^ 2V-
HORICON WILDERNESS STUDY
Horicon National Wildlife Refuge
Dodge and Fond du Lac Counties, Wisconsin
WILDERNESS STUDY REPORT
U. S. DEPARTMENT OF 'THE INTERIOR'
Fish and Wildlife Service
Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page PREFACE
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION
V^J.J~tXJL JL J-JJuX *-»
CHAPTER 3 AREA HISTORY , 4
Weather 6 Land Status 7
CHAPTER 4 RESOURCES 7
Fish 9 Water 10 Soils 10 Vegetation 11 Grazing 11 Minerals 11 Public Use 11
CHAPTER 5 DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT 12
Wildlife 12 Fish 13 Water 13 Soil 13 Vegetation 13 Grazing 13 Hunting, Trapping, Canoeing Ik Photography 14 Fire 14 Management 15
CHAPTER 6 SOCIO ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS .... 15
CHAPTER 7 ECOLOGICAL REVIEW 16
CHAPTER 8 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION 17
MAP NO. 1
MAP NO. 2 HORICON WILDERNESS STUDY
PREFACE
The entire 20, 934 acre Horicon National Wildlife Refuge was studied to ascertain the suitability or nonsuitability of the refuge or any portion of the refuge for inclusion in the National Wilderness Preser- vation System. A brochure is available which summarizes this study made by the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife at the direction of the Secretary of the Interior. Its aim is to acquaint the reader with the study.
The Wilderness Act of September 3, 1964 (Public Law 88-577) requires that the Secretary of the Interior review every roadless area of 5, 000 contiguous acres or more and every roadless island, regardless of size, within the National Wildlife Refuge System within ten years after the effective date of the Act, and report to the President of the United States his recommendations as to the suitability or nonsuitability of each such area or island for preser- vation as wilderness. A recommendation of the President for designation as wilderness does not become effective unless provided by an Act of Congress.
Section 4(a) and (b) of the Wilderness Act provide that: (1) The Act is to be within and supplemental to the purposes for which National Wildlife Refuges are established; and (2) Wilderness areas shall be administered so as to preserve their wilderness character and shall be devoted to the public purposes of recreational, scenic, scientific, educational, conservation and historical use insofar as primary refuge objectives permit. Wilderness designation does not remove or alter an area's status as a National Wildlife Refuge. Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION
Horicon National Wildlife Refuge is located on the west branch of the
Rock River in southeastern Wisconsin, 43 miles west of Lake
Michigan and 65 miles northwest of Milwaukee in Dodge and Fond du Lac Counties. The refuge comprises the northern two thirds,
20, 934 acres, of the Horicon Marsh, a shallow basin scooped out by the Green Bay lobe of the Wisconsin Glacier. The wilderness study delineated a 9, 396 acre roadless area which is relatively undeveloped and best qualified for study of lands in the refuge.
Horicon National Wildlife Refuge was established on July 16, 1941, for the protection and preservation of the migratory waterfowl •i. resource. The authorities for establishing the Horicon Refuge are found in the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the Migratory Bird
Conservation Act and the Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp Act. The refuge was purchased from funds available under the Migratory
Bird Hunting Stamp Act and 140 acres recently under the Land and
Water Conservation Fund Act.
Horicon Marsh is 858 feet above sea level. The west branch of the
Rock River flows through the refuge from north to south joining the
East Branch before exiting the marsh as the main Rock River. A
-1- dam near the southern boundary of the refuge maintains waterfowl
habitat on most of the northern part of the marsh. The southern third
of the marsh (about 10, 000 acres) is managed by the Wisconsin
Department of Natural Resources as a wildlife area for hunting,
fishing and other public uses. The water in the state area is
controlled by a dam in the city of Horicon on the southern edge of
the marsh.
The Horicon Marsh is bounded on the east by a sharply rising ridge
of the Niagaran escarpment which rises approximately 250 feet above
the marsh to an elevation of 1, 100 feet. The ridge bends away to the
northeast at the north end of the marsh bordering a wide, shallow
valley extending towards Lake Winnebago. The land west of the
marsh rises slowly and is dotted with many small marshes and
potholes. Corn, alfalfa and pasture fields cover most of the surrounding
countryside. Dairy farms predominate in the area.
On the refuge the upland soils are silty to clay loams underlaid with
limestone in many places. The soils were originally very rocky,
but the majority of the rocks have been removed. Most of the uplands do not have drainage problems because of the existing slope.
Much of the lowland has a. heavy covering layer of peat over clay or
sand. High spots are mostly rocky and support brush and trees or,
if large enough, have been cleared and farmed. The peat lands
-2- found between the uplands and wet marsh can be farmed if ditched and pumped.
