About the Project

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance is working with the Winnebago County Land & Water Conservation Department and three farmers in the Rat River Watershed by providing the support needed to adopt new conservation practices on farm fields.

Check out our project’s goals:

Stop 484 pounds of phosphorus and 72 tons of sediment from entering Lake Winnebago every year
Work with three farmer champions to adopt cover crops, no-till, and low disturbance manure application practices for three years
Enroll 272 acres in soil health pratices in the Rat River watershed
Host outreach and field demonstrations in partnership with farmer champions to assist farmers in adopting practices on their fields

What’s the Problem?

Runoff & Erosion

The Winnebago Lakes drain over 5,900 square miles of land, including vast acres of farmland. The surface water runoff that comes from that huge area of land carries with it large amounts of phosphorus and sediment pollution to the lake.

The Rat River Watershed, nestled within the larger watershed that drains to the Winnebago Lakes, is at the top of the priority list for targeted efforts to reduce the phosphorus and sediment.

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance and Winnebago County have partnered to implement a solution to these watershed issues.

Farmer Champions

leading the charge

The ultimate goal is to increase adoption of these conservation practices by farmers across our basin. Farmers have found significant benefit to their business’s bottom line and soil health while also helping to protect local water quality, but sometimes need a fellow farmer to help them overcome the hurdles of trying a new practice.

Our Farmer Champions in Rat River are committed to hosting field days, on-farm demonstrations, and educational events to spread the word about how cover crops, no-till, and LDMI work for them. This group even took leadership to the next level by being founding members of a producer-led group, the Muddy Bottom Farmers. Through annual events and mentorship, the Muddy Bottom Farmers are helping their neighbors adopt practices that are a win-win for our lakes and their farms!