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Copies of this document is available to the public
through the National Technical Information Service,
Springfield, Virginia 22151.
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EPA - 905/9-76-002
February, 1976
IMPACT OF NON-POINT POLLUTION CONTROL
ON
WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR
"Western Lake Superior Basin Erosion-Sediment Control Project"
RED CLAY PROJECT - WORK PLAN
A Cooperative Interstate Effort Between the Ashland, Bayfield,
Carl ton, Douglas and Iron County Soil and Water Conservation
Districts.
by
Stephen C. Andrews
Project Director
Ralph G. Christensen Carl D. Wilson
Section 108a Program Project Officer
prepared for
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of the Great Lakes Coordinator
Section 108(a) Demonstration Program
Chicago, Illinois 60604
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EPA Review Notice
This report has been reviewed "by the Environmental Protection
Agency and approved for publication. Approval does not signify
that the contents necessarily reflect the views and policies of
the Environmental Protection Agency, nor does mention of trade
names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommend-
ation for use.
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PRINCIPAL PARTICIPANTS
RED CLAY PROJECT EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Paul Brown, Chairman - Douglas County SWCD
Robert Dusenbery - Ashland County SWCD
John MacDonald (alternate) - Ashland County SWCD
Ila Bromberg - Bayfield County SWCD
Gerhard Oltmanns - Carlton County SWCD
Marvin Innes - Iron County SWCD
PROJECT DIRECTOR
*Stephen Andrews
SWCD's
Ashland County SWCD - Albert Zimmerman, Chairman
Bayfield County SWCD - Arthur Meierotto, Chairman
Carlton County SWCD - Earl Carlson, Chairman
Douglas County SWCD - Paul Brown, Chairman
Iron County SWCD - Ivo Zanella, Chairman
USDA - SOIL CONSERVATION SERVICE - MINNESOTA AND WISCONSIN
Project Team
*Steve W. Payne, Team Leader
Orville Haszel, Soil Scientist
John Ourada, Project Engineer
Donald Peterson, Civil Engineer
George Flint, Civil Engineering Technician
Technical Assistance Team
Harry Major, State Conservationist - MN
Richard Akeley (deceased), State Conservationist - WI
William Oemichen, Assistant State Conservationist - MN
Gerald Root, Assistant State Conservationist - WI
Ernest Schober, Area Conservationist - MN
Merrill Ray, Area Conservationist - WI
Donald Benrud, District Conservationist - MN
Thomas Weix, District Conservationist - WI
Robert Bintzler, State Conservation Engineer - MN
Gerald Easton, State Administrative Officer - MN
Ordean Pinkelson, Geologist - MN
Cliff Gahm, Contract Specialist - MN
Herbert Gottfried, Hydrologist - MN
* Principal Investigators
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Technical Assistance Team (cont.)
Wendell Scheib, Soil Mechanics Engineer - MN
George Alley, Woodland Conservationist - WI
Orville Berry, State Resource Conservationist - WI
William Briggs, Agronomist - WI
Douglas Lawrence. Economist - WI
Lavern Strieker (deceased), Biologist - WI
Resource Conservation and Development Projects
Wayne Oak, Project Coordinator - Onanegozie RC&D Project - MN
Robert Speich, Project Coordinator - Pri-Ru-Ta RC&D Project - WI
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA-EXTENSION
George Saksa, Northeastern District Director
Arnie Heikkila, Area Community Resource Development Agent
Dave Radford, Carlton County Agricultural Agent
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-EXTENSION
William Shimel, Northern District Director
William Lontz, Area Natural Resources Education Agent
Dwaine Traeder, Ashland County Agricultural Agent
Harry Lowe, Bayfield County Agricultural Agent
*Raymond Polzin, Douglas County Agricultural Agent
Herbert Kinney, Iron County Agricultural Agent
John Markus, Iron County Agricultural and Youth Agent
WISCONSIN BOARD OF SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICTS
Eugene Savage, Executive Secretary
*Donald Houtman, Red Clay Project Specialist
RED CLAY INTERAGENCY COMMITTEE
George Wright, Chairman
WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
Cy Kabat, Director of Bureau of Research
John Konrad, Supervisor of Special Studies
Lowell Hanson, Director - Northwest District
William Weiher, Area Fish Manager - Brule, WI
MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
Terry Lejcher, Hydrologist - Division of Soils, Water & Minerals
* Principal Investigators
11
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MINNESOTA POLLUTION CONTROL AGENCY
John Pegors, Director - Region I
MINNESOTA SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION BOARD
Vernon Reinert, Executive Secretary
NORTHWESTERN WISCONSIN REGIONAL PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
John Post, Executive Director
Mark Mueller, Deputy Director
ARROWHEAD REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
Les Darling, Chief of Physical Planning
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-SUPERIOR
Albert Dickas, Director - Center for Lake Superior Environmental
Studies
*William Swenson, Department of Biology and CLSES
*Donald Davidson, Department of Biology and CLSES
*Rudy Koch, Department of Biology and CLSES
*Joe Mengel, Department of Geosciences
Ron Roubal, Department of Chemistry and CLSES
Don Bahnick, Department of Chemistry and CLSES
Paul Kending, Director of Instructional Media
UNIVERSITY OP WISCONSIN-MILWAUKEE
*Bruce Brown, Department of Geology
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON
*Tuncer Edil, Department of Civil Engineering
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA-DULUTH
*Don Olson, Department of Physics
Michael Sydor, Department of Physics
NORTHLAND COLLEGE
Robert Brander, Director - Sigurd Olson Institute of
Environmental Studies
* Principal Investigators
111
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USDI - GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
Charles Collier, District Chief - MN
C. Lee Holt, District Chief - WI
Steven Hindall, Hydrologist - WI
USDI - BUREAU OP INDIAN AFFAIRS
James Schanandore (deceased), Agency Realty Officer
WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
*Emil Meitzner, Division of Highways - District 8 - Chief
Materials Section
Tom Meierotto, Division of Highways - District 8
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CONSERVATION DISTRICTS
*William Horvath, Upper Mississippi Representative
UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Ralph Christensen
Carl Wilson
Principal Investigators
iv
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ABSTRACT
This document is the final report on the first or planning
phase of a research and demonstration project funded by a
grant from the United States Environmental Protection Agency
(G005140-01) under Section 108 of Public Law 92-500 (1972
Amendments to the Water Pollution Control Act) to the Soil
& Water Conservation Districts of Ashland, Bayfield, Douglas
and Iron Counties in Wisconsin and Carlton County in Minnesota.
The intent of this project is to evaluate various structural
and non-structural methods and techniques of controlling
erosion and sedimentation, which will cause an improvement
of water quality in area streams and ultimately Lake Superior.
The work plan is the result of evaluations and surveys conducted
in the "Red Clay" area of Wisconsin and Minnesota. The surveys
for Carlton County, Minnesota and the Wisconsin Counties of
Bayfield, Douglas and Iron were performed under a contract
between the U.S.D.A., Soil Conservation Service and the Sponsors.
The Lake Superior shoreline evaluations were the result of a
subcontract between Ashland County, Wisconsin and Dr. Tuncer
Edil of the Civil Engineering Department of the University of
Wisconsin, Madison. The Extension Service of the University of
Wisconsin and the University of Minnesota were responsible
for the formulation of the Information and Education program.
The grant proposal, as submitted to the U.S.E.P.A., outlined a
planning phase which called for surveys and evaluations by the
Soil Conservation Service leading to the selection of specific
sites within target watersheds that would be appropriate for
assessment of the various recommended techniques. Concurrently,
Dr. Edil was to identify sites and techniques along the Lake
Superior shoreline in Ashland County for further study.
The proposal called for the development of an information and
education program which would provide forums and formats for
the dissemination and feedback of information, attitudes and
concepts concerning all phases of the project.
In addition, the proposal indicated a need for the identification
of institutional roles and responsibilities necessary to conduct
not only the implementation phase but for work to be accomplished
beyond the life of the project.
These work elements have been accomplished and are discussed
in further detail in the work plan.
It is felt that the project will generate useful information
and demonstrate viable techniques that will be applicable to
other areas regarding:
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1. Cost-effective and environmentally compatible methods of
enhancing water quality through erosion and sedimentation
control.
2. Protection of our valuable water resources as well as those
of land.
3. Cooperative management techniques for planning and imple-
mentation of similar projects.
VI
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
PRINCIPAL PARTICIPANTS i
ABSTRACT v
TABLE OF CONTENTS vii
LIST OF MAPS x
LIST OF TABLES xi
LIST OF FIGURES xiii
I. INTRODUCTION ]
II. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE RED CLAY
STUDY AREA 4
III. NEMADJI RIVER BASIN 7
Description 7
Streambank Erosion Inventory. ... 10
Roadside Erosion Inventory. .... 12
Selection of Subwatershed
Study Areas 23
Skunk Creek Watershed Study
Area 26
Description 26
Land Capability 29
Streambank Erosion 33
Land Treatment Needs 33
Demonstration 37
Research 37
Monitoring 38
Work Plan Time Schedule 43
Little Balsam Creek Watershed
Study Area 44
Description 44
Streambank Erosion 44
Land Capability 47
Land Treatment Needs 53
Soil Surveys 54
Research 55
Monitoring 55
Work Plan Time Schedule 61
vii
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TABLE OF CONTENTS (cont.)
Page
IV. FISH CREEK WATERSHED .......... 62
Description ............ 62
Land Capability ......... °5
Streambank Erosion ........ bb
Pine Creek Watershed Study
Area ................ 75
Selection of Pine Creek
Study Area ............ ^
Description ........... '~
Land Treatment Needs ....... '~
Soil Surveys. .......... ''
Monitoring ............ 77
Work Plan Time Schedule ..... 83
V. ORONTO/PARKER CREEK BASIN ....... 84
Description ............ ^4
Spoon Creek Study Area
Description
Demonstration
Soil Survey
Monitoring
Work Plan Time Schedule
VI. ASHLAND SHORELINE STUDY AREA ...... 90
Of)
Description ............ 3U
Selection of Potential Study
or)
Madigan Beach .......... ^u
Lake Park ............ 93
Indian Cemetery ......... ^
County Highway H ......... 98
Study Area Selection
Demonstration
Indian Cemetery
10°
Madigan Beach .......... l
Monitoring & Evaluation ......
Work Plan Time Schedule ...... 107
Vlll
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TABLE OF CONTENTS (cont.)
Page
VII. INFORMATION DISSEMINATION & EDUCATION. . 108
Introduction ]08
Goals & Objectives 108
Target Clientele & Audience
Groups 109
Forums & Formats 109
VIII. INSTITUTIONAL MANAGEMENT- SYSTEMS. ... 113
Introduction ''3
Legal Authority ''^
Goals & Objectives H5
Participating Organisations &
Working Relationships ''°
Internal Management System .... 121
IX. ANALYSIS & EVALUATION 125
Introduction 125
Methods of Analysis 125
Methods of Evaluation 126
X. BUDGET 128
Summary 128
Program 129
Research 136
Monitoring
SCS Technical Assistance Budget. .
APPENDIX A DESCRIPTION OF SOIL ASSOCIATIONS
APPENDIX B LAND CAPABILITY UNITS
APPENDIX C DEFINITIONS OF LAND TREATMENT PRACTICES
APPENDIX D WATER QUALITY MONITORING
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LIST OF MAPS
Title Page
PROJECT LOCATION MAP 6
NEMADJI RIVER BASIN - GENERAL SOILS 17
NEMADJI RIVER BASIN - STREAMBANK EROSION. . . 19
SKUNK CREEK - LAND OWNERSHIP 27
SKUNK CREEK - LAND CAPABILITY 31
SKUNK CREEK - STREAMBANK EROSION 35
SKUNK CREEK - WORK LOCATION 41
LITTLE BALSAM - LAND OWNERSHIP 45
LITTLE BALSAM - LAND CAPABILITY 49
LITTLE BALSAM - STREAMBANK EROSION 51
LITTLE BALSAM - WORK LOCATION 59
FISH CREEK - LAND OWNERSHIP 63
FISH CREEK - GENERAL SOILS 67
FISH CREEK - LAND CAPABILITY 71
FISH CREEK - STREAMBANK EROSION 73
FISH CREEK - MONITORING LOCATION 81
ORONTO/PARKER - WORK AND MONITORING
LOCATION.
87
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LIST OF TABLES
Table
No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
ll
12
13
14-
15
16
17
18
19
EXPLANATION OF ABBREVIATIONS
NEMADJI RIVER BASIN - STREAMBANK
EROSION INVENTORY ,
WISCONSIN NEMADJI BASIN - ROADSIDE
EROSION NEEDS AND COSTS
CRITERIA USED TO SELECT SUBWATERSHED
STUDY AREAS
SKUNK CREEK - LAND CAPABILITY
SKUNK CREEK - STREAMBANK EROSION
INVENTORY
SKUNK CREEK - LAND TREATMENT STEEDS. . . .
SKUNK CREEK - WORK PLAN TIME SCHEDULE . .
LITTLE BALSAM - LAND CAPABILITY
LITTLE BALSAM - STREAMBANK EROSION
INVENTORY
LITTLE BALSAM - LAND TREATMENT NEEDS. . .
LITTLE BALSAM - WORK PLAN TIME SCHEDULE .
FISH CREEK - LAND CAPABILITY
FISH CREEK - STREAMBANK EROSION
INVENTORY
PINE CREEK - LAND TREATMENT NEEDS ....
PINE CREEK - WORK PLAN TIME SCHEDULE. . .
ORONTO/PARKER - WORK PLAN TIME
SCHEDULE
ASHLAND SHORELINE - WORK PLAN TIME
SCHEDULE
TARGET CLIENTELE AND AUDIENCE GROUPS. . .
Page
3
13
i R
1 O
o H or
24,25
29
34
39
43
47
48
57
61
69
70
79
83
f\f\
89
107
110
XI
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LIST OF TABLES (cont.)
Table
No. Pap;e
20 BUDGET - GENERAL SUMMARY ........ 128
21 BUDGET - ADMINISTRATION ........ 129
22 BUDGET - NEMADJI BASIN, MINNESOTA ... 13°
23 BUDGET - NEMADJI BASIN, WISCONSIN ... 131
24 BUDGET - FISH CREEK BASIN ....... 132
25 BUDGET - ORONTO/PARKER CREEK BASIN. . . 133
26 BUDGET - ASHLAND SHORELINE ....... 134
2? BUDGET - INFORMATION AND EDUCATION
PROGRAM ................ 135
28 BUDGET - VEGETATIONAL COVER ANALYSIS. . ]36
29 BUDGET - ROLE OF PLANT ROOTS IN RED
CLAY EROSION .............. 137
30 BUDGET - EFFECT OF VEGETATION COVER ON
SOIL WATER CONTENT OF RED CLAY SOILS
AND EROSION CONTROL .......... 138
31 BUDGET - EFFECTS OF EROSION CONTROL ON
AQUATIC LIFE IN THE NEMADJI RIVER AND
ITS TRIBUTARIES ............ 139
32 BUDGET - LITTLE BALSAM SLOPE STUDY. . . I40
BUDGET - GROUND WATER STUDY ......
34- BUDGET - RAINFALL AND TEMPERATURE
MONITORING ............... I42
35 BUDGET - WISCONSIN MONITORING ..... 143
36 BUDGET - MINNESOTA MONITORING ..... 144
37 BUDGET - ASHLAND SHORELINE MONITORING
AND EVALUATION ............. 145
38 BUDGET - SCS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ...
Xll
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LIST OF FIGURES
Figure
No. Page
1 ASHLAND SHORELINE LOCATION MAP ...... 91
? MADIGAN BEACH - GEOMETRICAL
CHARACTERISTICS ............. ^
3 LAKE PARK - GEOMETRICAL CHARACTERISTICS . 95
4 INDIAN CEMETERY - GEOMETRICAL
CHARACTERISTICS ............. 9/
5 COUNTY HIGHWAY H - GEOMETRICAL
CHARACTERISTICS ............. "
6 INDIAN CEMETERY - PRELIMINARY SHORE
PROTECTION DESIGN CONCEPTS ........ 102
7 MADIGAN BEACH - PRELIMINARY SHORE
PROTECTION DESIGN CONCEPTS ........ IUb
8 RED CLAY PROJECT - ORGANIZATIONAL
STRUCTURE AND FLOW CHART. ... .....
XI11
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I. INTRODUCTION
The peculiar qualities of the red clay soils on the South
Shore of Lake Superior have puzzled residents since the
first white settlers arrived. Road building was difficult
and the harvest of forest products was costly. Those who
tilled the soil found the red clay to be surprisingly pro-
ductive but very difficult to manage. Railroad engineers
found long trestles and much piling needed to span the "V"
shaped valleys of the South Shore streams.
But it was in the mid 1950"s that the first systematic
research on land use problems of the red clay soils of
Northwestern Wisconsin was begun. Early efforts were aimed
at stabilizing streambanks, and reducing roadside erosion
to cut down on the sedimentation in lakes and streams.
Techniques such as mulching, vegetative covers, and erosion
control structures were demonstrated.
State and Federal agencies with the help of local civic
groups and private industry teamed up to study the problem.
An Interagency Red Clay Committee consisting of the Soil
Conservation Service, the Wisconsin Department of Natural
Resources, the University of Wisconsin College of Agriculture,
and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation was organized
to carry out the research.
While sedimentation of the streams and lakes has long been
of concern, it was not until about 1970 that the suspended
clay was considered a pollutant. The first Lake Superior Water
Quality Conference, called to focus on the taconite tailings
situation on the North Shore, was the occasion at which the
public was made aware of the nutrients entering the lake through
erosion. When the finger was pointed at the South Shore,
Governor Lucey ordered the Red Clay Interagency Committee to
study the situation. The committee was charged with inventorying
the extent of the sedimentation and outlining a plan of action
to reduce this pollution.
At this same time the Soil and Water Conservation Districts in
Douglas County Wisconsin and Carlton County Minnesota had begun
to meet jointly to consider ways of reducing sedimentation from
the Nemadji watershed. The City of Cloquet had secured EPA
funding for a waterline in cooperation with the City of Superior.
This $8.4- million project which takes water from Lake Superior
experienced a water quality problem with high turbidity resulting
from resuspension of clay deposits by wave action. The Soil and
Water Conservation Districts with help from the Northwest
Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission developed proposals for
studying the problem.
1
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Meanwhile the Soil and Water Conservation Districts responded
to the report of the Red Clay Interagency Committee by accepting
responsibility for developing a program to reduce red clay
sedimentation. The Lake Superior Division of the Pri-Ru-Ta
Resource Conservation and Development Project agreed to team
up with the Carlton County Soil and Water Conservation District
to develop project proposals.
During these planning efforts the Wisconsin State Board of Soil
and Water Conservation Districts had been assisting local
districts. In June of 1973 the State Board was instrumental in
arranging a tour of the five counties by representatives from
the Chicago office of the United States Environmental Protection
Agency. Because this agency was already involved with water
quality problems at the Head of the Lakes, they were very
interested in the Red Clay Project proposals. It was with the
continued encouragement of U.S.E.P.A. officials that the sub-
sequent proposals were developed.
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Table 1
Explanation of Abbreviations Used in the Text
Abbreviation
ARDC
ASCS
CLSES
Corps, the -
GLBC
IJC
MDNR
MPCA
MSWCB
NACD
NWRP&DC
Project, the
RC&D
RCIC
RP&DC ' E
SOS
SWCD
UGLRC
UMD
UMEX
USBIA
USDA
USDI
USDOC
USEPA
IJSGS
UWEX
UW-Mad
UW-Mil
UWS
WBSWCD
WDNR
WDOT
Agency, Institution or Organization
Arrowhead Regional Development Commission
Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service
Center for Lake Superior Environmental Studies
(University of Wisconsin-Superior)
United States Army Corps of Engineers
Great Lakes Basin Commission
International Joint Commission
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
Minnesota Soil and Water Conservation Board
National Association of Conservation Districts
Northwestern Wisconsin Regional Planning and
Development Commission
The Minnesota/Wisconsin Western Lake Superior
Basin Erosion and Sedimentation Control Project
(the Red Clay Project)
- Resource Conservation and Development Project
- Red Clay Interagency Committee
- Regional Planning and Development Commissions
Soil Conservation Service
- Soil and Water Conservation District
- Upper Great Lakes Regional Commission
- University of Minnesota-Duluth
- University of Minnesota-Extension
- United States Bureau of Indian Affairs
- United States Department of Agriculture
- United States Department of the Interior
- United States Department of Commerce
- United States Environmental Protection Agency
- United States Geological Survey
- University of Wisconsin-Extension
- University of Wisconsin-Madison
- University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
- University of Wisconsin-Superior
- Wisconsin Board of Soil and Water Conservation
Districts
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
- Wisconsin Department of Transportation
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II. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OP THE "RED CLAY STUDY AREA"
OF THE WESTERN ARM OF THE LAKE SUPERIOR BASIN
Geographic Setting
The five counties comprising the "Red Clay Area" (Ashland,
Bayfield, Carlton, Douglas and Iron) lie in the extreme
northwestern part of Wisconsin and northeastern Minnesota.
The principal communities of the area are: Ashland, Bayfield,
Washburn, Superior and Hurley. The City of Duluth, Minnesota
and the City of Ironwood, Michigan while in proximity are
outside the scope of the project. The area is served by
several major highways including U.S. Highway 2 (east-west),
and U.S. Highways 53, 63, 51 and 1-35 (north-south).
The area lies generally about 4-7° north latitude and 90° to
92° west longitude. Its elevation ranges from 600 feet above
sea level to approximately 1,800 feet above sea level.
The climate, which is little influenced by terrain, is class-
ified as humid, continental with long, cold winters and short,
warm summers.
The soils of the area were derived primarily from glacial clay,
sand and other debris. These soils were developed under a
northern hardwood-coniferous forest vegetation.
The natural vegetation, as stated above, was northern hardwood-
coniferous including red and white pine, oak and birch. Sub-
sequent to logging and agricultural use late in the nineteenth
and early twentieth centuries, the land reverted to a forest
with aspen as one of the dominant species. Much of the area
today remains in secondary forest growth.
Geologic Setting
The area lies at the southern fringe of the Canadian Shield, a
region of Precambrian sandstone and shales. The majority of
these rocks lie at depth and do not affect to any extent relief
or surfacial topography.
During the "Ice Age" a great deal of rock debris was transported
into the area and deposited as ground, lateral and end moraine.
As the glaciers melted, runoff sorted and distributed some of
the morainal material forming outwash plains. During this
melting period waters were trapped between the ice and topo-
graphic relief to the south forming glacial Lake Duluth, an
early stage of the present Lake Superior. The red clay which
includes lenses of sand was deposited in great thickness in this
lake and others which extended over much of the present land
area in the Lake Superior Basin.
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The red clays form a nearly level plain with the west and
northwest being "bounded by sand and gravel hills and in the
south and southwest by till plain. In places beach ridges
border the lake plain.
The thickness of these deposits vary from zero in bedrock
outcrop area to over 600 feet.
It is the combination of all these glacial deposits that is
responsible for the relief found in the area and the topography
over which the modern drainage was established.
The "Red Clay Area" is geologically young and soil erosion
processes still occur at a rapid rate with further acceleration
due to baring of slopes by natural or man-made causes.
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I
RED CLAY PROJECT
Location Map
PINE
NEMADJI BASIN
1. Skunk Crk Basin
2. Balsam Crk Basin
Ashland
Shoreline
Vi—
Fish "Creek
Basin
DOUGLAS
BAYFIELD
^r" NOronto-Parker
I.
