream is from cropland erosion and it impacts sedimentation to the stream and in-stream habitat. There are an additional 2 streams located in Trempealeau County in the Middle Trempealeau River Watershed that are on the 303(d) list of Wisconsin Impaired Water, Tappen Coulee Creek and Welch Coulee Creek.

Lower Trempealeau River Watershed. The Lower Tremepealeau River Watershed is located in the southern most part of Buffalo County, with a total of 177 square miles and most of that located in Trempealeau County.

The Lower Trempealeau River Watershed has 11 named and 46 unnamed streams, 3 of which are located in Buffalo County, Doelle Creek, Heuer Valley Creek and Keller Creek. Very little data is available for these streams. Doelle Creek is 4 miles long and has the

potential for some natural reproduction. It currently has no natural reproduction and requires annual stocking of legal size fish to provide sport fishing. Non-point source pollution is Doelle Creek’s major source of pollution from in-stream sedimentation and scouring. This creek is not listed on the DNRs impaired waters list and has not received a priority ranking for individual nonpoint source pollution.

Heuer and Keller Creek are also on the DNRs 303(d) list of impaired water and they also have not received a priority ranking for individual nonpoint source pollution. No additional information is available for these streams.

GroundWater

Buffalo County residents rely entirely on groundwater for drinking water. The rural population depends on shallower, less protected aquifers than the urban population served by public water supplies. Most groundwater in the state is consumed by residential users for such needs as drinking water, cleaning and sanitary purposes. Industry is the nest largest groundwater consumer, followed by irrigation.

Water distribution is governed by the hydrologic or water cycle, which is kept in motion by solar energy and gravity. As rain falls to earth, some flows downhill as runoff to water bodies. Some evaporates; plants take up some. The rest trickles down through surface soil and rock. This water becomes groundwater. Groundwater is discharged into surface water bodies such as wetlands, lakes and streams – the low places where groundwater meets the land surface. When there is development, large areas are paved over. This decreases in the area within a watershed where rain can infiltrate to the groundwater. The result is increased over land flow to surface water bodies. Flooding, increased sedimentation of streambeds, increased stream temperature and degradation of steam habitat will result. (State of the Lower Chippewa River Basin, 2001)

The potential for groundwater contamination is determined by land use practices applied to an area in conjunction with the physical setting. The “physical setting” of an area includes, but is not limited to, soil, type and thickness, presence of glacial sediments such as sand and gravel, depth to bedrock, depth to groundwater, and topography. (State of the Lower Chippewa River Basin, 2001)

All watersheds in the state were ranked for groundwater contamination by the Drinking and Groundwater Section of the WDNR in 2000. A score of 20 or more is considered medium. At 30 or greater, the score is considered high for groundwater contamination potential. Watersheds that scored high (above 30) had a large percentage of rural or heavy urban land use coverage.

Groundwater Ranking:

Watershed Score Bear Creek 30.49 Lower Buffalo River 32.56 Waumandee Creek 27.96 Middle Trempealeau River 46.82 * Lower Trempealeau 23.69 *Of 242 wells sampled for nitrate, 9.5% exceeded the ES and 40.5 exceeded the PAL (see below).

Data on the following state-wide map was extracted using the GRN (Groundwater Retrieval Network) database from data in the Public Water Supply and Private Water Supply database systems and mapped using ArcView GIS Software. Nitrate enforcement standard (ES) and preventative action limit (PAL) exceedances for public and private drinking water supply wells. The nitrate ES and PAL is 10 and 2 milligrams per liter (mg/l) respectively. The data represents sampling at 23,647 unique wells from which 73,706 total samples were analyzed.

The Wisconsin DNR Website (http://prodoasext.dnr.wi.gov/inter1/hicap$ws_hicap_web_v.actionquery) has information on high capacity wells in the state by county. Information from this web site showed that Buffalo County has 64 high capacity wells as define by the Wisconsin DNR. Following is a chart that shows the location and classification of the high capacity wells in the county.

Classification Township City

Alma Belvidere Dover Maxville Modena Mondovi Naples Nelson Waumandee Mondovi

Irrigation 1 0 9 1 15 1 3 3 8 0 (Agriculture)

Industrial 1 7 1 0 0 1 0 5 7 0

Waste Water 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Treatment

Prior to 2000 there were 30 irrigation and 14 industrial high capacity wells county-wide. Since 2000 11 industrial and 9 irrigation wells have been drilled and 7 of the irrigation wells have been drilled since the beginning of 2008, with 3 of them located in the Town of Nelson, 3 in the Town of Maxville and 1 in the Town of Modena. Two of the industry wells were drilled in Town of Belvidere and 1 in the Town of Nelson. Even though these wells are permitted by the DNR prior to being drilled, it was a decision of the Local Advisory Committee (LAC) that the LCD staff compile a list of the large capacity wells in the county and update the list annually. This activity is identified as part of the work plan under Groundwater Quality/Quantity.

Land Use

Agriculture is still the dominate land use in Buffalo County today, with dairy, crop, and mixed livestock operations on an estimated 1,229 farms county wide. The average-size farm in Buffalo County is 250 acres, down from 280 acres in 2002, compared to the statewide average for Wisconsin of 194 acres per farm, down from 204 acres in 2002, which ranks Buffalo County 7th , down from 4th in the state in 2002 in average size farm, with Adams County having the largest farm per acre with 283, followed by Ashland County at 273, Portage County at 264, Lafayette County at 255, Jackson County at 253 and Langlade County at 252.

Following is a table that shows the number of farms, average size of farms and land in farms in Buffalo County from 1991 through 2007. The trend is that there are more farms, with less acres and there was a loss of 66,965 acres of land in farms in this 16-year period of time, which is 18% decrease in land in farms.

Number of Average Size of Farms Land in Farms Farms* 1979 1,310 295 387,000 1989 1,120 338 378,000 1998 1,170 291 341,000 2002 1,128 280 316,132 2007 1,229 250 307,035 *Farm is currently defined as a place that sells, or would normally sell at least $1,000 of agricultural products during the year.

The table shows a decrease of 79,965 acres over this 28 year period of time, which is a 21% decrease in farmland.

Following is a table that shows comparable statistics for Wisconsin.

Number of Average Size of Farms Land in Farms Farms* 1974 105,000 187 19,600,000 1989 81,000 217 17,600,000 1998 78,000 210 16,400,000 2002 77,131 204 15,741,552 2007 78,463 194 15,190,804

The table shows a decrease of 4,409,196 acres over this 28 year period of time, which is a 22% decrease in farmland. This number is very comparable with what happened with farmland in Buffalo County based on percentage. So where did the farmland go? Better question than that is where will we plant the crops that we need to feed the milk cows and beef cattle and generate the by-products that are used from agricultural cropping. The second question relating to the loss in farmland state wide, will there be enough farmland to produce the food we need for the people who live here?

The following map shows land cover in Buffalo County. Unfortunately this is just a pictorial representation; text relative to this map is not available and therefore the acreage associated with each crop is not available. This map is designed to show that land use is agriculture and mostly woodland.

The map is created from satellite images depicting agricultural land cover. The images are a useful tool for monitoring crop rotation patterns, land use changes, and water resources, when comparing maps from different years.

Following is a table showing the breakdown of the cropland acres harvested in 2007, compared to 2002.

2002 (acres 2007 (acres Crop harvested) harvested) Corn (grain, silage and other) 58,064 66,990

Soybeans 19,940 19,650

Hay (Forage, all uses) 54723 51,177

Oats for grain (bushels) 3,840 2,816

Barley for grain 729 433

Wheat for grain 288 134

Rye for grain 178 295

Other – which would include such crops as Not available 17,578 potatoes and vegetables

Forestry

Total Forestland in Buffalo County is 168,000 acres or 48% of the county. There are no County, State or National Forest lands is located in Buffalo County. The forest lands (woodland) in Buffalo County is all privately owned.

Of the acres of forestland in the county, ~ 75,600 acres are enrolled in the Managed Forest Tax Program. Only ~1,189 of the Managed Forest Tax Law acres are open to the public for such activities such as fishing, hunting, cross country skiing and sightseeing.

State Parks

Located along the lazy Mississippi River north of Fountain City, the 322-acre Merrick State Park is popular with anglers and boaters. The marshy backwaters are home for egrets, herons, muskrats and otters. A wooden stairway provides access to the river.

At Merrick State Park you can enjoy camping, canoeing, hike and snowshoeing on miles of trails, fishing, watch and photograph spring and fall migrations of waterfowl and eagles and occasional naturalist programs, sponsored by the TURTLES. The park has picnic areas along the Mississippi River. One near the lower boat launch is open to leashed pets. Three shelter throughout the park are reservable.

TURTLES is a non-profit organization that raises money for special programs and provides volunteers to help you enjoy your stay at the park.

State Wildlife Areas

Public lands managed by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources provide many opportunities and public spaces for you and your family to hunt, fish, trap, hike, canoe, or watch or photograph wildlife. All wildlife areas are managed to sustain the wildlife and natural communities found on the properties and to provide a full range of traditional outdoor recreational uses. DNR State Wildlife Areas will provide you with the outdoor adventure you can only find in Wisconsin.

Three State Wildlife Areas are located in Buffalo County, Big Swamp, Tiffany Wildlife and Whitman Dam. They are explained in more detail in the following paragraphs.

Big Swamp Wildlife Area. Acquisition of this property began in 1956 with the goal of protecting winter pheasant cover for pheasants. The Big Swamp WMA has since grown to 844 acres in size. Management on the property is limited as much of the acreage consists of tamarack swamp and lowlands, although there is a mix of upland hardwoods on the property.

Recreational opportunities in Bid Swamp Wildlife Area include of hunting (rabbits, squirrels, deer), trapping, hiking wildlife viewing and bird watching.

The property is located 5 miles west of Mondovi south on Highway 10. Currently access is only available from County Highway A on the south side of the property.

Tiffany Wildlife Area. Tiffany Wildlife Area has a diversity and abundance of wildlife on more than 13,000 acres. The area contains one of the state’s largest, continuous bottomland hardwood forests. Timber harvests help maintain aspen and oak in a diverse pattern of size and age classes. This variety in woodland composition and structure provide food and shelter for a wide variety of wildlife including deer, ruffed grouse and beaver. Dead trees with dens are left to provide wildlife homes. Oaks with superior potential for producing accords are preserved to provide nutritious high energy wildlife food.

DNR staff periodically mow and use controlled burning to maintain meadow and grassland habitat at Tiffany Wildlife Area for waterfowl nesting cover and a number of other upland birds. Burning also maintains native prairie and savannah plants that existed before white settlement.

Beaver dams on sloughs and old river meanders create a maze of ponds and wetlands. Hand-made wood duck houses dot wetland habitat to help maintain these birds.

Recreational opportunities in the Tiffany Wildlife Area include hunting (deer, ruffed grouse, turkey, squirrel, waterfowl), trapping (beaver and otter are protected from trapping in an 8,000-acre closed area), hiking (trails not marked), cross country skiing (trails not marked), berry picking, canoeing, rafting, camping ({by permit only} primitive camping only, no developed sites), wildlife viewing and bird watching.

The property is located 45 minutes south of Eau Claire and 90 minutes north of LaCrosse, along the Chippewa River between Nelson and Durand on the west side of Highway 25 and mostly north of State Highway 35. About 1/6 of the property lies west of the Chippewa River in Pepin County. The rest lies east of the Chippewa River in Buffalo County.

Whitman Dam Wildlife Area. The Whitman Wildlife Area was established in 1965 through a donation of 1,257 acres of land made to the State of Wisconsin by John Latsch in 1919. Whitman Dam Wildlife now is an area of 2,253 acres. Latsch donated the land to be used by citizens of Wisconsin for outdoor recreational activities. In 1936 the US Corps of Engineers installed Lock and Dam #5 which tied into the north end of the Whitman Dam Wildlife Area. Since the construction of the dam three culverts have been installed that allow water to flow through the wildlife area. Management on the property is limited to boundary posting and fish and wildlife population surveys.

Recreational opportunities in the Whitman Dam Wildlife Area include hunting (rabbits, squirrels, deer, ducks, geese and turkey), trapping, hiking, wildlife viewing and bird watching.

The property is located 3 miles southeast of Cochrane across the main river channel from Merrick State Park. Access available from Merrick State Park or at the end of Whitman Dam Road west of Kamrowski road. The property consists of floodplain forest and marshland.

Farmland Preservation Program – Working Lands Initiative

Wisconsin’s Farmland Preservation Program provides tax relief to landowners who participate in the program and maintain their land in agricultural use. This program provides a tax credit when the individual files their income taxes based on their agricultural income and their real estate taxes.

Landowners who participate in the Farmland Preservation Program in Buffalo County sign a fifteen and/or twenty-year agreement. The program is administered by the Land Conservation Department pursuant to Wis. Stats. Chap. 91 & 92, ATCP 50 and the Buffalo County Farmland Preservation Program Soil and Water Conservation Policy. This policy was updated in April 2005 to provide that soil and water conservation standards be met and procedures be followed by participants in the program. Landowners are subject to these standards only if they submitted an agreement to the county after April 2005. All other participants are required to meet the requirements that were in place when they enrolled in the program.

The update required that all participants in the Farmland Preservation Program implement soil and water conservation standards, according to a schedule of compliance approved by the Land Conservation Committee, on all lands for which the participant claims farmland

preservation tax credits. The standards to be implemented are those required under ATCP 50.04, Wis. Adm. Code.

At the end of 2009 there were 135 Farmland Preservation Program participants, with a total of 33,364.4 acres enrolled in the program. By the end of 2011 there will only be 100 agreements and 27,479.8 acres enrolled in the program. In the mid 90’s there were as many as 458 contracts in Buffalo County and ~ 93,000 acres enrolled in the program. Landowners have been entering into agreements to participate in the program since the mid 80’s.

