The highlighted projects listed below are currently underway to help us achieve our watershed management goals to:
Check back for future updates. Visit our Goals & Initiatives webpage for more information about our goals, why they're important, and initiatives we're involved with to address them. To learn more about other projects in our department visit the Current Projects webpage.
Dane County is working with partners to restore wetlands and adjacent prairie in the Cherokee Marsh Wildlife Area. The wetlands will be used to develop an agricultural wetland mitigation bank.
Dane County continues to make improvements to the Black Earth Creek Headwaters Natural Resource Area. Improvements include the conversion of agricultural fields to native prairies as well as the construction of wetland scrape areas.
Black Earth Creek was severely damaged from the large rain events and flooding that occurred in 2018 and 2019. Dane County has been working with local partners and landowners on finding creative ways to help restore and stabilize the damaged streambanks.
Our department developed the Door Creek Watershed Management Action Plan in 2016 and continues its implementation. In addition, Door Creek is part of the Legacy Sediment Removal Project.
Dane County purchased a159-acre property as an addition to the Pheasant Branch Conservancy. We are partnering with community organizations on restoration projects that will increase flood capacity, improve water quality, and enhance wildlife habitat.
We are currently measuring and monitoring for changes in soil carbon in Dane County's restoration and conservation projects. The results will help Dane County determine progress in mitigating climate change including meeting goals in Dane County's Climate Action Plan.
We are partnering with Ducks Unlimited and the US Fish & Wildlife Service on a ~300-acre wetland and prairie restoration in the Walking Iron Wildlife Area. The project includes the creation of several waterfowl scrapes (shallow pools) which will hold water most of the time.