I
I
ASHLAND
| IRON j
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III. NEMADJI RIVER BASIN
Description
The Nemadji River Basin comprises 460 square miles in Carlton
and Pine Counties, Minnesota and Douglas County, Wisconsin.
Two hundred square miles are in Northwestern Wisconsin and
two hundred and sixty square miles are in East Central Minnesota•
Clayey soils make up 117,760 acres (40%) of the 294,400 acre
area.
The Nemadji Basin is fan shaped with tributaries flowing
roughly west to east. Land use is predominately forest land
(90%) which was clear cut "by the early 1900's, cropped for
25-30 years and now has a regrowth of aspen, birch and some
pine. The remaining use is for crops and pasture.
Average annual precipitation for the Basin ranges between 27 and
30 inches. The mean annual temperature is about 40° Fahrenheit
with monthly means ranging between approximately 8 to 12° in
January and February and 64 to 66° in July and August. Temper-
ature extremes are -43 to +105 • The frost-free period ranges
between 92 and 125 days for most of the Basin. Normal snow
fall is about 60 inches, and the 50 year mean recurrence of
snow load is 45 pounds per square foot.
Physiographically, the Nemadji Basin is essentially a nearly
level plain that represents the abandoned floor of glacial
Lake Duluth which occupied the Lake Superior Basin in late
Pleistocene time. Abandoned shoreline deposits form an arc
mid-point in the watershed. Surface deposits include lacustrine
clays and silts and gently rolling to flat ground moraine.
Bedrock consists of predominantly Precambrian sandstones and
shales with a section of volcanics in the southeast corner.
Depth to bedrock ranges from exposed to over 600 feet.
The Basin includes the main Northeast flowing streams—the
North and South Fork Nemadji Rivers which join in mid-basin.
In addition the southeast flowing Blackhoof River enters the
North Fork of the Nemadji mid-point in its course. The Black
River watershed forms the south border. It flows oblique to
and enters the main Nemadji close to the outlet into Superior
Harbor Basin. Numerous auxilary streams enter the South Fork,
flowing north and a few more enter the North Fork flowing
southeast. The general pattern is dendritic. Topography on
the lake plain ranges from a nearly flat, featureless plain to
an incised, gullied ridge and valley type mid-section to a flat
floodplain outlet. The lake plain is bounded on the northwest
7
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and west by rolling sand and gravel hills and on the south
and southwest by a gently rolling till plain. A sandy
glacial beach borders the lake plain in Wisconsin. The
altitude ranges from nearly 1,270 feet mean sea level in
Carlton County to 602 feet at the mouth of the river. Local
relief ranges from a few tenths of a foot near the outlet to
nearly 160 feet in the ridge and valley central area. The
Nemadji River flows in a meandering channel that, in mid-
course is entrenched some 100 to 150 feet below the surrounding
nearly level lake plain. The river is generally lacking any
significant terrace development.
Most of the Nemadji Watershed is underlaid by the Hinckley and
Fond du Lac formations. These are of upper Precambrian age
(Keweenaxxran) and are composed of quartzose and arkosic sand-
stone and interbedded shales. A portion of the watershed from
the vicinity of Patzau to the south and west is underlain by
middle Keweenawan volcanic formations composed mainly of basalts
and andesites interbedded with sandstones, shales and conglom-
erates.
These in turn are overlaid by glacial till and lake laid
sediments. The glacial till deposits are from the debris of
the four major glaciations which invaded the area. The last
glaciation, called the Wisconsin Stage, retreated from the area
about 11,000 years ago. The remaining material, called drift,
is composed of unsorted sand, silt and clay. The drift is
believed to be from less than one hundred to over two hundred
feet thick.
Upon the retreat of the glacier a large lake, Lake Duluth, was
formed. Lake Duluth was 500 feet deeper and more extensive
than Lake Superior - the modern offspring of Lake Duluth.
Glacial Lake Duluth, because of ice blockage to the north and
east, drained, to the south into the St. Groix - Mississippi
drainage basin during the early retreat of the glacier. The
meltwaters of the glacier carried great quantities of sands,
silts and clays into the Duluth basin. These materials formed
some of the sand deltas, and silt and clay deposits now found.
The central portion of the Nemadji Watershed is composed of
the silt and reddish clay layers. Analysis of the clay indicates
that the particles are mainly in the 2 micron size or smaller.
The clay layers range from massive layers to very thin layers
between the coarser silt. The clays in situ have very high
water contents, are quite high in mica and are mainly of
montmorillonite type clay. ?ine grained waterlaid deposits are
unconsolidated and have low shear strength.
A beach developed around the central clayey zone through wave
action on the outlying glacial drift. The glacial drift is
quite sandy with very little clay. The drift is classified as
ground and end moraine. As the lake found its outlet to the
east, the water level dropped. As it dropped, erosion cut the
"V" shaped drainages into and through the clay cap.
-------
The streams are highly meandered. The meandering has caused
instability of the streambanks especially on the outside of
the meanders where the stream directs most of its force.
The General Soil Map, page 16, shows the general pattern and
distribution of soils in the landscape. More detailed soils
information is contained in Appendix A.
A basic hydrologic model was prepared to determine peak dis-
charges from runoff of the entire Nemadji Basin. The purpose
of this basic model was to determine which tributaries contri-
bute to the major peak discharge and sediment transport. The
model takes into account the effects of topography on hydraulic
flow. No attempt was made at this time to try to determine
the rainfall runoff relationships that may occur at the time of
sediment movement, nor the frequency of occurrences of runoff.
One stream gauge which gathers sediment data has been in
operation for about 4 months in 1974• Its location near the
outlet at Superior, Wisconsin, includes most of the drainage
areas of the Nemadji Basin. During one small storm, sediment-
ation data was collected at intermittent times. With consider-
able projections the peak discharge from the basin was related
to the sediment rates at the stream gauge. From this data it
became apparent that the sediment moves with the high peak
discharges. The storm rainfall, which did not exceed 2 inches
with 24 hours, may be typical of the yearly or two-year storm
occurrences in this watershed.
Many parts of the watershed, especially the wooded uplands,
deliver almost no sediment to the stream. It appears that
the majority of the sediment comes from streambank erosion.
Eighteen stream gauges in the Red Clay area of Minnesota,
Wisconsin and Michigan were checked for the 10-year peak
discharge from data prepared by the U.S. Geologic Survey.
Only three of the gauges have sufficient data to project the
100-year flow. An analysis of this data shows the 10-year
frequency to be about 150 csm (cubic feet per second per
square mile) for 2 square miles (300 cfs - cubic feet per
second) and 30 csm for 500 square miles (15,000 cfs). The
100-year occurrence could be projected at 350 csm f°r 2 square
miles (700 cfs) and 60 csm for 500 square miles (30,000 cfs).
This regionalized analysis does not take into account the
differences in the runoff characteristics of the various
tributaries. It is expected that Skunk Creek would be some-
what lower than this, that Balsam Creek would be considerably
lower, and the Blackhoof and South Fork of the Nemadji Rivers
would fit fairly well on this curve. The Black River probably
has the lowest peak discharge of all the tributaries.
-------
One recording rain gauge is located within the watershed at
Poxboro. This one gauge when related to the surrounding
gauges at Moose Lake, Duluth and Superior is not adequate
coverage of the watershed for the type of storms that seem to
transport considerable amounts of sediment. Additional
rain gauges will be placed within the watershed to give adequate
documentation of rainfall and sediment yield distribution.
Streambank Erosion Inventory
The streambank erosion survey was conducted by helicopter
observations and field surveys. Field surveys were made on the
two selected study subwatersheds, Little Balsam Greek and
Skunk Creek. Helicopter observation was used to survey the
main drainages of the Nemadji watershed. The streambank
erosion and slide sites were located and recorded on 7 1/2 minute
USGS topographic maps. Soils information was gathered mainly
from existing soil survey data and an occasional field sample.
Few deep borings have been made in the area.
The erosion study was divided into reaches that have similar
physical characteristics. These reaches are shown on the
Streambank Erosion Map, page 17 . .Variations in reaches include
differences in floodplain width and grade, soils and character
and quantity of erosion. The narrative describes the conditions
found throughout the trunk streams of the Nemadji River. Investiga-
tions indicate that these conditions are representative of those
existing under similar physical and geologic conditions on the
tributaries. All measurements were made on 7 1/2 minute topo-
graphic maps. Both straight line distances and stream distance
were measured.
The first reach is from the mouth of the river to the first Soo
Line Railroad bridge. The floodplain widths range from 1,300 to
2,000 feet. The average gradient of the floodplain is about 2.5
feet per mile. The floodplain ranges from 2 to 8 feet above
river level at base flow.
The soils are wet alluvial mineral soils. The soils classify
from SP (clean sands) to MH (silt).
The erosion in this reach consists of streambank cutting on the
outside of the meanders. The cut banks are steep and raw. The
erosion progresses slowly. The eroded material (mainly sand)
are carried directly into the stream and become a part of the
stream bedload.
Unified Soil Classification for Engineering Uses
10
-------
The second reach is from the first Soo Line Railroad upstream to
one mile above the Dedham - Borea bridge. The floodplain here
is heavily forested and is from 1,300 to 3,500 feet wide except
where Highway 35 crosses. The average grade of the floodplain
is about 3«75 feet per mile. Elevation of the floodplain above
the stream is about 8 feet at the lower end, rising to about
20 feet upstream from the bridge.
The soils in this reach are alluvial, mainly silt (ML-silts to
low CL-clays) except for a natural levee which ranges from
mainly sand to silty sand (SP-clean sand to SM-silty sand).
Erosion consists of streambank undercutting, mostly in the
natural levee, with accompanying slumping of the overburden
soil into the stream. The streambank erosion in this reach
provides additional sand to the bedload component. The slides
in this reach are confined to the floodplain soils and do not
extend up the valley walls.
The third reach starts from one mile above the Dedham - Borea
bridge and extends to the junction of the South Fork of the
Nemadji River. The valley floor narrows and the river meanders
from valley wall to valley wall. The floodplain consists of
short sections of bottom land between meanders, with abandoned
oxbows in some of these flat sections. The floodplain gradient
is about nine £eet per mile. The outside of the meanders under-
cut the valley walls causing massive slides.
Soils in the valley floor consist of alluvial silt and clay.
The valley walls are steep and soil materials are lake laid
clay stratified with layers of silt and, in places, sand. The
classification of clay is mainly CH whereas the silt ranges
from low CL-clays to ML-silts. The floodplain and valley slopes
are forested. Strearabank cutting is evident on the floodplain
but the main damage occurs where the stream cuts into the valley
wall unstabilizing the entire slope above the cut. The valley
walls reach up 150 feet in this area. The resultant massive
slides are a continuing source of sediment to the stream. The
sediment consists primarily of silt and clay and contributes
greatly to the suspended load. Sand and gravel in the stream
was probably derived from the lake bottom debris remaining from
the original valley erosion process.
Reach four is located on the main trunk stream from the Jiinction
with the South Fork upstream to where the Nemad.ji River and
Nemad.li Creek ,i'oin.
Reach five is on the South Fork from the junction upstream to
the confluence of Clear and Anderson Creeks in section 12, T46N, R1?W.
The floodplain and valley slopes are forested.
These two reaches are very similar in soil, slope and erosion
characteristics. The dissected floodplain is about 4-00 feet
wide in the lower part but it disappears as the valleys narro\v
11
-------
to ravines in the upper end. The soils are composed of lake
laid sediments ranging from CH (clay) to ML (silt). In
places the stream has cut into the underlying till providing
an additional source of sand and gravel to armour plate the
stream "bottom. The till soils range from SM (silty sand) to
GH (silty gravel).
Table _2___, page 13 summarizes the streambank inventory data
collected for the Nemadji River.
Roadside Erosion
Roadside erosion is a major man-made source of sediment in the
Nemadji Basin. Large volumes of sediments are deposited in
streams from the roadside each year, resulting in increased
maintenance costs and pollution of receiving waters.
Ironically, much of the roadside erosion results from roadside
maintenance activities. Removal of sediments from road ditches
expose bare, unstable soil slopes and concentrates runoff water.
Small land slips develop and sediment deposition in the road ditches
increases. Concentrated runoff water carries some of the sediment
to nearby streams. Some of the sediment remains to clog the
road ditch. More maintenance is required and the cycle begins
again.
Detailed roadside erosion surveys were conducted to update data
previously collected for the basin. State and local public
roads were field checked to identify and estimate the amount of
erosion taking place within road rights-of-way.
The following criteria were used to identify and record active
roadside erosion:
1. Bare ground surfaces more than 100 square feet were located.
on a map. It is assumed that surfaces smaller than this
will revegetate themselves in a short period of time.
2. The tyoe and amount of control measures were recorded in
order to determine cost of treatment.
It was determined from these field observations that three types
of erosion conditions occur along the roadsides: 1) A small
bare patch where sheet erosion removes small volumes of sediment.
These areas constitute a moderate erosion hazard and produce low
sediment volume. Seeding is needed to control erosion on these
sites. 2) A large bare area with a developed pattern of rills
and small gullies. These areas constitiite a severe erosion
hazard and produce large volumes of sediment. Shaping and
seeding are needed to control erosion on these sites. 3) A
large bare area with large gullies, land slips and slides within
the area. These areas constitute a very severe erosion hazard
and produce large volumes of sediment. Grade stabilization
structures, shaping and seeding are needed to control erosion
on these sites.
1?
-------
Reach
TABLE 2
STREAMBANK EROSION INVENTORY
Channel Description
NEMADJI RIVER
Erosion Description
No.
1
2
3
4
5
Straight
Line
Length
(Mi)
4
9.5
5
11.5
8
Channel
Length
(Mi)
6.7
16.4
8.8
20.5
13.0
Channel
Gradient
(Ft /Mi)
0.6
1.8
6.4
10.4
10.8
Channel
Erosion
No/Mi1
1.1
4.5
3.2
1.2
1.9
Slides
No/Mi 1
-
-
2.2
2.1
3.2
Magnitude
of
Erosion
Moderate
Moderate
Severe
Very Severe
Very Severe
Average number of sites per mile of channel length
-------
The following table provides a breakdown of the roadside erosion
control needs and estimated costs.
-------
TABLE
WISCONSIN NEMADJI BASIN ROADSIDE EROSION NEEDS AND COSTS
Critical Area
vn
iirea
County See ding--
Douglas
TWP RDS 15.3 Ac.
CO. RDS 4.3 Ac.
STATE
RDS 1.6 Ac.
CITY
RDS 5.4 Ac.
To
Shape2
9.5 Ac.
4.2 Ac.
1.4 Ac.
5.2 Ac.
Earth
Moving?
4,040 cu.
480 cu.
2,225 cu.
8,425 cu.
Instal.
Structures Cost^
yds 5
yds 2
yds 2
yds 6
36,400
10,530
12,455
43,615
T«f.h. Total
Assist.5 Cost
7,085 4-3,485
2,100 12,630
2,290 14,745
8,525 52,140
Total for
CO. 26.6 Ac. 20.3 Ac. 15,170 cu. yds
103,000 20,000 123,000
1 Includes all areas that require critical area seeding
2 Includes areas that require either mechanical or hand shaping before seeding
3 Cubic yards of fill required before shaping & seeding
4 Locations where a mechanical spillway is required
5 20% installation costs
-------
-------
-N-
WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR BASIN
Wisconsin-Minnesota
Nemadji River Basin
Carlton—Douglas Counties
General Soil Map
Ashland, Bayfield, Carlton, Douglas
and Iron County Soil & Water Conser-
vation Districts in cooperation with
Environmental Protection Agenoy
Soil Conservation Service
LAKE
SUPERIOR
S«pri,r
Scale in Mil«s
Prepared by
U. S. Dept. of Agriculture
Soil Conservation Service
M«rch 1975
LEGEND
Watershed Boundary
Streams
Towns, Villages
Railroads
Roads
Campia—Spooner Association
Ontonogan—Rudyard—Bergland
Association
Ahmeek—Ronneby—Washburn
Association
Omega—Clouquet Association
Nemadji—Newson Association
Greenwood—Loxley Association
Ahmeek—Omega Association
Steep clayey land
-------
-------
WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR BASIN
Wisconsin-Minnesota
Nemadji River Basin
Carlton—Douglas Counties
Streambank Erosion
Ashland, Bayfield, Carlton, Douglas
and Iron County Soil & Water Conser-
vation Districts in cooperation with
Environmental Protection Agency
Soil Conservation Service
LAKE
SUPERIOR
Scale in Mil«s
Prepared by
U.S. Depl. of Agriculture
Soil Conservation Service
March 1975
LEGEND
— — — Watershed Boundary
Streams
Towns, Villages
Railroads
Roads
Stream Channel Erosion
Bank Erosion (slips, slides)
-------
-------
SELECTION OF SUBWATERSHED STUDY AREAS
Study areas representative of conditions in the entire watershed were selected
using the following criteria:
1. The proportion of loamy glacial till and sandy beach deposits in the uplands
with respect to the clayey lacustrine basin.
2. The relationship of present land use patterns within the subwatersheds to
land use patterns in the entire Nemadji Basin. The ratio of open cropland
and/or pasture to woodland indicates the relative intensity of land use
within the area.
3. The presence of active eroding slips and slides along the river channels and
drainageways. Slide and erosion conditions representative of those in the
Nemadji Basin.
4. The roadside erosion taking place within the subwatershed areas. Roadside
erosion that would be representative of the entire Nemadji River Basin.
5. The land ownership pattern. We were interested in private land versus
public land. Land rights are generally easier to obtain on publicly owned
land and future maintenance and operations agreements would be easier to
manage.
6. Access to the work sites. Most of the eroding areas have ver limited access.
It will be necessary to do some access road construction. This will be
held to a minimum by working in the selected study areas.
7. The relative amount of sediment produced in the subwatersheds. One study
area that produced a relatively large amount of sediment and one that pro-
duced a moderate amount of sediment were selected. This selection will
show the effectiveness of corrective measures on sediment reduction in both
the high and moderate sediment producing study areas.
Using these considerations the following subwatershed study areas were selected
as being representative of the entire watershed:
Skunk Creek Basin in Minnesota - A relatively high sediment-producing
basin covering approximately 10.7 square miles. The land use intensity
within the basin is relatively low. However, there are numerous slips
and slides in this subwatershed.
Little Balsam Creek in Wisconsin - A moderate sediment-producing water-
shed covering approximately 5.4 square miles. Land use within the water-
shed is a relatively low intensity.
23
-------
TABLE 4
CRITERIA USED TO SELECT SUBWATERSHED STUDY AREAS
Watershed Name
Criteria
Approx. Area Drained
in So. Miles
Percent of Total
Watershed
i\3 Soils (% of Watershed
"^ Area)
Lake Plain
Beach
Upland
Straightline Miles of
Stream
Land Use
% Openland
% Forestland
% Urban
Ownership
% Private
% Public
.adii
•60
00
32
18
56
35 '
10
89
1
45
55
Little
Balsam.
Wis.
5.4
1.2
70
15
55
*.5
11
88
1
45
55
Skunk-
Duesler
Minn.
10.7
2.3
*0
35
^5
7.0
25
75
85
15
Unnamed
Wis.
3.0
0.6
80
20
0
3.0
^R
65
100
0
Rocky
Run
Wis.
3.0
0.5
80
20
0
^ c
75
25
90
10
Sto:
ne;
Brook
Wis
2
0
90
10
0
4
70
30
95
5
•
.5
.5
.0
Accessability
Moderate
Good
Moderate
Good
Good
Good
-------
ro
01
Criteria
Approx. Area Drained
in So. Miles
Percent of Total
Watershed
Soils (% of Watershed
Area)
Lake Plain
Beach
Upland
Straightline Miles of
Stream
Land Use
TABLE 4 (cont.)
Watershed Name
Rock Sec. 36 Stoney
Creek Creek Brook"
Wis. Minn. Minn.
5.0
1.1
45
20
35
7.6
6.0
1.3
6.0
6.0
1.3
2.5
Rock
Creek
Minn.
8.0
1.7
7.0
Deer
Creek
Minn.
8.5
1.8
75
10
15
45
20
35
60
15
25
40
25
35
7.5
7o Openland
% Forestland
% Urban
Ownership
% Private
% Public
45
55
95
5
15
85
50
50
2
98
100
0
0
100
80
20
15
85
80
20
Accessability
Poor
Poor
Good
Moderate
Poor
-------
SKUNK CREEK WATERSHED STUDY AREA
Description
The Skunk Creek Watershed comprises a drainage area of approx-
imately 10.7 square miles (6,870 acres) in southeastern Carlton
County, Minnesota. The watershed lies 7 miles east of Barnum,
Minnesota. It is about 6 miles long and about 3-5 miles wide
at the widest point. Skunk Creek, the main stream, drains the
southern and western part of the watershed. It is joined by
Duesler Creek in the central part and Elim Creek in the north
part. The Soo Line Railroad bisects the watershed in a north-
east-southwest direction. Three small tributaries Join the
stream near its outlet below County Highway 103.
The basin is rural with no population centers. There are
no major industrial or recreational sites. About 73% is forest
land, 16% is cropland, 7% is pasture and 4% is other land such
as roads and other miscellaneous uses. The map on page 23
illustrates land use and ownership in the Skunk Creek Basin.
The basin originally supported a coniferous forest consisting of
mainly white pine, red pine and jack pine. This was logged
off around the turn of the century and the land periodically
burned. Most of the original stands were succeeded by aspen
and paper birch. Aspen is the most abundant species today.
Red pine is the primary species planted for saw log production.
Other species present are balsam fir, white spruce and jack pine.
On the wetlands black spruce, tamarack, black ash and northern
white cedar are the dominate species. The forest industry is
an important segment of the basin's economy.
The elevation of the watershed ranges from about 805 feet at
the east end to 1,090 feet above sea level at the extreme west
end. It is mostly within the lake laid sediments of Glacial
Lake Duluth. Surface deposits in the eastern part consist
mainly of clay with some silt and fine sand layers. It is into
these erosive sediments that Skunk Creek and its tributaries
are entrenched, up to more than 100 feet at the lower end.
Gently undulating sandy deposits that are wet in depressions
are located in the central part. A small island of loamy glacial
drift is in the west central part. The northwest part is a
gently sloping to rolling sandy and gravelly outwash plain.
The underlying rock is the Hinkley and Fond du Lac (Keweenawan)
formations of Precambrian age. They are composed of mainly
quartzose and arkosic sandstones and interbedded shales. These
are too deep to influence proposed works of improvement.
Overlying the bedrock is the debris from the four major glaciations
that covered the area. This deposit called drift is, in places,
quite dense and slowly permeable. It is composed of sand, silt
and clay with pockets and lenses of clean sand, in places water
26
-------
WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR BASIN
Wisconsin-Minnesota
Nemadji River Basin
Carlton—Douglas Counties
Monitoring Location Map
Ashland, Bayfield, Carlton, Douglas
and Iron County Soil & Water Conser-
vation Districts in cooperation with
Environmental Protection Agency
Soil Conservation Service
LAKE
SUPERIOR
(
Scale in Miles
Preptrod by
U.S. Dept. of Agriculture
Soil Conservation Service
Merck 1975
LEGEND
Watershed Boundary
Streams
Towns, Villages
Railroads
Roads
Monitoring Site
-------
-------
bearing. This drift is exposed in the west central part of the
basin. A strip through the middle of the basin has been modified
by wave action to form a sandy beach deposit.