Buffalo County does not have Farmland Preservation (Exclusive Ag) Zoning. For landowners in Buffalo County to participate when their existing agreements expire, they will need to have an area designated as an agricultural enterprise area (AEA).

An AEA is a contiguous land area devoted primarily to agricultural use and locally targeted for agricultural preservation and development. The designation of an AEA by the state is based on a voluntary local application. Owners of at least 5 eligible farms and any affected local governments may petition to establish am AEA. Once an AEA has been established, any landowner in that AEA will be eligible to enter into a Farmland Preservation Agreement.

Manure Storage Ordinance

Buffalo County recognizes the need to regulate the location, design, construction, alteration, closure and use of manure storage facilities. Buffalo County approved their initial Manure Storage Ordinance in March 1994. In a response to the DNR Runoff rules, passed in October of 2002, the Land Conservation Department and Land Conservation Committee updated the ordinance to implement those rules through the ordinance. The revision and update to the Buffalo County Manure Storage Ordinance was approved by resolution by the Buffalo County Board of Supervisors in August 2007 and is administered by the Buffalo County Land Conservation Department.

Updates to the ordinance include the agricultural performance standards and prohibitions as spelled out in ATCP 50. It also included any updates and/or revisions to Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) standards and specifications that are referenced in the ordinance. A copy of the Buffalo County Manure Storage begins on page 77 of this plan.

Since the plan was updated, seven permits have been issued for construction of new manure storage facilities. The purpose of the Buffalo County Manure Storage Ordinance is to regulate the location, design, construction, installation, alteration, closure and use of manure storage facilities and the land application of wastes from those facilities. NR 151 can only be enforced in this ordinance as it applies to manure storage facilities.

Non-Metallic Mining Reclamation Ordinance

Buffalo County recognizes the importance and need for non-metallic mining operations and also recognizes the importance of proper reclamation to those sites once mining has ceased. The ordinance is administered by the Zoning Department in Buffalo County.

Stormwater Discharge Permit – Wis. Adm. Code NR 216

Under subchapter III of NR 216, Wis. Adm. Code, a notice of intent shall be filed with the DNR by any landowner who disturbs one or more acres of land. This disturbance can create a point source discharge of storm water from the construction site to waters of the state and is therefore regulated by DNR. Agriculture is exempt from this requirement for activities such as planting, growing, cultivating and harvesting of crops for human or livestock consumption and pasturing or yarding of livestock as well as sod farms and tree nurseries. Agriculture is not exempt from the requirement to submit a notice of intent for one or more acres of land disturbance for the construction of structures such as barns, manure storage facilities or barnyard runoff control systems. (See s.NR216.42(2)), Wis. Adm. Code.) Furthermore, construction of an agricultural building or facility must follow an erosion control and sediment control plan consistent with s.NR 216.46, Wis. Adm. Code and including meeting the performance standards of s.NR 151.11, Wis. Adm. Code.

An agriculture building or facility is not required to meet the post-construction performance standards of NR 151.12, Wis. Adm. Code., however construction of the building and/or facility must meet the agricultural performance standards and prohibitions under Chapter NR 151.

4. Objectives, Actions & Goals.

The Buffalo County Local Advisory Committee (LAC) played a lead role in the workplan for the Land and Water Plan. Two questions in particular, were part of the thought process for the committee; 1) What are the most important resource concerns of the county, 2) What activities should the conservation staff being doing over the next (5) five years to address them.

Two resource concerns were identified, 1) Reduce Soil Erosion (and sedimentation to the streams) and 2) Raise Awareness for Nutrient and Manure Management. The LAC did not want to identify either of these in a rank of higher to lower priority and wanted to see them both addressed at a parallel level. They did however understand the necessity of ranking each activity in the workplan to reach their goals. The LAC, understanding some of the challenges in meeting these goals with the soils and topography of Buffalo County, so it was also important for them to identify specific challenges with each action, and bring awareness on why some of these goals may not be met.

The objectives and actions to achieve the goals from the workplan are as follows:

Objective - Reduce Soil Erosion

 Reduce Gully Erosion o Survey and Design Grade Stabilization Structures on a voluntary basis where cost share funds are provided o Survey and Design Grade Stabilization Structures on a voluntary basis where no cost share funds are provided o Identify high priority/critical sites for compliance  Reduce Sheet & Rill and Ephemeral Erosion o Complete Conservation Plans o Complete one-on-one farm visits with landowners o Survey and design waterway systems on a voluntary basis with cost share funding o Survey and design waterway systems on a voluntary basis with no cost share funding o Identify high priority/critical sites for compliance o Complete Transect Survey o Complete cross-compliance spotchecks with NRCS  Reduce Streambank Erosion o Survey and design streambank protection practices on a voluntary basis with cost share funding o Survey and design streambank protection practices on a voluntary basis with no cost share funding o Identify high priority/critical sites for compliance

Objective – Raise Awareness for Nutrient and Manure Management

 Manure Spills o Provide awareness on the need for liquid manure haulers to complete and keep with their hauling equipment, a “Response Guide for Manure Spills and Run-off. See copy on pages 69 & 70.  Soil Sampling o Encourage soil sampling on a regular basis where there is no cost share funds for a formal nutrient management plan  Manure Storage o Complete farm visits and work cooperatively with landowner installing manure storage for compliance with the Buffalo County Manure Storage Ordinance

 Manure Spreader Calibration o Encourage farmers to have their manure spreaders calibrated  Manure Spreading o Promote Nutrient Management Planning by holding farmer training for nutrient management plan writing o Encourage landowners to write their own nutrient management plans o Provide spreading restriction maps to landowners and explain how helpful they are when nutrient management planning  Barnyard Runoff o Survey and design barnyard runoff control practices on a voluntary basis with cost share funding o Survey and design barnyard runoff control practices on a voluntary basis with no cost share funding o Identify high priority/critical sites for compliance o Identify alternatives to solve barnyard runoff o Survey and design roof runoff system on a voluntary basis with no cost share funding o Survey and design clean water diversions on a voluntary basis with no cost share funding o Assist landowners with proper placement of manure stacks for compliance

Objective – Use the State Agricultural Performance Standards and Prohibition Laws to Secure Conservation Improvements Where Needed.

 Increase Farmer Awareness of State Agricultural Performance Standards and Prohibitions o Complete farm visits on a voluntary basis o Complete farm visits for issues of non-compliance  Help Farmers Identify Where Compliance Has Been Achieved o Complete farm visits on a voluntary basis o Complete farm visits for issues of non-compliance o Document compliance in letters to landowners.  Work With Priority Farms That Do Not Meet Compliance o Complete farm visits for issues of non-compliance o Discuss with landowners non-compliance and explain the law so they better understand their responsibilities and opportunities available for compliance

The full two-year workplan begins on page 43.

5. Implementation

This plan will address the strategy for implementation of the NR151 performance standards to assure landowners are in compliance with the state mandated regulations. The following table identifies the performance standards that will need to be implemented and the table on page 74 identifies the best management practices that may be used to achieve compliance.

The Agricultural Performance Standards and Prohibitions are identified as follows:

NR 151 Agricultural Performance Standards  Control cropland erosion to meet tolerable rates  Tillage setback from waterbody in agricultural field  Build, modify, or abandon manure storage facilities to accepted standards  Divert clean runoff away from livestock and manure storage areas located near streams, rivers, lakes or areas of susceptible to groundwater  Apply manure and other fertilizers according to an approved nutrient management plan  Phosphorus index shall average 6 or less on croplands, pastures and winter grazing areas over the accounting period and not exceed 12 in any individual year within the accounting period Manure Management Prohibitions  No overflow of manure storage facilities  No unconfined manure piles near waterbodies  No direct runoff from feedlots or stored manure into state waters  No streambanks or shorelines trampled by livestock

Voluntary Strategy

Land Conservation Department will work primarily with landowners on a voluntary basis. The LCD staff will respond to daily contacts from landowners seeking technical and cost share assistance. Landowners that contact our office on a voluntary basis will be given priority for site visits and technical assistance. During the site visit, LCD staff will identify the best way to address the resource concerns, which may include the installation of a conservation practice. The “Farmstead/Cropping Assessment Checklist” form will be used to determine the status of compliance with NR 151 performance standards and prohibitions. A copy of this form is on page 76 of the plan. “Landowner Commitment to Install Conservation Practices” form will be used to determine their eligibility for cost share funding and necessary corrective measures, including cost estimates. It will also serve as a tool for landowners to tentatively commit funds as the necessary match to a cost share grant. All compliance information will be kept and maintained by the LCD.

Priority Farm Strategy

Critical sites and Priority Farms were discussed with the Local Advisory Committee. These sites and farms are those that (not in any specific order):

 Farms in watersheds draining to DNR listed as Impaired Water (303(d))  Farms that have significant manure management problems  Soil Erosion exceeding “T” (tolerable soil loss)  Cropping on slopes greater than 12% (and where soil erosion exceeds “T”)  Barnyard Runoff from feedlot  Winter spreading on restricted fields (based on the DATCP spreading restriction maps)  Complaints (anonymous or other)

Significant runoff and manure management problems will be those sites that contribute more than 15 pounds of phosphorus from a barnyard or feedlot.

For the priority farm and critical sites, LCD staff will conduct a site visit with the landowner and complete a “Farmstead/Cropping Assessment to determine NR 151 compliance status, which is the same form that is used for site visits on a voluntary basis. This assessment will be discussed with the landowner. Information from this site visit will be documented and shared with the DNR regional Water Basin leader or his designee. If a landowner is willing to work with the LCD on a voluntary basis, the LCD will use the “Landowner Commitment Form to Install Conservation Practices” and use the voluntary strategy as described above to address the resource concerns.

Non-Compliance Strategy

When a determination has been made that a livestock facility is not in compliance with a livestock performance standards or prohibition or croplands are not in compliance with a cropland performance standard and the landowner is unwilling to cooperate with the LCD voluntarily, the DNR Basin Leader or his/her designee will make a determination of cost share eligibility. If it is determined that the landowner/operator is eligible for cost sharing, a letter will be sent to the landowner by certified mail form the LCD office and coordinated with the Basin Leader or his/her designee. The letter will include a description of the violation and a determination as to which conservation practice(s) or other corrective measures that are needed to comply with performance standards that are eligible for cost sharing. This letter will include an offer for cost sharing and provide or coordinate the provision for technical assistance. The letter will explain possible consequences if the landowner/operator fails to comply with the provisions of the notice. A compliance period will need to be established between the landowner/operator, LCD staff and coordinated with the Basin Leader or his/her designee as provided in NR151. The procedure for notification or noncompliance when no eligible costs are involved is much the same as when cost share is required, however the compliance provisions in NR151 may be less.

The LCD staff intend to secure cost share funds for eligible conservation practices as needed and provide technical assistance for design and implementation of those conservation practices. We will also provide technical assistance in those areas where no cost share is available within the guidelines of service that we can provide to landowners/operators as employees of the county conservation office.

Appeals Process for Landowner/Operator Determinations

Any person aggrieved by a decision of the Buffalo County LCD office may file a written appeal of the decision with the Buffalo County Land Conservation Committee (LCC), P.O. Box 88, Alma, WI 54610, within 30 days of the date of the letter to the landowner/operator of the DNR’s decision. The appeal will be heard by the LCC, no later than 60 days of the date of appeal request.

Enforcement

Enforcement of actions associated with NR151 will be coordinated with the DNR Basin Leader or his/her designee. If a landowner/operator refuses technical and/or financial assistance and continues to remain in non-compliance with the state performance standards, the LCD office will forward all compliance information to the Basin Leader or his/her designee. Basin Leader or his/her designee will distribute work to appropriate DNR staff. The DNR will provide notice to the landowner/operator and the LCD office prior to initiating enforcement action. Notification is not required if the site is imminent threat to public health or fish or aquatic life pursuant to NR151.09. The DNR contact is the County Conservationist in Buffalo County.

Budget

Buffalo County Land Conservation Department identified the reduction of soil erosion as an objective in their plan. Certain conservation practices were identified that will be used in implementation. The DATCP LWRM cost share grant funds, typically fund conservation practices that will reduce soil erosion. The DNR TRM cost share grant program is used to fund barnyard runoff control systems, manure storage facilities and other resource concerns relating to animal waste and manure management. 2010 is the first year that the LCD received cost share funding from DATCP for nutrient management planning.

The LCD office works directly with the NRCS office and when a landowner is looking for cost share funds and contacts the LCD office, we encourage them to apply for funds through the federal EQIP as well.

Following is a budget to show costs associated with the implementation of the Buffalo County Land and Water Resource Management Plan. The categories are based on the individual actions in the workplan where direct costs can be associated with an action. The workplan was written based on the equivalent hours for 3-full time staff in the Land Conservation Department office and a minimum of $60,000 of DATCP cost share grant

funds and the continuation of the DNR Targeted Runoff Management (TRM) Grant Program.

Cost Share Funding necessary for implementation of the plan as written.

Actual Funding Estimated Costs Total Cost for Action Average cost 2008-2010 Costs in 2009 2012 - 2013 10 Year Plan Grade Stabilization Structures $ 3,788/structure $ 40,020.21 $ 45,456. $ 454,560.

Waterway Systems $ 1,890./acre $ 8,785.00 $ 9,450. $ 94,500.

Streambank Protection – Rock Riprap $ 35./linear foot $ 13,558.75 $ 12,629. $ 126,290. Streambank Protection $ 4.33/linear – Shaping & Sloping foot

Roof Runoff System $ 15./linear foot 0.00 $ 3,000. $ 30,000.

Barnyard Runoff $ 23,924/farm & Control System an average of $ 63,839.26 $ 47,848. $ 474,840. 70 dairy cows /farm Manure Storage Max at 0.00 $ 150,000 $ 1,500,000 $150,000/farm

Staff Funding necessary for implementation of the plan as it is written.

2010 Costs 2011 Estimated Costs – Total Cost for 10 year plan based 2.5 staff * 2.7 staff on current salary – 3.0 staff

$ 168,360. $ 178,874. $ 1,905,675.

*Estimate only. Final 2010 reports were not available when budget for plan was completed.

Work Plan

Lead Challenges to Accomplish Priority Monitoring Tool Financial Resources Agency Meeting Goal ment County Levy – for staff and High LCD Amount of funds Insufficient funds operating expenses – maintain provided from to maintain staff at 3 staff in the LCD county levy full-time status DATCP – Staffing Grant – Full High LCD Amount of funds Lack of fund funding for LCD offices – provided from availability statewide DATCP for County Conservation Activities Other staff and operating funds High LCD Source and amount No additional sources of funds sources of funds, lack of funds available DATCP Cost Share Grant High LCD Cost Share funds Lack of fund Program – at a minimum of from DATCP for availability $60,000 annually Conservation Practice Construction DNR Targeted Runoff High LCD Cost Share funds Lack of sufficient Management Cost Share Grant through the DNR funds for all Program TRM Program for eligible grant conservation practice applications construction Other Cost Share Funding High LCD Source and amount No additional Sources of funds sources of funds, lack of funds available.

Objective – Reduce Soil Erosion Reduce Gully Erosion

Survey and design (12) grade High LCD # of landowners Possibility of stabilization structures assisted, soil loss limiting manure (ATCP 50.73) to address savings, cost share spreading in resource concerns on a dollars spent (1){2} drainage area voluntary basis – where cost following share funds are provided construction of a structure. No landowner requests and/or no cost share funds available Survey and design (12) grade High LCD # of landowners Possibility of stabilization structures assisted, soil loss limiting manure (ATCP 50.73) to address savings, cost share spreading in resource concerns on a dollars spent (1){2} drainage area voluntary basis – where no following const. of cost share funds are provided a structure. No landowner requests and/or no cost share funds available

1 Soil Loss Savings will be calculated using the “Concentrated Flow Soil Loss Worksheet”. 2 Information will be documented on hard copy files and spreadsheet tracking will be created pending staff availability. 42

Objective – Reduce Soil Erosion

Reduce Gully Erosion

Lead Challenges to Accomplish Priority Monitoring Tool Agency Meeting Goal ment Identify (2) “high” High LCD, # of landowners Lack of sites and/or priority/”critical sites”. DNR, assisted and # of staff availability Make landowner contacts, DATCP assessments complete a farmstead (Eng. completed (3){ 4} assessment and prioritize Staff) conservation practices for compliance with NR 151

Reduce Sheet & Rill and Ephemeral Erosion

Complete (1,000 acres) of High LCD & # of farm plans and Staff availability, Conservation Farm Plan NRCS acres of planning inaccurate yield updates to “T” completed to “T” {4} number for planning purposes (high yield reflect lower “T” value Complete (50) one-on-one farm High LCD & # of farm visits, Staff availability to visits with landowners NRCS documentation of meet the need of all visit {4} the requests Survey and design (5 acres) of High LCD # of landowners Possibility of grassed waterway systems assisted, soil loss waterway to be (ATCP 50.96) to address savings (3){4} identified as an resource concerns on a intermittent stream voluntary basis where cost following share dollars are provided construction. No landowner requests and/or no cost share funds available Survey and design (5 acres) of High LCD # of landowners Possibility of grassed waterway systems assisted, soil loss waterway to be (ATCP 50.96) to address savings (3){4} identified as an resource concerns on a intermittent stream voluntary basis where no cost following share dollars are provided construction. No landowner requests Identify (1) “high” High LCD, # of landowners Lack of sites and/or priority/”critical sites”. Make DNR, assisted and # of staff availability landowner contacts, complete a DATCP assessments farmstead assessment and (Eng. completed (3){ 4} prioritize cons. practices for Staff) compliance with NR 151 Complete Transect Survey High LCD Complete reports and Staff availability report results to LCC Complete (10) cross- Med. LCD & # of spotchecks Staff availability compliance spotchecks with NRCS completed{3} NRCS

3 Information will be documented on hard copy files and spreadsheet tracking will be created pending staff availability. 43

Objective – Reduce Soil Erosion Reduce Streambank Erosion

Lead Challenges to Accomplish Priority Monitoring Tool Agency Meeting Goal ment Survey and design (200 LF) of High LCD # of landowners No landowner Streambank protection (ATCP assisted, soil loss requests and/or no 50.65, 50.75 or 50.88) savings, cost share cost share funds conservation practices to dollars spent (5){4} available address resource concern on a voluntary basis where cost share funds are provided Survey and design (200 LF) of High LCD # of landowners No landowner Streambank protection (ATCP assisted, soil loss requests. 50.65, 50.75 or 50.88) savings, cost share conservation practices to dollars spent (5){6} address resource concern on a voluntary basis where no cost share funds are provided Identify (2) “high” Med. LCD, # of landowners Lack of sites and/or priority/”critical sites”. Make DNR, assisted and # of staff availability landowner contacts, complete a DATCP assessments farmstead assessment and (Eng. completed {5} prioritize conservation Staff) practices for compliance with NR 151 Streambank protection and in- Med. LCD, # of linear feet of Lack of sites, stream restoration for habitat NRCS, protection, # of in- landowner, improvement. Continue to work DNR, stream practices conservation with the County Conservation Club and UW- completed and # of groups and or staff individual Sportsmen and Rod & Gun Ext. project sites worked availability Club Groups in the county. at Objective – Improve Awareness for Nutrient and Manure Management Manure Spills

Encourage (10) farmers who do High LCD, # of farmers Not enough any level of manure hauling to NRCS, completing the knowledge of who complete a “Response Guide UW- Response Guide for the landowners are for Manure Spills and Run-off” Ext. Manure Spills and that should be Form. (See page ____ of the plan Run-off. {5} using the guide, for an example.) staff availability

Soil Sampling

Encourage (6) landowners to High LCD, # of farmers Farmer complete soil testing on a NRCS, completing soil understanding regular basis where there is no UW- testing, amount of purpose, cost of formal nutrient management Ext. staff time (in hours) sampling staff plan spent {5} availability

4 Soil Loss Savings will be calculated using the “Concentrated Flow Soil Loss Worksheet”. 44

Objective – Improve Awareness for Nutrient and Manure Management Lead Challenges to Accomplish Manure Storage Priority Monitoring Tool Agency Meeting Goal ment Make (3) farm visits, review Med LCD, # of landowners No permit requests designs in cooperation with DATCP building manure DATCP engineering field , (Eng. storage facilities (5) office staff and issue permits to Staff) construct new manure storage facilities in accordance with the Manure Storage Ordinance

Manure Spreader Calibration

Encourage (6) farmers to High LCD, # of spreader Lack of requests calibrate their spreaders to gain NRCS, calibrated (7) for this service, better knowledge of their UW- staff availability spreading level Ext.

Manure Spreading

Promote the use of nutrient High LCD, # of training session Landowner interest, management plans – hold (2) NRCS, held, # of landowner training sessions to encourage UW- landowners attending commitment to (6) landowners to write their Ext. (7) complete plans, own nutrient management plan staff availability Promote the use of nutrient High LCD, # of plans written or Cost and/or time to management plans - encourage NRCS, submitted and # of the landowner (4) landowners to write their UW- acres of plans (7) when it is not own nutrient management plans Ext. required – or have one written by a private landowner not consultant providing a completed plan to LCD or NRCS Provide information on High LCD, # of landowners Spreading spreading restriction maps from NRCS, assisted (7) restrictions on land DATCP web site. Help (12) UW- where grade landowners learn how the maps Ext. stabilization can be helpful when manure structures have spreading been built (drainage areas), lack of landowner requests, staff availability

Barnyard Runoff

Survey and design (1) barnyard Med LCD # of landowners Lack of landowner runoff control system (ATCP assisted, reduction of requests and/or no 50.64) to address resource phosphorus loading cost share funds concern on a voluntary basis to stream (BARNY), available where cost share funds are cost share dollars provided spent (7)` Survey and design (1) barnyard Med LCD # of landowners Lack of landowner runoff control system (ATCP assisted, reduction of requests. 50.64) to address resource phosphorus loading concern on a voluntary basis to stream (BARNY), where no cost share funds are cost share dollars provided spent (7)`

5 Information will be documented on hard copy files and spreadsheet tracking will be created pending staff availability. 45

Objective – Improve Awareness for Nutrient and Manure Management Priority Lead Monitoring Tool Challenges to Accomplish Agency Meeting Goal ment Identify (2) “high” Med. LCD, # of landowners Lack of sites and/or priority/”critical sites”. Make DNR, assisted and # of staff availability landowner contacts, complete a DATCP assessments farmstead assessment and (Eng. completed (6) prioritize conservation Staff) practices for compliance with NR 151 Identify (2 sites) alternatives to High LCD, # of sites assessed Lack of landowner a barnyard runoff control DNR, for this activity, # of interest in system DATCP sites were alternative alternative, lack of (Eng. practices were used funding if cost Staff) (8) share assistance is required Survey and design (2) roof Med. LCD, # of landowners, # of Lack of landowner runoff systems to divert runoff DNR, systems installed interest and cost from roofs away from existing DATCP with and without share fund structures or contaminated (Eng. cost share funds (8) availability if cost areas on a voluntary basis as a Staff) share funding is stand-alone practice or in required conjunction with barnyard runoff control system Survey and design (2) clean High LCD, # of landowners Lack of landowner water diversions to divert water DNR, assisted, # of interest and cost away from farmsteads, DATCP diversions share fund agricultural waste systems and (Eng. constructed (8) availability if cost other improvements on a Staff) share funding is voluntary basis required Address placement of manure Med LCD, # of landowners who Landowner not stacks. Assist (2) landowners DNR, contacted the LCD seeking technical to properly place manure stacks DATCP office for guidance, # assistance (Eng. of landowners Staff) receiving technical assistance for non- compliance (8) Other Soil Erosion Activities Woodland Erosion Priority Lead Monitoring Tool Challenges to Accomplish Agency Meeting Goal ment Trails and landings – seeding Med LCD & Encourage a nice Unable to provide on a voluntary basis. Work DNR grass cover on trails this information to with (2) individual landowners Forester & landings following landowners – no forest harvest (8) request for technical assistance Critical area seeding – on a Med LCD & Encourage seeding Unable to provide voluntary basis. Work with (2) DNR after forest harvest this information to individual landowners Forester (8) landowners – no request for technical assistance Tree and shrub planting – on a Med. LCD & Replant after forest Unable to provide voluntary basis work with (2) DNR harvest this information to individual landowners Forester landowners – no request for technical assistance

6 Information will be documented on hard copy files and spreadsheet tracking will be created pending staff availability. 46

Other Soil Erosion Activities Priority Lead Monitoring Tool Challenges to Accomplish Agency Meeting Goal ment

Seeding Logging Trails

Seeding logging trails Med DNR # of landowners This activity is following forest harvest. Work Forester completing this required only by with (2) individual landowners activity, # of road participants in the seeded and /or acres MFL on the areas of seeding completed that are subject to soil erosion. Information may not be available to LCD staff. Groundwater Quality/Quantity List the number, location and Med LCD Include an update in Information not classification of large capacity the annual report to available on the wells in the county and update the County Board of DNR web site. the list annually from the DNR Supervisors (7) Staff availability. web site Objective – Use the State Agricultural Performance Standards and Prohibition Laws to Secure Conservation Improvements Where Needed

Increase Farmer Awareness of State Agricultural Performance Standards and Prohibitions

Complete (3) farm visits on a High LCD # of landowners This will be voluntary basis. assisted (9) addressed on site visits for other purposes as well. Staff availability. Complete farm visits for issues High LCD # of landowners This will be of non-compliance assisted (9) addressed on site visits for other purposes as well. Staff availability. Help Farmers Identify Where Compliance Has Been Achieved

Complete (3) farm visits on a High LCD # of landowners This will be voluntary basis. assisted (9) addressed on site visits for other purposes as well. Staff availability. Complete farm visits for issues High LCD # of landowners This will be of non-compliance assisted (9) addressed on site visits for other purposes as well. Staff availability. Document compliance in letters High LCD # of landowners This will be to landowners assisted (9) addressed on site visits for other purposes as well. Staff availability.

7 Information will be documented on hard copy files and spreadsheet tracking will be created pending staff availability. 47

Objective – Use the State Agricultural Performance Standards and Prohibition Laws to Secure Conservation Improvements Where Needed

Work with Priority Farms That Do Not Meet Compliance

Priority Lead Monitoring Tool Challenges to Accomplish Agency Meeting Goal ment Complete (3) farm visits on a High LCD # of landowners This will be voluntary basis. assisted (9) addressed on site visits for other purposes as well. Staff availability.