The federal refuge portion of Horicon Marsh comprises about 16, 000 acres of flooded marsh, 2, 700 acres suitable for crops and 2, 300 acres of pasture, brush and trees. There are five core-diked subimpoundments totaling 746 acres which can be drained or flooded with pumps. The flooded land is interspersed with emergent vegetation and open water up to 30 inches in depth. Water enters the marsh from the west branch of the Rock River, several small creeks, numerous springs and runoff from adjacent land. Water flow through the refuge portion of the marsh is intermittent, during the summer evapo-transpiration usually exceeds inflow. During the winter ice cover period, there is normally no outflow. Spring runoff normally refills the refuge reservoir and additional water is released into the state part of the marsh.
Chapter 2
WILDERNESS OBJECTIVES
The objectives of the wilderness study of this area are included in the Wilderness Act of September 3, 1964 (Public Law 88-577). The
-3- Act requires the Secretary of the Interior to review every roadless area of 5, 000 contiguous acres or more and every roadless island within the National Wildlife Refuge System; and within ten years after the effective date of the Act, report to the President of the United
States his recommendations as to the suitability or nonsuitability of each such area or islands as wilderness. In defining wilderness, the
Act permits review of roadless areas of less than 5, 000 acres that are of sufficient size to make preservation and use in an unimpaired condition practical.
The principal objective of field investigations is to evaluate, at the direction of the Secretary of the Interior, the suitability or non- suitability of the Horicon National Wildlife Refuge or a portion of the f. refuge for inclusion in the National Wilderness Preservation System.
Chapter 3
AREA HISTORY
Archeological evidence indicates a long pre-history of human habitation around Horicon Marsh. Many burial and effigy mounds can still be seen especially near the mouths of tributary streams and where the
Rock River flows out of the marsh. Apparently the periphery of the marsh was thickly populated with Indians most of the time. This could be expected considering the richness of the plant and animal life in the area. History began with Jean Nicolet's explorations of Wisconsin in the early 1600's. Settlement was not until the early 1800's, however, after the Indians had left the area following the Blackhawk War in
1832. By the 1840's white settlement was advancing rapidly. The marsh was then known as the Winnebago Marsh.
In 1846 man's activity changed the marsh for the first time when a dam was built in what is now the city of Horicon to create a mill pond for water power. The resulting body of water was called
Horicon Lake. The lake provided steamboat transportation as well as power to operate grist and sawmills.
The lake lasted until 1869 when the demand for farmland resulted in its drainage. From then on, attempts to drain and farm all or parts of the marsh were constant. The major effort was the digging of the main ditch 14 miles long and 35 feet wide straight up the center of the marsh channelizing the west branch of the Rock River. This lowered the sill at the outlet in Horicon reducing the water level and accelerating runoff. This did result in some agriculture, but the gradient through the marsh was so gradual that heavy rains during the growing season would flood crops.
In the 1920's conservationists under Curley Radke began the move that eventually resulted in the state and federal government taking
-5- over the marsh and restoring it to its natural condition with the state dam at Horicon and federal dam near the south refuge boundary about a third of the way up the marsh.
Farming in the vicinity of the marsh evolved from mixed operations, to wheat and finally to dairying. Early milk production went into numerous local cheese factories. With improved transportation and nearness to metropolitan markets, most of the milk is now sold in the fluid market. Most of the land now produces corn and alfalfa for dairy stock and hogs although some sweet corn and peas are raised for local canneries.
Weather
The weather is moderate in southeastern Wisconsin. The marsh is affected to a limited extent by Lake Michigan. The annual mean temperature is 45.7 degrees with extremes ranging from 112° F. above to 43° below. The average annual precipitation is 28. 12 inches and the snowfall average is 34 inches. Rainfall is well spaced during the growing season and crop failures due to drought are almost unknown. The growing season averages 142 days on the marsh and 163 days on surrounding uplands. Hail damage is infrequent. Because of its position at the top of the watershed,
Horicon Marsh is not subject to serious flooding, however, heavy
-6- rains and rapid runoff result in soil erosion into the marsh from
neighboring farms.
Land Status
The purchase of the 20, 934 acre Horicon National Wildlife Refuge
was approved on July 16, 1941. Funds for the purchase of the
refuge came from the sale of migratory bird hunting stamps. A
recent acquisition of 140 acres was made with Land and Water
Conservation funds.
Chapter 4
RESOURCES
Horicon Marsh contains a variety and abundance of resident and t. migratory wildlife associated with aquatic habitat in this geographic and climatic zone. High soil fertility in the marsh and on the surrounding uplands contributes to the high per unit production of all forms of life. Although Horicon is a river marsh, the drainage basin is small and neither adds significant amounts of silt and pollution or takes away nutrients. Water loss is confined almost entirely to spring runoff, evapo-transpiration normally exceeds summer rain and runoff.
