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Land and Water staff outline accomplishments, stream-restoration plans and complaint response procedures
Summary
Staff summarized five years of land-and-water work, highlighted priorities including well abandonments and a Fancy Creek restoration project, and explained how the county handles manure/runoff complaints and coordination with the DNR.
Richland County land and water staff briefed the committee on accomplishments tied to the county's plan, upcoming priorities and how the office handles complaints about manure spreading, runoff and odors.
County staff said recent accomplishments include well abandonment work to protect groundwater, nutrient-management and invasive-species projects, and collaboration with municipal and regional partners. The staff presentation listed outreach and education efforts such as nutrient-management classes and one-on-one assistance for producers, and noted efforts to work with Richland Center and other local groups.
Staff described a proposed or ongoing stream-restoration effort on Fancy Creek that aims to return portions of the creek from a straightened ditch back into its old meanders and floodplain to slow flows and reduce downstream flooding. Southwest Regional Planning Commission is working on grant writing for that project.
On enforcement and complaints, staff described the county's role as a conduit and technical helper rather than primary regulator. For manure- or runoff-related complaints, staff said they typically visit the site (often in pairs), document the incident and then notify the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources if the event appears to meet DNR criteria. As staff explained, "the DNR is the enforcement arm," and the county tries to help landowners come into compliance and steer them to cost-share or technical programs when possible.
Committee members asked about complaints related to odor and whether there are enforceable local standards. Staff said odor complaints are difficult to quantify and that there is no county rule that measures odor; enforcement or permit conditions for large concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) are handled by the DNR. Staff also outlined the state rule NR 151 as the regulatory backdrop for runoff and manure-spreading criteria.
Staff said the county will present a short list of accomplishments and work-plan updates to the Wisconsin State Land and Water Conservation Board on Dec. 6 and invited committee members to attend. The county also plans to continue outreach on cover crops, nutrient plans and well testing where possible.