Increase Farmer Awareness of State Agricultural Performance Standards and Prohibitions

Priority Lead Monitoring Tool Challenges to Accomplish Agency Meeting Goal ment Discuss with landowners non- High LCD # of landowners This will be compliance and explain the law assisted (8) addressed on site so they better understand their visits for other responsibilities and purposes as well. opportunities available for Staff availability compliance Other Activities PL-566 Structure Maintenance

Complete annual inspections of High LCD # of inspections Staff availability 13 structures completed and dates of the inspections (10) Complete report of structure High LCD Report filed in a Staff availability inspections and forward to computer file NRCS – Contact NRCS (Eau Claire Area Office) where evidence of structural maintenance is necessary Complete brush cleaning & High LCD Amount of work Staff availability other maintenance as necessary completed, when and the cost

Information & Education Activities

Update and maintain the Land Med LCD Identify periodic Staff availability Conservation web page on the changes to the web Buffalo County web site – e- site, at least on a mail updates of conservation quarterly basis activities on a quarterly basis Maintain a database of e-mail Med LCD # of entries in Staff availability addresses for electronic updates database and #of of conservation activities times information was sent Submit (4) news releases to High LCD # of news releases Lack of control for local papers for conservation that were sent to news releases to be information and education papers, # of news printed in papers. purposes releases that were Staff Availability. printed in papers

8 Information will be documented on hard copy files and spreadsheet tracking will be created pending staff availability. 48

Other Activities

Information & Education Activities

Priority Lead Monitoring Tool Challenges to Accomplish Agency Meeting Goal ment Tree Program – promote tree Med LCD # of landowners Lack of landowner planting. Sell 5,000 purchasing trees, interest. Staff trees/shrubs to 40 landowners number of trees availability. purchased Rain Barrel Program – promote Med LCD # of presentations Lack of interest. water conservation. Sell (10) and # of rain barrels Staff Availability. rain barrels sold School Presentations & Field Med LCD, # of presentations, Lack of school Tours. Provide (4) school NRCS, age group, topic of interest. Staff presentations and (2) field tours UW- discussion availability. Ext., DNR Booth at the County Fair Med LCD, Number of days at Lack of funding for NRCS, fair and items of booth rental. Staff UW- interest availability. Ext., FSA Conservation Speaking Med LCD # of students Lack of Contest. Encourage (8) participating in each participants. students to participate in three level divisions. Report at two Farm Bureau Med LCD, # of meetings This generally Board of Directors Meetings of NRCS, attended, topic of happens under Conservation Activities UW- discussion most Ext., circumstances. FSA Meet with County Med LCD, # of meetings Time of meetings. Conservation Groups twice a NRCS, attended, topic of This generally year. UW- discussion happens under Ext., most DNR circumstances. Prepare an Annual Report for High LCD Report of annual This item is the County Board of activities in the LCD required to be Supervisors office completed. Prepare an Annual High LCD Dates of submission This item is Accomplishment Report for and location of hard required to be DATCP & DNR copy completed. Staff Training

Maintain trained, experienced High LCD Allow staff training Lack of training staff as necessary. # of funds for cost- training events related training. attended and description of each event Trained staff – reduce Med LCD # of conservation Staff availability. engineering costs to practices designed Possibility of poor landowners by technicians that exceed current use of staff time acquiring additional job job level approval of due to difficulty of approval LCD technicians design.

Existing Programs

Implementation of this plan will incorporate existing and future programs for technical assistance and cost share funding as follows:

Soil and Water Resource Management Program (SWRM) – Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP), through ATCP 50, will provide funds to a county for staff and support funding for employees. The SWRM program may provide cost share funds to install conservation practices. Land Conservation Department staff allocate the cost share funds to landowners for installation of conservation practices that will reduce soil erosion and phosphorus runoff to streams.

NonPoint Targeted Runoff Management Program (TRM) - Non-Point Targeted Runoff Management Program (TRM) is a WI-Department of Natural Resources (DNR) program where governmental units and tribes can be reimbursed up to 70% of eligible costs associated with installing Best Management Practices (BMPs) to limit or end nonpoint source (runoff) water pollution. Grant awards cannot exceed $150,000. Grants are made for specific projects and have a 2-year implementation time frame. Examples of eligible projects include: barnyard and feedlot protection practices, design as part of construction, detention ponds, livestock waste management practices, stream bank protection projects, wetland construction.

TRM funding efforts are focused in critical watersheds and lakes where nonpoint source- related water quality problems are most severe an control is more feasible. Projects are selected based on a competitive process until all available funds have been allocated.

Significant changes to the TRM program because of revisions to NR 153 will be effective January 1, 2011. Funding will be provided in 4 categories: 1) Small scale projects for TMDL watersheds, 2) Small scale projects in areas outside TMDL watersheds, 3) Large scale projects in TMDL watersheds, 4) Large scale projects outside TMDL watersheds. Small scale projects are similar to the existing projects $150,000 caps on grant funds and time frame of 2 years for project completion. Large scale projects will be funded at higher caps up to $1 million and will include some funding for county staff and will be time frames of 3-4 years. Caps are subject to change as the DNR budget changes.

Notice of Discharge (NOD) – Notice of Discharge (NOD) Project Grants are provided to local unites of government (typically counties) by the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. The purpose of these grants is to provide cost sharing to farmers who are required to install agricultural best management practices to comply with Notice of Discharge requirements. Notices of Discharge are issued by the Department of Natural Resources under Chapter NR 243 (Animal Feeding Operations) to small and medium animal feeding operations that pose environmental threats to state water resources. The project funds can be used to address an outstanding NOD or an NOD developed concurrently with the grant award.

Each state agency administers its own NOD project funds. This is because statutory and other administration requirements for the two agencies vary slightly with respect to cost sharing NODs.

Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) – The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is a voluntary conservation program. It supports production agriculture and environmental quality as compatible goals. Through EQIP, farmers may receive financial and technical help with structural and management conservation practices on agricultural land. EQIP offers contracts for practice implementation from 1 – 10 years.

EQIP in Wisconsin offers financial assistance to help off-set the costs of eligible conservation practices. Incentive payments may also be made to encourage a farmer to adopt land management practices, such as nutrient management, manure management, integrated pest management, or wildlife habitat management. EQIP offers many practices geared to livestock operations of all types.

Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) – The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is a USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) program. It is a voluntary program for agricultural producers. Through CRP, you can receive annual rental payments and cost-share assistance to establish long-term, resource conserving covers on eligible farmland.

The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) makes annual rental payments based on the agriculture rental value of the land, and it provides cost-share assistance for up to 50 percent of the participant’s costs in establishing approved conservation practices. Participants enroll in CRP contracts for 10 to 15 years.

The program is administered through the Farm Service Agency (FSA). NRCS works with landowners to develop their application, and to plan, design and install the conservation practices on the land. County Land Conservation Departments and the Wisconsin Dept of Natural Resources also provide technical support for the CRP.

The CRP reduces soil erosion, protects the Nation’s ability to produce food and fiber, reduces sedimentation in streams and lakes, improves water quality, establishes wildlife habitat, and enhances forest and wetland resources. It encourages farmers to convert highly erodible cropland or other environmentally sensitive acreage to vegetative cover, such as tame or native greases, wildlife plantings, trees, filterstrips, or riparian buffers. Farmers receive an annual rental payment for the term of the multi-year contract. Cost-sharing is provided to establish the vegetative cover practices.

Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) – Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) is a voluntary program offering financial incentives to help landowners protect and improve water quality. It is a partnership between the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA), Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP), USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) and

participating county land conservation departments throughout the state. The DATCP administers the state portion of the program and provides funds for incentive and easement payments.

It is an opportunity for Wisconsin landowners to enroll agricultural lands into various practices, which include riparian buffers, filter strips, wetland restorations, watrways and establishment of native grasslands in the grassland project area. There is no waiting period for this program, and there is no competition with other applicants; however, enrollment and eligibility determinations are on a first-come first-serve basis.

The CREP is a strong federal, state and local partnership for conservation and each agency plays a significant role. Following are the roles of each partner in the CREP:

 Farm Service Agency – administers the federal part of the program and makes cost share incentive and rental payments to landowners  Natural Resource Conservation Service – provides technical assistance to plan and install the conservation practices and certifies that practices are complete  County Land Conservation Departments – may provide conservation planning certification and monitoring of the easements or agreements  Department of Natural Resources – will oversee the water quality reporting aspects of the program and other water quality monitoring duties.

On the federal side, USDA Farm Service Agency makes payments annually for up to 15 years, based on the specific soil types on the lands to be enrolled. USDA Farm Service Agency also provides an additional annual federal incentive payment from 35% to 60%, of the annual rental rate, depending on the practices to be installed, and an annual maintenance payment of between $2 and $4 per acre per year depending again on the practices installed.

In addition to these payments, the federal government also pays $100 per acre as an up- front, one-time signing incentive payment (SIP) for filter strips, riparian buffers and grassed waterways enrolled in CRP for the first time.

The State of Wisconsin offers an additional incentive as an up-front, one-time payment of 1.5 times the annual rental rate for 15-year agreements, and 12 times the annual rental rate for perpetual conservation easements. The state payments are made up-front after the agreement or easement is signed by the landowner.

The federal government also pays 50% of the cost of installing the eligible practices. In addition, practices eligible for a SIP are also eligible for an additional 40% federal incentive called a practice incentive payment (PIP). Wetland restorations will receive an additional incentive of 25% of the cost to restore the land’s hydrology. In addition, the state pays 20% of the cost of installing eligible practices. Note: You should check with your tax advisor to determine whether or not these payments have any tax consequences for you.

Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) – The Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) is a USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service Program. It is a voluntary program that encourages producers to address resource concerns in a comprehensive manner by undertaking additional conservation activities and improving, maintaining and managing existing conservation activities. An application can be submitted at any time during the year. Applications are funded for five year contracts.

Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) – Wetland Reserve Program (WRP) is a USDA Natural Resource Conservation Program (NRCS). It is a voluntary program to restore and protect wetlands on private property. It is an opportunity for landowners to receive financial incentives to restore wetlands that have been drained for agriculture.

Landowner who choose to participate in WRP may sell a conservation easement or enter into a cost-share restoration agreement with USDA to restore and protect wetlands. The landowner voluntarily limits future use of the land, yet retains private ownership. The landowner and NRCS develop a plan for the restoration and maintenance of the wetland.

The program offers landowners three options: permanent easements, 30-year easements, and restoration cost-share agreements of a minimum 10-year duration.

Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) – The Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) is a USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) program. It is a voluntary program for people who want to develop or improve wildlife habitat on private lands. The WHIP offers technical and financial assistance to help protect, restore, develop and enhance fish and wildlife habitat.

Participants work with NRCS to prepare a WHIP plan of operations, which describes the landowners’ goals for improving wildlife habitat, includes a list of practices and a schedule for installing them, and details the steps necessary to maintain the habitat for the life of the cost-share agreement.

WHIP payments help successful applicants with the practice implementation costs. The agreement lasts one year past the last scheduled practice and may be as long as 10 years. Under the agreement, the landowner agrees to implement and maintain the contracted practices and allow NRCS access to monitor the effectiveness of the practices.

Wisconsin Forest Landowner Grant Program (WFLGP) – Wisconsin Forest Landowner Grant Program (WFLGP) is Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) program and is administered by the WI-DNR Division of Forestry. It was created to encourage private forest landowners to manage their lands in a manner that benefits the forest resources and the people of the State. WFLGP assists private landowners to protect and enhance their forested lands, prairies, and waters. The program allows qualified landowners to be reimbursed up to 50% of the eligible cost of eligible practices. Maximum cost shares earned set by the state are currently $10,000 per year.

Private landowners in Wisconsin are eligible for WFLGP funding if they own at least 10 contiguous acres of non-industrial private forest but not more than 500 acres within Wisconsin. Applicants must have a forest stewardship plan in place on their land or be applying to have one prepared through the WFLGP program. Landowners granted WLFGP funding can only be cost shared for non-commercial practices.

Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program – The Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP) is a USDA Natural Resource Conservation Program. This program keeps productive farmland in privately owned agricultural use by assisting States, Tribes and local government or non-profit entities with the purchase of conservation easements or development rights on productive farmland, and on farms containing significant historical or archaeological resources. Through a cooperative agreement, the NRCS provides up to 50% of the purchase cost for perpetual easements (in Wisconsin) on eligible farmland.

Grassland Reserve Program (GRP) – The Grassland Reserve Program (GRP) is a USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) program. It is a voluntary program for landowners and operators to protect grazing uses and other related conservation values by restoring and conserving eligible grassland and certain other lands through rental contracts and easements. GRP is available on privately owned lands, which includes private and Tribal land. Publically owned land is not eligible. Land already under protection from the conversion to non-grazing uses is not eligible.

The land must be grassland for which the predominant use is grazing, or the land must be located in an area that has been historically dominated by grassland and provide habitat for animal or plant populations of significant ecological value, and contain historical or archeological resources or address issues raised State, Regional and national conservation priorities.

County Conservation Aids – County Conservation Aids grant funds is a WI- Department of Natural Resource (DNR) program. The County Conservation Aids grant program provides financial assistance to enhance county fish and wildlife programs. The Fish and Wildlife Management Grant Program was created to assist Wisconsin Counties in the improvement of the fish and wildlife resources. The fund was established by the Wisconsin Legislature in 1965 as an alternative to highly questionable bounty payments on coyote, foxes and bobcats. Every year the bounty program was cancelled, a state allocation equal to the average bounty payment has been earmarked as matching money for a growing list of county sponsored fish and wildlife habitat projects.

The revenue to operate the program comes from the sale of hunting and fishing licenses and state sales tax on hunting and fishing equipment.

6. Information & Education

One comment that was made at the Landowner Information Meeting in September 2010 that the Local Advisory Committee (LAC) used as a guide when developing the workplan was that there is a Strong Conservation Ethic in this County and we need to promote it. The best way to promote conservation is through Information and Education activities.

A list of Information and Education activities were created that would be used to build awareness on the benefits of applying good sound conservation practices that will in turn reduce sediment lost and nutrient loading. Many of these activities will be completed in cooperation with Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), UW-Extension, and DNR local field office staff.