-7- The refuge flora is dominated by cattail and submerged aquatics in the flooded portion (16, 000 acres) and by wild pasture and cultivated crops (2, 000 acres) in the uplands. Poorly drained land in between is in willow or canary grass. The untillable higher ground is in brush and hardwood timber.
Many species of waterfowl use the refuge during migration, primarily
Canada geese, snow and blue geese, mallards, pintails, blue-winged teal, gadwalls, shovelers, redheads, green-winged teal and widgeon.
The peak populations during the spring migration number about
100, 000 geese and 20, 000 ducks. In the fall populations are larger; as many as 210-, 000 Canada geese, 20, 000 blues and snows and
50, 000 ducks. No waterfowl overwinter at Horicon.
The principal species of ducks nesting on the refuge are blue-winged teal, mallard and redhead. Lesser number of shovelers, green- winged teal, pintail, gadwall and ruddy also nest each year. Coot and pied-billed grebes are also regular nesters. No Canada geese are known to nest on the marsh.
On the uplands, pheasants, gray partridge and white-tailed deer are common.
-8- Other common species of interest found on the refuge include red
and gray fox, muskrat, mink, otter, weasel, raccoon, cottontail, badger, striped skunk, opossum, fox and gray squirrels.
Some of the interesting bird species include: great blue heron,
American egret, common and least bittern, black-crowned night heron, green heron, black tern, Florida gallunule, sora, Virginia and king rails, Wilson's snipe, yellowlegs, tree swallow, red- winged and yellow-headed blackbirds, marsh wrens, great horned owl, bald and golden eagles, red-tailed, rough-legged and marsh hawks, and a variety of song birds. The refuge bird list includes
198 birds which the average observer can expect to see in season.
Another 41 have been recorded but are not expected to be present. ».
Reptiles and amphibians ar~ represented by snapping turtles, painted turtles, garter snakes and enormous numbers of leopard frogs.
Fish
Fishing is permitted at several locations on the main ditch (west branch of the Rock River) when the presence of the fishermen does not interfere with nesting or feeding waterfowl. Species taken include northern pike, bullheads and carp. Carp is by far the most common fish but is undesirable because its feeding habits
.9. cause turbidity which retards growth of valuable waterfowl food plants.
In 1973, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources will chemically eradicate the carp population above, below and in Horicon
Marsh.
Water
The water supply is considered suitable in its present state and is not polluted. Wildlife, cattle and agricultural runoff contribute waste materials that increase the fertility of the marsh bottom and increase the production of waterfowl food plants and animals.
The water quality is good except in winter when the activity of bacteria on the organic bottom materials uses the available oxygen in the ice covered marsh. Fish and other aquatic animals frequently
c suffer die outs over winter.
The supply of ground water is adequate although deep (200-300 feet) and hard.
Soils
The soils in the marsh area are peat 4 to 6 feet deep underlain by clay. The bottom being impervious to water passage prevents leaching of materials into the water table.
-10- Vegetation
The vegetation in the proposal area is largely limited to submerged and emergent aquatic plants. The spoil banks have reed canary grass, brush, willow and poplar. The bulk of the emergent aquatics is cattail with some river bulrush. Submerged aquatics include sago pondweed and coontail. Wild rice was abundant before carp became numerous, and once carp are removed, wild rice can be reestablished.
Grazing
Marsh edge areas too stony or wet for cropland are rented to neighboring dairy farmers for pasturing heifers. This light grazing helps keep down brush and cattail invasions into waterfowl nesting cover.
Minerals
Mineral resources are unproven although experimental oil wells are currently being dug within 50 miles of the refuge. The Bureau of
Mines reported no mineral deposits were known within the refuge.
Public Use
Public use on the refuge is about 440, 000 people annually. More than
85 percent of the use is wildlife observation involving goose watching from the shoulders of a state highway which passes through the refuge. Gun and archery deer hunting is allowed on the entire refuge;
-11- fishing is permitted in selected areas. Trappers, photographers and tour groups make up the remainder. The bulk of the refuge is not suited to public access and is preserved as a sanctuary. Un- limited boating is not allowed.
Chapter 5
DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT
It will be necessary to occasionally clean some existing ditches in order to bring water from the main pool to subimpoundments outside the main marsh area. It will also be necessary to periodically draw down the main pool to improve the type of vegetation growing in the subimpoundments as well as the main pool. Fire is used to control excess vegetation.
Wildlife
Management on the marsh is based on drawdowns and the removal of excess deer and muskrat populations. This type of management is slated to continue to keep the marsh in maximum production. No change would be recommended for the marsh is of greatest value to feeding, nesting and roosting waterfowl.
-12- Fish
The State of Wisconsin plans to remove the rough fish population in the summer of 1973 and replant the river above and below the refuge with game fish. It is assumed that these plantings will also re- populate the refuge part of the marsh so that fishing will continue to be allowed on the west branch of the Rock River in the refuge at the approved fishing locations.
Water
Drawdowns to restore plants valuable to waterfowl and ditch cleaning to provide water to subimpoundments are necessary to achieve maximum waterfowl benefits.
Soil
The soil of the large marsh is submerged peat which overlies clay.
No management other than periodic drawdowns will affect the soil.
Vegetation
Most of the emergent vegetation in the marsh is cattail. Since this plant is of little value to waterfowl when too thick, control is main- tained through drawdowns, muskrat management and burning. These practices result in a pattern of diverse plant growth providing habitat for a greater variety of waterfowl and other water birds.
-13- Grazing
The edges of the marsh in several locations are grazed to control
brush growth and to retain some desirable vegetation for nesting
cover.
Hunting, Trapping, Canoeing and Photography
People enter the refuge during the deer gun and late bow season,
fall, winter and spring for trapping, spring and summer for
canoeing and year-round for photography. During the gun season
for deer most of the marsh portion of the refuge is inaccessible to
hunters because it is rarely frozen over. However, late bow season
hunters can walk any place on the ice. Trappers get around in skiffs
or walking over the ice. Photographers are permitted any time by
any legal means. Canoeists are limited to marked trails.
Fire
Control of brush and excessive accumulations of dead vegetation is
accomplished by controlled burning during seasons when migrants
and nesting birds are not present. Burning helps maintain adequate wildlife nesting and feeding habitat.
-14- Management
Near the south end of the refuge the main dike and heavily traveled
dike road lead to the main control structure near the center line of
the marsh. Much of the public travel on this road is by fishermen.
Two-thirds of the way upstream in the refuge the marsh road crosses
the marsh and houses another control structure. This road, like the
others, is used for operations such as tending the water controls,
tour routes, trapping and banding waterfowl and for other operations.
State Highway 49, likewise, crosses the refuge from east to west and handles the principal visitor load which is attracted to the refuge for wildlife viewing. Thus, the refuge is crossed three times by roads within seven miles. See Map No. 2.
The management of waterfowl requires an average of 1, 525 acres in
43 units around the perimeter of the refuge each year. In addition, there are 20 grazing units to enhance goose browse and 5 subimpoundments.
Chapter 6
SOCIO ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS
The refuge attracts public use on the refuge of more than 440, 000 visits annually. The great majority (85 to 90 percent) come to view the concentrations of geese during the spring and fall migration.
-15- Others come to hunt and fish, take photos or participate in environ- mental education programs.
In addition, more than 50, 000 visits to the vicinity by hunters to hunt geese and deer which eminate from the refuge occur annually. While this hunting docs not take place on the refuge itself, the wildlife popula- tions such as geese and deer move out into the surrounding countryside and return to the safety of the refuge when pursued and are, therefore, considered a part of the wildlife resource of the refuge.
The impact of this tremendous public use is considerable and the Bureau plans to more adequately satisfy the needs for interpretation and environmental education in the near future. These developments, such as the planned visitor center, will in turn undoubtedly increase the wildlife-oriented public use at the refuge.
Chapter 7
ECOLOGICAL REVIEW
The marsh has been restored to a form similar to the conditions which existed in the early 1800's except for the presence of carp. The eradication of the carp problem in the upper Rock River system in
Wisconsin is planned for this year. This will complete another step
-16- in the restoration of the marsh. The next step will be the restoration of aquatic plants such as wild rice, by planting.
The uplands are almost entirely under cultivation for goose foods.
While aquatic duck foods should be plentiful in the restored marsh, duck nesting habitat is at a premium and nesting losses are high in the alfalfa fields on the refuge. Contract farming with more strategic fields left in cover would improve duck nesting immensely.
Chapter 8
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
Since the entire marsh, which includes everything below the 858. 40 contour, or approximately 16, 000 acres, is directly affected by manipulation (drawdown) this portion of the refuge does not qualify for wilderness designation. This area is shown on Map No. 1. The fringe of upland surrounding the marsh between the refuge boundary and the wet marsh is intensively used as cropland for producing goose foods as shown in Map No. 2. Other parcels (22) are used under intensive permit grazing to provide goose browse.
With the above outlined land use practice in operation, no areas suitable for wilderness designation were discernable.
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