What we do

The biggest obstacles for our streams and rivers, lakes and bays are phosphorus and sediment.

Phosphorus is an element that occurs naturally. At low levels, it is beneficial in helping to nourish plants and animals. Extra phosphorus gets into our waterways from a variety of sources, including fertilizer, runoff, cleaning products, and wastewater phosphorus builds up, it puts stress on the plant and animal life that depends on the water. Fish struggle with decreased oxygen in the water. Helpful plants are replaced by harmful, and sometimes toxic, algae blooms.

Sediment is simply dirt and other small particles that have washed off the land and into the water. Not only can sediment carry phosphorus, it can remain suspended in the water a long time, reducing visibility and clarity. This in turn further stresses the fish and plants living in our waters.

The natural water cycle can effectively process a set amount of phosphorus and sediment. Known as the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL), this is the metric Fox-Wolf and its partners use to determine the scope of the problem. Our shared goal is to reduce the presence of phosphorus and sediment below the TMDL and sustain that ongoing healthy level. When the waters consistently measure above the TMDL, they are listed as ‘impaired waters.’

Our goal is to get and keep all waterways in our watershed off the Impaired Waters List. To do this, Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance takes a holistic approach to watershed management. Many of our partners focus on a particular waterbody or specific location. We work across those boundaries and priorities, because water doesn’t stop at the county line. We are working at the scale of the entire watershed, acknowledging that what happens in one area impacts the rest of the watershed. We are committed to looking at underlying causes rather than simply treating individual symptoms. Our work falls into several categories: