BROWN COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) – Brown County is set to dedicate more than a half of a million dollars toward two water quality projects.
Officials say the $680,000 is coming from the American Rescue Plan Act. County Executive Troy Streckenbach says the first project would be for $500,000 to go towards phase one of the East River Water Trail and Habitat Corridor Project.
“Brown County will work on cleaning up the river and providing better infrastructure, helping with the flooding and erosion, invasive species, and then municipalities will then work on creating their recreational opportunities,” Streckenbach said. “Water is the next new gold. In order for us to protect this natural resource that we have, it really requires all of us from the county – we have 22 different municipalities – to get on the same page.”
While the Brown County Board is set to review the funding Tuesday night, it has passed the Oversight Committee and has support from the Land & Water Conservation Department.
County conservationist, Mike Mushinski says the project will also provide a way for kayakers to enjoy the East River from Ledgeview Park to Hoffman Road.
“It’s just a great idea to get more people out, and have the ability to get kayaks out in the water and to control erosion, remove invasives, do habitat projects throughout the corridor,” Mushinski said. “Right now, we’ve got to get invasives removed. There’s a lot of buckthorn, there’s a lot of trees down – we can use some of that later for habitat work along the sides. But we’ve got to get that corridor open to get more sun in there to help native species grow…The whole corridor will have invasives removed, we’ll have kayak launches and then habitat work. Somebody can get in and kayak down that stretch of river and see wildlife, and you can’t do that [right] now.”
“The East River had always been a lost gem of recreational opportunities…We’ve got a trail system that runs, in some areas, both sides of the East River. Now it’s connecting those communities through – why not a water trail,” said Allouez Village Administrator, Brad Lang. “Get the other recreational opportunities out there to get on this lost gem and certainly enjoy the scenery, the wildlife, and just the peacefulness of the East River.”
Lang has been working to help develop the project since 1995.
The second project would be $180,000 to assist landowners with groundwater monitoring and cover crop/no-till planting as part of the Lower Fox River Demonstration Farm project.
“We see up to 60% reductions in sediment and phosphorous when those fields are planted in cover crops and no till, versus conventionally tilled soil. It’s a great benefit for all of Brown County and the water quality,” Mushinski told WTAQ News. “These are going to be really long-term plays. The water trail, in a couple years I’m optimistic we’ll have that done and ready to go. The other management thing, to not see clay plumes is going to take a while.”
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