DNR Awards $6 Million In Grant Funds To Protect Surface Water

MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recently awarded more than $6 million in grant funding for lake organizations, nonprofit organizations and municipal and county governments throughout the state.

This grant program provides cost-sharing for projects that restore and protect surface water. The organizations and governments receiving funding will help to restore and protect our state’s surface water resources in 2025 and beyond. This year, the program received 418 applications from eligible applicants requesting nearly $8 million.

Of the applications received, 371 grants totaling more than $6 million were awarded. The projects are incredibly diverse, including education and outreach activities, management planning, habitat restoration, runoff management, water quality improvement projects and aquatic invasive species prevention and management. The projects selected for awards leverage a substantial amount of local funding and commit to making important contributions to our natural resource legacy.

Annually, the program supports many local and regional partnerships working to improve water quality across counties and watersheds. This year, the program was able to fund several river and lake restoration and management plan implementation projects.

“Grantees, partners and DNR staff are often most excited about implementation-type projects, as it is fulfilling to see ideas, many of which took years of nurturing, come to reality as the projects are initiated and completed,” said Jen Jefferson, DNR surface water grant program manager.

Of the seven funded river restoration and implementation projects, one will replace a culvert to improve a road stream crossing (Oneida County), and four will restore segments of Mineral Springs Creek (Ozaukee County), Pigeon Creek (Ozaukee County), the Yahara River (Dane County) and an unnamed tributary to Lake Winnebago (Calumet County).

Two other projects work to reduce runoff from land adjacent to creeks. The Cedar Grove-Belgium School District (Sheboygan County) will convert around 25 acres of farmland to a naturalized upland-wetland system and Wood County will work with property owners to establish over 100 acres of harvestable buffers.

A total of 14 lake restoration and implementation projects were funded this year and span a wide range of activities, from construction projects and alum treatments to staff positions.

One construction project is in Green Lake County, where the Green Lake Sanitary District has collaborated with many organizations and agencies to install a new barrier that will prevent common carp migration to a marsh adjacent to Green Lake.

Further north in Oneida County, the Northwoods Land Trust, Inc. will create a new staff position to conduct targeted outreach and provide technical services to landowners interested in taking steps to protect their land through conservation programs.

Finally, 156 organizations will receive support to participate in the Clean Boats, Clean Waters (CBCW) program and 38 organizations will receive support to participate in the Lake Monitoring and Protection Network (LMPN). As part of CBCW, local advocates focus on education and outreach to empower watercraft users to help prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species. The LMPN supports lake monitoring and aquatic invasive species (AIS) prevention activities on a county basis and continues to be present in 69 of 72 counties in Wisconsin.

These projects are just a few examples of the organizations and communities receiving funding this year. If your local organization could benefit from a surface water grant, reach out now to determine your eligibility and begin developing your ideas before the September pre-application deadline.

Visit the DNR’s website for more information or to find a Surface Water Grant project in your community.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.