Western Wisconsin River Receives Conservation Grant Funding

A Western Wisconsin river conservation project has received a surface water protection grant from the Department of Natural Resources.

According to St. Croix County officials, the grant funding will be available beginning on January 1st, and will provide over $375,000 in cost sharing funding to implement Best Management Practices along the Kinnickinnic River. Those strategies will include efforts to reduce the amount of sediment and nutrients entering the river by building things like grass waterways, buffers, and stream bank improvements.

Conservation officials plan to work with farmers along the river to implement those plans, and will hold a number of public meetings to share information on the projects with local residents.

According to the St. Croix County website, the goal of the projects is to improve water quality in the river and Lake St. Croix downstream, reduce phosphorous loading by around 1,200 pounds per year, and help local landowners apply for Best Management Practice funding.

The Kinnickinnic River covers about 22 miles across Western Wisconsin and has become a popular location for local residents to fish for trout. According to the City of River Falls website, the river is home to more than half of the bird species in the state, about 40% of the plant species, and over 40 individual species that are considered endangered or threatened. The City of River Falls is also working on a project to remove two dams from the river, restoring it to its natural free-flowing condition.

Conservation efforts have become a major topic in Western Wisconsin in recent months, as residents are also pushing back against plans for a massive solar farm in St. Croix County. Over 3,500 people have signed an online petition against the XCel Energy project, citing concerns over the solar field’s impact on the local environment and wildlife.