Incidental Take Notice For Oneida County

MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) proposes to issue an authorization for the “incidental taking” of a rare turtle, which may result from the Camp Nine Road Bridge Project in Oneida County.

Incidental take refers to the unintentional loss of individual endangered or threatened animals or plants that does not put the species’ overall population at risk.

The existing culverts where Camp Nine Road crosses the Tomahawk River are deteriorating. The bottoms are beginning to fail and show signs of scour at the ends, which is causing the roadway to be undermined and settle. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation is proposing to replace the structurally deficient culverts with a 50-foot single-span prestressed concrete flat slab bridge.

The proposed project consists of replacing the dual 6.8-foot rise by 11-foot span corrugated metal culvert pipes with B-43-0067. The project will also include reconstructing the road approaches 200 feet east and west of the existing culverts. The approach reconstruction will include clearing and grubbing, slope grading, subgrade improvement, placing base course and minimal adjustment to the vertical and horizontal alignment to minimize impacts.

The presence of the state-threatened wood turtle is confirmed in the vicinity of the project site. Wisconsin DNR staff determined that the proposed project may result in the incidental taking of wood turtle(s).

The Wisconsin DNR concludes that the proposed project will minimize the impacts to the species by adhering to conservation measures; is not likely to jeopardize the continued existence and recovery of the state population of the species or the whole plant-animal community of which it is a part; and has benefit to the public health, safety or welfare that justifies the action.

Conservation measures to minimize the adverse effects on the threatened species will be incorporated into the proposed Incidental Take Authorization. Copies of the jeopardy assessment and background information on the wood turtle are available by visiting the DNR Incidental Take Public Notices webpage or upon request from Wisconsin DNR conservation biologist Stacy Rowe at Stacy.Rowe@wisconsin.gov or 608-228-9796.

The public is encouraged to submit written comments regarding project-related impacts to the wood turtle by July 10, 2025 to:

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
c/o Stacy Rowe, DNR Conservation Biologist
2514 Morse St.
Janesville, WI 53545
Stacy.Rowe@wisconsin.gov or 608-228-9796

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.