Land Capability
The land capability units represent groupings of soil with common
limitations for agricultural and woodland uses. The soils in
each unit show similar responses to like treatment under similar
use patterns.
The capability groupings presented here are intended for use in
this report only.
There are 25 different kinds of soil in the Skunk Creek, Minnesota
study area. These soils make up a total of 18 land capability
units which are used in determining land treatment needs. A more
detailed description of the soils in each capability unit, their
characteristics and limitations are contained in Appendix A
The major soils within each land capability unit are listed in
Table 5 The land capability unit distribution pattern is
shown on page 25
Table 5
Soils Data by Land Capability Unit
Acreage Major Soil Series Major Hazard
Slopes
Ilel 142
IIw2 50
IIIe?N 105
Ills1) 1,669
IIIw2 42
IIIw3 130
IVe2) 204
IVe?-> 166
IVsl 1,324
IVw2 897
IVw3 787
IVw4 125
IVw£) 327
IVw?) 33
IVw5) 21
Vllel6) 378
VIIsl 50
VIIIe7) 420
Baudette, Duluth
Spooner
Superior
Ontonagon
Busier
Allendale
Baudette, Duluth
Ontonagon
Omega
Newson
Nemadji
Mahtowa, Blackhoof
Rudyard, Bergland
Beseman, Dawson
Bain
Ontonagon
Omega
Steep Clayey Land
Erosion
Wetness
Erosion
Ponded Water
Wetness
Wetness
Erosion
Erosion
Drouthiness
Wetness
Wetness
Wetness
Wetness
Wetness
Wetness
Erosion
Drouthiness
Erosion
0-2
0-2
3-11
0-2
0-2
0-2
3-11
3-11
6-11
0-2
0-2
0-2
0-2
0-2
0-2
12-24
12-24
25-45
-'•Class IIsl in Appendix B
r>
Class Illel in Appendix B
*Class IIIe2 in Appendix B
/i
Class IIIwl in Appendix B
5ciass VIIwl in Appendix B
5Class IVe2 in Appendix B
n
'Class Vllel in Appendix B
29
-------
-------
Scale in Miles
Prepared by
U. S. Dept. of Agricultur
Soil Conservation Servicf
March 1975
LEGEND
— — — Watershed Boundary
Streams
^ Towns, Villages
H—t—t- Railroads
===== Roads
Private Open Land
Private Woodland
I\\\NI Public Open Land
Public Woodland
WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR BASIN
Wisconsin-Minnesota
Skunk Creek
Carlton County, Minnesota
Land Ownership Map
Ashland, Bayfield, Carlton, Douglas
and Iron County Soil & Water Conser-
vation Districts in cooperation with
Environmental Protection Agency
Soil Conservation Service
-------
-------
Capability Classes
I I Class lie and Us K£j Class IVe and IVs
I I Class Hw I'A\\1 Class IVw
•• Class Hie 1^1 Class Vile and VIIs
I\\\N Class HIw •• Class VHI
LEGEND
Watershed Boundary
Streams
Towns, Villages
Railroads
Roads
Scale in Miles
Prepared by
U. S. Dept. of Agricultui
Soil Concefvition Servic
M«rch 197}
WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR BASIN
Wisconsin-Minnesota
Skunk Creek
Carlton County, Minnesota
Land Capability Map
Ashland, Bayfield, Carlton, Douglas
and Iron County Soil & Water Conser-
vation Districts in cooperation with
Environmental Protection Agency
Soil Conservation Service
-------
-------
Streambank Erosion
Streambank erosion data in the Skunk Creek study area was
collected by field survey. For the purpose of this study,
erosion sites were identified by: 1; fresh exposure of
soil or alluvium, 2) scarcity or absence of vegetation,
3) recent evidence of slumping or movement, and 4-) other
visible signs of recent erosion. Table 6 and the accompany-
ing map, page 28, is a summary of the Streambank erosion
inventory.
Land Treatment Needs
An analysis of the study area was made to identify the types
and amount of land treatment needed to reduce soil erosion.
This study was completed by Soil Conservation Service personnel
based on established procedures.
Table 7 lists the various practices and cost schedule which
should be applied in the study area to achieve adequate land
treatment and erosion control. It should be pointed out that
the success of this program will depend on planning with
individual landowners and Sponsors. It is anticipated that
treatment of the area will allow an accurate assessment of
the effect of the program on water quality.
Table 8 is the schedule for achieving this treatment over a
three-year period. The work location map is on page 32. The
practices listed are briefly described in Appendix C. The
amounts listed are in addition to practices currently applied
in the study area.
The S.C.S. will assist the Soil and Water Conservation Districts
in signing up landowners as district cooperators within the
study area. This will indicate the extent of local cooperation
to be expected and will provide an opportunity to further
explain the sediment reduction program. It also provides the
means by which the S.C.S. is authorized to provide technical
assistance to local landowners within the study area.
A conservation plan will be developed with each cooperator with
the assistance of the S.C.S. The conservation plan is a record
of the land treatment measures the landowner agrees to apply,
the amount of each measure and the projected date of installation.
This plan will also serve as the basis for financial cost
sharing on the installation of erosion control measures. Instal-
lation of selected measures will be carried out by the cooperator
with technical assistance from the S.C.S. staff and cost sharing
assistance from the S.V.C.D. Landowners that require forestry
techncial services will be assisted by the Minnesota Department
33
-------
CO
Reach
No.
1
(main)
1
(trib)
2
3
4
Straight
Line
Length
(Ft)
5,200
7,4-00
7,200
3,500
TABLE 6_ STKEAMBANK EROi
Channel Description
Average
Average Vertical Side
Length Grade Depthl Slope
(Ft) (Ft/Ft) (Ft) (Ft: Ft)
3:1 to
9,000 0.007 70-130 5:1
_ _
5:1 to
11,000 0.009 30-70 6:1
5:1 to
11,000 0.004 20-40 10:1
4:1 to
5,400 0.012 30-70 6:1
3ION INVE1
Channel-
Erosion
Bank
Length
(Ft) •
50
-
2,040
1,800
800
TTORY - SKUNK CREEK
Slope Failure (Slides)
Length^
No) (Ft)
25 4,835
3 200
22 2,400
0 0
22 1,870
Slope Length
Range Average
(Ft) (Ft)
5-250 134
50
5-250 56
- -
5-300 84
Other
15' x 8'
gully
-
-
30' x 2' x
2' gully
1 Vertical depth - as measured from the flat land to channel bottom
2 Less than 5 feet bank height
3 Slide length - measured parallel to the centerline of the stream
-------
Scale in Miles
Prepared by
U. S. Dept. of Agriculture
Soil Conservation Service
March 1975
LEGEND
—• — — Watershed Boundary
• Streams
^ Towns, Villages
I I i Railroads
^= Roads
O O O Stream Channel Erosion
XXX Bank Erosion (slips, slides)
WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR BASIN
Wisconsin-Minnesota
Skunk Creek
Carlton County, Minnesota
Streambank Erosion
Ashland, Bayfield, Carlton, Douglas
and Iron County Soil & Water Conser-
vation Districts in cooperation with
Environmental Protection Agency
Soil Conservation Service
-------
-------
of Natural Resources. The SCS will assist designated
specialists evaluate the effectiveness of land treatment
measures.
The Districts will develop a catalog of applicable practices,
establish cost share rates and adopt specifications. The
financial cost sharing assistance by the District is needed
to encourage the installation of practices with individual
landowners. Cost share rates will be determined practice by
practice by the District. The rate of cost sharing will be
from 0% to 100% of total installation cost.
Demonstration
In addition to the proposed land treatment measures, the
Soil and Water Conservation District's work will involve
structural measures to stabilize slopes and reduce streambank
erosion. Work will include: 1) Detailed site investigations
including assessments of streambank erosion, soils, geology
and foundation materials. 2) Field engineering surveys to
determine precise structure site location and provide additional
structure design data. 3) Supervision of installation of the
structural measures. A-) Monitoring the effectiveness of
structural measures by the Soil Conservation Service, United
States Geological Survey and others.
Drop spillways, box inlets or hooded inlets will be used to
stabilize natural or artificial channels or prevent the formation
or advance of gullies. These grade stabilization structures
will be formed of various combinations of concrete, galvanized
culvert pipe, treated wood, masonry and sheet piling with
earthen fill.
Land rights, operations and maintenance will be the responsi-
bility of the District. The District shall obtain necessary
permits from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to
engage in stream related work.
A summary of the proposed Work Plan has been developed to show
how the Soil and Water Conservation District plans to accomplish
this goal. The Work Plan covers a period of 3 years. The costs
and quantities of proposed work and technical assistance are
shown in Table ?• A general time schedule is shown in Table 8.
Research
In the Skunk Creek study area research is proposed which will:
1. Identify the effects of erosion control measures on
aquatic life. This will be accomplished by monitoring
fish, aquatic insect population and water quality at
selected sites above and below areas slated for bank
stabilization.
37
-------
2. Provide a picture of present and historical vegetative
cover patterns which, when related to run-off data
should identify the most effective vegetative cover for
controlling erosion. This will be accomplished by
examination of historical records, ground truthing of
existing aerial photographs, identification of vegetational
composition of the study area.
3. Identify the role of plant roots in retarding or accelerating
erosion. This will be accomplished by monitoring and
evaluating erosion areas and correlation of root distribution
patterns along established transects.
4-. Provide evidence that ground water flow may be causing or
aggrevating soil instability. This will be accomplished
by the carrying out of ground water studies by the United
States Geological Survey.
Monitoring
!• Water Quality and Streamflow
At the present time there are no monitoring stations in
the study area. It is hoped that early installation of
the monitoring stations shown on the Work Location Map,
page 32, will allow us sufficient pretreatment data to
judge the effectiveness of the work planned. Two class
"A" stations and one class "B" station will be installed
in the Skunk Creek Study Area at locations where the most
useful data may be generated. The description of these
stations and the parameters to be measured are found in
Appendix D. In addition to the three USGS stations, grab
samples will be taken on an, as yet unspecified, grassed
waterway. These samples will be analyzed for nutrient
parameters.
2. Precipitation
The study of soil carried by runoff water requires a high
density of precipitation measurements with useful resolution
of rate over the dynamic range to be encountered. To over-
come this problem, a low cost recording intensity of rain-
fall gauge coupled with a digital memory system will be
installed on a one per square mile basis (15) • In addition
three wedge-type, total rainfall gauges will be placed in
the basin for a comparison with measurement made with other
gauges.
3. Soil and Air Temperature
The temperature of the soil at several depths and air
temperatures will be measured with silicon type sensors.
Three temperature recorders will be placed in the study
area.
38
-------
LAND TREATMENT NEEDS SKUNK CREEK
CO
vo
Need
A. Management
Conservation Plans
Conservation Plans
District Cooperators
District Cooperators
Land Adequately Treated
Livestock Exclusion
Recreation Area Improvement
Woodland Improvement
Woodland Site Preparation
B. Land Treatment Practices
Access Roads
Animal Waste Systems
Brush Management
•Conservation Cropping Systems
Critical Area Planting
Crop Residue Management
Diversions
Unit
No.
Ac.
No.
Ac.
Ac.
Ac.
Ac.
Ac.
Ac.
Ft. $
No.
Ac.
Ac.
Ac.
Ac.
Ft.
Unit . Tech. Assist.
Cost Time/Unit
$ MD's
5.0
-
0.1
-
-
-
1.0
0.01
0.01
3.40 0.0005
7,000.00 12.5
4.00
2.00
700.00 1.5
1.50 0.05
.75 0.002
Total
Units
Needed
25
5,000
25
5,000
5,000
1,000
20
100
500
23,000
6
400
1,000
5
100
6,000
Amount to Be
Treated Under
Ongoing Proj
3 yrs
•10
2,000
10
2,000
2,000
600
8
20
400
2,000
2
100
400
2
50
2,000
Accelerated
Treatment
Under EPA Funds
3 yrs
15
3,000
15
3,000
3,000
400
12
80
100
21 ,000
4
300
600
3
50
4,000
Accelerated Costs
Installation Tech. Assist.
$ $
$ 5.700,00
-
100.00
-
-
-
800.00
50.00
50.00
$ 71,500 600.00
28,035 5,950.00
1 ,200
1 ,200
2,100 300.00
75 50.00
3,000 400.00
TABLE 7
-------
Need
Farmstead Windbreak
Fencing
Field Windbreak
Flood Water Retention
Structures
Grassed Waterways
Pasture & Hay! and
Management
Pasture and Hayland
Planting
Stock Trail and Walkway
(water facility)
. Stripcropping
Tree Planting
C. Stream Channel Protection
Slope Stabilization
TOTAL
Unit
Ac.
Ft.
Ft.
No. 150
Ac.
Ac.
Ac.
Ft.
Ac.
Ac.
Ft.
Unit
Cost
$
100.00
.70
.20
,000.00
500.00
20.00
80.00
23,00
10.00
100.00
300.00
Tech. Assist.
Time/Unit
, MD's
0.5
0.0002
0.0005
530
1.0
0.06
0.06
0.01
0.01
0.02.
0.76
Total
Units
Needed
6
90,000
9,200
1
15
1,000
200
800
10
500
2,000
Amount to Be
Treated Under
Ongoing Proj
3 yrs
2
40,000
3,000
'
5
500
100
400
10
400
-
Accelerated
Treatment
Under EPA Funds
3 yrs
4
50,000
6,200
1
10
500
100
400
-
100
2,000
Accelerated
Installation
$
400
35,000
1,240
150,000
5,000
10,000
8,000
6,750
-
10,000
. 600.000
$ 933,500
Costs
Tech. Assist.
$
100.00
500.00
150.0.0
42.500.001
650.00
1,500.00
300.00
200.00
-
100.00
180, 000. OO1
240,000.00
1. Includes 15% of installation cost for drilling and laboratory soil analysis
TABLE 7 (Continued)
-------
Scale in Miles
Prepared by
U. S. Dept. of Agriculture
Soil Conservation Service
Merch 1975
LEGEND
_ _ Watershed Boundary
— Streams
^ Towns, Villages
-H—i- Railroads
=^= Roads
'2*1 Flood Water Retarding Structure
£g Monitoring Site
"*"* Major Slope and Channel
Stabilization
WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR BASIN
Wisconsin-Minnesota
Skunk Creek
CarKoit County, Minnesota
Work Location Map
Ashland, Bayfield, Carlton, Douglas
and Iron County Soil & Water Conser-
vation Districts in cooperation with
Environmental Protection Agency
Soil Conservation Service
-------
-------
TABLE 8 WORK PLAN
TIME SCHEDULE
Skunk Creek Study Area
UPLAND PRACTICES
£ JB £ CD £ PJ £
M 3 M B M £3 M
«<{ . <^ . VJ • H
H1 M h-1 M M H M
vO vO vD \O \X5 >^O vO
-O -sj S3 -%] -vj -O -<3
vn CT>
-------
LITTLE BALSAM CREEK WATERSHED STUDY AREA
Description
The watershed comprises a drainage area of approximately 5»4-
square miles (3,4-50 acres) in western Douglas County, Wisconsin,
about 12 miles south of Superior. It is about 4 miles long
and about 2.5 miles wide at the widest point. The stream has
an overall average grade of 104- feet per mile. Little Balsam
Creek originates about 2 miles south of the unincorporated
village of Patzau. It flows in a northerly direction in 2
branches that join at the beach ridge. From here it flows
northerly through the ridge to its junction with Balsam Creek
about a half mile north of County Highway B. Two small
tributaries join the stream near its outlet.
There are no major industrial or recreational sites. About 5%
of the basin is cropland, 5% is open idle land, 2% is pastured
woodland and the remaining 88% is woodland. The forest industry
is an important part of the basin's economy, particularly of
the upper part. It originally supported a coniferous forest.
This was logged off and the land periodically burned. Aspen
is the most abundant species today. Other species present are
white birch, balsam fir and some elm. On the wetlands black
spruce, black ash and northern white cedar are the dominant
species. The map on page 55 , illustrates land use and
ownership in the Little Balsam Creek Basin.
The elevation of the watershed ranges from about 800 to 1,210
feet above sea level. It is partly within the lake laid sediments
of glacial Lake Duluth and partly in drift. Surface deposits
in the northern part consist mainly of lacustrine clay with some
silt and fine sand layers. A prominent sandy glacial beach
divides the watershed near the village of Patzau. South of
this beach a till plain rises in elevation about 150 feet in
a half mile, then levels to an undulating ground moraine with
little relief. Little Balsam Creek originates in the numerous
swamps and marshes on this till plain.
The underlying bedrock are the undifferentiated Middle Keweenawan
volcanic formations of Precambrian Age. These are mainly basalt
and andesite flows with interbedded sandstones, shales and
conglomerates. The Douglas fault runs through the lower end of
the watershed and coincides with the glacial beach but no evidence
of modern movement is on record. Glacial drift overlies the
bedrock in the upper part of the watershed. This drift, in the
form of ground and end moraines, is generally sandy.
Streambank Erosion
Streambank erosion data in the Little Balsam Creek study area
was collected by field survey. For the purpose of this study,
erosion sites were identified by: l) fresh exposure of soil or
44
-------
LEGEND
— — Watershed Boundary
Streams
V/A Towns, Villages
H—I—I- Railroads
===== Roads
I I Private Open Land
••• Private Woodland
I\\\N Public Open Land
^^H Public Woodland
RISW
Prepared by
U. S. Dept. of Agriculture
Soil Conservation Service
March 1975
WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR BASIN
Wisconsin-Minnesota
Little Balsam Creek Basin
Douglas County, Wisconsin
Land Ownership Map
Ashland, Bayfield, Carlton, Douglas
and Iron County Soil & Water Conser-
vation Districts in cooperation with
Environmental Protection Agency
Soil Conservation Service
-------
-------
alluvium, 2) scarcity or absence of vegetation, 3) recent
evidence of slumping or movement, and 4) other visible signs
of recent erosion. Table 10 and the accompanying map on
page ?jQ is a summary of the streambank erosion inventory.
Land Capability Units
The land capability unit represents groupings of soils with
common limitations for agricultural and woodland uses. The
soils within each unit show similar response to like treatment
under similar use patterns.
The capability groupings presented here are intended for use in
this report only.
There are 38 different kinds of soil in the Little Balsam,
Wisconsin study area. These soils make up a total of 18 land
capability units which are used in determining land treatment
needs. A more detailed description of the soils in each
capability unit, their characteristics and limitations are
contained in Appendix. A . The major soils within each land
capability unit are listed in Table 9 The land capability
unit distribution pattern is shown on page 38 .
TABLE 9
Soils Data By Land Capability
Acreage Major Soil Series
Ilel 500 Gogebic
IIe2 309 Ontonagon
IIsl 198 Ontonagon
IIwl 220 Tula
Illel 222 Gogebic
IIIe2 2? Ontonagon
Washburn,
IIIe3 231 Marenisco
Rudyard
IIIwl 63 Bergland
IIIw3 25 Allendale
IVe2 152 Ontonagon
IVe3 441 Washburn, Marenisco
IVsl 65 Vilas, Bibon
IVwl 360 Rifle
VIel 167 Washburn, Marenisco
VIsl 220 Vilas
Vllel 65 Steep Clayey Land
VIIsl " 10 Vilas
VIIwl 175 Greenwood
Manor Hazard
Erosion
Erosion
Ponded Water
Wetness
Erosion
Erosion
Erosion
Wetness
Wetness
Erosion
Erosion
Drouthiness
Wetness
Erosion
Drouthiness
Erosion
Erosion/
Drouthiness
Wetness
Slopes
00
2-6
2-6
0-2
0-3
6-12
6-12
2-12
0-2
0-2
12-20
6-12
2-6
0-2
12-20
2-12
30-45
12-20
0-2
47
-------
STREAMBAKK EROSION INVENTORY - LITTLE BALSAM
TABLE 10
Reach
Straight
Line
Length
No. (Ft)
1
(main) 2,200
1
(trib)
2 3,200
3 2,600
4 2,500
5 2,700
Channel Description
Average
Average Vertical Side
Length Grade Depthl Slope
(Ft) (Ft/Ft) (Ft) (Ft:Ft)
4:1 to
3,300 0.015 60 8:1
4:1 to
0.024 - 6:1
5:1 to
3,300 0.018 - 8:1
3,100 0.018 - Steep
3,100 0.021 80-100
4,000 0.031 20-50
Channel
Erosion
Bank
Length2
(Ft)
80
-
135
24
2904
105^
Slope Failure (Slides)
Length^
(No) (Ft)
12 800
5 510
8 510
2 65
3 190
- -
Slope Length
Range Average
(Ft) (Ft)
5-150 59
12-80 48
8-100 56
8-25 18
25-50 39
- -
Other
00
1 Vertical depth - as measured from the flat upland to channel "bottom
2 Less than 5 feet bank height
3 Slide length - as measured parallel to the centerline of the stream
4 Raw banks may be as high as 25 ft in these reaches
-------
LEGEND
^— — Watershed Boundary
Streams
Towns, Villages
Railroads
Roads
Class He and Us
Class IIw
^•J Class Hie
[\\\\l Class IIIw
I^H Class IVe and IVs
KVC\1 Class IVw
•• Class Vie and Vis
l\\\\l Class VIw
•• Class Vile and VIIs
Class VIIw
RI5W
Scale in Miles
Prepared by
U. S. Dept. of Agriculture
Soil Conservation Service
March 1975
WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR BASIN
Wisconsin-Minnesota
Little Balsam Creek Basin
Douglas County, Wisconsin
Land Capability Map
Ashland, Bayfield, Carlton, Douglas
and Iron County Soil & Water Conser-
vation Districts in cooperation with
Environmental Protection Agency
Soil Conservation Service
-------
-------
RISW
O O
XXX
LEGEND
Watershed Boundary
Streams
Towns, Villages
Railroads
Roads
Stream Channel Erosion
Bank Erosion (slips, slides)
Scale in Miles
Prepared by
U. S. Dept. of Agriculture
Soil Conservation Service
March 1975
WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR BASIN
Wisconsin-Minnesota
Little Balsam Creek Basin
Douglas County, Wisconsin
Streambank Erosion
Ashland, Bayfield, Carlton, Douglas
and Iron County Soil & Water Conser-
vation Districts in cooperation with
Environmental Protection Agency
Soil Conservation Service
-------
-------
Land Treatment Needs
An analysis of the study area was made to identify the types
and amount of land treatment needs to reduce soil erosion.
This study was completed by Soil Conservation Service
personnel based on established procedures. No attempt was
made during the study period to plan systems of treatment
for individual landowners.
Table 11 lists the various practices and cost schedule
which should be applied in the study area to achieve adequate
land treatment and erosion control. It should be pointed* out
that success of this program will depend on planning with
individual landowners and Sponsors. It is anticipated that
this treatment of the area will allow an accurate assessment
of the effect of the program on water quality.
Table 12, page 4-6, is the schedule for achieving this
treatment over a three year period. The Work Location Map
is on page 4-5. The practices listed are briefly described
in Appendix C. The amounts listed are in addition to practices
currently applied in the study area.
The S.C.S. will assist the Soil and Water Conservation Districts
in signing up landowners as district cooperators within the
study areas. This will indicate the extent of local cooperation
to be expected and will provide an opportunity to further
explain the sediment reduction program. It also provides the
means by which the S.C.S. is-authorized to provide technical
assistance to local landowners within the study area.
A conservation plan will be developed with each cooperator with
the assistance of the S.C.S. The conservation plan is a record
of the land treatment measures the landowner agrees to apply,
the amount of each measure and the projected date of installation.