Examples of these activities include:

 Maintain database of e-mail addresses  One-on-one farm visits with landowners for quarterly news releases  Regular new releases to local  Conservation farm planning newspapers  Manure spill response guide reference  Tree Program – Promote tree planting  School tours and in-school  Assist landowners with soil sampling presentations  Calibrate manure spreaders  Booth at the county fair  Report to Farm Bureau Board of  Barnyard manure management alternative Directors meetings  Proper placement of manure stacks  Meet with County Conservation Clubs  Necessity to seed and/or stabilize erosion  Enhance the LCD web page on the following forest harvest Buffalo County Web Site  Prepare reports of accomplishments  Provide LCD training

When completing on-farm visits, a “Farmstead/Cropping Assessment Checklist” form is used to inform landowners of the requirements of the runoff rules, NR151. This form serves two purposes. It makes landowners aware of what the performance standards are and areas where they may not be in compliance with those standards. It also serves as a way to tract a landowners level of compliance in an effort to seeking funding sources to bring him into compliance. This form can also be used for critical sites, priority farm visits, farm visits for landowners wishing to build manure storage or barnyard runoff control systems.

7. Monitoring

Monitoring of plan progress is essential and will be completed for a variety of reasons and in a variety of ways. Monitoring will provide information for state and federal agencies, county board members and landowners. Each agency or organization looking for

monitoring results will use this information differently, so it is important that the means we use to gather the data can be useful.

The Land Conservation Department (LCD) keeps a database of conservation practices that are designed and constructed by LCD staff each year, with and without cost share funds. The designs data is kept filed in the office for future reference.

Buffalo County LCD will use the following methods to monitor success of the work completed through the Land and Water Resource Management Plan:

Workplan. The last column of the workplan provides a place to report accomplishments directly related to the workplan. It will also show where we did not meet our plan goals and why.

County Board of Supervisors. Each year county departments prepare an annual report for the County Board of Supervisors and present their report at a regular county board meeting. Part of that report includes an update of the activities and accomplishments from the workplan.

Transect Survey. Each year the LCD office completes the Transect Survey. Results from the Transect survey are presented to the Land Conservation Committee and become part of the Annual Report to the County Board of Supervisors. Transect data has also been presented to other agencies and organizations as requested.

Soil Loss/Saved by the installation of Conservation Practices. The Soil Loss Worksheet is still used in Buffalo County as a means to measure the reduction of soil that is deposited into the waterbodies of Buffalo County. The soil loss worksheet is a mathematical equation that uses the height, width, depth and amount of advancement of a gully for example, in a given year to determine the reduction of soil loss to a particular waterbody from upland, cropland and streambank erosion.

Reduction of direct runoff from feedlots and barnyards. The computer model “Barny” will be used to determine the reduction in phosphorus from barnyards and feedlots through the installation of best management practices.

CREP Environmental Benefit Report Summary. CREP (Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program) Environmental Benefit Report Summary is a tool that uses a formula to calculate three environmental benefits to land that is enrolled in the CREP. By applying this formula, a determination can be made on the pounds of phosphorus, pounds of nitrogen and tons of sediment that are reduced through the enrollment of land in the CREP.

8. Partnerships

Buffalo County Land Conservation Department over the years has historically partnered with the USDA - Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), USDA – Farm Service Agency (FSA), UW-Extension, and Wisconsin DNR. We are fortunate that each of these offices are co-located on the 4th floor of the courthouse in Alma, Wisconsin. This not only makes it extremely easy for the agencies to work together more efficiently, it also is a huge benefit for the landowners to be able to make one stop and visit many offices to meet their conservation and agricultural needs. A “one-stop shop”. The Local Advisory Committee (LAC) regards this as a huge plus in Buffalo County and encourages the agencies to continue to work together.

Through implementation of this plan, existing partnerships will continue and opportunities for new partnerships can be developed. These partnerships will be utilized to best serve the needs of the landowners of the county as we preserve our natural resources.

9. Conclusion

Buffalo County’s LWRM Plan provides the county, and its partners in conservation, a guide to be used to address the various conservation concerns that have been raised by the residents and landowners of Buffalo County. At the same time, it moves toward a common goal of meeting and or exceeding water quality standards that are required by both federal and state governments. The Buffalo County LWRM Plan is not meant to replace any existing conservation programs already in place, but rather work with existing programs to provide one conservation plan for the county.

Buffalo County has a terrain that is breathtaking to the eye, especially looking over the Mississippi River bottoms from one of the many bluffs, but it creates a challenge for the landowner/operator who is trying to farm and make their living. Soil erosion, in general is the number one threat to the largest percentage of streams in the county. Cattle numbers in the county are down significantly, or are moving toward a trend of farms with more cattle numbers and the loss of small dairy farms. There is also a trend of more absentee landowners.

Nutrient and pest management planning is slowly being implemented in the county and progress is made by taking small steps to educate the landowners/operators on the importance of understanding the value of nutrient management planning and using the nutrients they produce on their farm.

Education of the landowners, operators and residents of the county is a “key” component to the success of good county conservation. The county conservation partners, the Land Conservation Department, USDA – Natural Resource Conservation Service, Wisconsin

Department of Natural Resources, UW-Extension and USDA - Farm Service Agency will continue to work cooperatively to provide program services, cost share programs and technical assistance to the landowners of the county as they have in the past. This is easily achieved by having all these offices co-located on the fourth floor of the county courthouse

The plan addresses, objectives and actions, a tool to monitor the action and a method of documentation. There will be challenges to meeting these objectives and it is helpful to know these challenges and face them head on. It is also helpful when the landowners, producers and residents of the county are willing to work with the conservation staff to be able to identify and address the resource concerns in the county. The Buffalo County Land and Water Resource Management Plan is only as useful as the implementation component of it can be accomplished. There will be no road blocks. When we get to a place in the plan that looks like there is nowhere to go, we will construct a new path and find an alternate route.

“Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is a process; working together is success”. ~Henry Ford

ACRONYMS

BMPs Best Management Practices CREP Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program CRP Conservation Reserve Program CSP Conservation Stewardship Program DATCP Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection District Conservationist ( USDA – Natural Resource Conservation DC Service) DNR Department of Natural Resources EQIP Environmental Quality Incentives Program FRPP Farm and Ranch Land Preservation Program FSA Farm Service Agency I & E Information & Education LWCB Land and Water Conservation Board (Wisconsin) LCC Land Conservation Committee LCD Land Conservation Department LWRM Land and Water Resource Management (Plan) NPS Non-point Source (pollution) NOD Notice of Discharge (pollution) NRCS Natural Resource Conservation Service RC&D Resource Conservation & Development (River Country) SWRM Soil and Water Resource Management (Program/DATCP) “T” Tolerable Soil Loss (conservation planning) USDA United States Department (of) Agriculture UWEX University of Wisconsin - Extension WALCE Wisconsin Association of Land Conservation Employees WFLGP Wisconsin Forest Landowner Grant Program WHIP Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program WLWCA Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation Association WRP Wetlands Reserve Program

Appendix A

Agenda for Landowner Information Meeting pg. 61

Notice of Public Hearing pg. 62

Agenda for Public Hearing & LCC Notice of Plan Approval pg. 64

Agenda for Buffalo County Finance Committee pg. 65

Agenda for County Board Action pg. 66

Adopted Resolution for County Board Approval of Plan pg. 67

Animal Unit Calculation Worksheet pg. 68

Manure Spill Response Guide pg. 69

Landowner Commitment Form pg. 71

List of Conservation Practices pg. 74

Farmstead/Cropping Assessment Checklist pg. 75

Transect Route pg. 78

Manure Storage Ordinance pg. 79

County of Buffalo Alma, Wisconsin Notice of Meeting

Landowner Information Meeting for the Update to the Buffalo County Land and Water Resource Management Plan

Date: Wednesday, October 6, 2010 Time: 7:30 p.m. Location: 3rd Floor County Board Room, Buffalo County Courthouse

Agenda

Introduction – John Schlesselman, 7:30 p.m. Chairman of the Land Conservation Committee

Overview of the Land and Water Resource Management Plan – 7:45 p.m. Julie Lindstrom, County Conservationist 8:15 p.m. Natural Resource Conservation Program (NRCS) – Todd Mau, District Conservationist

General Discussion on County Conservation Priorities 8:30 p.m.

Select Local Advisory Committee

Set Next Meeting Date

Notice Of Public Hearing

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING LAND AND WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN BUFFALO COUNTY LAND CONSERVATION COMMITTEE

Notice is hereby given that the Buffalo County Land Conservation Department/Land Conservation Committee will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, February 22, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. in the Third Floor Board Room at the Buffalo County Courthouse, Alma, Wisconsin.

The purpose of the hearing is to hear comments or suggestions from individuals, landowners, representatives from other agencies to the update to the Buffalo County Land and Water Resource Management Plan. A “Final Draft” copy of the plan is available for review at the Buffalo County Land Conservation Department in the 4th Floor of the County Courthouse, Room 403, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. {Publish: February 10th and 17th, 2011 in Cochrane-Fountain City Recorder}

Called by : John Schlesselman, LCC Chairman

Signed: ______Julie Lindstrom, County Conservationist

County of Buffalo Alma, Wisconsin Notice of Public Meeting

Committee: Buffalo County Land Conservation Committee Date: Tuesday, February 22, 2011 Time: 5:30 p.m. Location: 3rd Floor County Board Room Agenda 1. Call to Order/Role Call 5:30 p.m. 2. Approval of Minutes – January 5, 2011 and January 25, 2011 meetings 3. Public Comments Regarding Posted Agenda Items 4. Review/Discuss/Action – Natural Resource Conservation Service 5. Review/Discussion/Action – Farm Service Agency 6. Review Discuss/Action – 2010 Budget Review 7. Review/Discuss/Action – Future Capital Expenditures 8. Review/Discuss/Action – 2012 Budget Discussion & Beyond 9. Review/Discuss/Action – Invoice for Conservation Practice Construction 10. Review/Discuss/Action – 2011 Cost Containment Procedures 11. Review/Discuss/Action – Manure Storage Ordinance 12. Review/Discuss/Action - Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation Association 13. Review/Discuss/Action – River Country Resource Conservation and Development 14. Review/Discuss/Action – Review of Land and Water Resource Management Plan – Final Copy 6:45 P.M. The Land Conservation Committee meeting will recess for the Public Hearing. PUBLIC HEARING FOR LAND AND WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN 7:00 P.M. The Land Conservation Committee meeting will reconvene following the Public Hearing 15. Review/Discuss/Action – Resolution for Land and Water Resource Management Plan Approval 16. Review/Discuss/Action – Conservationist Report 17. Review/Discuss/Action – Chairman’s Report 18. Review/Discuss/Action – Next Meeting Date 19. Adjournment DATE NOTICE WAS FAXED/EMAILED/MAILED AND POSTED: February 15, 2011 NOTICE TO: Mailed: Committee Members; Emailed: County Clerk’s Office, Brommerich News Service; Faxed: Alma City Clerk, Buffalo City Clerk, Fountain City Clerk, Mondovi City Clerk COMMITTEE MEMBERS: If unable to attend, please contact the chairperson of the committee or the county administrators office. PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES: If you require special accommodations in order to attend this meeting please contact the county administrators office at (608) 685-6234. PUBLIC ACCESS TO BUFFALO COUNTY COURTHOUSE: The SOUTH Entrance will be the only access to the building after 4:30 p.m. MEETING CALLED TO ORDER BY: John Schlesselman, LCC Chairman SIGNED: Julie Lindstrom, County Conservationist

County of Buffalo Alma, Wisconsin Notice of Public Meeting

Committee: Buffalo County Committee of Board / Finance Committee Date: Wednesday, February 23, 2011 Time: 6:30 p.m. Location: County Board Room, Third Floor, Courthouse, Alma WI Agenda 20. Call to Order/Roll Call 21. Approval of Previous Committee Meeting Minutes 22. Public Comments Regarding Posted Agenda Items 23. Presentation / Discussion – Overview, Departmental Structure, Duties and Responsibilities Highway Circuit Court County Clerk 24. Review / Discussion / Action – Redistricting in Buffalo County 25. Review / Discussion / Action – Planning for the Future, 2011 and Beyond Duplication of Services Between Departments, Grant Writing, Economic Development 26. Review / Discussion / Action – Buffalo County 2012 Financial Budget, Preliminary Items 27. Review / Discussion / Action – Next Steps and Future Meeting Dates 28. Adjournment of Committee of the Board 29. Review / Discussion / Action – A Resolution to Purchase One 2005 SUV in 2011 30. Review / Discussion / Action – A Resolution for Land and Water Resource Management Plan Approval 31. Review / Discussion / Action – A Resolution to Approve 2011 Payroll Adjustments for the Managerial, Supervisory, Professional and Confidential, Full and Part-time Employees of Buffalo County 32. Review / Discussion / Action – A Resolution to Establish Reimbursement Level of the Chairperson for Performing the Duties of Buffalo County Administrative Coordinator 33. Review / Discussion / Action – A Resolution to Fill Split Deputy / Communication Corrections Officer (Female) Position in Law Enforcement 34. Adjournment DATE NOTICE WAS FAXED/EMAILED/MAILED AND POSTED: February 18, 2011 NOTICE TO: Mailed: Committee Members; Emailed: County Clerk’s Office, Brommerich News Service; Faxed: Alma City Clerk, Buffalo City Clerk, Fountain City Clerk, Mondovi City Clerk COMMITTEE MEMBERS: If unable to attend, please contact the Chairperson of the Committee or the County Administration Office. PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES: If you require special accommodations in order to attend this meeting, please contact the County Administration Office at (608) 685-6234. PUBLIC ACCESS TO BUFFALO COUNTY COURTHOUSE: The SOUTH Entrance will be the only access to the building after 4:30 p.m. MEETING CALLED TO ORDER BY: Del D. Twidt, Chairperson SIGNED: Del D. Twidt, Buffalo County Board Chair

