July 25, 2018, from 7 – 9 p.m. at the James Coughlin Center in Oshkosh.
The Lake Poygan Habitat Restoration project is designed to establish a quiet backwater, at the mouth of the Wolf River, that will aid in the growth of native submergent and emergent aquatic plants, improve water quality, and create new fish and wildlife habitat.
Lake Poygan is one of the four lakes that make up the Winnebago Pools System. Lake Poygan historically supported dense emergent and submergent aquatic vegetation that provided critical fish and wildlife habitat. Construction of two outlet dams in the 1850s raised the average pool elevation about three feet, creating a permanently flooded wetland. Increased water levels have exposed shoreline marshes to excessive wave energy and water depth which have combined to cause extensive loss of valuable wetlands. Re-suspension of unprotected sediments by wave action is resulting in turbidity levels sufficient to preclude significant growth and reestablishment of rooted aquatic macrophytes.
In response to the dramatic loss of thousands of acres of wetlands, deteriorating water quality, degraded fish and wildlife habitat, and diminished fish and wildlife populations on the upriver lakes of the Winnebago pool system, WDNR developed the Winnebago Comprehensive Management Plan (WCMP) with significant input from the public and other state, local, and federal agencies. The WCMP proposed to restore the former delta wetland of the Wolf River at its mouth at Lake Poygan. Phase 1 construction was completed September 2016. Phase 2 construction is anticipated to being Spring 2019.
Learn more about the project by attending the informational meeting on July 25th.
CLICK HERE to download the meeting flyer.
Questions? Contact Korin Doering at korin@fwwa.org
