Construction Updates

Early 2021

About 460 feet of the Terrell’s Island breakwall removed
Rock reused to begin building the first sections of the Samers Bay breakwall

Early 2022

Additional 940 feet removed, completing the full 1,400-foot opening in the Terrell’s Island breakwall
More Samers Bay sections built
Island #6 removed
Turnaround and viewing area constructed
Work on Islands 2 through 5 limited by frost

Still to Come (Phase 2)

Finish remaining island work
Build the rest of the Samers Bay breakwall, about 2,850 feet of new stone
Completed breakwall will total about 5,850 feet, with 35-foot openings every 500 feet

About the Project

The Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance, the Butte des Morts Conservation Club, Winnebago County, and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources are working together to restore approximately 680 acres of wetland and aquatic habitat on Lake Butte des Morts. Through a redesigned breakwall project across Terrell’s Island and Samers Bay, the effort aims to improve water quality, calm wave action, and rebuild the shallow aquatic habitat that fish and wildlife depend on. The work is guided by lessons from the original Terrell’s Island breakwall, especially the need for openings that keep water circulating.

Restoring roughly 680 acres of wetland and aquatic habitat across two connected sites
Restoring about 111 acres on the northwest side of Samers Bay and improving 569 acres within Terrell’s Island
A 1,400-foot opening created in the existing Terrell’s Island breakwall to improve water circulation
Rock removed from the old breakwall was reused to build the new Samers Bay breakwall
A finished Samers Bay breakwall of about 5,850 feet, with 35-foot openings every 500 feet to create calm water for aquatic plants

Project background

The original Terrell’s Island breakwall was built in the late 1990s, enclosing roughly 600 acres behind 15,000 feet of stone. Early results were strong, but with limited openings, water circulation dropped and conditions inside the enclosure declined over time. This project applies the lesson from that experience: opening up the old breakwall to restore circulation and rebuilding protection with regular openings, about 35 feet every 500 feet, so the calm water that aquatic plants need does not come at the cost of healthy flow.

What’s the Problem?

Murky Water · Excess Nutrients · Habitat Loss

Breakwalls reduce sediment re-suspension, improve water clarity, and protect shallow areas from waves. That calmer, clearer water allows aquatic vegetation to return, providing critical habitat for bluegill, crappie, largemouth bass, yellow perch, northern pike, muskellunge, migratory waterfowl, diving ducks, and other wildlife. The project also reduces nutrient loading and expands opportunities for fishing, hunting, paddling, and wildlife viewing.

What is a breakwall?

A breakwall is a low structure built in the water to block wave action and calm the water behind it. In this project, the Samers Bay breakwall is built from stone, running about 5,850 feet, with 35-foot openings every 500 feet, so water keeps circulating while staying calm enough for aquatic plants to take hold.

Project Location

This project is located at Terrell’s Island and Samers Bay on Lake Butte des Morts, a shallow lake in Winnebago County along the Fox River near Oshkosh. It is one of the four Winnebago Pool Lakes, which sit at the heart of the Winnebago Waterways Recovery Area within the Upper Fox-Wolf Basin. Across these two connected sites, roughly 680 acres of wetland and aquatic habitat are being restored.