County of Buffalo Alma, Wisconsin Notice of Public Meeting Committee: Buffalo County Board of Supervisors Date: Tuesday, March 1, 2011 Time: 7:00 P.M. Location: Third Floor County Board Room, Courthouse, Alma, WI Agenda 1. Call Meeting to Order

2. The Pledge of Allegiance 3. Roll Call of Members, Buffalo County Board of Supervisors 4. Approval of Previous County Board Meeting Minutes 5. Public Comments Regarding Posted Agenda Items 6. Presentation / Discussion – Annual Reports (2010) Emergency Management Recycling 7. Review / Discussion / Action – Buffalo County Ordinances 11-03-01 An Ordinance to Amend the Buffalo County Code of Ordinances Entitled “Buffalo County Shoreland Zoning Ordinance” 8. Review / Discussion / Action - Buffalo County Resolutions: 11-03-01 A Resolution to Fill a Split Deputy / Communication Corrections Officer (Female) Position in Law Enforcement 11-03-02 A Resolution to Purchase One SUV in 2011 11-03-03 A Resolution to Approve 2011 Payroll Adjustments for the Managerial, Supervisory, Professional and Confidential, Full and Part-Time, Employees of Buffalo County 11-03-04 A Resolution to Establish Reimbursement Level of the Chairperson for Performing the Duties of Buffalo County Administrative Coordinator 11-03-05 A Resolution to Approve the Buffalo County Land and Water Resource Management Plan for Years 2012 - 2022 9. Reports / Questions / Discussion from /to Committee Chairs Regarding Committee Meeting Minutes/ Content 10. Summary Report / Update - County Board Chairperson 11. Adjournment

DATE NOTICE WAS FAXED/EMAILED/MAILED AND POSTED: February 24, 2011 NOTICE TO: Mailed: Committee Members; Emailed: County Clerk’s Office, Brommerich News Service, Alma City Clerk, Buffalo City Clerk, Fountain City Clerk, Mondovi City Clerk, Newspaper BOARD MEMBERS: If unable to attend, please contact the Chairperson or the Administration Office. PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES: If you require special accommodations in order to attend this meeting, please contact the County Administration Office at (608) 685-6234. PUBLIC ACCESS TO BUFFALO COUNTY COURTHOUSE: The SOUTH Entrance will be the only access to the building after 4:30 p.m. MEETING CALLED BY: Del D. Twidt, Chairperson, Buffalo County Board of Supervisors Del D. Twidt, County Board Chairperson

Animal Unit Calculation Worksheet

Manure Management Emergency Response Plan

Landowner: Phone No.: Address:

If a manure spill occurs:

1. FIRST check the scene, is anyone hurt? If yes, call 9-1-1 for emergency medical assistance.

2. If the spill is on a road way, call 9-1-1.

3. Contain the spill if possible.

4. Call: (list names and phone numbers of farm members that should be contacted in the event of a spill) a. b. c 5. If no answer for any of the above call: a. Wisconsin DNR Spill Reporting Hotline – 1-800-943-000

6. If no answer at the DNR Spill Reporting Hotline call: a. Buffalo County Land Conservation – 608-685-6260 (hours are Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

7. As a last resort call: a. 9-1-1 and they will contact the right people

An accidental spill is not illegal. Failure to report it is.

When you report a spill have the following information available:  Any public safety danger as a result of the spill  Name, address and location of the manure owner  Location of the spill.  The physical state and quantity of the manure spilled  The potential impacts to human health and the environment  Actions you took to control the impact of the spill  Document incident as soon as possible

Other Useful Contact: (such as excavation contractors, neighbors and phone numbers)

Manure Spill Cleanup Options

Leaks and Spills from Manure Storage Facilities:  Contain the spill immediately through the use of basins and berms.  Divert the manure from critical sites including: wells, channels, ditches, waterways, streams, rivers, structure inlets, tile inlets, broken tile lines, sinkholes and bedrock outcroppings  Repair storage facility immediately.  If conditions warrant, remove manure to safe levels.  Contact Buffalo County Land Conservation Department (608-685-6260) or Buffalo County NRCS (608-685-4454) to advise on making critical repairs

Manure Run-off from Fields:  Stop manure application immediately.  Contain run-off through the use of basins and berms.  Divert the manure from critical sites including: wells, channels, ditches, waterways, streams, rivers, structure inlets, tile inlets, broken tile lines, sinkholes and bedrock outcroppings.  Incorporate applied manure.  Plug tile lines if manure has entered them.  Evaluate and eliminate the situation that caused the run-off.

Manure Spill Response Kit  Straw bales  Plywood (cut to cover culvert inlet)  Bucket with bottom cut off (tile inlet block) or short piece of culvert  Shovels  Map showing where tile inlets (and outlets), culverts, streams and concentrated flow channels

Buffalo County Land Conservation Department (LCD) Landowner Commitment to Install Conservation Practices

I, ______(landowner), agree to the conditions as spelled out in the Agricultural Performance Standards and Prohibitions, Chapter NR 151, Runoff Management effective October 1, 2002 and included in this Landowner Commitment form. I will commit the necessary financial resources in the calendar year _____ to install the following conservation practices(s):

Cost Share @ Landowner BMP Name Total Cost Estimate 70% Share @ 30%

Land and Water Resource Management Plan Participants – DATCP Funds are subject to annual allocation by DATCP. Project must be completed in the year the funds are awarded. Targeted Runoff Management Program – DNR TRM These projects are site specific and grants will be applied for through the TRM Program. These grants run on a 2-year grant cycle. For example, grants awarded for the 2011 construction season, will need to be completed by December 31, 2012

BMP to be located in ______Watershed and ______Sub-watershed. (See attached aerial photo of site location.)

I understand that currently there are no funds available for cost sharing the above practices. The LCD will use this commitment to petition state and federal funding sources for cost share funds. I understand that by making such a commitment and failing to have the practice installed will seriously undermine the Buffalo County Land Conservation’s mission and prevent other willing landowners from utilizing the government funds associated with this project.

I also understand that failing to install the above conservation practice (s) by the deadline assigned by the LCD and in accordance with LCD Cost Containment Policy will result in LCD withdrawing cost share funding. (Reasonable deadline extensions may be granted by the conservationist where weather or in other extenuating circumstances. Requests for extensions must be given in writing before the deadline).

1. Does cropland soil erosion meet tolerable rate “T” in accordance with the conservation farm plan and is landowner farming according to his conservation farm plan? Y _____ N _____

2. Has runoff been diverted away from contacting feedlot, Y _____ N _____ manure storage areas, and barnyard areas within water quality

management areas (WQMA)? 3. Does the landowner grow agricultural crops? Y _____ N _____

4. Does the landowner raise, feed or house livestock? Y _____ N _____

5. If you answered yes to 3 or 4 you need to answer this question –Does the landowner follow a nutrient management plan when applying or contracting to apply manure to limit entry of nutrients into waters of the state? Y _____ N _____

Cropping season for last nutrient management plan ______

The following questions apply only to those landowners who raise, feed or house livestock.

1. Does the livestock operation have an unconfined manure piles in a water quality management area (WQMA)? Y _____ N _____

2. Does the livestock operation have any direct runoff from a feedlot or stored manure into waters of the state? Y _____ N _____ 3. Does the livestock operation allow unlimited access by livestock to waters of the state in a location where high concentrations of animals prevent the maintenance of adequate sod or self-sustaining vegetative cover? Y _____ N _____

The following questions apply only to those landowners with Manure Storage Facilities.

1. Has a new manure storage facility been constructed? Y _____ N _____

If yes, does the facility meet NRCS Standards? Y _____ N _____

2. Has an existing facility been substantially altered? Y _____ N _____

If yes, does the altered facility meet NRCS Standards? Y _____ N _____

3. Has an operation ceased where a manure storage facility is Y _____ N _____ located? If yes, has the manure storage facility been abandoned according Y _____ N _____ To NRCS Standards? 4. Does the livestock operation have any overflow of manure Y _____ N _____ storage facilities?

______(landowner signature) – Date ______Phone #- ______Landowner Address, City, State & Zip

WQMA A water quality management area (WQMA) means the area within 1,000 feet from the ordinary high water mark of navigable waters that consist of a lake, pond or flowage; the area within 300 feet from the ordinary high water mark of navigable waters that consist of a river or stream; and a site that is susceptible to groundwater contamination, or that has the potential to be a direct conduit for contamination to reach groundwater.

Susceptible to Groundwater Contamination A site that is susceptible to groundwater contamination means any of the following:

a. An area within 250 feet of a private well (where facility is upslope of well) b. An area within 1,000 feet of a municipal well. c. An area within 300 feet upslope or 100 feet downslope of karst features. {A karst feature may include calves, enlarged fractures, mine features, exposed bedrock surfaces, sinkholes, springs, seeps or swallets}. d. A channel with a cross-sectional area equal to or greater than 3 square feet that flows to a karst feature. e. An area where the soil depth to groundwater or bedrock is less than 2 feet. f. An area where the soil above groundwater or bedrock does not exhibit one of the following 1. At least a 2-foot soil layer with 40% fines or greater. 2. At least a 3-foot soil layer with 20% fines or greater. 3. At least a 5-foot soil layer with 10% fines or greater.

Nutrient Management Plan Requirements 1. For landowner who grow agricultural crops, starting in 2005 (for high priority areas such as impaired or exceptional waters) and 2008 (for all others) follow a nutrient management plan designed to limit entry of nutrients into waters of the state.

2. For landowners who raise, feed or house livestock, starting in 2005 (for high priority areas) and 2008 (for all others) follow a nutrient management plan when applying or contracting to apply manure to entry limit entry of nutrients into waters of the state. Waters of the State Waters of the state means those portions of Lake Michigan and Lake Superior within the boundaries of Wisconsin, all lakes, bays, rivers, streams, springs, ponds, wells, impounding reservoirs, marshes, water courses, drainage systems and other surface water or groundwater, natural or artificial, public or private within the sate or under its jurisdiction, except those waters which are entirely confined and retained completely upon the property of a person.

Unconfined Manure Pile Unconfined manure pile means a quantity of manure that is at least 175 cu. ft. in volume and which covers the ground surface to a depth of at least 2 inches and is confined within a manure storage facility or covered or contained in a manner that prevents storm water access and direct runoff to surface water or leaching f pollutants to groundwater.

Direct Runoff Direct runoff manes a discharge of significant amount of pollutants to waters of the state resulting from any of the following practices:

a. Runoff from a manure storage facility b. Runoff from an animal lot that can be predicted to reach surface waters of the state through a defined or chanelized path or man-made conveyance c. Discharge of leachate from a manure pile d. Seepage from a manure storage facility e. Construction of a manure storage facility in permeable soils or over fractured bedrock without a liner designed in accordance with NRCS standards

Cost-Share Practice/Funding Source Table

Practice or Activity ATCP 50 Funding Units of Reference Source Measurement Land taken out of agricultural production (list on cost-share contract the practice to be 50.08(3) Bonding Acres installed or the eligible existing practice) Riparian land taken out of agricultural production (list on 50.08(4), Bonding Acres cost-share contract the practice to 50.42(1) be installed or the eligible existing practice) Manure storage systems 50.62 Bonding Number installed (#) Manure storage closure 50.63 Bonding # Barnyard runoff control 50.64 Bonding # systems (specify components) Access road or cattle crossing 50.65 Bonding Linear Ft. Animal trails and walkways 50.66 Bonding Linear Ft. Contour farming 50.67 GPR Acres Cover and green manure crop 50.68 GPR Acres Critical area stabilization 50.69 Bonding # Diversions 50.70 Bonding Linear Ft. Field windbreaks 50.71 Bonding Linear Ft. Filter strips 50.72 Bonding Acres Grade stabilization structures 50.73 Bonding # Heavy use area protection 50.74 Bonding Acres Livestock fencing 50.75 Bonding Linear Ft. Livestock watering facility 50.76 Bonding # Milking center waste control 50.77 Bonding # system Nutrient management 50.78 GPR Acres Pesticide management 50.79 GPR # Prescribed grazing 50.80 a. Management plan GPR # Fencing (not b. GPR Linear Ft. permanent) c. Fencing (permanent) Bonding Linear Ft. Establish permanent d. Bonding Acres pasture (seeding) Relocating or abandoning 50.81 Bonding # animal feeding operations Residue management 50.82 GPR Acres Riparian buffers 50.83 Installation (including a. Bonding Acres land out of production b. Maintenance GPR Acres Roofs 50.84 Bonding # Roof runoff systems 50.85 Bonding # Sediment basins 50.86 Bonding # Sinkhole treatment 50.87 Bonding # Streambank and shoreline 50.88 Bonding Linear Ft. protection Strip-cropping 50.89 GPR Acres Subsurface drains 50.90 Bonding #

Terrace systems 50.91 Bonding Linear Ft. Underground outlet 50.92 Bonding # Waste transfer systems 50.93 Bonding # Wastewater treatment strips 50.94 Bonding Linear Ft. Water and sediment control 50.95 Bonding # basins Waterway systems 50.96 Bonding Acres Well decommissioning 50.97 Bonding # Wetland restoration 50.98 Bonding Acres Engineering Services provided in connection with a completed cost-share practice 50.34(4) Bonding for which bond revenue may be used (also refer to 50.40(7)). Other cost-effective practices with DATCP’s written approval

Farmstead/Cropping Assessment Checklist

Date of Inventory: ______

Landowner Name & Address: ______

Inventory Completed by: ______

Preliminary Site Map Yes No Comments

Are aerial photographs, maps or sketches of the livestock production site available, showing the location of the buildings, manure storage, wells, fuel tanks, feed storage, pesticide loading- mixing pad, clean water practices, surface water drainage features around the facility and adjoining surface waters?