This plan will also serve as the basis for financial cost sharing
on the installation of erosion control measures. Installation
of selected measures will be carried out by the cooperator with
techncial assistance from the S.C.S. staff and cost sharing
assistance from the S.W.C.D. Landowners that require forestry
technical services will be assisted by the Wisconsin Department
of Natural Resources. The S.C.S. will assist designated special-
ist evaluate the effectiveness of land treatment measures.
The Districts will develop a catalog of applicable practices,
establish cost share rates and adopt specifications. The
-------
financial cost sharing assistance by the District is needed
to encourage the installation of practices with individual
landowners. Cost share rates will be determined practice by
practice by the District. The rate of cost sharing will be
from 0% to 100% of total installation cost.
The majority of the S.W.C.D. work will involve structural
measures to stabilize slopes and reduce streambank erosion.
Work will involve: 1) Detailed site evaluation prior to
design or installation of structural works. Streambank
erosion, soils, geology and foundation materials will be
assessed in greater detail. 2) Field surveys to determine
precise structure site locations and provide data for structure
design. 3) Supervision during installation of structural
measures. 4) Monitoring the effectiveness of the structural
measures by S.C.S., U.S.G.S. and others.
Operations, maintenance and land-rights acquisition will be
the responsibility of the Sponsors. The District shall obtain
necessary permits to do stream channel work from Wisconsin
Department of Natural Resources.
Control of roadside erosion will require engineering surveys
to guide design and installation. Land shaping, grade stabi-
lization structures and revegetation is needed for erosion
control. Drop spillways, box inlets or hooded inlets will be
used to stabilize natural or artificial channels or prevent
the formation or advance of gullies. These grade stabilization
structures will be formed of various combinations of concrete,
galvanized culvert pipe, treated wood, masonry and sheet piling
with earthen fill. S.C.S. and the Department of Transportation
will assist with planning and installation of roadside treatment
measures. Sponsors will obtain necessary land-rights.
A summary of the proposed Work Plan has been developed to show
how the Soil and Water Conservation District plans to accomplish
this goal. The Work Plan covers a period of 3 years. The
costs and quantity of proposed work and technical assistance
needed are shown in Table 11. A general time schedule is
provided in Table 12.
Soil Surveys
Soil surveys will provide basic background data for the planning
and implementation of land treatment, land use regulation and
structural measures contained herein. In addition, the survey
will aid in assessing the magnitude of erosion and treatment
needs for the entire project area.
54
-------
These soil surveys will be completed by a survey team supervised
by the S.C.S. Standard soil survey procedures will be followed.
Soil - Woodland site index studies will be completed to guide
soil interpretation. Soil sampling and analyses will be carried
out as needed. A handbook of soil properties and limitations
will be developed to assist land uses in each survey area.
About 47,000 acres remain to be surveyed in the Wisconsin portion
of the Nemadji Basin. This will be completed during the 1975-76
field season.
Research
In the Little Balsam Creek Study Area research is proposed which
will:
1. Identify the effects of erosion control measures on aquatic
life. This will be accomplished by monitoring fish and
aquatic insect population and water quality at selected
sites above and below areas slated for bank stabilization.
2. Provide a picture of present and historical vegetative
cover patterns which, when related to runoff data should
identify the most effective vegetative cover for controlling
erosion. This will be accomplished by examination of
historical records, ground truthing of existing aerial
photographs, identification of vegetational composition of
the study area.
3. Identify the role of plant roots in retarding or accelerating
erosion. This will be accomplished by monitoring and
evaluating erosion areas and correlation of root distribution
patterns along established transects.
4-. Provide data concerning those plants (both natural and
planted) which are most effective in serving as soil
moisture "pumps" and thus aiding red clay stability. This
will be accomplished by monitoring weather elements, soil
moisture, runoff and seepage on plots of typical vegetation
types.
5. Provide an objective summary of slope conditions as they
exist within the study area and assess the condition and
behavior of soils within the zone normally involved in slope
failure and erosion. This will be accomplished through
analysis of slope morphometry and the physical/chemical
properties of sediments obtained from core samples.
Monitoring
1. Water Quality and Streamflow
At the present time there are no monitoring stations in the
study area. It is hoped that early installation of the
monitoring stations shown on the Work Location Map, page 4-5,
55
-------
will allow us sufficient pretreatment data to judge the
effectiveness of the work planned. Two class "A" stations
and one class "B" station will be installed in the Little
Balsam Creek Study Area at locations where the most useful
data may be generated. The description of these stations
and the parameters to be measured are found in Appendix D.
In addition to the three USGS stations, grab samples will
be taken on an, as yet unspecified, grassed waterway.
These samples will be analyzed for nutrient parameters.
2. Precipitation
The study of soil carried by runoff water requires a high
density of precipitation measurements with useful resolution
of rate over the dynamic range to be encountered. To
overcome this problem, a low cost recording intensity of
rainfall gauge coupled with a digital memory system will be
installed on a one per square mile basis (10). In addition
three wedge-type, total rainfall gauges will be placed in
the basin for a comparison with measurement made with other
gauges.
3. Soil and Air Temperature
The temperature of the soil at several depths and air temper-
atures will be measured with silicon type sensors. Three
temperature recorders will be placed in the study area.
56
-------
LAND TREATMENT NEEDS LITTLE BALSAM CREEK
Need
A. Management
Conservation Plans
Conservation Plans
Conservation Plan Rev.
Conservation Plan Rev.
District Cooperators
District Cooperators
Land Adequately Treated
Livestock Exclusion
Recreation Area Improvement
Woodland Site Preparation
B. Land Treatment Practices
Access Roads
Brush Management
Conservation Cropping
System
Critical Area Planting
Drainage Field Ditch
Fencing
Unit
Cost
Unit $
No.
Ac.
No.
Ac.
No.
Ac.
Ac.
Ac.
Ac.
Ac.
Ft. 3.40
Ac. 4.00
Ac. 2.00
Ac. 700.00
Ft. 0.40
Ft. 0.70
Tech. Assist. Total
Time/Unit Units
MD's Needed
5.0 26
2,600
3.0 3
850
0.1 26
2,600
1 ,600
0.01 40
0.0005 13,000
50
180
1.5 3
0.0008 15,000
0.0002 10,000
Amount to Be
Treated Under
Ongoing Proj
3 yrs
2
400
1
150
2
400
200
5
-
10
40
0
1,500
-
Accelerated
Treatment Accelerated Costs
Under EPA Funds Installation Tech. Assist.
3 yrs $ $
24 - 9,100
2,200
2 300
700
24 - 1 50
2,200
1,400 ;
j
35 - 50
13,000 44,200 400
40 160
140 280
3 2,100
13,500 5,400 700
10,000 7,000 100
TABLE 11
-------
in
CO
Need
Flood Water Retention
Structures
Grade Stabilization
(channel )
Grade Stabilization
(gully)
Grass Waterways
Land Smoothing
•Pasture & Hay! and
Management
Pasture & Hay! and
Planting
Stock Trail & Walkway
(watering facility)
Tree Planting
C. Stream Channel Protection &
Slope Stabilization
Unit
No.
No.
No.
Ac.
Ac.
Ac.
Ac.
Ft.
Ac.
Ft.
Unit
Cost
$
Variable
15,000.00
7,000.00
500.00
25.00
20.00
80.00
23.00
100.00
300.00
Tech. Assist.
Time/Unit
MD's
73,5
67.6
25,9
2.0
0.03
0.06
0.06
0.01
0.02
0.76
Total
Units
Needed
2
4
4
2
180
40
40
400
50
500
Amount to Be Accelerated
Treated Under Treatment
Ongoing Proj Under EPA Funds
3 yrs 3 yrs
2
4
4
2
10 170
40
10 30
400
5 45
500
Accelerated
Installation
$
50,000
60,000
28,000
1,000
4,260
800
2,400
9,200
4,500
150,000
$369,300
Costs
Tech. Assist.
$
17,100
29,000
10,000
250
350
150
100
200
50
44,000
$112,000
TABLE 11 (Continued)
-------
LEGEND
Watershed Boundary
Streams
Towns, Villages
Railroads
Roads
Monitoring Site
Grade Stabilization Structure
Major Sjope and Channel
Stabilization
Structure
Scale in Miles
Prepared by
U. S. Dept. of Agriculture
Soil Conservation Service
March 1975
WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR BASIN
Wisconsin-Minnesota
Little Balsam Creek Basin
Douglas County, Wisconsin
Work Location Map
Ashland, Bayfield, Carlton, Douglas
and Iron County Soil & Water Conser-
vation Districts in cooperation with
Environmental Protection Agency
Soil Conservation Service
-------
-------
TABLE 12 WORK PLAN
TIME SCHEDULE
Little Balsam Study Area
c., c-,
0 93
vQ vO vO vO vD "vD O
-O -O S3 -O ^3 ^J -J
\/i cy> cr> ^o -N] oo oo
UPLAND PRACTICES
Sign up Cooperators
Conservation Planning
Practice Installation
Evaluation
ENGINEERING
Field Surveys
Detailed Site Studies
Design of Structures
Structure Installation
Evaluations
ROADSIDE EROSION
Field Surveys
Design & Planning ]j
Construction
SOIL SURVEY - ENTIRE WISCONSIN NEMADJI BASIN
Legend
Field Work
Report
Monitoring
61
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IV. FISH CREEK WATERSHED
Description
North Fish Greek begins near Spider Lake and flows northeastward
entering Lake Superior about 2 miles west of Ashland. It has
contributing inflow from Pine Creek south of Moquah, and South
Fish Creek entering the main stream near Lake Superior. Fish
Creek and its tributary system drains a total of 93-3 square
miles (59*720 acres). It is an entrenched stream throughout
most of its length, particularly in midcourse where it flows as
much as 100 feet below the general level of the lacustrine plain.
North Fish Creek, the main stream, is 21.0 miles in length and
has an average gradient of 25.6 feet per mile. Drainage character-
istics of the basin are good with the exception of the last two
miles of the flood plain which is quite swampy. During periods
of high water, this part of the creek will overflow its banks and
flood large areas, including portions of U.S. Highway 2.
The climate is largely continental, but it is modified by the
tempering influence of Lake Superior and by local variations in
topography. The average frost-free season is 116 days, but it
is longer at some places along the shore of the lake. Average
annual precipitation is 29 to 31 inches, most of which falls
in summer. Frost penetrates the soils to a depth of 3 to 4 feet
when they are not protected by snow. Dense fog occurs about 30
days annually along the shores of Lake Superior, less frequently
inland. There are about 110 clear days and 140 cloudy days each
year.
The entire basin had a 1970 population base of approximately
1,000 inhabitants, with a density distribution of about 6.7
people per square mile. The basin is rural with no major
population centers, but several small communities typified by
Benoit, Moquah and Ino do exist. The Land Use and Ownership
Map is on page 48.
The main highways located in the basin are U.S. Highway 63 and
2. The former traverses in a north-south direction and the
latter in an east-west direction. U.S. Highway 2 crosses Fish
Creek in three localities; near its mouth, near the University
of Wisconsin Experimental Farm at Ashland Junction, and near the
community of Ino in the upper extremities of the North Fork.
Highway 63 crosses the South Fish Creek south of the junction
with Highway 2. No major recreational or industrial sites are
located in this basin. One small cheese factory is located in
Moquah.
Both the North and South Forks drain a substantial amount of
farmland in the Benoit and Moquah areas. The 1965 Conservation
Needs Inventory indicates that about 27% of the basin is crop-
land, 5% is continuous pasture, 2% is wetland, 59% is woodland
62
-------
N
LEGEND
^— — Watershed Boundary
Streams
+ Towns, Villages
—I—I—i- Railroads
Roads
SCAIE IN MILES
Prepared by
U S. Depl. of Agricullur
Soil Conservation Servict
March 1975
WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR BASIN
Wisconsin-Minnesota
Fish Creek Basin
Bayfield County, Wisconsin
Land Ownership Map
Ashland, Bayfield, Cariton, Douglas
and Iron County Soil & Water Conser-
vation Districts in cooperation with
Environmental Protection Agency
Soil Conservation Service
Private Open Land
H^H Private Woodland
l\\\l Public Open Land
HIM Public Woodland
-------
-------
and 7% is other land, such as roads and "built up areas.
The Fish Creek basin lies in the Ashland embayment of the Lake
Superior lowland. This lowland is the lake plain formed during
the high water phase of Glacial Lake Duluth. The red clay
which covers the lowland was deposited as sediment in the lake
bottom. It is clay with silt and some sand, colored red by
stain from iron bearing rock formations. Except in the extreme
upper end of the watershed, the surface soils are composed of
these lake-laid sediments.
Sandy outwash overlies the clay in the upper parts of the water-
shed and thick sand and gravel deposits are on the northwest
border. Sandy glacial till is on the southwest margin of the
watershed. This drift is the remains of the four major advances
of the glacier in the area. The till is ground and end moraines
with pockets of sand and gravel. The General Soils Map, page 30 ,
shows the general pattern and distribution of soils. More detailed
information is contained in Appendix A.
The bedrock underlying Fish Creek Watershed is mainly sandstone
and shale of the undifferentiated Upper Keweenawan sedimentary
formations of Precambrian age. It is believed that a portion
of the Douglas Fault runs east and west through the watershed.
There is no evidence of modern movement along this Fault.
Land Capability Units
The land capability units represent groupings of soils with
common limitations for agricultural uses. The soils in each
unit show similar response to like treatment under similar use
patterns.
The capability groupings presented here are intended for use in
this report only.
There are 38 different kinds of soil in the Fish Creek, Wisconsin
study area. This soils make up a total of 20 land capability
units which are used in determining land treatment needs. A
more detailed description of the soils in each capability unit,
their characteristics and limitations is contained in Appendix
B. The raa.lor soils within each land capability unit are listed
in Table 13 .
Streambank Erosion
In the Fish Creek watershed the erosion siirvey was conducted by
stereoscopically examining aerial photos of the stream and its
tributaries. Two sets of photos were used - dated I960 and
1970. Field spot checks were made to confirm the evaluations
or to correct them where necessary. Table 14 is a summary of
the streambank erosion inventory on Fish Creek. The map on
page 54, shows the reaches indicated in Table 14- .
65
-------
-------
N
SCALE IN
Prepared by
U. 5. Depl. of Agricultui
Soil Contervation Servic
March 1975
WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR BASIN
Wisconsin-Minnesota
Fish Creek Basin
Bayfield County, Wisconsin
General Soils Map
Ashland, Bayfield, Carlton, Douglas
and Iron County Soil & Water Conser-
vation Districts in cooperation with
Environmental Protection Agency
Soil Conservation Service
LEGEND
Watershed Boundary
Streams
Towns, Villages
Railroads
Roads
Ontonagon—Pickford Association
Orienta—Superior Association
Vilas—Omega Association
Gogebic—Cloquet Association
Steep Clayey Land
Alluvial Land
-------
-------
TABLE 13
Soils Data by Capability Unit
Acreage
Major Soil Series
Ma,lor Hazard
Slopes
(*)
Ilel
IIe2
,IIe3
IIsl
IIIe3
IIIwl
IIIw3
IVel
IVe2
IVsl
IVwl
IVw2
IVw3
Vwl
VIel
VIsl
Vllel
VIIsl
VIIwl
VIIIwl
998
18,541
2,626
14,014
1,625
1,192
242
365
3,161
1,449
25
45
4,554
1,045
30
1,298
2,513
5,621
197
184
Gogebic
Ontonagon
Superior, Ogemaw
Ontonagon
Cloquet, Washburn
Rudyard, Be rgland
Allendale, Ogemaw
Gogebic
Ontonagon
Vilas, Bibon
Rifle
Newson, Kinross
Orienta
Alluvial Land
Washburn, Marenisco
Vilas
Steep Clayey Land
Vilas, Omega
Greenwood
Marsh
Erosion 3-8
Erosion 3-8
Erosion 3-8
Ponded Water 0-2
Erosion 3-8
Wetness 0-2
Wetness 0-2
Erosion 8-18
Erosion 8-18
Drouthiness 0-8
Wetness 0-2
Wetness 0-2
Wetness 0-2
Flooding 0-2
Erosion 8-18
Drouthiness 3-18
Erosion 20-45
Drouthiness 8-45
Wetness 0-2
Wetness 0-2
69
-------
STREAMBANK EROSION - FISH CREEK
TABLE 14
Reach
Straight
Line
Length
No (mi)
1 1.1
2 5.1
3 5.0
4 8.26
Length
(Mi)
2.2
7.1
5.5
10.0
Channel
Average
Grade
(Ft /Mi)
6.3
8.4
34.
23
Description
Vertical Side
Depth1 Slope
2-405
Steep
Up to Very
100 Steep
«. «.
Channel
Erosion
No of
Sites Area^
4^
3 350
4^ 3,5005
15 2,250
Slope Failure
(Slides)
No of
Slides Area^
- -
4 11,000
355 131,8005
4 3,200
Other
Erosion
900 lin ft along
roads & trails
2,300 sq. ft by
livestock
2,500 sq ft gully
1,000 sq ft
along private
road
1 Depth of channel below plain
2 Surface area as determined from aerial photographs
3 The flood plain is 1,300 to 2,000 feet wide
4 Erosion consists of lateral cutting of the channel banks
5 Includes Pine Creek
6 The creek flows through a broad, low, completely wooded flood plain for 1.2 miles from its
junction with the main stream. No erosion is evident in the lower 2.2 miles of the creek.
-------
N
LEGEND
— Watershed Boundary
Streams
> Towns, Villages
—t- Railroads
Roads
SCALE IN MILES
Prepared by
U. S. Dept. of Agrici.
Soil Conservation Sei
March* 1975
WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR BASIN
Wisconsin-Minnesota
Fish Creek Basin
Bayfield County, Wisconsin
Land Capability Map
Ashland, Bayfield, Carlton, Douglas
and Iron County Soil & Water Conser-
vation Districts in cooperation with
Environmental Protection Agency
Soil Conservation Service
Class lie and Us
•I Class file
•B Class IVe and IVs
r\V\l Class IVw
Class Vw
Class Vie and Vis
Class Vile and Vila
Class VIII
-------
-------
N
Pine Creek
Basin
SCALE IN MILES
Prepared by
U. S. Dept. of AgriculU
Soil Conservation Servi'
March 1975
WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR BASIN
Wisconsin-Minnesota
Fish Creek Basin
Bayfield County, Wisconsin
Streantbank Erosion
Ashland, Bayfield, Carlton, Douglas
and Iron County Soil & Water Conser-
vation Districts in cooperation with
Environmental Protection Agency
Soil Conservation Service
LEGEND
— — Watershed Boundary
Streams
^ Towns, Villages
H—I—*- Railroads
"_ Roads
Stream Channel Erosion
Bank Erosion (slips, slides)
Gully
O O
X X
-------
-------
PINE CREEK WATERSHED STUDY AREA
Selection of Pine Creek Study Area
The Pine Creek Study Area was selected to represent the entire
Pish Creek Basin shortly after the initial inventory work was
completed. The preliminary studies pointed out that there
was not enough money or manpower available to provide land
treatment for the entire basin. The alternative was to pick
a smaller, yet physically similar watershed within the Fish
Creek Basin as a study area. After considering land ownership,
soils, type of farm operations and land use the Pine Creek
study area was selected to represent the entire Pish Creek
Basin.
Description of the Watershed
The Pine Creek watershed is approximately 15-7 square miles in
size. It is wedge shaped and 4.5 miles wide and 5 miles long
at the extremes. The elevation difference between the top end
of the watershed and the junction of Pine Creek and Pish Creek
is approximately 600 feet. Aspect is southeasterly.
Pine Creek is an entrenched stream with base flow for the entire
year. The storm runoff in the watershed is rapid with the
stream carrying a large volume of sediment during the runoff
period. The stream gradient ranges from 20 feet/mile near the
mouth to 50 feet/mile near the source.
Ontonagon, Ogemaw and Vilas soils predominate in the Pine Creek
watershed. Clayey soils make up approximately 60% of the area.
The land is divided equally between woodland and openland. Nearly
30 percent of the land is used for active cropland. Dairy and
beef farming operations are the primary industries in the water-
shed.
Land Treatment Needs
An analysis of the study area was made to identify the types and
amount of land treatment needs to reduce soil erosion.
This study was completed by Soil Conservation Service personnel
based on established procedures.
Table _ 15 lists the various practices and cost schedule which
should be applied in the study area to achieve adequate land
treatment and erosion control. It should be pointed out that
success of this program will depend on planning with individual
landowners and the Sponsors. It is anticipated that treatment
of the area will allow an accurate assessment of the effect of
the program on water quality.
75
-------
Table 16 is the schedule for achieving this treatment over a
three year period. The practices are "briefly described in
Appendix C. The amounts listed are in addition to practices
currently applied in the study area.
The primary goal of this project is to demonstrate techniques
of sediment reduction in the Pish Creek Basin. All work
proposed is over and above the "ongoing" District programs
presently being carried out in this county.
The Pine Creek study area, which is representative of the ?ish
Creek Basin, was selected to show the effect of applied land
treatment and land use regulation on sediment reduction.
A summary of the proposed Work Plan has been developed to show
how the Soil and Water Conservation District plans to accomplish
this goal. The Work Plan covers a period of 3 years. Costs
and quantities of proposed work and technical assistance are
shown in Table 15. A general time schedule is shown in Table
16.
Local Sponsors propose to contract with the Soil Conservation
Service for the technical assistance needed to implement the
work contained herein. Wherever the Sponsors feel it is to
their advantage they will employ technical personnel to assist
with implementation.
The S.C.S. will assist the Soil and Water Conservation District
in signing up landowners as district cooperators within the
study area. This will indicate the extent of local cooperation
to be expected and will provide an opportunity to further explain
the sediment reduction program. It also provides the means by
which the S.C.S. is authorized to provide technical assistance
to local landowners within the study area.
A conservation plan will be developed with each cooperator with
the assistance of the S.C.S. The conservation plan is a record
of the land treatment measures the landowner agrees to apply,
the amount of each measure and the projected date of installation.
This plan will also serve as the basis for financial cost sharing
on the installation of erosion control measures. Installation
of selected measures will be carried out by the cooperator with
technical assistance from the S.C.S. staff and cost sharing
assistance from the S.W.C.D. Landowners that require forestry
technical services will be assisted by the Wisconsin Department
of Natural Resources. The S.C.S. will assist designated special-
ists in evaluating the effectiveness of land treatment measures.
The Districts will develop a catalog of applicable practices,
establish cost share rates and adopt specifications. The financial
cost sharing assistance by the District is needed to encourage the
76
-------
installation of practices with, individual landowners. Cost
share rates will "be determined practice by practice by the
District. The rate of cost sharing will be from CP/o to 100%
of total installation cost. An extensive bookkeeping system
is needed to administer this portion of the program. It is
recommended that the District begin this procedure early in
the Phase II operation.
S.W.C.D. work will involve implementation of an upland treat-
ment program. Planning and installation of selected measures
will be carried out by the cooperator with technical assistance
from the S.C.S. staff. The S.C.S. will assist designated
specialists with monitoring the effectiveness of land treatment
measures.
Stream channel straightening is proposed for a 200' section near
the junction of Pine and Fish Creeks. Landshaping, channel
rip-rapping and revegetation will be used for erosion control.
The local unit of government will develop a model land use ordi-
nance. A standard soil survey and resource plan will provide base
data for development of the ordinance. The Northwestern Wisconsin
Regional Planning and Development Commission will provide
technical assistance to develop the ordinance. If the implement-
ation of the ordinance proves effective the ordinance will be
expanded for use in the entire Western Lake Superior Basin.
Soil Surveys
Soil surveys will provide basic background data for the planning
and implementation of land treatment, land use regulation and
structural measures contained herein. In addition, the survey
will aid in assessing the magnitude of erosion and treatment
needs for the entire project area.
These soil surveys will be completed by a survey team supervised
by the S.C.S. Standard soil survey procedures will be followed.
Soil-Woodland site index studies will be completed to guide soil
interpretation. Soil sampling and analyses will be carried out
as needed. A handbook of soil properties and limitations will
be developed to assist land uses in each survey area.
Monitoring
1. Water Quality and Streamflow
At the present time there are no monitoring stations in
the study area. It is hoped that early installation of
the monitoring stations shown on the Work Location map,
page 60 , will allow us sufficient pretreatment data to
judge the effectiveness of the work planned. Two class
77
-------
"A" stations and one class "B" station will be installed
in the Pine Creek Study Area at locations where the most
useful data may be generated. The description of these
stations and the parameters to be measured are found in
Appendix D. In addition to the three USGS stations, grab
samples will be taken on an, as yet unspecified, grassed
waterway. These samples will be analyzed for nutrient
parameters.
2. Precipitation
The study of soil carried by runoff water requires a high
density of precipitation measurements with useful resolution
of rate over the dynamic range to be encountered. To over-
come this problem, a low cost recording intensity of rainfall
gauge coupled with a digital memory system will be installed
on a one per square mile basis (12). In addition three
wedge-type, total rainfall gauges will be placed in the basin
for a comparison with measurement made with other gauges.
3. Soil and Air Temperature
The temperature of the soil at several depths and air
temperatures will be measured with silicon type sensors.
Three temperature recorders will be placed in the study area.
78
-------
10
LAND TREATMENT GOALS & ESTIMATED INSTALLATION COSTS
Pine Creek Study Area
Item
A. Management
Conservation Plan Revision
Conservation Plan Revision
Conservation Plans
Conservation Plans
District Cooperators
District Cooperators
Land Adequately Treated
Livestock Exclusion
Woodland Improvement
Woodland Site Preparation
B. Land Treatment
Animal Waste Systems
Brush Management
Conservation Cropping Systems
Critical Area Planting
Crop Residue Management
Unit
Unit Cost
No.
Ac.
No.
Ac.
No.
Ac.
Ac.
Ac.
Ac.
Ac.
No. 15,000.00
Ac. 4.00
Ac. 2.00
Ac. 600.00
Ac. 1.50.
Tech. Assist/
Unit (MD)
3
-
5
-
0.1
-
-
-
0.01
0.01
12.5
-
-
.1.5
0.05
Total
Needs
8
1,000
28
3,800
28
3,800
3,200
120
400
5
4
50
820
3
35
To Be Treated
With Ongoing
Program
1
100
2
360
4
500
100
-
-
-
0
-
20
-
5
Accel erated
EPA
Treatment
7
900
26
3,440
24
3,300
3,100
120
400
5
4
50
800
3
30
Accelerated Costs
Installation Technical Assist
1 ,300
-
8,200
-
150
-
-
-
250
50
21,030 '2,045
$ 200
1 ,600
300
45 100
TABLE 15
-------
To Be Treated Accelerated
00
o
Item
Diversion
Drainage Field Ditch
Fencing
Grassed Waterways
Landsmoothing
Pasture & Hayland Management
Pasture & Hayland Planting
Stock Trail & Walkway
(Water Facility)
Subsurface Drains
Tree Planting
C^tvpam Phannpl Protprtion
• «J L 1 CQlfl wllCMIIICI riul*c^*v*t*JII
TOTAL
Unit
Ft.
Ft.
Ft.
Ac.
Ac.
Ac.
Ac.
Ft.
Ft.
Ac..
Ft.
Unit
Cost
.75
.40
.70
500.00
25.00
20.00
80.00
23.00
1.00
100.00
40.00
Tech. Assist/
Unit (MD)
0.002
0.0008
0.0002
1.0
0.03
0.06
0.06
0.01
0.001
0.02
.18
Total
Needs
4,000
36,960
40,000
. 97
950
300
130
1,000
250
44
200
With Ongoing
Program
300
6,960
-
3
3TO
20
10
0
0
14
_
EPA
Treatment
3,700
30,600
40,000
94
640
280
120
1,000
250
20
200
Accel ei
Installation
2,775
12,000
30,000
37,600
16,000
5,600
9,600
23,000
250
2,000
8,000
$169,700
rated Costs
Technical Assist
500
1,500
500
4,680
1,200
1,050
450
650
50
25
2.700
$25,700
TABLE 15 (Continued)
-------
N
Pine Creek
Basin
SCALE IN MILES
Prepared by
U S. Dept. of Agriculture
Soil Coniervation Service
March 1975
WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR BASIN
Wisconsin-Minnesota
Fish Creek Basin
Bayfield County, Wisconsin
Monitoring Location Map
Ashland, Bayfield, Carlton, Douglas
and Iron County Soil & Water Conser-
vation Districts in cooperation with
Environmental Protection Agency
Soil Conservation Service
LEGEND
— — Watershed Boundary
• Streams
^ Towns, Villages
—I—I—h- Railroads
Roads
(p Monitoring Site
-------
-------
TABLE 16 WORK PLAN
TIME SCHEDULE
Pine Creek Basin
UPLAND PRACTICES
£ V
<4 ?
M M
vn CT>
& ps £ 93
H 0 M 3
Vj • t
-------
ORONTO/PARKER CREEK BASIN
Description
The Oronto/Parker Creek Basin is on the south shore of Lake
Superior in Iron County, Wisconsin. Oronto Creek and Parker
Creek flow together for about 300 feet before entering Lake
Superior at Saxon Harbor. The floodplain, about 15 acres in
area, has been improved to include a picnic area, marina and
flood channel. Spoon Creek flows into Oronto Creek from the
south approximately one stream mile above Saxon Harbor.
The watershed size is 18.0 square miles of which 12.4 square
miles is in Parker Creek. The watershed is wedge shaped and
approximately 4 miles long and 6 miles at the extremes. The
elevation difference from the top of the watershed to Lake
Superior is about 500 feet. The drainage pattern is modified
dendritic with numerous tributaries that nearly parallel the
main stream.
A base flow is present most of the year. Storm runoff is rapid
and short duration. The average gradient is about 50 feet per
mile on Oronto Creek and about 40 feet per mile on Parker Creek.
The streams carry a large volume of sediment during storm runoff.
Much of the lower segment of the streams flow over bedrock.
Little modern soil survey data are available in the watershed.
Preliminary investigation indicates that most of the watershed
is an association of Ribbing, Pickford and Ontonagon soils with
some sandstone bedrock outcrops along the stream channels.
Most of the watershed is forested and access is limited to
primitive means.
SPOON CREEK STUDY AREA
The Spoon Creek study area was selected to represent the conditions
in the Oronto/Parker Creek Basin. Spoon Creek is not classified
as a trout stream. Local citizens refer to it as a moderate
sediment producer.
Description
The watershed is 3 square miles in size. It is wedge shaped and
approximately 3 miles long and 1.5 miles wide at the extremes.
The elevation difference from the top of the watershed to the
structure site is approximately 300 feet. The drainage pattern
is modified dendritic with an unnamed tributary that parallels
the main stream channel.
84
-------
The soils are mainly clayey Ribbing, Pickford and Ontonagon
soils. Land use in the study area is primarily deciduous,
second growth forest with open grassland that is reverting to
brush and forest. Land use intensity is low. Access to the
study area is good.
Demonstration
Trapping of sediment will be demonstrated by construction of
a single purpose debris basin in the Spoon Creek study area.
The efficiency of the sediment trap and the type of sediment
removed are unknown at this time. The debris basin will have
a 25 to 50 year design life.
The debris basin will be constructed immediately below the con-
fluence of Spoon Creek and an unnamed tributary. This will'
consist of a 25 acre pond that will hold the estimated sediment-
ation. The structure will be a full flow outlet structure.
Soil and Water Conservation District work will include:
1) Detailed site investigations including assessments of soils,
geology and foundation materials. 2) Field engineering surveys
to determine precise site location and provide additional
structure design data. 3) Inspection of construction of debris
basin. 4) Monitoring with effectiveness of the sediment basin
by the Soil Conservation Service, United States Geological Survey
and others.
Soil Survey
A soil survey will be completed on 8,820 acres. This soil
information will provide basic resource data for evaluation and
construction purposes.
Monitoring
1. Water Quality and Streamflow
At the present time there are no monitoring stations in the
study area. It is hoped that early installation of the
monitoring stations shown on the Work Location map, page
65, will allow us sufficient pretreatment data to judge
the effectiveness of the work planned. One class "A"
station and one class "B" station will be installed in the
Spoon Creek Study Area at locations where the most useful
data may be generated. The description of these stations
and the parameters to be measured are found in Appendix D.
2. Precipitation
The study of soil carried by runoff water requires a high
density of precipitation measurements with useful resolution
of rate over the dynamic range to be encountered. To over-
come this problem, a low cost recording intensity of rainfall
85
-------
gauge coupled with a digital memory system will be installed
on a one per square mile basis (12;. In addition three
wedge-type, total rainfall gauges will be placed in the
basin for a comparison with measurement made with other
gauges.
3. Soil and Air Temperature
The temperature of the soil at several depths and air
temperatures will be measured with silicon type sensors.
Three temperature recorders will be placed in the study
area.
86
-------
Scilt in Miles
Prepared by
U. S. Dept. of Agriculture
Soil Conservation Service
March 1975
LEGEND
Watersned Boundary
Streams
Railroads
Roads
Monitoring Site
Structure
WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR BASIN
Wisconsin-Minnesota
Oronto—Parker Creek Basin
Iron County, Wisconsin
Work and Monitoring Location Map
Ashland, Bayfield, Carlton, Douglas
and Iron County Soil & Water Conser-
vation Districts in cooperation with
Environmental Protection Agency
Soil Conservation Service
-------
-------
TABLE 17
ORONTO/PARKER CREEK
TIME SCHEDULE
CL, c_,
P £
0 M
H
•N3 -s3 -O ^0 -\3 -O -s3
VH O\ O^i -O -<] CO CO
ENGINEERING (SEDIMENT BASIN)
Detailed Site Studies
Design of Structures
Structure Installation
Evaluations
SOIL SURVEY
Field Work
Handbook Legend
Monitoring
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VI. ASHLAND SHORELINE STUDY AREA
Description
The lake chart given in figure 1 on page 68 outlines the
area of interest for this investigation. The Red Clay Soil
Belt within Wisconsin Lake Superior Drainage Basin is also
given in figure 1 as an inset. The physical description of
the shoreline along Ashland County mainland is indicated in
the same figure. East of Chequamegon Point, from the Michigan-
Wisconsin "boundary to the Waverly Campground in Ashland County,
the shoreline consists of erodible high bluffs (30 ft. or higher)
which drop to erodible low "bluffs and to the west of the City
of Ashland, some artifical fill area. Madeline Island shore-
line is variable from non-erodible "bluffs (brown stone) to
erodible low bluffs (red clay) to erodible low plains and
beaches.
The portion of the Ashland County mainland shoreline from Iron
County in the east to a few miles east of the City of Ashland
in the west, belongs'to Bad River Indian Reservation. With the
exception of a small portion around the Lake Park in the City
of Ashland, the remainder is mostly private lands.
Selection of Potential Study Areas
For the purpose of the initial survey, four sites were chosen
on the basis of the following criteria:
a) problem areas or regions of an immediate and serious
nature as 'identified by reports of local county agents
and other sources;
b) sites that are readily accessible from main thoroughfares;
c) sites located on non-private, riparian property.
The locations of the four sites, so chosen, are shown in figure
1 and listed below:
Site 1 - Madigan Beach, a high 'red clay1 bluff area located
along the Lake Superior shoreline about 1-1/4 miles
west of the Iron County line in the Bad River Indian
Reservation.
This site is accessed by a 2-1/2 mile secondary (dirt)
road directed northeastward off U.S. State Highway 2.
It is located 2,000 ft. west of the mouth of Morrison
Creek. Measurements and samples were taken principally
a't a 60-foot high bluff located at the lakeward terminus
of the access road (figure 2 ) page 69 . The surface
of the upland region immediately back of the bluff crest
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Figure 1 Location Map of the Sites
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Figure 2 Geometrical Characteristics of Site 1
92
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is a smooth, grassy and wooded plain overgrown by a
young stand of birches, poplar and some evergreens.
Removal of the woody vegetation from the creek banks
3'ust east of the road terminus has resulted in
considerable bank erosion by gullying and quarrying.
The shoreline profile (figure 2. ) page 6.9 shows that
the bluff face at this site has been terraced at
several elevations en echelon by rotational slumping.
In general, the several terrace blocks have retained
remarkably steep lakeward facing slopes ranging from
a uniform 53° in the lower 28-foot section to a dis-
continuous series of slump blocks having slopes ranging
from 46° to 27° near the bluff crest. Individually,
these slopes generally exceed the normal angles of
repose of loose, unconsolidated sediments such as
clean sand which tends to develop natural sloping
surfaces with angles ranging from 34° to 37° (Strahler,
1971, p. 583).
The Madigan Beach site is representative of a long,
distinctive reach of shoreline undergoing critical
erosion. Approximate computations of volumetric changes
in shoreline materials based on measured recession rates
and bluff profiles indicate that some 2.3 cubic yards
of sediment per linear foot of shoreline per year are
contributed to Lake Superior at this site (Table 5).
While this volumetric rate is slightly less than the
rate observed at the Lake Park site (2.7 cu. yd/ft/yr),
the much greater shoreline length involved at Madigan
Beach must be noted. If the above rate of sediment
displacement is assumed to be an average value for the
critical 12-mile segment of high, 'red clay1 bluff
reach, the overall annual contribution of sediment to
the lake is approximately 150,000 cu. yd/yr (115,000
cu. meters/yrj.
In addition to the length of the shoreline segment, the
height of the bluffs and the nature of the materials
involved are important factors which make this segment
of the Lake Superior shoreline a very significant site
for further study. This site would offer an appropriate
and suitable location for the shore protection demon-
stration project. A major benefit which can be drawn
from a demonstration at this site is the experience
gained in searching for a suitable and feasible protection
for such an environment. This may be very significant
if a major project is to be undertaken in the future
to protect this shoreline.
Site 2 - Lake Park, located on the shoreline of Chequamegon Bay
about 1-1/2 miles east of the eastern limits of the
City of Ashland.
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This site comprises a recreational development about
600 feet along the eastern shore of Chequamegon Bay.
A portion of the embankment was cut back to a mean slope
of about 30° and stabilized with grass sod. Stone rubble
was used to protect some portions of the shore from the
undermining action of waves. A small pier juts directly
out into the bay for about 75 feet. At the eastern and
western extremities of the protected areas, severe
erosion and bank recession have taken place (figure 3 )•
At the unprotected western end of the park, moderate
rotational slumping has occurred along some 200 feet of
the shoreline.
This part of the site dramatically illustrates the
limited effectiveness of discontinuous shoreline remedial
structures.
At the eastern end of the park a small creek discharges
into the bay and dissects a 27-foot, very steep bluff
of highly erodible silty to fine sandy 'red1 clay with
low plasticity. This sample differs markedly from the
'red clay' encountered at the Madigan Beach site.
The rotational slump of the western end and the near
vertical bluff of the eastern end at this site serve
as an excellent example of superposed effects of erosion
and land sliding on bluff recession and loss of property.
While wave action is the principal mechanism by which
the shoreline is being undermined in the vicinity of
the park, littoral drift serves to transport the eroded
sediments northeastward along the shore. Ragotzkie,
et al. (1969) have identified the near surface current
regime generated in this area by 8-knot winds from the
southwest. A strong easterly-directed component of this
current had speeds on the order of 20 cm/sec. (0.39 kt),
a velocity which is sufficient to transport medium to
coarse sand (0.25 to 1.0 mm) (Sundborg, 1956).
The pier which juts into the lake interrupts to a limited
extent the longshore drift in the area near the park.
The eastern pocket between the pier and the eastern part
of the shoreline was not as severely eroded as the
western portion (figure _3_) page 72 » Furthermore,
floating debris in the form of timber and tree trunks
which collected parallel to the shoreline provided a
weak and ephermeral form of shoreline protection. How-
ever, during severe storms, strong waves would serve to
use this debris as battering rams to pound the shoreline.
The Lake Park site serves as a good example of an urban
shoreline hazard arising from coastal erosion. Recession
rates determined at this location were the highest noted
for any of the four sites. In addition, the limited
94
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Figure ^ Geometrical Characteristics of Site 2
95
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effectiveness of man-made shoreline modifications and
remedial structures is clearly evident at this site.
Whether these structures or changes have accelerated
the erosion action was not established during this
initial survey. Therefore, this location does not
offer the desirable type of setting in which the
effectiveness of any proposed protective structure(s)
can be evaluated with respect to the natural or pre-
existing environmental conditions. However, it is
evident that the site requires immediate remedial
action because of the imminent land losses stemming
from continued erosion of an urban shoreline area of
high aesthetic and recreational value.
Site 3 - The Indian Cemetery Shoreline on Madeline Island, about
1/2 mile south of the village of LaPointe.This site
occupies a very low terrace some one to two feet above
the present level of the lake (figure 4 ) page 74- .
A dog-leg shaped breakwater (a rock-filled timber crib)
was constructed to protect the entrance to the Madeline
Island Marina located just north of the Cemetery site.
While the current regime in this part of Chequamegon
Bay is unknown, it appears that the inshore movement of
water may have caused the accretion of relatively coarse
sediments in the angle formed by the breakwater and the
northern part of the lakeshore property.
A line of shrubs and low woody vegetation parallels the
property at the water's edge. Under conditions of
lower lake levels, the overgrowth would appear to offer
a moderate degree of protection to the shoreline from
waves generated by west and southwest winds. However,
at the time of the survey, the level of the lake was
high enough to permit inundation of some of the shrubs
that grew quite close to the waterline. Furthermore,
long tongues of wave-deposited sand were found to extend
right into the cemetery plots in a direction normal to
the shoreline. These narrow sheets of sand are rapidly
choking off the indigenous vegetation so that the
protection afforded by the matted roots and undergrowth
is being severely diminished. It also appears that this
depositional process is irreversible, that is, the sand
tends to remain trapped in the grassy parts of the
cemetery and does not wash back into the bay. Under the
present circumstances, the life expectancy of this
historical site will depend almost entirely on the line
of defense offered by the existing vegetation. Once
the plant growth dies off and is removed by wave action,
the property will be subject to very rapid erosion and
possible flooding. Hence, a strong protective structure
running parallel to the shoreline is needed immediately
if the historical value of this site is to be preserved.
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?UAN
Figure 4. Geometrical Characteristics of Site 3
97
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Shoreline losses at the Indian Cemetery on Madeline
Island are not as great as at the other locations.
With an estimated volumetric change of about only
0.1 cu. yd/ft/yr, the total amount of sediment load
contributed to the nearshore zone of the bay is not
substantial. However, this site provides a good
example of a very low terrace-type of shoreline which
has been stabilized with sod, bushes and some trees.
Shoreline segments of this type also have been noted
in the City of Ashland and along other parts of Madeline
Island. While higher rates of shore material loss are
not evident here, a peculiar situation exists in that
wave-deposited sand is gradually choking off the indigen-
ous vegetation and thereby reducing the protection
afforded by the plants. Such a process is gradually
encroaching on the cemetery plots in that the historical
value of this site is being seriously endangered. Since
the site entertains considerable problem visibility in
terms of a tourist attraction, it merits immediate
attention if it is to be preserved from further damage
by wave action and wave deposited sand.
Site 4- - The southern side of County Highway H, where it runs
parallel to Big Bay,approximately 9 miles northeast
of LaPointe on Madeline Island.
The examination of this site was prompted by the recent
collapse of part of the roadway into Big Bay (figure £_)
page 76 . Active undermining of the 'red clay' deposits
along the northern part of the bay has severely cut
back a large segment of the banks to within a few feet
of the road pavement.
The surface of the road at the site of the bank failure
is about 10.5 feet above the upper (inshore) edge of
the beach face. At the time of the survey sea state
was low and the beach face was about 10 feet wide.
Just east of the point of failure, a sheet pile bulk-
head was emplaced by the riparian owner(s) along the
beach parallel to the shoreline. Apparently this
structure was built there to protect a small stand of
large trees growing near the water's edge. While the
bulkhead did serve the purpose of shoreline protection
as intended by the owner, active erosion has already
worked around the ends of the structure. Undermining
and bank collapse and natural wave-induced excavation
of the sand fill near the flanks of the structure were
much in evidence. Hence, as noted at Lake Park in
Ashland, the efficacy of any shoreline protection or
remedial structure can only be as good as the extent to
which the protection completely envelopes the problem
area.
98
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Figure 5. Geometrical Characteristics of Site 4
99
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County Highway H in northeastern Madeline Island has
"been endangered along certain sections by shore erosion
which has caused serious bank failure and partial
collapse of the roadway. The site is an example of
a low 'red clay1 bluff, the uplands of which have been
fairly well developed. The cover of glacial drift
deposits of 'red clay1 along the northeastern part of
Madeline Island is relatively thin. Along the northern
side of Big Bay, where County Highway H comes very
close to the bluff crest, reddish brown bedrock was
noted at the level of the bay. Sediment contribution
to the nearshore zone of Big Bay is much less than at
either the Madigan Beach or the Lake Park sites. Volu-
metric displacements of shoreline materials have been
calculated to be on the order of 0.4- cu. yd/ft/yr.
The problem that is evident here and which requires
immediate attention, is the hazard to vehicular traffic
created by the undermining of the roadway. Setbacks
over future roadway relocations can provide only a
temporary solution; protective measures must be developed
which will halt the process of undermining and thereby
preserve not only the highway, but the nearby developed
property as well.
Study Area Site Selection
Based on the recommendations contained in the preceeding section,
the Madigan Beach and Indian Cemetery sites were chosen as the
high priority sites for demonstration.
Demonstration
The Indian Cemetery Site
This site is on Madeline Island about 1/2 mile south of the
village of LaPointe. This site occupies a very low terrace, some
one to two feet above the present level of the lake. It is
partially protected by indigenous vegetation and subject to some
accretion by wave-deposited sand in the corner formed by the
breakwater and the northern part of the lakeshore property.
There is about a 200 foot long shore segment to be protected here.
This site is of inestimable historical value and of high visibility
to tourists and other riparian property owners.
It is hard to delineate the natural shore processes at this site
due to the existence of man-made structures. There is evidence
of some littoral drift in this area. However, because of developed
neighboring property and possible interaction of groins with
adjacent shoreline it is not advisable to install a groin type
of installation here. Furthermore, the amount of littoral material
and its characteristics as well as the interference of adjacent
man-made shore structures with this segment of shore are poorly
100
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assessed at the present time. Due to the immediate nature of
the problem, a positive solution is required. Bathing and
recreation on the shores of this site are not anticipated.
On the basis of these considerations, a revetment type of
protection is recommended. The type of structure and material
can be a rock-mastic, a Longard tube (sand-filled plastic tube),
rubble, or a gabion (rock-filled wire basket).
Rock-mastic has been designated as a successful structure with
definite potential as permanent means of shore protection by
Brater, Armstrong and McGill (1975)- A major drawback to this
European technique is that an experienced local asphalt materials
engineer and construction company are required to design and
install this structure. Furthermore, some people may view it
as lacking aesthetic qualities.
Gabions may have similar objectionable qualities in terms of
aesthetics. Furthermore, in a low terrace shore like at the
Indian Cemetery site, they may not prove compatible with the
bank topography.
Longard tube is also a European technique which has been
marketed in the U.S. for the last few years. It appears to
be more suitable for the Madigan Beach site. It is still at an
experimental stage in the Great Lakes. In view of the positive
protection requirements of the Indian Cemetery site, and for
more diversity in the demonstration project, a rubble revetment
is recommended at this site. There are some examples of rubble
protection on Madeline Island along the same shoreline and,
apparently, they are performing satisfactorily.
On the basis of a design wave height of 2-4 feet, the general
configuration of the revetment is determined and given in
figure _5__, page 79 . A filter cloth is recommended to be
used underneath the revetment in addition to the gravel and
small stone filter.
The land at the Indian Cemetery is low and some overtopping is
evident. Therefore, the crest of the revetment should be
somewhat higher than the present terrace grade. Furthermore,
small groins can be placed in the revetment and extended back
into the land. The other alternative is to build the revetment
without groins, and if significant overtopping occurs, a rubble
breakwater can be placed at critical sections to slow down the
waves.
The Madigan Beach Site
This site is located along the Lake Superior shoreline about
1-1/4- miles west of the Iron County line in the Bad River
Indian Reservation. It is a high 'red clay1 bluff which is
undergoing rapid erosion in an unsettled and undeveloped area
along an unprotected, open environmental setting, the intrinsic
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3
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Figure 6 Preliminary Shore Protection Design Concepts, the Indian
Cemetery Site
102
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value of which is the aesthetically pleasing view. The Madigan
Beach site is quite representative of a 12-mile long distinctive
reach of shoreline undergoing critical erosion.
Since it is not a requirement to have an absolute means of
protection at this site, the selection of the method and structure
can be allowed to be influenced by the expressed objective of
the project: to demonstrate and test shore protection procedures
and types of construction. Cost is an important constraint;
because even small savings per foot may amount to large sums if
these experimental procedures are adopted in future for the
protection of larger segments of the shoreline along the same
coastal reach. The selection of a test procedure is also
influenced by the need to innovate with the objective of keeping
costs low. Consideration also has to be given to the compati-
bility of protective measures with the type of shoreland use at
the Madigan Beach site. These considerations make the protective
beach type of a solution as the most suitable for this environment.
Because of the uncertainties at present about the coastal processes
at this site (there are no existing coastal works), it is advisable
to incorporate some structural method in the formation of protective
beaches. This involves basically groins. Structural protection
provided at this site must interfere least with the use of this
shore for recreational purposes.
In view of these comments, the Longard tubes are found to be the
most suitable for this site. These tubes were initially developed
in conjunction with the Danish Institute of Applied Hydraulics.
They have been tried in Holland, Germany, and recently, in
Michigan. At some locations, they have performed very well,
while at other locations, their performance has been questionable
(Brater, Armstrong and McGill, 1975)- Errors in design and lack
of care during construction can easily render a shore structure
to perform deficiently.
Longard tubes consist of large diameter flexible tubing in lengths
of 330 feet or more filled using available materials, usually
sand, for hydraulic filling. It has an impermeable inner tube
manufactured in 28, 4-0 and 69-inch diameters. The outer
protective material is woven, flexible, permeable polyethylene.
A polyester spray-on coating makes the tube impervious to van-
dalism. Large diameter tubes weigh about 3*000 pounds/foot.
A filter cloth is usually laid beneath the tube, especially on
sand, to prevent backwash or toe scour and eventual tube settle-
ment.
In the demonstration project at the Madigan Beach site, a field
experimentation of some design parameters should be undertaken.
Main emphasis should be given to the groin approach. It is
expected that about 2,000 to 3,000 feet of shoreline at this
site will be included in the demonstration. Approximately one
third of this shore segment can be devoted to shore-parallel
protection (seawall type) and two thirds to groin type protection.
Furthermore, the effect of beach nourishment in conjunction with
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these structures will also be studied. In developing a field
demonstration of these tubes, variation of the following
parameters are recommended to be studied:
1. Seawall versus groin performance.
2. In the case of seawall: the modification of bluff slope
versus no modification, seawall size, and effect of
filter cloth.
3. In the case of groin: length, size, and spacing of tubing;
effect of filter cloth.
4. Combined effects of seawall, groin and beach nourishment.
A suggested lay-out of Longard tubes which allow investigation
of these parameters is given in figure _2_, page 82. The
actual number of groins and the length of seawalls may vary
somewhat due to the budgetary constraints. However, the general
principle of the layout can be maintained.
Monitoring and Evaluation
The objectives of the project monitoring and evaluation program
will include (a) cost-effective analysis of the demonstrations,
(b) accumulation of pertinent engineering data in this area,
both for meaningful analysis of performance and for future design
of protection structures.
In order to meet these objectives, monitoring should be carried
both at the demonstration sites as well as at control sites with
no protection. This approach would provide valuable comparisons
and information about the coastal processes operative along an
unprotected, open environmental setting.
The monitoring project will address itself to the following
specific objectives:
(i) to establish the specific characteristics of the shore
bluffs which has immediate bearing on the problem of
coastal erosion. These include the geology of the
glacial till bluffs, their textural, mineralogical and
mechanical characteristics;
(ii) to identify historical and present day geometry of the
shoreline and beach zone;
(iii) to evaluate the immediate offshore sediment characteris-
tics and their aerial distribution and to relate the
composition of the bluff materials to the offshore
sediment budget;
(iv) to assess the dynamics of the coastal zone in terms of
wave action, littoral currents and lake level fluctuations
104
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Figure 7 Preliminary Shore Protection Design Concepts, the Madigan
Beach Site.
105
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(v) to establish recession rates, which, can "be attributable
to direct or indirect processes operating in the coastal
zone, using aerial photography and ground surveys;
(vi) to survey the movements of the protective structures
and damages to them in relation to the storms, their
overall performance, and effectiveness;
(vii) to interpret the results both analytically and
physically.
The approach includes (a) field surveys and sampling, (b)
laboratory testing of samples (textural and engineering),
(c) periodic profiling at demonstration sites as well as in
control sites, (d) photoreconnaissance immediately after major
storms, (e) aerial photography surveys and recession rate
analyses, (f) determination of the nearshore zone bathymetry,
and (g) damage survey of the structures.
Monitoring results from this study will have short and long term
applications:
(1) will serve to identify specific environmental factors
which contribute directly to the problem of shoreline
erosion.
(2) 'continuous' monitoring will provide a 'time-lapse'
sequence of which can relate given slumping-recession
processes to the dynamic characteristics of specific
events.
(3) will provide engineers with a meaningful data base
whereby the most economic and efficient protective
measure can be designed and installed along the
coastline.
(4) provide coastal zone planners with the necessary
technical information to develop a management plan
and policy guidelines which will serve the best
interest of the riparian landowner and coastal user.
(5) provide meaningful data for the estimation of direct
sediment contributions to Lake Superior from highly
erodible areas.
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TABLE 18 WORK PLAN
TIME SCHEDULE
Ashland Shoreline Study Area
c_, C-, c_,
£ p £
MS M
VH 0^ (Ti ^J -O CO CD
Engineering
Design & specifications
Installation
Monitoring
Evaluation
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VII. INFORMATION DISSEMINATION AND EDUCATION
Introduction
The success of the Project is heavily dependent on the ability
of the Soil and Water Conservation Districts to assimilate
the work of a number of technical agencies and institutions and
to promote their recommendations throughout the local .jurisdictions
so as to assure full and effective implementation for demonstration
purposes. The variety of suggested measures ranges from structural
modifications to non-structural regulations and from prevention
to control, with the overriding evaluation measure "being cost-
effectiveness. A highly critical element in the success of such
an action-oriented program will, necessarily, be the public's
understanding and acceptance of the general red clay problem, the
Red Clay Project's goals and objectives as well as its specific
recommendations as they are advanced.
Goals and Objectives
The broad goal, then, of the information and education program
is to have a diverse group of target audiences at local, state
and national levels become aware and knowledgeable of red clay
erosion and sediment problems and alternate solutions to these
problems as they are developed by the activities of the Red Clay
Project.
In working toward this general goal, there are several key
objectives which must be met. These are:
1. Increase public understanding of the problems associated
with red clay soils in the region.
2. Increase public understanding of the full range of possible
preventive and corrective measures for handling these
problems.
3. Improve public awareness of the purpose and progress of
the Wisconsin/Minnesota Western Lake Superior Basin
Erosion-Sedimentation Control Project, including especially,
a sensitivity to the unique demonstration points cited for
each Soil and Water Conservation District's project.
4. Improve public awareness of the potential environmental
and economic impacts associated with the erosion and
sedimentation control program.
5. Provide forums through which the public can participate in
revie.wing specific aspects of the program.
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6. Provide forums through which the public can participate in
implementing specific program recommendations, such as
land use planning and regulatory controls.
Target Clientele and Audience Groups
The complexity of the Red Clay Project demands an information
and education delivery system which has the capability to
effectively represent it at various local levels as well as in
areas far removed from the demonstration sites. At these various
levels the program must be clarified, explained to, and discussed
with both public officials and private individuals and groups,
professional personnel and lay people. Additionally, it will be
necessary for the executors of an information and education
effort to work closely with groups related both formally and
informally to the overall Project and the problems it addresses.
The audience groups to be addressed by the information and
education program are listed in Table 19.
Forums and Formats
An information and education effort for a project of this type
and magnitude must draw freely from the full range of available
delivery mechanisms. Six distinct types of forums and formats
are indicated as follows:
1. A series of conferences, workshops, public meetings, and
tours will be held throughout the lifespan of the Project.
They will be devoted at first to general problems and
needs and changing, over time, to focus on specific problems
and Project progress. The work elements listed below will
be systematically coordinated with each other and with
overall Project activities.
a. A series of conferences—At least once a year, planned
conferences will be held at central locations for
interested technical and professional personnel at
the county, multi-county, state and. national level.
Technical information, project progress, publications
and papers will be presented at these conferences.
b. Series of workshops—These will be primarily by basin
and for local officials and interested citizens. At
least two workshops per year will be held in strategic
locations in the area of the Red Clay Project to
provide forums for participation on Project status
and review.
c. Series of planned public meetings—At least two public
informational meetings will be held each year in strategic
locations within the Project area, on the problems,
possible alternatives, and status of the Project.
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Table 19
Target Clientele and Audience Groups*
Local & Multi-county Levels
News media (& general SWCD Supervisors City and Village Councils
public)
County boards Town boards Voluntary Organizations
(those concerned with
environmental matters)
Service clubs Landowners Federal agency personnel
(field based)
State agency personnel Schools (primary & University & College
(field based) secondary) faculty
RP&DC's RC&D's Councils of government
Area associations of Watershed associations
SWCD's
State Level
State associations of State agencies Federal agencies (selected
SWCD's WBSWCD, MSWCC state personnel)
WDOT
State Planning
agencies
WDNR, MDNR
Health agencies
Water Quality & EPA's
State legislators State Executive Statewide news media
Offices
Statewide Voluntary
Organizations (e.g.
League of Women Voters,
RCIC, Northern Environ-
mental Council, etc.)
Multi-state and National Level
UGLRC SWCD's GLBC
NACD USEPA US Dept. of Commerce
US Army Corps of USDA agencies USHEW
Engineers (selected)
USDOT US legislators Other appropriate US agencies,
institutions & organizations
International Level
IJC
*for full definition of abbreviations used see Table 1 (page 5 ),
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d. Series of planned service-club-type meetings—A
speaker's packet will be prepared so the Project
Director or his representative can make presentations
on the Red Clay Project at service-club-type meetings
when requested to do so. As the Project progresses,
this packet will "be kept current.
e. Series of field tours—At least two on-site tours
of each demonstration project will be held each year
in the Red Clay Project area. The clientele is to
include professionals and interested citizens.
2. The media—radio, TV, newspapers, and newsletters will
regularly be provided with pertinent information reporting
generally related issues as well as specific developments
as the work of the Project progresses. In this regard,
the executors of the outreach effort will be encouraged to
use both their serial columns and slots as well as other
media formats.
a. Radio specials—At least two fifteen-minute radio
programs will be scheduled each year to be presented
on tape to each of the stations in the Project area.
These tapes will deal with progress or status of the
Project and can include interviews of specialists
involved in the Project.
b. TV specials (video-taped)—At least two, thirty-minute
TV specials will be scheduled per year to be presented
to each of the TV stations that have viewing audiences
in the Project area. These also will be carefully
planned and should include specialists involved in the
Project and include progress in any of the demonstration
areas.
c. Newspaper specials—At least once a year, a Sunday
edition special or series will be presented on the
status of the Project. The specials may be timed to
coincide with the completion of pertinent demonstration
or research activities.
d. TV, radio, newspaper—The Project Director and staff
will keep these media informed on a regular basis of
news developments on the Project. If county agents
have a regular radio, newspaper column or TV slot they
will also be kept informed of Project developments, so
this material can be presented through the media.
e. Newsletter special—A specific Red Clay Project
Newsletter will be developed and an appropriate mailing
list established. In addition, the Project Director
and staff will keep other sponsors of newsletters,
such as Regional Planning Commissions and RC&D projects,
informed of events for publicity to be used in their
regularly scheduled newsletters.
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3. Special attention will be given to the presentation of
technical work progress and reports of the Project
through public orientated formats such as prepared
fliers and slide-tape sets.
a. Fliers (brochures)—A flier or brochure or series
of brochures that describe the problems and Project
objectives will be developed and appropriately
disseminated.
b. Slide-tape documentary—A narrative slide presentation
will be developed concerning the Red Clay Project and
will be maintained and modified as changes in the
Project develop. This slide set presentation can be
requested by public interest groups to inform their
clientele of Project development and activities.
4-. The preparation and use of materials such as physical models
of the Project areas, maps, and photographic representations
will be accomplished in such a way as to meaningfully involve
non-program related groups such as school groups and other
interested organizations.
a. A three dimensional physical model—Appropriate models
will be developed of each of the study areas and will
include the demonstration sites and structures as they
are developed. These will be mobile displays or
exhibits for use at public meetings and in classrooms
or window displays.
b. Illustrative maps—A set of five illustrative relief
maps of the total Project will be developed with
demonstration sites and structures indicated. These
maps will be displayed in different selected sites of
the total Project area for review by the general public.
c. Photos—Specific demonstration site projects will be
illustrated through a series of photos for each basin.
These photos will be used to embellish the mobile
displays.
5. Soil erosion and sedimentation control programs such as the
Red Clay Project are recognized as a first line defense in
a broad non-point pollution control program. Under Section
108 of PL92-500, several such projects are underway in the
Great Lakes Basin. A film for national distribution will
be made of the Red Clay Project. This film may also include
portions of other, similar, 108 projects. There are two
others which may be included in the film. They are the
Black Creek Watershed Project in Indiana and the Washington
County Project in Wisconsin.
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VIII. INSTITUTIONAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
Introduction
The Red Clay Project is a unique and complex demonstration program
involving two states, five local units of government (SWGD's)
and several cooperating governmental agencies and non-governmental
institutions. The total Project area lies within the western
Lake Superior watershed basin, however, within this basin, there
are five separate subwatersheds or study areas. Each of the five
SWCD's has within its geographical boundaries one of the five
study areas. In addition, each of the five study areas has its
own goals, objectives and demonstration activities to be performed,
monitored and evaluated.
In a project of this magnitude and complexity, it is difficult
to segregate the variety of activities for discussion purposes
and then to reintegrate them in order to relate them back to
the overall Project goals. This process, however, is crucial
to the effectiveness of the research and demonstration project.
To do this requires a complex institutional management system.
The management system, no matter how complex, must be clearly
delineated. A full understanding is needed of the inputs from
participating agencies and institutions and the operating character-
istics of regulatory and implementing authorities. This under-
standing is essential in order to help secure the needed cooperation,
to help reduce the possibility of duplication of efforts and to
help prevent potential conflicts with other programs.
The institutional management section of the work plan will briefly
review the legal authorities making the Project possible. It
will then outline the Project goals and objectives, explain how
each participating institution's activities will complete object-
ives which lead to the fulfillment of the Project's goals. The
internal management system will be discussed to indicate how the
various components of the Project fit together and the Project's
goals can be achieved.
Legal Authority
Local Authority
SWCD's, which have been in existence since the mid 1930's, have
been actively involved in the whole process of non-point source
pollution control, including erosion and sedimentation control.
The four SWCD's in Wisconsin were created pursuant to Wisconsin
Statutes 92.05 and the one SWCD in Minnesota was organized
according to Minnesota Statutes 40.00. All five SWCD's are
special purpose units of state government with the legal authority
to plan and implement erosion and sediment preventive and control
measures within their jurisdictions (Chapter 92, Wisconsin
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Statutes and Chapter 4-0, Minnesota Statutes). As special
purpose units of government, the SWCD's are empowered with
the authority to cooperate with, and enter into agreements
with, other equally empowered units of government and agencies
(Wisconsin Statutes 92.13» 66.30 and Minnesota Statutes 40.01,
471.59).
Federal Legislation
The first federal legislation to provide a basis for broad
federal agency participation in water quality management was
the temporary Water Pollution Control Act of 1948. A more
comprehensive law was adopted in 1956, strengthened by the 1961
amendment and further amended, strengthened and broadened by
the Water Quality Act of 1965- In 1972, Congress enacted a
major landmark revision of these national water quality pro-
grams with its passage of the Federal Water Pollution Control
Act Amendments of 1972 (PL 92-500).
Under these laws, federal activities for improving water quality
were instigated, broadened and increased to provide a wide
variety of programs including those which provide for: research
programs, technical and financial assistance for state and local
programs, comprehensive basin surveys and plans for controlling
water pollution, promulgation of standards of water quality for
interstate waters, and enforcement actions for the abatement of
pollution of interstate or navigable waters.
It was the passage of PL 92-500 which added impetus to the drive
to clean up the nation's waters. This was done by placing an
emphasis on strong action programs and devising viable enforce-
ment techniques. A few of the more important provisions of this
law, and those which relate to the Red Clay Project, include
Sections 108, 305 and 314.
1- Title I - "Research and Related Programs", Section 108 -
"Pollution Control in Great Lakes".
This section provides authorization for the EPA to enter
into agreements with, and provide assistance for, states
or their political subdivisions to research and demonstrate
new techniques for retarding or controlling pollution in
the watersheds of the Great Lakes.
2. Title II - "Standards and Enforcement", Section 305 -
"Water Quality Inventory".
This section provides that the states and the EPA shall
prepare water quality inventories which identify existing
water quality problems of navigable waters, point and
non-point sources of pollutants and recommended remedial
pro grains.
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3. Title III - "Standards and Enforcement", Section
"Clear Lakes".
This section provides that each state shall prepare a
classification of all publicly owned lakes including
procedures, processes and methods (including land use
treatments) to control sources of pollutants and thereby
beginning the process of restoring water quality.
Goals and Objectives
The specific activities, objectives and goals to be accomplished
in the five separate study areas have been previously discussed.
It has been particularly difficult to discuss these objectives
and activities separately because there is a considerable amount
of overlapping of activities of one research program covering
more than one study area. In essence then, there are five study
areas, each having its own objectives and demonstration activities;
a variety of research activities with their own objectives,
not necessarily related to the study area objectives in each case;
several project-wide, self-contained programs with their own
objectives; and finally, a set of Project goals and objectives
to which all of the previously mentioned objectives and activities
must be related.
The ultimate goal of the Project is to research and demonstrate
methods of enhancing water quality through the use of erosion and
sedimentation control techniques (structural, non-structural,
institutional and managerial) on geologically young, highly
unstable clay soils. The planning phase of the Project has
developed five secondary project goals, each with its own set of
objectives. These goals are:
Goal I The development of recommendations and plans for SWCD's
to develop long-term, basin-wide programs for erosion
and sedimentation control.
Goal II The development of institutional arrangements for
implementing basin-wide programs for erosion and
sedimentation control.
Goal III The implementation of cost effectiveness analyses on
the techniques demonstrated during the life of the
Project in order to provide a guide to SWCD's in
implementing long-term control programs.
Goal IV The demonstration and evaluation of new or innovative
techniques and methods for retarding, controlling or
preventing erosion and sedimentation.
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Goal V The promotion and installation of proper land use
practices consistent with the capabilities and
limitations peculiar to the highly erodible red
clay soils.
Participating Organizations and Working Relationships
There are numerous institutions and agencies making direct input
into this Project. Additionally, there are several others
supporting the Project indirectly, making contributions where
possible. This section will discuss the Project participants,
their work activities and their relationship to the entire Project
and other work groups.
International Organizations
!• International Joint Commission - (IJC)
The IJC is a permanent body established by the United States
and Canada to carry out the purposes of the Boundary Waters
Treaty of 1909. One of the major responsibilities of the IJC
is to investigate and make specific recommendations on
specific problems along the common frontier referred to the
IJC by the governments of the United States and Canada. The
IJC has been actively studying the pollution problems in
the Great Lakes (including specific studies in Lake Superior)
through its Pollution from Land Use Activities Reference
Group (PLUARG).
Regular communication with the IJC has been maintained by
the Project. The Project Director is a Technical Specialist
for "Task C" of PLUARG. "Task C" is the detailed survey
of selected watersheds to determine sources of pollutants,
their relative significance and the assessment of the degree
of pollutant transmission to boundary waters. Additional
liaison between this Project and IJC is accomplished through
the regular interaction of the USEPA and the IJC.
Federal Agencies and Programs
1. United States Geological Survey - (USGS)
The USGS will contract with the Project to do the water
quality monitoring work in the Skunk Creek, Little Balsam,
Pine Creek and Spoon Creek study areas. The types of
monitoring stations, their locations and the parameters
to be measured have been discussed in the monitoring
sections of the respective study areas.
Water quality monitoring will play an important role in
evaluating the overall success of the Project as well as
the success of the specific control techniques being
monitored. In that all techniques will be subjected to
evaluations and cost effectiveness analyses, it will be
imperative to determine the actual effectiveness of
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specific techniques in reducing sediment load.
In the Wisconsin study areas, USGS and the Project will
receive assistance from the WDNR for water quality
monitoring. USGS and WDNR will maintain close liaison
with each other and with the Project to insure the
accumulation of useful data. The data produce will be
of direct use to the research "being conducted in each
of these study areas.
Bureau of Indian Affairs - (BIA)
One of the sites selected for shoreline demonstration
projects is situated on land owned by the Bad River
Indian tribe. The Indian tribe has been kept informed of
the Project intentions and has shown an interest in the
successful application of the proposed demonstration
projects. The BIA has aided in securing the endorsement
for these projects from the Bad River Tribal Council.
Department of the Army Corps of Engineers - (the Corps)
The Corps has the responsibility for the maintenance and
protection of harbors and shorelines. The Corps also
is the permitting agency for any structural work that
may be done in these areas.
From the onset of the Project, communication has been
maintained with the Corps. When appropriate, all designs
and specifications will be submitted to them-for compliance
with permit regulations.
USDA Soil Conservation Service - (SCS)
The SCS is a federal agency which, unlike most large
agencies, has close local contact with field based
personnel in nearly every SWCD. This agency provides
technical planning and implementation assistance to all
SWCD's and furnishes leadership and expertise in the
development of district programs.
