Turtle Lakes Protection Project

Turtle Lakes Protection Project

Photo courtesy of Barron County Soil and Water Conservation Department

Riparian and Watershed Incentives Program for Phosphorous Reduction
Over the last 15 to 20 years several lake management planning studies have been completed on Lower and Upper Turtle Lake to determine what, if anything could be done to improve the water quality conditions in and around the lakes. Lower Turtle Lake is very fertile and gets very green in the summer months due to algae blooms and aquatic plant growth supported by excess nutrients, primarily phosphorous, coming into the system. Upper Turtle Lake suffers from similar conditions, but given their position at the top of the watershed (Lower Turtle Lake is at the bottom of the watershed), its’ problems are not yet as advanced.

A watershed is the area of land around a lake, or two lakes in this case, where when a drop of rain falls to the land it ends up in the lake, instead of going away from the lake to another place. Water flowing to the lake overland is called runoff. Runoff comes from many places including agricultural fields, barnyards, roads, golf courses, lawns, driveways, and roof tops, and either goes directly into the lake or into tributary streams which carry water to the lakes. With the runoff comes a great many things including topsoil, garbage, manure, many different nutrients, and even some chemicals. In a heavily farmed watershed such as exists around Lower and Upper Turtle Lakes, the amount of runoff into the lake, particularly during spring snow melt and after large storm events (rain showers) is tremendous. Each and every particle of topsoil washed into the lakes and into streams feeding the lakes carries with it certain amounts of the nutrients nitrogen and phosphorous. On the farmers field this nutrient-rich topsoil is essential for growing successful crops. In the lake, the soil builds up on the bottom of the lake and the nutrients grow excess algae and aquatic plants.

Near shore activities like shoreland restoration projects, eliminating the use of phosphorous heavy lawn fertilizers, septic system improvements, and buffer strips; and whole lake activities like appropriate aquatic plant management, can help to reduce total phosphorous loading in the two lakes. Changes in how significant agricultural activity within the entire watershed, including extensive crop farming and less prevalent dairy farming, is implemented will also help to improve conditions in both lakes. Farmers and lake users must combine their efforts in a manner that benefits both parties in order for improvements in the two lakes to be achieved.

In May of 2009, the Lower Turtle Lake Management District applied for a $315,780.00 Lake Protection cost-share grant from the WDNR to implement a 5-Year Watershed Education and Best Management Practices Lake Protection Project. After some delay, the state finally awarded the grant in December of 2009. The State will provide up to $200,000.00 of the expected costs associated with this project. The main goal of this five year project is to implement lake management recommendations in the near shore area around the two lakes and in the larger watershed to improve the overall health and quality of both lakes. Another goal is to develop positive relationships with all stakeholders (people with an interest in what goes on) in the watershed including local farmers, lake shore owners and lake users, resource agencies, local government agencies including Barron County and the Town of Almena, and the WDNR. The Lower Turtle Lake Management District, the Lower Turtle Lake Association, the Upper Turtle Lake Association, Barron County Soil and Water Conservation Department, and the WDNR are partnering in this project to provide volunteer time, donated services, and financial support for the completion of this project.

Input is being sought from all of these organizations as well as local farmers, the Town of Almena, and others. A 9-member project oversight board has been created, made up of two representatives each from Lower Turtle Lake, Upper Turtle Lake, and the Local Farming Community, plus an at large representative, a representative from Barron County, and a representative from SEH. A WDNR liaison will be provided to keep them abreast of the activities carried out in this project. Public updates of this project will be provided at all Lower Turtle Lake Management District and Upper Turtle Lake Association meetings, and through dissemination of information via email, newsletters, and this web page. A project kick-off meeting will be held in May 2010 and be hosted by both the Lake Organizations.

Public Project Documents: