The streambank restoration and habitat enhancement work on the West Branch Sugar River between County U and US Highway 92, selected for Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources' Targeted Runoff Management (TRM) Program, is complete. The entire project took only two months to complete from start to finish. The project was the result of a lot of hard work and many funding sources.

"This project is a tribute to the land stewardship of the local farmers," said Kevin Connors, County Conservationist. "Without their efforts over the years towards fencing the streambanks and addressing cropland erosion, the state would not have chosen to recognize this watershed as a project."

The DNR granted the Dane County Land Conservation Department (LCD), which provided the technical support and oversight of the project, the TRM grant for streambank restoration and habitat enhancement. The water quality objective for this project is to reduce streambank erosion by 50%, resulting in a reduction of over 4,000 tons of soil per year. Erosion control, fish habitat enhancement, pasture management and monitoring were all considered in the planning process. Over 280 LUNKERS and almost 5,000 feet of fencing were installed and approximately 15,600 feet of streambank have been restored to achieve the water quality objectives of this project.

First, undesirable trees, shrubs and brush, such as honeysuckle, buckthorn, boxelder were removed. These and other invasive species not only crowd out oaks and other desirable species, but also prevent grasses from establishing on the banks. They actually contribute to the erosion problems on the river. Without grasses to help hold the soil in place, the bare banks beneath the canopy of invasives erode into the stream, filling it with sediment and destroying habitat. Erosion makes streams wider, causing them to become shallow and warm. Water moves slower over the dark, sediment covered bottom of wide, shallow streams and becomes warm quickly. Warm water is one factor that prevents the stream from reaching its potential for water quality and productivity as trout and other species require cool, fast flowing water.

After the undesirable trees have been removed, the banks are reshaped with a gentler slope. The streambed is restored, narrowing the stream, which in turn increases the velocity of the water. Although there are not as many trees to shade the stream, the increased velocity of the water helps to keep the temperature down. The narrowed stream, increased velocity of the water, and grasses, which will grow tall and serve the same "shading" function as the trees, keeps the water cool--just the way trout and other aquatic life like it.

"These streams have the potential to be excellent cold water fisheries," states Steve Fix, Watershed Specialist for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

Riprap will help deter future erosion on the banks. Riprap consists of rocks placed on the water's edge of the streambank in a fashion that takes into consideration the velocity of the stream and the slope of the bank. Sediment settles out on the rocks as the water level drops instead of washing more soil away. Seeding and mulching follow the riprap.

The fish habitat enhancement portion of the project included placing almost 300 LUNKERS structures near bends in the stream, providing cover for trout and other fish. Several volunteer groups, including Upper Sugar River Watershed Association and Deer Creek Sportsmen's Club, helped to build the structures. Without volunteer help, the habitat restoration portion of this project would not be possible. Many folks will be able to enjoy this stretch of the river for years to come. This project follows a similar project in 1999 on Deer Creek and Fryes Feeder, two tributaries of Mount Vernon Creek. The Land Conservation Department has been granted another TRM project for the West Branch between County Highways G and JG and is applying for yet another grant to restore the portion of the river between the 2000 and 2001 project sites.