Although SCS is one federal agency, it is departmentalized
into state, area and district units of operation. These
units normally work only within their own geographical
jurisdictions. For purposes of the Project, a work force
of several field and supportive personnel has been assigned
to work within the entire project area. This has required
the coordination and cooperation of two state units, two
area units and five district units within the SCS.
In that SCS works closely with the SWCD's providing
technical assistance for district programs, the Project
will rely heavily on them for surveys, inventories,
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engineering recommendations and construction standards
and specifications. They will also work widely with
landowners to plan for, and help implement, necessary
land use practices.
In addition to the ongoing district programs throughout
the Project area, SOS will provide technical work for
the Project in the Skunk Creek, Little Balsam Creek, Pine
Creek and Spoon Creek study areas. Their work will be
concentrated on the preparation and implementation of
conservation farm plans; design work and specifications
for certain structural measures; and general assistance
for landowner contract administration, program development
and evaluation.
State Agencies and Institutions and Organizations
1. Wisconsin and Minnesota Departments of Natural Resources -
(WDNR and MDNR;~~
The DNR's of the two states are somewhat different in
organization and structure "but are still functionally
similar in their relationships to SWCD's. The DNR's
cooperate with SWCD's and other agencies in conducting
surveys and evaluations leading to wise development of
watersheds. The Dim's also advise the districts_and_
landowners on the planning, development and utilization
of resources. Further, technical and some financial
assistance is available to the SWCD's from the Departments
for preparing plans and implementing and evaluating
activities for the conservation of natural resources.
The DNR's also function as the primary regulating and
permitting agencies in the two states. In this capacity,
the DNR's must approve designs and specifications of all
work to be done on bodies of navigable waters falling within
their respective jurisdictions.
2. Wisconsin Board of Soil and Water Conservation Districts -
CW3SWCD) and Minnesota State Soil and Water Conservation
Board (MSWGBj
These two agencies have similar functions in their respective
states as the parent bodies or agencies providing policy
guidance and assistance to SWCD's. The WBSWCD and the
MSWCB work closely with SWCD's administering certain
funds to districts, coordinating district programs and
securing the cooperation of various local, state and
federal agencies to plan and implement SWCD programs.
The WBSWCD and MSWCB will be working closely with the
Project and its sponsoring SWCD's by acting in advisory
capacities to the Project Executive Committee and the
SWCD's. The WBSWCD has one full-time Project Specialist
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assigned to the Project, under contract; and the MSWCB
will be working more closely with the Project through
its reorganized and expanded staff.
Red Clay Interagency Committee - (RCIC)
This organization was formed in Wisconsin in 1954- to
study the problems of the red clay soils in Northwestern
Wisconsin and to make recommendations for correcting
these problems. The RCIC has been a loosely structured
organization, but one which has provided a considerable
amount of useful background data and recommendations
for the Project. The RCIC meets periodically and its
members play a major role in advising the Project and
evaluating the Project activities.
Institutions of Higher Education
Several colleges and universities throughout the two
states have been instrumental in the preparation of
portions of the information dissemination and education
program, the Ashland Shoreline study area program, and
the planned research programs. They will also be instru-
mental in implementing these programs.
Those institutions participating are: the University of
Wisconsin-Madison, the Center for Lake Superior Environ-
mental Studies of the University of Wisconsin-Superior,
the Sigurd Olson Institute of Northland College, the
University of Minnesota-Duluth and the University of
Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
These institutions also have a multitude of programs involved
with water quality of the Great Lakes and to a lesser degree
with erosion and sedimentation control. Close liaison will
be maintained to coordinate all ongoing activities between
these institutions and the Project.
University of Wisconsin-Extension - (UWEX) and University
of Minnesota-Extension (UMEX)
The Extension branches of the university systems are
responsible for carrying on the educational function of
the universities away from university campuses. They
have been classified here as state institutions; however,
they are complex institutions with federal (USDA) and
county affiliations. Extension personnel are either
state-based or area-based with state and federal funding,
or they are county-based with state, federal and county
funding.
County-based Extension personnel work closely with SWCD's
planning and implementing the educational phases of district
programs. State-based and area-based personnel add support
services for the county personnel in working with SWCD's.
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Both UWEX and UMEX will be working directly with the
Project on the information dissemination and education
program. In this capacity, they will "be coordinating
the efforts of all groups working on this program.
6. Wisconsin Department of Transportation - (VDOT)
The WDOT is intricately involved with the Red Clay Project
on a cooperative basis. There has been and will continue
to be a mutual exchange of information and materials which
will prove beneficial to both parties. Through the research
and demonstrations generated by the Project, the VDOT can
obtain vital information on the erosive properties of the
red clay soils for road construction and maintenance.
Conversely, the WDOT provides the Project with considerable
material and expertise concerning roadside erosion, sub-
surface deposits, road construction standards and specifica-
tions, etc.
Multi-county Agencies
1. Northwestern Wisconsin Regional Planning and Development
Commission - (NWRP&DC) and the Arrowhead Regional Development
Commission - (ARDC)
The service of the regional planning commission is that of
advisory planning for the purpose of guiding the coordinated
physical development of a multi-county region. Land use
plans, transportation plans, and water and wastewater manage-
ment plans are important results of regional planning
commission efforts. The regional planning commission typically
works closjely with many federal, state and local government
agencies and with private individuals and groups in the
region. Local planning assistance is a major and significant
regional planning commission activity.
The ARDC and the NWRP&DC will continue to relate to the
Project through their normal activities with sponsoring
SVCD's. Both commissions will continue to give planning,
coordinative and administrative assistance to the Project.
The NWRP&DC is also supplying the position for the Project
Director under contract with the Project.
2. Resource Conservation and Development Projects - (RG&D's)
Each of the districts participates in a Resource Conservation
and Development program on a local level. The Wisconsin
Counties make up the Lake Superior Division of the Pri-Ru-Ta
RC&D. Carlton County, Minnesota participates in the
Onanegozie RC&D.
Both of the RC&D Projects were instrumental in initiating
the Project and were active in the planning phase. They
will continue to relate to the Project in an advisory
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capacity. Further, they will continue to operate in
their normal fashion with their member SWCD's. The
work performed by the RC&D's will be complementary to
the Project's work. It is not the intent of the Project
to replace these programs in any aspect. On the contrary,
it is hoped that methods demonstrated by the Project may,
in the long run, enhance RC&D programs.
Internal Management System
The Red Clay Project is sponsored at the local level by five
Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCD's) in two states.
These SWCD's have co-sponsored an application for federal funding
under Section 108 of PL 92-500. While this application and the
acceptance of the grant offer binds the SWCD's of the various
counties together, the suprastructure created by this bond will
be guided by a constitution and by-laws which will be formulated
at a later date. This constitution and by-laws will provide the
basis for an internal management system for the Project. To
supplement the constitution and by-laws, an operations manual will
be developed which will spell out the procedures for obtaining
reviews and approvals of specific work items in a timely fashion.
While these five SWCD's represent two states, their interactions
with the state agencies of Wisconsin and Minnesota are similar
enough that we may discuss them on a project wide level rather
than on a county level. The major difference between the SWCD's
in the two states is that in Wisconsin the supervisors are
selected from the local county board of supervisors and in
Minnesota the supervisors are elected directly. In Wisconsin,
by law, the SWCD supervisors are the members of the Agriculture
and Extension Committee. This system allows for greater inter-
action with other local units of government and their committees,
but it does promote a greater reliance of the SWCD on the county
boards for funding and approval of activities. In Minnesota, the
system of directly electing SWCD supervisors provides for a
greater autonomy on the part of the supervisors, but it does
tend to lessen the direct working relationship with other local
units of government.
Wisconsin Statutes 66.30 and 92.13 and Minnesota Statutes 4-71.59
and 4-0.01 permit joint exercise by SWCD's of any power as duly
required of or authorized to the SWCD by statutes enabling the
SWCD to cooperate with other SWCD's or governmental units through
intergovernmental contracts. These districts are the legally
constitute authorities to carry out measures for the control
and prevention of erosion and sediment damages. Soil and Water
Conservation Districts, the boundaries of which in these two states
coincide with county boundaries, are, for all intents and purposes,
working parts of county government.
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The district cooperates with, landowners and occupiers in
developing and implementing plans for soil erosion control,
improved water management, and related objectives. The county
board of supervisors, the federal Soil Conservation Service,
the federal Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service,
The University Extension Service and other state and local
agencies, and private organizations collaborate with the
Soil and Water Conservation Districts. In V/isconsin, the
district may formulate land use regulations which, if adopted
by ordinance of the county board, may require installation of
various kinds of water-control structures on private lands,
use of particular methods of cultivation, observance of specified
cropping programs and tillage practices, retirement from
cultivation of highly erosive areas, and other land management
measures for conserving soil and water resources. Such land.
use ordinances, if adopted and enforced, could have substantial
beneficial effects of improving the quality of the waters of
streams and lakes. A bill to enable Minnesota districts with
similar authority is pending.
1. Pro.lect Executive Committee
The SWCD's have joined together by agreement to sponsor
the Project. In order to facilitate project-wide decision-
making, they have formed a Project Executive Committee
consisting of equal representation from each of the five
SWCD's. As mentioned, this is the ultimate decision-making
body of the Project. Each SWCD representative acts as an
intermediary between the Committee and his SWCD, relating
information and seeking necessary SWCD approval for decisions
directly affecting his or her SWCD.
The Douglas County SWCD and its representative on the
Executive Committee act as fiscal agent for the Project.
In this capacity, it deals directly with I'he USEPA and
implementing groups in all contractual and fiscal affairs.
2. Project Director
The Project Director, hired by NWRP&DC and furnished under
contract to the Project, is responsible for overall Project
operations and making day-to-day decisions guided by the
policy and decisions made by the Executive Committee. His
job is administrative and coordinative. Working directly
with the Executive Committee and the implementing groups,
his job is to interpret Executive Committee policy to the
implementing groups to insure the smooth operation of the
Project.
3. Staff Services
The Project Director has at his disposal the services of
staff personnel to assist him in conducting project operations
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and seeing that the Project goals are met. The WBSWCD has
supplied a full-time Project Specialist, under contract,
to provide specified services to assist the Project Director.
In addition, the Project has hired, through the Project's
fiscal agent, needed secretarial services. If the financial
parameters allow, there is also the potential for expanding
the Project staff to include additional secretarial services,
specialists, consultants, and assistants.
Advisory Bodies
During the formative and planning phases of the Project,
several advisory committees and groups were in existence
to advise the Executive Committee and the Project Director.
These included: the Project Advisory Committee, the Technical
Interagency Consortium, the Research Advisory Committee and
the Information-Education Committee.
In addition, several non-project organizations and agencies
were called upon for advice, assistance and planning
evaluations. During the course of the implementation phase
of this Project, these groups may "be asked to reconvene on
an ad hoc basis to assist with specific matters.
Implementing Bodies
To insure the timely implementation of Project activities
and the completion of Project objectives and goals, three
implementing bodies are recognized. The Research Committee,
consisting of the principal investigators of contracted
research activities and selected Project staff, is responsible
for maintaining liaison with the Project Director, coordinating
research activities, and seeing to the ultimate completion
of all research aspects of the Project.
The Demonstration Committee consists of those principal
investigators and Project staff responsible for the implement-
ation of demonstration activities (i.e. structure installation,
vegetative trials, land use practices, etc.). This committee
will provide liaison with the Project Director, coordinate
all demonstration activities, and supervise the installation
of structures, trials, and practices.
The Information Dissemination and Education Committee con-
sists of Project staff and those representatives from
educational institutions responsible for information
dissemination and public education. As with the other
committees, they will work directly with the Project Director
to keep him informed, to coordinate activities and to insure
the timely implementation of specific activities.
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FIGURE 8
RED CLAY PROJECT
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
and
PLOW CHART
Minnesota
Wisconsin
Carlton
County
SWCD
Ashland
County
SWCD
Douglas
County
SWCD
Bayfield
County
SWCD
Iron
County
SWCD
Executive Committee
Project
Director
Project
Specialist
1 — —~
rch
ttee
\
••*
-— ""~ """ " *-- "^
Demonstration
Committee
4
^, -"
Inform
Educat
Commit
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IX. ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION METHODS
Introduction
Due to the complexity of the Red Clay Project, it is difficult
to discuss, without repetition, the various analysis procedures
and evaluation techniques as they apply to the five separate
study areas and the numerous demonstration and research activities.
At this point, it is sufficient to state that all field and
laboratory analysis methods follow standard formats and, where
applicable, are consistent with USEPA recommended guidelines.
It is important to discuss analysis and evaluation methods
relating the various self-contained work elements to the Project's
overall goals and objectives. While it is essential to have
self-contained systems of analysis and evaluation in each of
the Project's work areas, it is even more important from the
standpoint of the entire Project to devise a system to analyze
and evaluate the research and demonstration elements for separate
activities in order to show interrelationships between them and
with the Project goals. The end result of any such system, or
set of systems, would be a complete evaluation of the Project,
the development of systems which would be applicable to other
projects and programs, the production of evaluation reports,
publications and recommendations, and, ultimately, the attain-
ment of the Project goals.
Methods of Analysis
As was mentioned in the introduction, research activities will
be subject to standard analyses consistent with USEPA recommend-
ations. The research activity is being contracted to competent
institutions and individuals familiar with the standard research
and analysis techniques. This standardization of techniques will
insure data compatibility.
The efficacy of the demonstration activities in improving water
quality will be analyzed by the USGS monitoring systems described
in this plan. Their handling of all the monitoring will insure
a standard system of data collection and storage for later
retrieval.
The WBSWCD Project Specialist, as a Project staff member, will
be responsible for working with other Project staff to analyze
the numerous research and demonstration programs to relate them
directly to the Project goals and objectives. This will be done
through an ongoing process of program coordination and review.
This type of analysis will be managerial and somewhat subjective,
relying on the more objective analyses being performed in the
various programs and study areas. The objectiveness of this
type of analysis will be met by the reports and publications
produced. These reports and publications will analyze and evaluate
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the programs and will contain recommendations for their
potential use in erosion and sedimentation control programs
to improve water quality.
The one overriding analysis to which all research and demon-
stration aspects of the Project will be subjected is a cost-
effectiveness analysis. Through this type of an analysis,
the measured results of the programs can be viewed in light
of their costs. The result will be a meaningful analysis of
control measures and research activities with indications as
to their realistic applicability to other demonstration projects
or long-term erosion and sedimentation control programs.
Methods of Evaluation
Evaluation of any program should be a continual process. This
is necessary to assess current status, catch any mistakes or
errors and make necessary changes in program direction and
emphasis. The Red Clay Project has built into its operational
structure a system of quarterly and annual review meetings as
well as ad hoc meetings of the various operational committees.
These will serve the dual purposes of periodically reviewing
Project progress and providing the format for ongoing program
evaluation.
In addition to the various review meetings, ongoing program
evaluation will be accomplished by visual, photographic,
research and other appropriate methods. Upland treatments in
the demonstration program will be periodically evaluated
visually, making use of the generally accepted Universal Soil
Loss Equation method. Structural facilities in the demonstration
program will be 6ontinually evaluated by visual and photographic
documentation. Erosion rates within the treated areas will be
compared to rates in the untreated areas. Where streambank
protection and sediment traps are planned, complete land surveys
will be run. A geometric comparison of existing, as-built and
end-of-project conditions will be made. Sedimentation and
erosion will be measured from time of construction to the end
of the Project.
The Project staff, through its management system, will be
responsible for all program evaluation. To assist with this,
the WBSWCD Project Specialist has been hired to accomplish
specific objectives regarding program evaluation. Through the
processes of programs coordination, data review, supplemental
academic research and technical documentation, all programs will
be evaluated in terms of the Project goals. Programs will have
to lend themselves to helping achieve the goals and objectives.
That is, they must fit into the development of long-term, basin-
wide control programs for SWCD's in a cost-effective manner,
successfully demonstrate new or innovative techniques for
controlling erosion and sedimentation to improve water quality,
provide new data for erosion and sedimentation control on red
clay soils, and/or be of value in disseminating information
126
-------
or educating specified audiences.
Periodic evaluations will "be contained in interior publications,
reports and documents. Final evaluations, of course, will be
contained in the final Project report to USEPA as well as
in recommendations to the sponsoring SWCD's.
127
-------
TABLE 20
RED CLAY PROJECT BUDGET
GENERAL SUMMARY
r>o
oo
FY 76 FY 77 FY 78 FY 79
Item FY 76 Grant FY 77 Grant FY 78 Grant FY 79 Grant
Total El em. Req. El em. Req. El em. Reo. El em. Req.
Administration
Nemadji (Minn)
Nemadji (Wis)
Fish Creek
Or onto /Parker Ck
Ashland
Info-Edue
Program
Research
TOTAL
255042
1284-750
776750
378850
236250
238000
105500
549763
3824905
66563
289435
208510
127315
50000
152290
31875
194608
1120596
49923
217077
156382
95486
37500
115880
23907
143590
839745
70530
479670
320745
144913
81500
75850
52375
168700
1394283
52897
359753
240559
108685
62125
56260
39282
126753
1046314
75354
503395
232645
91772
96500
5230
13375
153135
1171406
56514
377546
174481
68829
72375
3105
10032
115323
848205
42595
12250
14850
14850
8250
4630
7875
33320
138620
31945
9187
11138
11138
6188
3180
5907
24831
103514-
-------
TABLE 21
RED CLAY PROJECT BUDGET
ADMINISTRATION
FY 76 PY 77 FY 78 FY 79
Item FY 76 Grant FY 77 Grant FY 78 Grant FY 79 Grant
Total El em. Red. El em. Req. Ele^i. Rea. Elem. Ren.
Director
burden
Specialist
burden
Fo Secretary
^° burden
Travel
Indirect Costs
Direct Costs
Printing
Legal Service
Computer Service
TOTAL
64149
12829
58150
11630
19686
6475
20900
24423
7800
9000
10000
10000
255042
16845
3369
15000
3000
5244
1725
5900
6300
1680
2000
3000
2500
66563
12634
2527
11250
2250
3933
1294
4425
4725
1260
1500
2250
1875
49923
17752
3550
16200
3240
5496
1808
5900
6804
2280
2000
3000
2500
70530
13314
2662
12150
2430
4122
1356
4425
5103
1710
1500
2250
1875
52897
19402
3880
17500
3500
5871
1931
5900
7350
2520
2000
3000
2500
75354
14551
2910
13125
2625
4403
1448
4425
5512
1890
1500
2250
1875
56514
10150
2030
9450
1890
3075
1011
3200
3969
1320
3000
1000
2500
42595
7612
1522
7088
1418
2306
758
2400
2976
990
2250
750
1875
31945
-------
TABLE 22
RED CLAY PROJECT BUDGET
NEMADJI BASIN - MINNESOTA
CO
o
FY 76 FY 77 FY 78 FY 79
Item FY 76 Grant FY 77 Grant FY 78 Grant FY 79 Grant
Total El em. Rea. El em. Req. El em. Rea. Elem. Req.
Land Management
Land Treatment
Grade
Stabilization
Monitoring
TOTAL
6700
386800
780000
111250
1284750
4690
84845
156000
43900
289435
3518
63634
117000
32925
217077
2010
174060
273000
30600
479670
1508
130545
204750
22950
359753
127895
351000
24500
503395
95921
263250
18375
377546
12250
12250
9187
9187
-------
TABLE 23
RED CLAY PROJECT BUDGET
NEMADJI BASIN - WISCONSIN
FY 76 FY 77 FY 78 FY 79
Item FY 76 Grant FY 77 Grant FY 78 Grant FY 79 Grant
Total El em. Rea. El era. Req. El em. Rea. Elen. Reo.
Land Management
Land Treatment
Roadside
Treatment
Grade
Stabilization
Soil Survey
Monitoring
TOTAL
9600
277700
123000
194000
43000
129450
776750
6720
55540
30750
38800
21500
55200
208510
5040
41655
23062
29100
16125
41400
156382
2880
124965
73800
67900
21500
29700
320745
2160
93724
55350
50925
16125
22275
240559
97195
18450
87300
29700
232645
72896
13838
65475
22275
174481
14850
14850
11138
11138
-------
CO
ro
TABLE 24
RED CLAY PROJECT BUDGET
FISH CREEK BASIN
FY 76 FY 77 FY 78 FT 79
Item FI 76 Grant FY 77 Grant FY 78 Grant FY 79 Grant
Total El em. Re'q. El em. Req. El em. Beg. El em. Req.
Land Management
Land Treatment
Channel
Protection
Land Management
Regulations
Soil Survey
Monitoring
TOTAL
9950
174750
10700
7000
47000
129450
378850
6965
33650
3000
5000
23500
55200
127315
5223
25238
2250
3750
17625
41400
95486
2985
79028
7700
2000
23500
29700
144913
2238
59272
5775
1500
17625
22275
108685
62072
29700
91772
46554
22275
68829
14850
14850
11138
11138
-------
TABLE 25
RED CLAY PROJECT BUDGET
ORONTO/PARKER CREEK BASIN
CO
CO
FY 76 FY 77 FY 78 FY 79
Item FY 76 Grant FY 77 Grant FY 78 Grant FY 79 Grant
Total El en. Rea. El era. Rea. El era. Rea. Elem. Reo.
Design &
Specifications
Construction
Soil Survey
Monitoring
TOTAL
35000
120000
10000
71250
236250
20000
30000
50000
15000
22500
37500
15000
40000
10000
16500
81500
11250
30000
7500
12375
62125
80000
16500
96500
60000
12375
72375
8250
8250
6188
6188
-------
TABLE 26
RED CLAY PROJECT BUDGET
ASHLAND SHORELINE STUDY AREA
to
FY 76 FY 77 FY 78 FY 79
Item FY 76 Grant FY 77 Grant FY 78 Grant FY 79 Grant
Total El em. Rea. El era. Req. El em. Req. Elem. Req.
Design &
Specifications
Indian Cemetery
Installation
Madigan Beach
Installation
Monitoring
Evaluation
TOTAL
18000
30000
150000
34-100
5900
238000
18000
15000
100000
19290
152290
13500
11250
75000
16130
115880
15000
50000
10850
75850
11250
37500
7510
56260
2330
2900
5230
930
2175
3105
1630
3000
4630
930
2250
3180
-------
TABLE 27
RED CLAY PROJECT BUDGET
INFORMATION & EDUCATION PROGRAM
CO
en
FY 76 PY 77 FY 78 FY 79
Item FY 76 Grant FY 77 Grant FY 78 Grant FY 79 Grant
Total El em. Req. El em. Rea. El em. Ren. Elem. RPO.
Film
Consultant Fees
Travel &
Subsistence
Production
Costs
TOTAL
60000
54-00
8100
32000
105500
20000
1350
2025
8500
31875
15000
1013
1519
6375
23907
4-0000
1350
2025
9000
52375
30000
1013
1519
6750
39282
1350
2025
10000
13375
1013
1519
7500
10032
1350
2025
4500
7875
1013
1519
3375
5907
-------
TABLE 28
RED CLAY PROJECT BUDGET
VEGETATIONAL COVER ANALYSIS (Rudy Koch)*
CO
en
FY 76 FY 77 FY 78 FY 79
Item FY 76 Grant FY 77 Grant FY 78 Grant FY 79 Grant
Total El era. Rea. El em. Req. El en. Rea. Elera. Req.
