LOWER CHIPPEWA RIVER BASIN CONSERVATION BUFFER PROJECT

 

A buffer is a strip of land in permanent vegetation. Buffers serve many purposes. They trap sediment by slowing runoff, thereby minimizing the chances of fertilizers, pesticides, and excess nutrients reaching surface water. They provide a natural habitat for wildlife and improve fish habitat.  Installing conservation buffers also increases the diversity of native vegetation.

Shifting sand stream bottoms, caused by heavy sedimentation in the river system reduces the diversity of habitats.  This negatively impacts the aquatic based threatened and endangered species.

Sediment from the Chippewa River is also filling the river backwaters of the Upper Mississippi River Wildlife Refuge. This has led to a decline of wetland vegetation on the Refuge.  Fish and wildlife dependent upon these plant beds for food and shelter have suffered accordingly.
 

Buffer strips have the potential to reduce sedimentation from field runoff by up to 75%.  Reduction of sediment will have a positive effect on the river system improving the situations stated above.

There is an opportunity to increase the number of acres of native prairie grass in the basin.  CRP will cost-share for establishment of prairie grasses in buffer strips.

Conservation buffer strips are a low-cost addition to a farmer’s toolbox for managing on-farm nutrients.  Farmers can diversify and in some cases increase the farm income by enrolling the buffer areas into programs such as CRP.  In the next ten years, the project will potentially generate an additional $1,950,000 in cost share and rental payments for area farmers from CRP.
 

The Lower Chippewa Basin is approximately 5,300 square miles, contains 24 watersheds, and portions of 15 counties.  Currently,  60% of the basin is in cropland and pasture.  The pre-settlement prairie component was 13%. Currently, however it comprises less than 1% of the basin. Installing buffers alongside stream corridors would increase the amount of native prairie grasses in the basin, while benefiting wildlife as well.

The Proposed Lower Chippewa River State Natural Area feasibility study identified 125 species of rare plants and animals within the basin.  This is the largest concentration of rare species in any area of comparable size in the state.  Here are just a few:

                                                Endangered Species              Threatened Species
                                                   Pecatonica mayfly                      Blanding’s turtle
                                           Higgin’s–eye pearly mussel                  Crystal darter
                                                   Prairie bush clover                    Yellowish gentian
                                                        Beak grass                               Musk-root
 

The Lower Chippewa Conservation Buffer Project is a grassroots effort to encourage buffer establishment in the basin. With grants from supporting agencies and donations from conservation clubs and organizations, the Lower Chippewa River Basin Partnership Team proposes to support the project and hire a Conservation Buffer Specialist.  The Specialist will train and coordinate a large cadre of volunteers to promote installation of conservation buffer strips within the basin.

The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is under-utilized in the Basin.  Under the current and proposed future budgets, NRCS, FSA and the counties do not have the resources and staffs necessary to provide the promotion, education, and technical assistance to increase the sign-up.

Volunteers will have the opportunity to work one-on-one with property owners who have lands eligible for buffer establishment, in addition to distributing educational brochures, assisting local conservation agencies, and monitoring water quality and habitat of the targeted areas.

Landowners will be encouraged to enroll the buffers in such programs as the USDA’s continuous Conservation Reserve Program (CRP).  The Specialist will coordinate with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the Farm Service Agency (FSA), and County Land Conservation Departments (LCD).
 

The project goal is to install 1,500 acres (124 miles) of buffer strips in the next three years.  The project will be a basinwide effort and will initially focus on four watersheds. Once significant progress is made on these watersheds, the project will move County by County, identifying additional focus watersheds. The Lower Chippewa Partnership Team established the goal of installing 60% of the possible buffer acres within these watersheds.  At this rate of installation the reduction of sedimentation should be significant.

The Wisconsin DNR along with local schools and other partners, will be monitoring the targeted watersheds (measuring streambed width and monitoring aquatic insect species and diversity).
 

The Lower Chippewa Partnership Team consists of approximately 30 Federal, State, and County agencies, private corporations, public service and conservation organizations, schools and universities.  A team goal is to increase coordination and work together towards addressing common resource management priorities in the Lower Chippewa River Basin.

Team members and other non-member organizations and corporations are supporting this effort.
 

If you would like to become a volunteer with the Lower Chippewa Conservation Buffer Project or support these efforts with a donation, please contact:

Pam Herdrich – Coordinator                                                          Darren Lochner, Basin Educator
River Country RC&D                                                                    UW-Extension
1101 W. Clairemont Avenue, Suite 1C                or                       UW-Eau Claire
Eau Claire, WI 54701                                                                   146 Phillips Hall
(715) 834-9672 (phone)                                                               Eau Claire, WI 54702-4004
(715) 834-8663 (fax)                                                                    (715) 836-5513
Email: pam.herdrich@wi.usda.gov                                                 Email: darren.lochner@ces.uwex.edu