Are aerial photographs available to show the conservation plan field locations?

Agricultural Performance Standards and Prohibitions

Does the landowner grow agricultural crops?

Does cropland erosion meet tolerable rate “T” in accordance with When was the conservation the conservation farm plan and is landowner farming according plan last updated? to his conservation farm plan?

Does the landowner raise, feed or house livestock?

Does the landowner have a nutrient/pest management plan When was the nutrient/pest available for review? management plan written?

Does the livestock operation have any unconfined manure piles

in a Water Quality Management Area?

Does the livestock operation have any direct runoff from a feedlot or stored manure into waters of the state?

Does the livestock operation allow unlimited access by livestock to waters of the state in a location where high concentration of animals prevent the maintenance of adequate sod or self- sustaining vegetative cover?

Has run-off been diverted away from contacting feedlot, manure storage areas, and barnyard areas within water quality management areas?

Are there any manure storage facilities at the site?; and does the When was the facility facility meet NRCS standards? constructed?

Has an existing storage facility been substantially altered?; and When was the facility does the altered facility meet NRCS standards? constructed?

Has an operation ceased where a manure storage facility is When was the storage facility located?; and has the manure storage facility been abandoned last used? according to NRCS standards?

Does the livestock operation have any overflow of manure storage facilities?

New in 2011

Tillage setback performance standard. Is tillage operation within 5 feet of the top of the channel of surface waters?

Phosphorus Index performance standard. Does croplands, pastures and winter grazing areas have an average phosphorus index of 6 or less over the accounting period?; and not greater than 12 in any individual year within the accounting period?

Additional Items – For environmental concerns only and not determination of compliance.

Is the livestock operation currently under , or in the process of acquiring a WPDES Permit?

Has the number of livestock on the site been provided?, including What are the total AU? By a calculation of the Animal Units (AU) by livestock type and size livestock number and size. class available?

Has stormwater management form the site been addressed? (Document sediment and runoff sources and proximity to surface waters).

Are veterinary medical wastes properly stored and disposed of?

Are plastic covers form feed storage areas properly disposed of?

Cropping Inventory.

Are grassed waterways in place and functioning on your cropland?

Do you feel there are any cropped fields that may need waterways?

Do you have any problems with rill or gully erosion?

Are you interested in implementing contour strips or contour Contour strips ______buffers? Contour Buffers ______

What primary tillage method are you using? (conventional <30% residue _____, Minimum tillage > 30% residue ______, No-till ______)

If you chisel or moldboard plow, when is it done? Spring ______Fall ______

What type of chisel plow do you use? Straight shank ______Twisted shank ______

What type of secondary tillage do you do? Disk ______field cultivate ______other ______

Do you row cultivate?

Transect Route in Buffalo County

Drafted By: County Department: Land Conservation Committee Land Conservation Presented Month/Year: Fiscal Impact: YES / NO August 2007

Involved Committees: CA Approved: YES / NO Land Conservation ORDINANCE # 07-08-01

BUFFALO COUNTY MANURE STORAGE ORDINANCE

SECTIONS:

1. Introduction 2. Definitions 3. Activities Subject to Regulation 4. Standards 5. Application for and Issuance of Permits 6. Administration 7. Violations 8. Appeals

SECTION 1. INTRODUCTION

1.01 Authority & Name. This ordinance is adopted under authority granted by sections §59.02, 59.03, 59.69, 59.70 and 92.15, 92.16, Wis. Stats.

1.02 Title. This ordinance shall be known as, referred to, and may be cited as the Buffalo County Manure Storage Ordinance and is hereby referred to as the “ordinance”.

1.03 Findings and Declaration of Policy. The Buffalo County Board of Supervisors finds that storage of animal manure in storage facilities not meeting technical design and construction standards is a threat to cause pollution of the surface and ground waters of Buffalo County, and may result in actual or potential harm to the health of county residents and transients; to livestock, aquatic life and other animals and plants; and to the property tax base of Buffalo County.

The County Board of Supervisors also finds that improper management of manure storage facilities, and utilization, including land application, of stored manure, may cause pollution of the ground and surface waters of Buffalo County.

The Buffalo County Board of Supervisors further finds that the technical standards developed by the United States Department of Agriculture-Natural Resource Conservation Service (U.S.D.A., N.R.C.S.) as adopted by the Land Conservation Committee, provide effective, practical, and environmentally safe methods of storing and utilizing animal waste.

1.04 Purpose. The purpose of this ordinance is to regulate the location, design, construction, installation, alteration, closure and use of manure storage facilities, and the land application of wastes from these facilities in order to prevent water pollution and thereby protect the health of Buffalo County residents and transients; prevent the spread of disease; and promote the prosperity and general welfare of the citizens of Buffalo County. It is also intended to provide for the administration and enforcement of the ordinance and to provide penalties for its violation.

1.05 Interpretation. In their interpretation and application the provisions of this ordinance shall be held to be minimum requirements and shall be liberally construed in favor of Buffalo County, and shall not be deemed a limitation or repeal of any other power granted by the Wisconsin Statutes.

1.06 Severability Clause. If any section, provision, or portion of this ordinance is ruled invalid by a court, the remainder of the ordinance shall not for that reason be rendered ineffective.

1.07 Applicability. This ordinance applies to the unincorporated areas of Buffalo County and to all manure storage facilities constructed therein.

1.08 Effective Date. This ordinance shall become effective upon its adoption by the Buffalo County Board of Supervisors, the first day of the first month following publication.

SECTION 2. DEFINITIONS

A. Abandoned Manure Storage Facility means any manure storage facility, not used for its intended purpose for a period of 24 consecutive months, and will by all available evidence, not again be used to store manure by an active livestock operation.

B. Manure means a material that consists primarily of excreta from livestock, poultry and other materials, such as bedding, rain or other water, soil, hair, feathers, and other debris normally included in manure handling operations.

C. Manure Storage Facility means any earthen, concrete, wooden, steel or otherwise fabricated structure intended to temporarily store an accumulation of manure. For the purpose of this ordinance, any facility constructed or excavated for the purpose of storing manure shall be considered a manure storage facility. An uncontained deposit of animal waste in place for less than 100 consecutive days located on an earthen, concrete, or other surface, necessary to facilitate daily or periodic land spreading is considered a manure stack. Manure stacks do not require a permit, but should have their location approved by LCD staff or their designee prior to stacking. All manure storage facilities constructed after the effective date of this ordinance must have a permit.

D. Applicant means any person who applies for a permit under this ordinance.

E. Bedrock means the rocks that underlay soil material or at the earth’s surface. Bedrock is encountered when the weathered-in-place consolidated material, larger than two millimeters (2mm) in size, is greater than fifty percent (50%) by size.

F. Groundwater Level means the higher of either the elevation to which the soil is saturated as observed as a free water surface in and unlined hole, or the elevation to which the soil has been seasonally or periodically saturated as indicated by soil color patters throughout the soil profile. For the purpose of these rules, high groundwater color patterns should be established by the presence of low chroma- mottles.

G. Land Conservation Committee (LCC) means the committee created by a county board under Wisconsin Statutes.

H. Land Conservation Department (LCD) means the county staff assigned the responsibility of enforcing, and providing technical assistance for this ordinance.

I. Nutrient Management Plan means a written plan detailing the amount, form, placement, and timing of application of plant nutrients, including manure. The plan must meet Natural Resource Conservation Service Standard 590 and must be written or approved by a person certified to do nutrient management planning.

J. Permit means the signed, written statement issued by the Buffalo County Land Conservation Department under this ordinance authorizing the applicant to construct, install, reconstruct, enlarge, substantially alter or close a manure storage facility and to use or dispose of manure from the facility.

K. Permittee means any person to whom a permit is issued under this ordinance.

L. Person means an individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, agency, unincorporated association, municipal corporation, county, or state agency within Wisconsin, the federal government, or any combination thereof.

M. Technical Guide means the U.S.D.A Natural Resource Conservation Service Field Office Technical Guide as adopted by the Buffalo County Land Conservation Committee and its Department

N. Unconfined Manure Pile means a quantity of manure that is at least 175 cubic feet in volume (approx. size of pile – 50 ft. x 20 ft. x 2” in depth) and is not confined within a manure storage facility, livestock housing facility, or barnyard runoff control facility and contained in a manner that prevents storm water access and direct runoff to surface water or leaching of pollutants to groundwater.

O. Water Pollution means contaminating or rendering unclean or impure the ground or surface waters of the state, or making the same injurious to public health harmful for commercial or recreational use, or deleterious to fish, bird, animal or plant life.

P. Substantially Altered means a change initiated by an owner or operator that results in a relocation of a structure or facility or significant changes to the size, depth or configuration of a structure or facility including:

a) Replacement of a liner in a manure storage structure.

b) An increase in a volumetric capacity or area of a structure or facility by greater than 20%. c) A change in a structure or facility related to a change in livestock management from one species of livestock to another such as cattle to poultry.

Q. Water Quality Management Area means any of the following:

a) The area within 1,000 feet of the ordinary high water mark of a navigable lake, pond, or flowage other than a glacial pothole lake.

b) The area within 1,000 feet of the high water mark of a glacial pothole

c) The area within 300 feet of the ordinary high water mark of a navigable river or stream.

d) An area that is susceptible to groundwater contamination, or has the potential to be a direct conduit for contamination to reach groundwater.

R. Susceptible to Groundwater Contamination means any one of the following:

a) An area within 250 feet of a private well.

b) An area within 1,000 feet of a municipal well.

c) An area within 300 feet up-slope or 100 feet down-slope of karst features.

d) A channel with a cross-sectional area equal to or greater than 3 square feet that flows to a karst feature.

e) An area where the soil depth to groundwater or bedrock is less than 2 feet.

f) An area where the soil does not exhibit one of the following characteristics:

1. At least a 2 foot soil layer with 40 percent fines or greater above groundwater and bedrock.

2. At least a 3 foot soil layer with 20 percent fines or greater above groundwater and bedrock.

3. At least a 5 foot soil layer with 10 percent fines or greater above groundwater and bedrock.{See NR 151.002(32) for definition of percent fine} {NR 151.05}

SECTION 3. ACTIVITIES SUBJECT TO REGULATION

3.01 General Requirement. Any person who designs, constructs, installs, reconstructs, enlarges, or substantially alters a manure storage facility; or who employs another person to do the same, on land subject to this ordinance, shall be subject to the provisions of this ordinance. The requirements of this ordinance are in addition to any other permits or requirements that may apply to construction or abandonment of manure storage facilities.

3.02 Closure Requirement. Closure of a manure storage facility shall occur when an operation where the facility is located ceases operation or manure has not been added or removed from the facility for a period of 24 months. Manure facilities shall be closed in a manner that will prevent future contamination of groundwater and surface water. The owner or operator may retain the facility for a longer period of time by demonstrating to the Land Conservation Department that all of the following conditions are met:

a) The facility is designed, constructed and maintained in accordance to sub. (2) NR 151.05. b) The facility is designed to store manure for a period of time longer than 24 months. c) Retention of this facility is warranted based on anticipated future use.

3.03 Failing and Leaking Existing Systems. Manure storage facilities in existence as of October 1, 2002, that pose an imminent threat to public health or fish and aquatic life or are causing a violation of groundwater standards shall be upgraded, replaced or closed in accordance with this section.

3.04 Compliance with Permit Requirements. A person is in compliance with this ordinance if he or she follows the procedures of this ordinance, receives a permit from the Land Conservation Department before beginning activities subject to regulation under this ordinance, and complies with the requirements of the permit.

3.05 Manure Management Prohibitions. 1) A livestock operation shall comply with the following:

a) A livestock operation shall have no overflow of manure storage facilities b) A livestock operation shall have no unconfined manure pile in a water quality management area. c) A livestock operation shall have no direct runoff from a feedlot or stored manure into the waters of the state. d) A livestock operation may not allow unlimited access by livestock to waters of the state in a location where high concentrations of animals prevent the maintenance of adequate sod or self sustaining vegetative cover. This prohibition does not apply to properly designed, installed and maintained livestock or farm equipment crossings.

2) Cost-sharing requirement pursuant to Section 281.16 (3) of the Wisconsin Statutes, a livestock operation that is in existence prior to October 1, 2002, shall not be required to comply with the manure management prohibitions unless cost-sharing is made available.

3) Non-compliance with the manure management prohibitions shall result in enforcement actions in accordance with NR 151.095, WI Admin. Code.

SECTION 4. STANDARDS

Compliance with this ordinance shall be through standards, specifications, and policies adopted by the Buffalo County Land Conservation Committee. Standards and specifications are minimums. The following components of the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service’s Technical Guide will be used when a storage facility is to be designed, constructed, installed, moved, reconstructed, enlarged, removed, abandoned, or substantially altered:

4.01 Standards for Manure Storage Facilities. The standards for design and construction of manure storage facilities are standards 313 (Waste Storage Facility) and 634 (Manure Transfer) in the Technical Guide.

4.02 Standards for Nutrient Management. The standard for management of manure storage facilities and utilization of manure is standard 590 (Nutrient Management) in the Technical Guide.

4.03 Standards to Close a Manure Storage Facility. The standard to close a manure storage facility that is no longer used for their intended purpose, in an environmentally safe manner, is standard 360 (Closure of Waste Impoundments) in the Technical Guide.

4.04 Subsequent Modification of Standards. The standards of the Technical Guide are adopted and by reference made a part of this ordinance as if fully set forth. Any future amendment, revision or modification of the Standards incorporated herein are made a part of this ordinance upon Land Conservation Committee approval. Standards adopted by the Land Conservation Committee are available for review at the Land Conservation Department office.

