Land Management Practices to Improve Water Quality

or Where the rubber meets the road!

Nancy Turyk Water Resource Scientist

Reduce Runoff/Increase Infiltration

Compaction of soil, pavement, buildings, other hard surfaces

increase runoff and decrease infiltration to groundwater.

More water to the lake over the short term.

Can increase pollution in runoff.

Decreases groundwater storage (feeds lake during periods of low/no precipitation).

Minimize hard surfaces

Remove unneeded hard surfaces (extra parking spots)

Direct runoff from hard surfaces away from the lake

Rain gardens, retention basins

Rain barrels

Reduce runoff and increase infiltration

Meander pathway to the lake

Swales

Biofilters

Bass Lake Watershed

Surface Watershed: 1,039 acres

Groundwater Shed: 384 acres

Estimated Phosphorus Budget from the Watershed

Mud Lake Watershed

Surface Watershed: 1,902 acres

Groundwater Shed: 339 acres

Estimated Phosphorus Budget from the Watershed

Norrie Lake Watershed

Surface Watershed: 1,270acres

Groundwater Shed: 463 acres

Estimated Phosphorus Budget from the Watershed

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

Forest Residential Agriculture

lbs.

P/s

q. m

i./y

r.

Phosphorus Loading from Land Uses

Panuska and Lillie, 1995

Land management matters!

Manure Management

Fertilizer Budgets

Erosion Control

Runoff Management

Crop Rotation

Cover Crops

Rotational Grazing Plans and Fencing

Water Sources to keep livestock out of lakes/streams

Wetland Restoration

Shoreland Management

Agricultural Best Management Practices

Animal Waste/Nutrient Management

Construction

Management

Closure

Agricultural Performance Standards

Pastured shorelines Feedlot runoff

Soil erosion

Fertilizers

Don’t use fertilizer!

Use native vegetation that doesn’t require additional fertilizer.

If you feel you might need to fertilize, test the soil first!

Controllable sources of phosphorus:

Norrie Lake Shoreland

Shoreland vegetation helps by providing habitat and may improve water quality

Restore and protect shoreland vegetation

Should extend at least 35 feet from the lake

Land Use Tools

Land Use Tools

Protect property from flooding damage

Healthy shoreland vegetation helps to reduce sediment entering surface water

Maintain & improve wetland functions

Floodplain, Shoreland, & Wetland Zoning

Overlay Zoning Creates a special zoning district,

placed over an existing base

zone(s), which identifies special

provisions in addition to those in

the underlying base zone.

Lake Management purposes:

Preserve critical habitat areas

Protect aesthetics of riparian

environment

Land Use Tools

“Conservation” Design A type of development in which the

underlying zoning and subdivision

ordinances are modified to allow

houses to be grouped together on

part of the site while permanently

protecting the remainder of the site

from development.

“Open Space Option”

Land Use Tools

“Standard” Design

Land Use Tools

“Conservation”

Design Provides areas for recreational

use or trails

Stormwater management

Groundwater recharge

Protect Woodlands,

Steep Slopes

Water corridors

Critical Habitats

Land Use Tools

Purchase of Development Rights (PDR)

Incentive based

Voluntary program

Intent: permanently protects productive, sensitive, or aesthetic landscapes

Land owner retains private ownership and management.

Conservation Easement Incentive-based

Voluntary legal agreement

Restricts development, management or use of the land in the property in order to protect a resource.

Common easement holders include NCCT, NECT and NRCS

Land Purchase

Land Use Tools

Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program Funds to preserve valuable natural areas and wildlife

habitat, protect water quality and fisheries, and expand opportunities for outdoor recreation

Easement or purchase

Wisconsin Dept. Natural Resources Lake Protection Grant Program Funds to preserve valuable natural areas and wildlife

habitat adjacent to a lake. Easement or purchase

Funds improvement of land management practices.

Funding Assistance

More information on the table!