5/19/2015  |   15:30 - 15:45   |  101CD

AQUATIC CONNECTIVITY AND HABITAT RESTORATION – FUTURE DIRECTIONS The Ozaukee County Planning and Parks Department is implementing a comprehensive effort to restore aquatic habitat connectivity and improve the ecological function of existing riparian habitats throughout the County portion of the Lake Michigan Basin. Since 2006, the Department’s Fish Passage Program and partners have removed or remediated 242 impediments to aquatic organism passage, reconnecting over 130 stream miles (“linear connectivity”). However, historic manipulation of many biologically-significant tributary streams have left significant portions of the channel dredged, straightened, and separated from adjacent floodplains and wetlands. The Department is using GIS-based fish and wildlife decision-support tool to prioritize ongoing and future in-stream and riparian habitat improvement and restoration projects that include stream remeandering, floodplain and wetland reconnection (“lateral connectivity”), and invasive vegetation controls along streams recently made accessible through linear connectivity projects. These efforts represent a holistic approach to enhancing the ecological productivity of aquatic and terrestrial riparian habitat, directly supporting the sustainability and/or population recovery for remnant desirable, native, and/or imperiled species, and provide a logical framework for future ecological restoration efforts throughout the Great Lakes Region.

Andrew Struck (Primary Presenter/Author), Ozaukee County, astruck@co.ozaukee.wi.us;

5/19/2015  |   15:45 - 16:00   |  101CD

ADVANCING FISH PASSAGE IN THE MENOMONEE RIVER WATERSHED The goal of the Menomonee River Fish Passage Program is to identify, prioritize, and address fish passage impediments and to improve aquatic habitat in the Menomonee River Watershed in Southeast Wisconsin. Milwaukee Riverkeeper identified and assessed over 382 potential stream impediments, and suspects 126 to be potential barriers to fish passage. In addition, 75 areas of promising spawning habitat were identified along the natural mainstem and tributary reaches that could provide access to floodplain or wetland habitat that could be used for fish spawning or rearing. Removing artificial barriers to aquatic life passage will increase access for Lake Michigan and other native fish to reach spawning habitats. Milwaukee Riverkeeper is working with local municipalities, counties, and private landowners to educate them about identified fish passage impediments and to partner on stream restoration projects. Riverkeeper is working with consultants to help design, fundraise for, and implement high priority culvert replacements/retrofits and restoration projects. Funding has also been received to engage volunteers to remove human debris, trash, fallen bridges, fords, and rock fill that are impeding flow and movement of aquatic organisms.

Cheryl Nenn (Primary Presenter/Author), Milwaukee Riverkeeper, cheryl_nenn@milwaukeeriverkeeper.org;

5/19/2015  |   16:00 - 16:15   |  101CD

LAKE MICHIGAN DIRECT DRAINAGE RAVINE STREAMS IN EASTERN WISCONSIN: REMARKABLE HABITAT IN FORGOTTEN PLACES Much of the west shore of Lake Michigan is flanked by steep bluffs drained by short, naturally incised, streams. Land use changes and industrialization degraded most “ravine” streams. Nevertheless, ravine streams are well recognized for unique plant communities and act as natural corridors and refuge areas in intensely developed landscapes. What has not been widely appreciated is that many ravine streams offer regionally unique and important aquatic habitat attributes: attributes such as cold water, high gradient, coarse-grained substrate, copious groundwater discharge, reliable baseflow, and historical access to Lake Michigan. Mineral Springs Creek in Ozaukee County is a typical ravine stream. Bed morphology, watershed conditions, and water quality were heavily influenced by humans. Nevertheless, the creek maintains a reasonably stable, high-gradient granular bed, relatively cold and reliable baseflow, and hosts disproportionally large runs of salmonids. This presentation briefly examines what makes ravine stream unique and uses Mineral Springs Creek as a case in point. Ongoing challenges and opportunities are discussed. Finally, restoration projects sponsored by Ozaukee County and its partners to restore the stream’s unique habitat function are described.

Dale Buser (Primary Presenter/Author), Ozaukee Treasures Network and Stantec, dalebuser@gmail.com;

5/19/2015  |   16:15 - 16:30   |  101CD

HABITAT ENHANCEMENT OF A LOW GRADIENT MIDWESTERN STREAM The Ulao Creek Habitat Enhancement Project is a large scale (1.4 mi) stream remeander and floodplain reconnection project conceived by the Ozaukee County Fish Passage Program and the Ulao Creek Partnership and designed by Inter-Fluve. It was designed in 2013 and the first 2 phases of the project were constructed in 2014. This presentation will include a description of the project with emphasis on evaluation of floodplain connectivity, channel geometry analysis and design, incorporation of installed large woody debris to increase habitat complexity, and provision for long term woody debris recruitment.

Beth Wentzel (Primary Presenter/Author), Inter-Fluve, bwentzel@interfluve.com;

5/19/2015  |   16:30 - 16:45   |  101CD

TRACKING AQUATIC CONNECTIVITY AND HABITAT RESTORATION IMPROVEMENTS THROUGH FISH AND WILDLIFE MONITORING The Ozaukee County Planning and Parks Department has completed hundreds of aquatic connectivity and habitat restoration projects to improve ecological function in existing instream and riparian habitat in Ozaukee County portions of the Lake Michigan Basin. An important component of these projects is monitoring local fish and wildlife assemblages before and after restoration project implementation. Fish are monitored by electrofishing and larval fish trapping. Birds and other wildlife are monitored by conducting visual surveys (e.g. bird point count surveys, aquatic egg mass surveys, shoreline searches, basking turtle surveys), aquatic funnel trapping, frog calling surveys, cover object surveys and turtle trapping. The Department is using this information as baseline data to guide future restoration projects and evaluate project site species diversity, use of habitat before and after restoration, animal movement (mark/recapture), and evidence of reproduction. The Department involves the public through a well-developed volunteer program to strengthen the capacity of data collection while providing job training, education and outreach opportunities. This session will discuss the Department’s monitoring efforts, results and application, and the success/structure of our volunteer program.

Kristina Kroening (Primary Presenter/Author), Ozaukee County Planning and Parks Department, kmkroening@gmail.com;