SECTION 5. APPLICATION FOR AND ISSUANCE OF PERMITS

5.01 Permit Required. A permit from the Land Conservation Department is required for the following activities:

a) Construction or substantial alteration of a manure storage facility. b) To close any facility that is no longer used for storage.

5.02 Exception to Permit Requirement. Emergency repairs such as repairing a broken pipe or equipment, leaking dikes, or the removal of obstructions from transfer pipes may be performed without a permit. If repairs will significantly alter the original design and construction of the facility, a report shall be made to the Department of Land Conservation within two (2) work days of the emergency for a determination by the Land Conservation Department on whether a permit will be required for any additional alteration or repair to the facility.

5.03 On Site Investigation Required. Each application for a permit under this section shall require an on site inspection prior to issuance and include a summary report on site conditions. The site inspection shall be conducted by the Land Conservation Department staff.

5.04 Fee. A non-refundable fee of $50.00 will be required for the permit. A minimum of $ 250.00 will be charged for a permit cost after any construction has commenced without a permit. No fee will be charged for permit closure.

5.05 Construction Plan. Each application for a permit under this section shall include a manure storage facility plan or design for construction.

The Manure Storage Facility Plan or Design - shall include the following:

1. A determination will be conducted to demonstrate that suitable land base is available for utilization of waste.

2. The number and kinds of animals for which storage is provided and the duration for which storage is to be provided.

3. A plan view of the facility and its location in relation to the waste transfer inlet, all buildings, roads, wells, lot lines, and other features within 300 feet of the proposed facility. The plan view shall be drawn to scale, with a scale no smaller than 1 inch = 100 feet, the North arrow, scale of drawing, legal description of the proposed facility, and location, description and elevation of temporary bench mark.

4. The structural details, including, but not limited to, dimensions, cross section showing elevations, concrete thickness, concrete joint design and placement, design loads, design computations, reinforcement schedules, construction and material specifications including but not limited to, applicable specifications for earthen fill, excavation, concrete, liner material, reinforcing steel, timber and pipes. 5. 6. Make and model of pre-qualified structure, if used. Concrete quantity not included in pre-qualified structure. 7. 8. Agitation access layout, grading plan to keep clean water from entering structure, seeding specifications, and tile and drainfill layout, if needed.

9. The location of any wells within 300 feet of the facility.

10. The location of any sinkholes within 1, 000 feet of the manure storage facility.

11. The soil test pit locations and soil descriptions to a depth of at least five feet below the planned bottom of the facility.

12. The elevation of seasonally high groundwater level or bedrock, if encountered in the soil profile and the date of any such determinations.

13. Provisions for adequate drainage and control of runoff to prevent pollution of surface water and groundwater. If a navigable body of water lies within 500 feet of the facility, the location and distance to the body of water shall be shown. Any floodplains and/or wetlands shall be located also.

14. A time schedule for construction of the facility.

15. A description of the method to be used in transferring animal waste into and from the facility.

16. A description of the location and type of fences, warning signs and safety features needed to meet the technical standards.

17. Certification by a registered Professional Engineer (PE), Department of Agriculture Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP), Land Conservation Department, or Natural Resource Conservation Service certified Agricultural Engineering Practitioner that the plans meet the requirements of the ordinance.

18. A written operation and maintenance, and safety plan for the facility.

19. A nutrient management plan meeting the NRCS 590 standard.

5.06 Nutrient Management Plan. As part of the application for construction permit, a landowner must develop an annual nutrient management plan that complies with ATCP 50.04.

The nutrient management plan shall include the following:

a) Identification of every field on which the landowner mechanically applies nutrients.

b) Be prepared by a nutrient management planner qualified under ATCP 50.48

c) Rely on soil nutrient tests conducted at a laboratory certified under ATCP 50.50.

d) Comply with the NRCS technical guide nutrient management standard 590

e) Follow recommendations for nutrient applications in the University of Wisconsin Extension in a Soil Test Recommendation for Field, Vegetable and Fruit Crops, UWEX Publication A-2809 (1998), unless the nutrient management planner can show that circumstances justify more than the recommended application. This plan shall be submitted to the Land Conservation Department no later than March 15th of the year following installation of the manure storage facility and every year thereafter by March 15th, while the facility is in use.

5.07 Closure Plan. Each Application for a closure permit under this ordinance shall include a closure plan prepared in accordance with Technical Standard 360. Manure Storage Facilities shall be closed in a manner that will prevent future contamination of groundwater and surface waters.

The Closure Plan shall include the following:

1. A description of the type and size of the waste storage facility and an estimate of the amount of waste in the facility. 2. A description of where and how the waste and soil saturated with manure will be applied in accordance with Technical Standard 590. 3. A description of where the liner, if any, will be deposed of. 4. A description of how the transfer will be removed or permanently plugged 5. A description of how the evacuated area will be filled in and where the clean fill will come from 6. A plan view showing the final grade, the area to be reseeded, and how runoff will be diverted away from the site. 7. Certified by a registered Professional Engineer (PE), Department of Agricultural Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP), land Conservation Department, or Natural Resource Conservation Service certified Agricultural Engineering Practitioner that the plans meet the requirements of the ordinance.

5.08 Review of Application. The Land Conservation Department shall receive all permit applications. All permit applications shall be reviewed by the Land Conservation Department and the Land Conservation Committee prior to issuance of the permit. Permit applications must be received on forms provided by the Land Conservation Department. The Land Conservation Department or a designee shall determine if the proposed facility meets required standards set forth in “Standards” of this ordinance.

Within fifteen (15) working days after receiving the completed application and fee, the Land Conservation Department shall inform the applicant in writing whether the permit application is approved or disapproved.

If additional information is required, the Land Conservation Department shall so notify the permit applicant. The Land Conservation Department has fifteen (15) working days from the receipt of the additional information in which to approve or disapprove the application. If the applicant receives no response within fifteen (15) working days of application, the application will be considered denied.

No construction may commence without the final approval form being executed by the Land Conservation Department.

5.09 Permit Conditions. All permits issued under this ordinance shall be issued subject to the following conditions and requirements:

1. Animal waste storage facility design and construction management, and utilization activities shall be carried out in accordance with the manure facility plans and applicable standards specified in Standards and Application for and Issuance of Permits sections of this ordinance. 2. The permittee shall give five (5) working days notice to the Land Conservation Department before starting any construction activity authorized by the permit. 3. Approval in writing must be obtained from the Land Conservation Department prior to any modifications to the approved manure facility plan. 4. The permittee and, if applicable, the contractor shall certify in writing that the facility was installed as planned.

5. The Land Conservation Department staff may conduct on site inspections during and after construction.

6. Within 30 days of completion, the facility must be certified as meeting standards, including as- built plans and design changes. The certification must be made by a registered PE, or by a DATCP, Land Conservation Department or Natural Resource Conservation certified Engineering Practitioner. This certification must be made before the storage facility is put into service.

Activities authorized by permit must be completed within two (2) years from the date of issuance after which such permit shall be void. Extensions may be granted by the Land Conservation Department upon written request from the permittee.

5.10 Permit Revocation. The Land Conservation Department may revoke any permit issued under this ordinance if the holder of the permit has misrepresented any material in the permit application or animal waste facility plan, or if the holder of the permit violates any of the conditions of the permit.

SECTION 6. ADMINISTRATION

6.01 Delegation of Authority. Buffalo County hereby designates the Buffalo County Land Conservation Department to administer and enforce this ordinance.

6.02 Administrative Duties. In the administration of this ordinance, the Land Conservation Department shall:

1. Keep an accurate record of all permit applications, animal waste facility

2. Review permit applications and issue permits in accordance with the Application for and Issuance of Permits section of this ordinance.

3. Inspect animal waste facility construction to insure the facility is being constructed according to plan specifications.

4. Investigate complaints relating to compliance with the ordinance

5. Randomly determine individual compliance with the ordinance requirements at least once every four year.

6. Provide technical services to the extent resources are available

7. Perform other duties as specified in this ordinance.

6.03 Inspection Authority. Pursuant to§92.07(14), Wis. Stats, the Land Conservation Department is authorized to enter upon any lands affected by this ordinance to inspect the land prior to or after permit issuance to determine compliance with this ordinance. If permission cannot be received from the applicant or permittee to enter the land, then the Land Conservation Department shall enter under its legal authority.

6.04 Enforcement Authority. The Land Conservation Department is authorized to post an order stopping work upon land which has had a permit revoked or on land in violation of this ordinance. Notice is given by both posting upon the land where the violation occurs, one or more copies of a poster stating thee violation, and by mailing a copy of the order by certified mail to the person whose activity is in violation of this ordinance. The order shall specify that the activity must cease immediately and be brought into compliance within five (5) working days.

Any permit revocation or order stopping work shall remain in effect unless retracted by the County Board of Adjustment, the LCC, the LCD, or by court of general jurisdiction; or until the activity is brought into compliance with the ordinance. The Land Conservation Department is authorized to refer any violation of this ordinance to the corporation counsel for commencement of further legal proceedings seeking penalties and other appropriate relief in enforcement of the ordinance.

SECTION 7. VIOLATIONS

7.01 Penalties. Any person who violates, neglects, or refuses to comply with or resists the enforcement of any of the provisions of this ordinance shall be subject to a forfeiture of up to $200.00 plus costs of prosecution for each violation. An unlawful violation includes failure to comply with any activity or standard of this ordinance or with any permit requirement, condition or qualification. Each day that a violation exists shall be a separate offense.

7.02 Enforcement of Injunction. As a substitute for or as an addition to forfeiture actions, Buffalo County may seek enforcement of any part of this ordinance by court action seeking injunctions or restraining orders.

SECTION 8. APPEALS

8.01 Authority. The Buffalo County Board of Adjustment shall hear and decide appeals where it is alleged that there is an error in any order, requirement, decision, or determination by Land Conservation Department staff in administering this ordinance.

8.02 Procedure. Any Appeal shall be made by written request, mailed or delivered to the Buffalo County Land Conservation Department, 407 South Second Street, Alma, WI 54610. The request shall state the ground or grounds upon which it is contended that the decision should be modified or reversed. The committee shall, as soon as reasonable, but no later than its next regular meeting, review the determination under appeal.

8.03 Statutory Administrative Review and Certiorari. The decision of the Buffalo County Land Conservation Committee shall be subject to further administrative review by the Board of Adjustments if a written appeal seeking such review is filed within thirty (30) days after the decision of the committee. The decision of the Board of Adjustments Committee shall be subject to judicial review, if within thirty (30) days after the decision of the Board of Adjustment an action seeking the remedy available by certiorari is commenced, as authorized by Section 59.99 of the Wisconsin Statutes.

8.04 Who May Appeal. Appeals may be taken by any person having a substantial interest which is adversely affected by the order, requirement, decision, or determination for which review is sought.

Appendix B

Buffalo County Aerial Photo Map pg. 91

Townships of Buffalo County Map pg. 92

Phosphorus Data Map Pg. 93

Waterbodies of the County pg. 94

Pl-566 Structure Location pg. 95

Sub-watershed Map pg. 96

Soil Associations Map pg. 97

CAFO Farm Location Map in Buffalo County pg. 98

Aerial Photo Map of Buffalo County

Townships of Buffalo County

Median growing season total phosphorus data (mg/l) in Buffalo County (2001-present)

Waterbodies of Buffalo County

PL-566 Structure Locations in Buffalo County

Sub-Watersheds of Buffalo County (in the Lower Buffalo and Waumandee Creek Watersheds)

Soil Associations Map of Buffalo County

Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations

Farms with over 1,000 AU or approximately 700 dairy cows or any combination of #’s of livestock (see Animal Unit {AU} Calculation Worksheet on page 70).

References

Buffalo County District (1958). Alma-Mill Creek Watershed Work Plan. Buffalo County, Wisconsin.

Buffalo County District (1962). Garden Valley (Rose Valley) Watershed Work Plan. Buffalo County, Wisconsin.

Buffalo County District (1960). South Nelson Watershed – Work Plan for the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention. Buffalo County, Wisconsin.

USDA-NRCS, Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation Association (2007, March). Guide to Conservation Programs for Wisconsin Landowners.

USDA – National Agricultural Statistics Service: www.agcensus.usda.gov

Wisconsin Department of Agricultural Trade and Consumer Protection: http://datcp.wi.gov

Wisconsin DNR (miscellaneous): http://dnr.wi.gov

Wisconsin DNR (2002). The State of the Black-Buffalo-Trempealeau Basin.

Wisconsin DNR (2001). The State of the Lower Chippewa River Basin.

Big Swamp Wildlife Area - WDNR. Retrieved January 13, 2011, from Wisconsin DNR: http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/wildlife/wildlife_areas/bigswamp.htm

Tiffany Wildlife Area - WDNR. Retrieved January 13, 2011, from Wisconsin DNR: http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/wildlife/wildlife_areas/tiffany.htm

Whitman Dam Wildlife Area – WDNR. Retrieved January 13, 2011, from Wisconsin DNR: http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/wildlife/wildlife_areas/tiffany.htm

Merrick State Park – WDNR. Retrieved January 13, 2011, from Wisconsin DNR: http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/parks/specific/merrick

Forest Planning for Wisconsin’s Future – Buffalo. Retrieved January 13, 2011 from University of Wisconsin: http://www.uwsp.edu/cnr/landcenter/forestplanning/CountyPages/buffalo.htm

Impaired Waters Program. Retrieved October 6, 2010, from Wisconsin DNR: http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/water/wm/wqs/303d/index.htm

Runoff Management – Notice of Discharge (NOD) Project Grants … - WDNR. Retrieved February 11, 2011, from Wisconsin DNR: http://dnr.wi.gov/runoff/grants/applications/NOD.htm

State of Wisconsin Blue Book – 2005-2006.

State of Wisconsin Blue Book – 2009/2010.