Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation Inc

DATA FROM THE WAWASEE INLET NUTRIENT STUDY AND CRITICAL AREAS HOTSPOTS STUDY HAVE IDENTIFIED 10 SITES IN BOTH THE TURKEY CREEK AND MARTIN CREEK SUB WATERSHEDS AND THREE STREAM BANK STABILIZATION SITES THAT REQUIRE IMMEDIATE ATTENTION. IT IS RARE IN THE ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION WORLD TO HAVE SUCH ROBUST DATA TO STRATEGICALLY IDENTIFY HIGH PRIORITY CONSERVATION AREAS SUPPORT REMEDIATION OF HIGH PRIORITY AREAS AND ENGAGE CONSERVATION PARTNERS WITH DATA TO ASSESS CONSERVATION INITIATIVES TO REDUCE NUTRIENTS AND SEDIMENT LOSS. BASED ON THE EPA REGION 5 MODEL FOR THESE 10 PROPOSED HOTSPOTS AND THREE STREAM BANK STABILIZATION HOTSPOTS A PROJECTED SAVINGS OF 493 LBS. OF PHOSPHORUS AND 135 TONS OF SEDIMENT WILL BE MITIGATED BY THE PROPOSED PRACTICES. THESE REDUCTIONS IN PHOSPHORUS NITROGEN AND SEDIMENT WILL HELP TO MITIGATE CHRONIC CULTURAL EUTROPHICATION AND THE CHALLENGES TO THE ECOLOGICAL PROCESSES THAT LED TO I LL GO BLOOMS BLUEGREEN ALGAL BLOOMS OVERABUNDANCE OF NEW NUISANCE AQUATIC VEGETATION ALTERED FISH HABITAT AND CHANGES IN THE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF FISH COMMUNITIES. WE HAVE INITIATED A NEW OUTREACH PROGRAM AIMED TO BUILD A POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH FARMERS ACROSS THE BASIN BUT FOCUS ON THOSE FARMS IN MARTIN CREEK AND TURKEY CREEK. A BREAKFAST WAS HELD IN BOTH THE SPRING AND FALL OF 2023 FOR FARMERS AND 14 FARMS WERE REPRESENTED. THE MEETINGS WERE DESIGNED TO MAKE FARMERS AWARE OF WATER QUALITY CHALLENGES AND LAKE WAWASEE AND TO PUBLICIZE COST SHARE DOLLARS AVAILABLE THROUGH THE NEWLY ACQUIRED NATIONAL WATER QUALITY INITIATIVE PROGRAM THROUGH THE NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE. THESE OUTREACH EVENTS WILL BENEFIT FROM FUNDING FOR OTHER PROJECTS BEING PROPOSED. ULTIMATELY LAKE WAWASEE AND FISH HABITATS WILL BENEFIT FROM THE COLLECTIVE WORK AND FOR TRIAL COLLABORATIONS ALL OF THAT EFFORT TO HELP IMPROVE WATER QUALITY FISH HABITAT AND FISH COMMUNITY STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION.PROJECT OBJECTIVES1 RESTORE TWO SMALL 0.5 ACRES SEDIMENT BASINS CONSTRUCT ONE WETLAND 0.5 ACRES PLANT BUFFER STRIPS 150 FEET AND TILE BUFFERS IN MARTIN CREEK WATERSHED 2 INSTALL 2100 FEET OF GRASSLAND WATERWAYS 3.5 ACRES OF FILTER BUFFER STRIPS AND TWO STREAM BANK STABILIZATION PROJECTS 600 FEET IN THE TURKEY CREEK WATERSHED.ACTIVITIES:GRASSED WATERWAYFIELD FILTER STRIP BUFFERSTREAMBANK STABILIZATIONTILE INLET BUFFERCONSTRUCTED WETLANDGRASS WATERWAY

PARTNERS FOR FISH AND WILDLIFE- WAWASEE AREA CONSERVANCY FOUNDATION WETLAND ENHANCEMENT PROJECT

LAKE WAWASEE WATER QUALITY MONITORING

WAWASEE AREA CONSERVANCY FOUNDATION WETLAND ENHNANCEMENT PROJECT

WAWASEE AREA CONSERVANCY FOUNDATION WETLAND/OAK SAVANNA ENHANCEMENT PROJECT - GORDY LAKE

WAWASEE AREA CONSERVANCY EDUCATIONAL CENTER WETLAND RESTORATION PROJECT