|
Floodplain Rehabilitation
Sand County Foundation and the Bradley Fund for the Environment made history in 2001. With critical funding from the Bradley Fund for the Environment, Sand County Foundation and public and private sector partners completed a 6-year dam removal effort that resulted in the Baraboo River running unimpeded for the first time in 150 years.
At 115 miles, the Baraboo River is believed to be the longest stretch of main-stem river restored by the removal of dams in U.S. history. Beneficiaries will include the native vegetation along the river corridor and fish populations which are expected to rebound from carp-dominated impoundments to smallmouth bass and lake sturgeon fisheries.
Better yet, removing the dams is good for people, too. It is often far less costly to remove dams than to repair them, public safety is improved and recreational opportunities, including fishing and canoeing, are enhanced.
With the Baraboo River flowing freely for the first time in more than 150 years, Sand County Foundation, the Bradley Fund for the Environment, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the citizens of Baraboo and other riveredge communities have created a significant conservation milestone.
"Restoration of the Baraboo River is a great example of Wisconsin's 'can-do' spirit and how (that spirit) makes our state such an incredible national and international leader," said Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin at a celebration event in Baraboo. "It is the end result of a wonderful public/private partnership (and) state, local and federal partnership."
"This is a hands-on environmental victory for the residents of Wisconsin," said Brent Haglund, president of Sand County Foundation. "Providing safe, navigable, recreational river-ways that will allow native species to flourish again is a monumental conservation achievement and will be a showcase for the rest of the country."
Read former U.S. Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton's remarks regarding the Baraboo River Restoration.
SCF analyzes Baraboo and Wisconsin Rivers amid June 2008 flooding
The photographs within this series were taken over the floodplains of the Baraboo River and Wisconsin River mid-day on Friday, 13 June. Some of them illustrate negative consequences to people and economically essential infrastructure, such as interstate highways, when a floodway is overwhelmed with heavy, persistent rains.
These photos ilustrate, too, the opportunities that may be available when other private landowners begin to use their floodplain proiperties in ways that are not only good for wildlife but also lead to intense flooding, higher levels of public safety, and cleaner water.
SCF works to restore Caledonia Floodplain
Based on his writings, it is likely Aldo Leopold longingly looked out at the former Caledonia Floodplain from his shack and knew that someday it would be returned to its rightful place either by human action or by natural forces. For over 10 years, Sand County Foundation has been quietly working with state and federal agencies to encourage restoration of the Caledonia Floodplain through removal of an aged array of unsafe sand dikes unsuitable to be called a levee. The so-called levee system was assembled haphazardly over decades in the late 19th century of entirely local, highly permeable sandy soil. In 1993 flooding almost prevailed over human effort to keep the sand dikes in place. Engineering studies conclude that the dikes and people’s facilities would be at severe risk should a similar flood occur.
| 
