Addressing Impairment in Beaver Dam Lake and Beaver Creek
2016 – 2017 Water Resources Management Practicum
Beaver Dam Lake is a popular recreation spot in Dodge County, Wisconsin. However, the lake often has poor water clarity and large algal blooms. Both the lake and its tributary, Beaver Creek, receive excess phosphorus and chlorophyll-a, and are listed as impaired water bodies under Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act. Working closely with the Beaver Dam Lake Improvement Association (BDLIA), the 2017 Water Resources Management workshop focused on evaluating and making recommendations to improve water quality within Beaver Creek and Beaver Dam Lake. Graduate students engaged local stakeholders and assessed upland land use, Beaver Creek habitat and water quality, and Beaver Dam lake water quality during the 2017 growing season.Our management recommendations for BDLIA to improve lake water quality are informed by our outreach, modeling, and monitoring efforts, and include the following:
1. Build partnerships with local schools
2. Organize workshops and volunteer events
3. Establish a farmer-led council in the county
4. Bring producers onto the BDLIA board
5. Develop an active carp management plan 6. Conduct a carp exclosure study
7. Conduct a shoreline erosion assessment
8. Establish regular lake monitoring for water quality
9. Update the watershed plan
10. Implement best management practices for improving soil retention and habitat
11. Encourage CREP, land easements, nutrient mitigation, and dredging
12. Plan future watershed studies