Personnel Costs
Travel
Equipment
Miscellaneous
Indirect Costs
(.340
TOTAL
*Dollar figures
27036
500
1040
3875
9192
41643
reflectec
13799
300
940
1850
4691
21580
in reses
11692
225
490
550
3143
16100
rch line
13237
200
100
2025
4501
20063
item
10894
150
75
725
3125
14969
-------
TABLE 29
RED CLAY PROJECT BUDGET
ROLE OF PLANT ROOTS IN RED CLAY EROSION (Donald Davidson)*
CO
FY 76 FY 77 FY 78 FY 79
Item FY 76 Grant FY 77 Grant FY 78 Grant FY 79 Grant
Total El em. Rea. El em. Req. El em. Kea. El em. Rpn.
Personnel Costs
Travel
Equipment
Miscellaneous
Indirect Costs
(.34)
TOTAL
*Dollar figures
72957
650
1250
6600
24806
106263
reflectec
19122
200
550
1850
6502
28224
in resea
15241
150
412
500
4682
20985
rch line
23463
200
300
1850
7978
33791
item
21120
150
225
550
3181
25226
24494
200
300
1850
8328
35172
22078
150
225
550
3254
26257
5878
50
100
1050
1998
9076
5262
38
75
650
739
6764
-------
TABLE 30
EED CLAY PROJECT BUDGET
EFFECT OF VEGETATION COVER ON SOIL WATER CONTENT OF
RED CLAY SOILS AND EROSION CONTROL (Rudy Koch)*
CO
00
FY 76 FY 77 FY 78 FY 79
Item FY 76 Grant FY 77 Grant FY 78 Grant FY 79 Grant
Total El era. Rea. El em. Rea. SI em. Reo. El en. Req.
Personnel Costs
Travel
Equipment
Miscellaneous
Indirect Costs
TOTAL
*Dollar figures
84466
1100
.
7750
7125
28718
129159
reflected
24997
300
5525
1800
8499
41121
in resea
22535
225
4144
300
2166
29370
rch. line
25446
350
1350
2150
8652
37948
item
23103
263
1012
250
3405
28033
26873
350
750
2150
9136
39259
24457
263
523'
250
3615
29108
7150
100
125
1025
2431
10831
6534
75
94
250
1112
8065
-------
TABLE 31
BED CLAY PROJECT BUDGET
EFFECTS OF EROSION CONTROL ON AQUATIC LIFE IN
THE NEMADJI RIVER AND ITS TRIBUTARIES (William Swenson)*
CO
to
FY 76 FY 77 FY 78 FY 79
Item FY 76 Grant FY 77 Grant FY 78 Grant FY 79 Grant
- Total El em. Red. El era. Req. El em. Reo. Elem. RPO.
Personnel Costs
Travel
Equipment
Miscellaneous
Indirect Costs
(.34)
96435
1825
8245
9100
32787
i
TOTAL
*Dollar figures
148392
reflected
27261
500
5245
2550
9268
44824
in resea
26219
375
3275
150
3459
33478
rch line
29483
550
1900
2550
10024
44507
•item
28323
413
1900
150
2430
33216
30558
550
1100
3050
10390
45648
29325
413
1100
150
3071
34059
9133
225
950
3105
13413
8517
169
250
1066
10002
-------
TABLE 32
RED CLAY PROJECT BUDGET
LITTLE BALSAM SLOPE STUDY (Joe Mengel, Bruce Brown>
FY 76 FY 77 FY 78 FY 79
Item FY 76 Grant FY 77 Grant FY 78 Grant FY 79 Grant
Total El em. Rea. El era. Req. El em. Rea. El em. Rea.
Personnel Costs
Travel
Equipment
TOTAL
*Dollar figures
7050
559
140
774-9
reflected
7050
559
140
7749
in resea
3300
459
140
3899
?ch line
item
-------
TABLE 33
RED CLAY PROJECT BUDGET
GROUND WATER STUDY NEMADJI BASIN - MINNESOTA (USGS)*
Investigation
Report & Tour
TOTAL
*Dollar figures :
FY 76 FY 77 FY 78 FY 79
Item FY 76 Grant FY 77 Grant FY 78 Grant FY 79 Grant
Total El era. Rea. El em. Rea. ETpn. Rpn. El pm RPP
30000
^500
3^500
••ef lected
24-900
24-900
in resea:
18675
18675
"ch line
4-100
1000
5100
item
3075
750
3825
3500
?500
2625
2625
-------
TABLE 34
RED CLAY PROJECT BUDGET
RAINFALL AND TEMPERATURE MONITORING (Donald Olson)*
ro
FY 76 FY 77 FY 78 FY 79
Item FY 76 Grant FY 77 Grant FY 78 Grant FY 79 Grant
Total El era. Req. El era. Req. El era. Reo. Elem. Req.
Personnel Costs
Travel
Equipment
Miscellaneous
Indirect Costs
(.439)
TOTAL
*Dollar figures
44167
2724
15605
6810
13751
83057
reflected
13114
908
6985
1280
3923
26210
in resea
9374
908
6985
1280
2536
21083
rch line
14727
908
4310
2765
4581
27291
item
10486
908
4310
2765
3015
21484
16326
908
4310
2765
5247
29556
11736
908
4310
2765
3555
23274
-------
TABLE 35
RED CLAY PROJECT BUDGET
MONITORING BUDGET - WISCONSIN (USGS)#
GO
FY 76 FY 77 FY 78 FY 79
Item FY 76 Grant FY 77 Grant FY 78 Grant FY 79 Grant
Total El en. Rea. El era. Rea. El em. RRO. "Rlpm. -RPH.
Construction
(5 class "A")
Operation
"(5 class "A")
Operation
(l class "A-B")
Construction
(3 class "B")
Operation
(3 class "B")
TOTAL
#Dollar figures
l
60000
231000
24500
4500
34650
354650
reflected
60000
66000
7000
4500
9900
147400
in the s
45000
49500
5250
3375
7425
110550
tudy are
66000
7000
9900
82900
budget
49500
5250
7425
62175
i
66000
7000
9900
82900
49500
5250
7425
62175
33000
3500
4950
41450
24750
2625
3713
31088
-------
TABLE 36
RED CLAY PROJECT BUDGET
MONITORING BUDGET NEMADJI BASIN - MINNESOTA (USGS)#
FY 76 FY 77 FY 78 FY 79
Item FY 76 Grant FY 77 Grant FY 78 Grant FY 79 Grant
Total El em. Rea. El em. Rea. El em. Rea. Elem. Req.
Construction
(2 class "A")
Operation
(2 class "A")
Operation
(1 water qual.
station)
Construction
(1 class "B")
Operation
(1 class "B")
TOTAL
#Dollar figures
24000
56000
18200
1500
11550
111250
reflected
24000
12000
3900
1500
2500
43900
in the s
18000
9000
2925
1125
1875
32925
tudy .are
20000
6500
4100
30600
a budget
15000
4875
3075
22950
16000
5200
3300
24500
12000
3900
2475
18375
8000
2600
1650
12250
6000
1950
1238
9188
-------
TABLE 37
RED CLAY PROJECT BUDGET
ASHLAND SHORELINE MONITORING AND
EVALUATION PROGRAM (Tuncer Edil)#
FY 76 PY 77 FY 78 FY 79
Item FY 76 Grant FY 77 Grant FY 78 Grant FY 79 Grant
Total El era. Rea. Elerp. Req. El era. Rea. Elera. Rea.
Personnel Costs
Travel
Equipment
Miscellaneous
Indirect Costs
(.58)
18400
3000
1000
2000
9700
1
TOTAL
#Dollar figures
34100
ref lectec
10470
1200
500
1500
5620
19290
I in the s
8350
1200
500
1500
4580
16130
tudy are
5980
800
500
500
3070
10850
a budget
3740
800
500
500
1970
7510
1210
500
620
2330
270
500
160
930
740
500
390
1630
270
500
160
930
-------
TABLE 38
RED CLAY PROJECT BUDGET
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE (USDA - Soil Conservation Service)
Unit FY 76 FY 77 FY 78 FY 79
Cost Total El em. El em. Elem. El em.
Soil Conservationist (4.6
m/yr.)
Wisconsin (4.0 m/yr.)
Minnesota (.6 m/yr.)
Soil Scientist (4.8 m/yr.)
Wisconsin (4.8 m/yr.)
Engineer (5 m/yr.)
Wisconsin (1.2 m/yr.)
Minnesota (3«8 m/yr.)
Conservation Technician
(3.7 m/yr.)
Wisconsin (3-3 m/yr.)
Minnesota (.4 m/yr.)
Engineering Technician
(9.4 m/yr.)
Wisconsin (2.4 m/yr)
Minnesota (7.0 m/yr)
Support Specialists
(4.5 m/yr.)
Wisconsin (2.0 m/yr.)
Minnesota (2.5 m/yr.)
TOTAL (32.0 m/yr.)
Wisconsin (17«7 ni/yr.)
Minnesota (14.3 m/yr.)
19804
21062
22400
10000
10798
28889
17897 0&)
91100
79216
11884
101100
101100
112000
26880
85120
37000
33000
4000
101500
25915
75585
130000
57778
72222
572704
316777
255927
39609
33667
5942
42125
42125
38080
13440
24640
13000
11000
2000
32394
7559
24835
57778
26000
31778
214764
125279
89485
25746
21784
3962
42125
42125
53600
6720
26880
14000
13000
1000
37792
12957
24835
37556
17333
20223
196867
116330
80537
19804
17824
1980
16850
16850
31360
6720
24640
10000
9000
1000
31314
5399
25915
26000
11556
14444
143176
68009
75167
5941
5941
8960
8960
17897
7159
10738
-------
APPENDIX A
DESCRIPTION OP SOIL ASSOCIATIONS
NEMADJI BASIN
The General Soils Map, page 16 , shows the general pattern
and distribution of soils. Each soil association is described
below. Soils in associations 1, 2 and 8 developed in slack-
water deposits. Soils in association 3 developed in glacial
till. Soils in associations 4 and 5 developed in glacial out-
wash. Soils in association 7 developed in till and outwash.
Soils in association 6 developed in organic material.
1. Campia - Spooner Association
This association consists of nearly level to sloping,
moderately well and well drained, and nearly level
poorly and somewhat poorly drained soils formed in
glacial lake-laid silt.
The landscape consists of a nearly level silty glacial
lake plain with gently sloping and sloping areas near
drainageways and depressions.
This soil association occupies about 4 percent of the
watershed.
Campia soils are moderately well and well drained. They
are on broad lake plains and on gently sloping to sloping
areas along drainageways. They have a surface layer of
dark grayish brown silt loam and a subsoil that is dark
yellowish brown silty clay loam.
Spooner soils are level to depressional. They are some-
what poorly drained and are on concave slopes or in
drainageways. They have a very dark gray silt loam
surface layer and a subsoil that is mottled olive gray
silt loam.
2. Ontonagon - Sudyard - Bergland Association
This association consists of nearly level to moderately
steep, well to poorly drained soils formed in reddish
brown glacial lake-laid clay.
The landscape consists of nearly level glacial lake
plain with gently sloping to moderately steep areas near
drainageways.
This association occupies about 31 percent of the watershed,
Ontonagon soils are nearly level to moderately steep.
They are moderately well and well drained and are on plane
or convex slopes. They have a surface layer of very dark
A-l
-------
gray silty clay and a subsoil of reddish brown clay.
Rudyard soils are level to depressional. They are
somewhat poorly drained and are on concave areas or
in drainageways. They have a surface layer of very
dark brown silty clay loam and a reddish brown subsoil
that is mottled in the upper part.
Bergland soils are depressional and are poorly drained.
They have a black silty clay surface layer and a subsoil
that is dark reddish gray in the upper part and reddish
brown in the lower part.
3. Ahmeek - Ronneby - Vashburn Association
This association consists of nearly level to steep well,
to somewhat poorly drained soils with loamy subsoils.
The landscape consists of undulating and hilly glacial
ground moraines with steep sided depressions. Surface
stones are common.
This association occupies about 30 percent of the water-
shed.
Ahmeek soils are well and moderately well drained and
occur on gently sloping to sloping ground moraines.
They have very dark brown silt loam surface layer, a
dark reddish brown subsurface layer and a subsoil of
dark reddish brown, firm sandy loam.
Ronneby soils are somewhat poorly drained and occur on
flat or slightly depressional ground moraines. They
have a black loam surface layer. The upper part of
the subsoil is dark brown mottled sandy loam and the
lower part is reddish brown mottled, firm, sandy loam.
Washburn soils are well drained and occur on gently
sloping to steep ground moraines. They have very dark
gray sandy loam surface soil and a reddish gray sandy
loam subsurface soil. The subsoil is reddish brown
sandy loam in the upper part and yellowish red sandy
loam in the lower part.
4-. Omega - Cloquet Association
This association consists of nearly level to steep
somewhat excessively drained sandy soils.
The landscape consists of pitted glacial outwash plains
and the linear beach of Glacial Lake Duluth. It is
nearly level to moderately steep with many depressions.
This soil association occupies about 15 percent of the
watershed.
A-2
-------
Omega soils are nearly level to moderately steep and
are somewhat excessively drained. They have a surface
layer of brown loamy sand and a subsoil of reddish
brown loamy sand.
Cloquet soils are nearly level to steep and are somewhat
excessively drained. They have a thin black sandy loam
surface layer, a dark brown sandy loam subsurface layer
and a subsoil of reddish brown sandy loam.
5. Nemadji - Newson Association
This association consists of nearly level, somewhat poorly
and poorly drained sandy soils.
The landscape consists of a flat outwash plain with ground
water at a depth of 0 to 3 feet. Shallow depressions are
common.
This soil association occupies about 7 percent of the
watershed.
The somewhat poorly drained Nemadji soils are nearly
level or depressional. They have a thin, black, fine
sand surface layer, a reddish gray, fine sand subsurface
layer, and a reddish brown and yellowish red fine sand
subsoil that is mottled.
The poorly drained Newson soils are in shallow depressions.
They have a black mucky sand surface layer and a subsoil
of grayish brown sand.
6. Greenwood - Loxley Association
This association consists of very poorly drained organic
soils in broad depressions.
The landscape consists of nearly level organic soils in
broad depressions within the till, outwash or lake
plains.
This soil association occupies about 2 percent of the
watershed.
Greenwood soils have very acid, dark reddish brown mucky
peat surface soil and dark brown mucky peat subsoil.
Loxley soils have very acid, very dark brown muck surface
soil and a black muck subsoil.
7. Ahmeek - Omega Association
This association consists of gently sloping, well drained
sandy loam glacial till soils and somewhat excessively
A-3
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drained sandy outwash soils.
The landscape includes pitted glacial outwash plains,
linear beach deposits, and undulating sandy loam ground
moraine with steep sided depressions.
This association occupies about 2 percent of the watershed.
Ahmeek soils are well and moderately well drained on gently
sloping to sloping ground moraine. They have a very
dark brown silt loam surface layer, a dark reddish brown
subsurface layer and a subsoil of dark reddish brown firm
sandy loam.
Omega soils are gently sloping to sloping and are somewhat
excessively drained. They have a surface layer of brown
loamy sand and a subsoil of reddish brown loamy sand.
8. Steep Clayey Land
This association consists of steep, well drained clayey
and silty glacial lake-laid sediments.
The landscape consists of the steep valley slopes of the
Nemadji River and its tributaries.
This soil association occupies about 9 percent of the
watershed.
The soils in this association are similar to the Ontonagon
soils. Slips, slides and raw streambanks with exposures
of silt and sand layers are common.
A-4
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FISH CREEK BASIN
The General Soils Map of the Fish Creek Basin, page 50
shows the general pattern and distribution of soils. Each
soil association is described below.
1. Ontonagon - Pickford Association
This association consists of nearly level to sloping,
well to poorly drained clayey soils.
The landscape in this association consists of nearly
level glacial lake basins that are gently sloping to
steep near drainageways. The soils formed in lake-
laid clayey sediments with few, thin silt and fine
sand strata.
This soil association occupies about 63 percent of the
watershed. About 55 percent is made up of Ontonagon
soil, 35 percent Pickford soil and 15 percent minor
soils.
Ontonagon soils are nearly level to sloping. They have
a surface layer of reddish brown silty clay loam and a
subsoil of slowly permeable reddish brown clay.
Pickford soils are nearly level and poorly drained.
They have a surface layer of very dark brown silty clay
loam and a subsoil that is mottled brown, reddish brown
and gray clay.
Minor inclusions are the somewhat poorly drained Allendale
and Rudyard, and well drained Bibon soils. Rudyard soils
are clayey and are in slight depressions within Ontonagon
soil areas. Allendale and Bibon soils formed in 40 to
60 inches of sandy over clay. They are at the margin
of the glacial lake plain or in sandy beach ridges within
the glacial lake plain.
2. Orienta - Superior Association
This association consists of nearly level and gently
sloping, somewhat poorly and moderately well to well
drained sandy outwash soils.
The landscape of this association consists of an undulating
layer of outwash sand overlying clay on the margin of the
lake plain and on beach ridges on the lake plain.
This association occupies about 13 percent of the water-
shed. About 48 percent of this association is made up
of Orienta soil, 31 percent is made up of Superior soil
and the remaining 21 percent minor soils.
A-5
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Orienta soils are somewhat poorly drained and nearly
level to gently sloping. They developed in 40 to 60
inches of sand over clay. The surface is dark brown
and reddish gray sandy loam and loamy sand. The sub-
soil is mottled reddish brown sand over red clay.
Superior soils are moderately well and well drained and
nearly level to gently sloping. They developed in less
than 20 inches of loams over clay. The surface is very
dark gray loam and sandy loam. The subsoil is red clay
and silty clay.
Minor soils are the poorly drained Ogemaw and well drained
Bibon soils. Ogemaw and Bibon soils have 20 to 40 inches
of sand and loamy sand over clay. They are at the margins
of the glacial lake plain or on sandy beach ridges within
the glacial lake plain.
3. Vilas - Omega Association
This association consists of nearly level to steep, some-
what excessively drained sandy outwash soils.
The landscape of this association consists of pitted out-
wash bordering the glacial lake basin and linear beach
ridges within the glacial lake basin.
This association occupies about 14 percent of the watershed.
About 55 percent of this association is Vilas soil, 30
percent is Omega soil and 15 percent is minor soils.
Vilas soils are somewhat excessively drained and nearly
level to steep. They have a surface layer of very dark
gray and reddish gray loamy sand. The subsoil is reddish
brown and brown loamy sand and sand.
Omega soils are excessively drained and gently sloping to
steep. They have a surface layer of black and reddish
gray sand. The subsoil is light reddish brown and brown
sand.
Minor soils in this association are the poorly drained
Kinross and somewhat excessively drained Bibon soils.
Kinross soils are sandy and in depressions. The sandy
Bibon soils are on gently sloping to sloping topography.
4. Gogebic - Cloquet Association
This association consists of gently sloping to steep, well
drained stony, sandy and loamy glacial till soils.
The landscape of this association consists of undulating
glacial till plains and rolling end moraines. The soils
formed in stony sandy loam and loamy sand glacial till.
A-6
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This association occupies about 5 percent of the water-
shed. About 76 percent of this association is made
up of Gogebic soils, 15 percent is made up of Cloquet
soils and the remaining 19 percent is minor soils.
Gogebic soils are gently sloping to steep and well
drained. They have a surface layer of very dark brown
and brown sandy loam or loam. The subsoil is reddish
brown sandy loam.
Cloquet soils are gently sloping to steep and well
drained. They have a very dark brown to reddish brown
sandy loam or loamy sand surface horizon. The subsoil
is reddish brown coarse loamy sand and sand.
The minor soils in this association are somewhat
excessively drained sandy Washburn soils and poorly
drained Adolph soils. Washburn soils are on ridges
and Adolph soils are in depressions.
5. Steep Clayey Land Association
This association consists of steep sided, well drained
ravines cut into clayey glacial lake basin sediments.
The soil association occupies about 4- percent of the
watershed. About 90 percent is Ontonagon soil and 10
percent minor soils.
The Ontonagon soils are described in Soil Association 1.
The minor soils are described in Soil Associations 6 and
3.
6. Alluvial Land Association
These are nearly level, well to poorly drained soils
formed in alluvial deposits along streams.
The landscape in this association consists of a nearly
level flood plain along Fish Creek. The soils formed
in a mixture of sand, loams and clay with some thin
organic deposits.
This soil association occupies about 1 percent of the
watershed.
A-7
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APPENDIX B
LAND CAPABILITY UNITS
The soils of the Nemadji and Fish Creek Basins have been
classified into capability groupings that indicate their
general suitability for most kinds of farming. These are
practical groupings based on limitations of the soils, the
risk of damage when they are used, and the way they respond
to treatment.
The units in this report are a combination of the groupings
of soils of Minnesota and Wisconsin. They are intended for
use in this report only. The land capability maps for Skunk
Creek Basin, Minnesota; Little Balsam Creek Basin and Fish
Creek Basin, Wisconsin are on pages 25, 38 & 33 respectively.
In this system all soils are grouped at three levels, the
capability class, subclass and capability unit. The capability
classes in the broadest grouping are designated by Roman
numerals II through VIII. In class II are the soils that
have the least limitations, the widest range of use, and the
least risk of damage when they are used. The soils in the
other classes have progressively greater natural limitations.
In class VIII are soils and land forms so limited that they do
not produce economically worthwhile yields of crops, forage or
wood products.
The subclasses indicate major kinds of limitations within the
classes. There are four subclasses within each class, each
identified by a lower case letter. The letter "e" indicates
that the main limitation on the use of the soil for cultivated
crops is risk of erosion unless close-growing plant cover is
maintained; "w" indicates wetness, that water in or on the
soil will interfere with plant growth or cultivation; "s"
indicates that the use of the soil for cultivated crops is
limited mainly because it is shallow or drouthy.
Each subclass is further divided into capability units. These
consist of groups of soils that are very similar and, therefore
suited to the same kinds of crop and pasture plants, require
similar management and have similar productivity and other
responses to management. Capability units are identified by
numerals added to the class and subclass code, for example
This classification system is based on the degree and kind of
permanent limitations, without consideration of alterations
that would change the characteristics of the soil.
Ilel
Included in this unit are deep, well drained loamy Baudette
soils on nearly level lacustrine basins, and Duluth and
B-l
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Gogebic soils on glacial till uplands. Gogebic soils
have a weak fragipan in the subsoil. The soils in
this unit have moderate to moderately slow permeability
and have a medium available moisture and fertility-
holding capacity.
The soils in this unit have a slight erosion hazard.
Contour farming, diversions, sod waterways and proper
crop rotation along with minimum tillage are among the
measures that can be used to control erosion and slow
runoff.
There is a slight erosion hazard on tree harvest areas
and skid roads. There is a slight limitation on equip-
ment use for tree planting, management and harvest.
Seedling mortality is slight. Plant competition is
slight for conifers and moderate for hardwoods.
The soils in this group are well suited for growing the
grasses and legumes used for forage. Pasture and hayland
management practices are easy to apply.
IIe2
This unit includes moderately deep, moderately well and
well drained, clayey Ontonagon soils on gently sloping
uplands.
These soils have a moderately slow permeability and
medium available moisture and fertility-holding capacity.
Water ponds for short periods in depressions. Tilth is
difficult to maintain.
The soils in this unit have a slight erosion hazard.
Diversions, minimum tillage, contour tillage and grassed
waterways are needed to control erosion. Crop residue
and minimum tillage will help increase the organic matter
content, improve tilth and reduce erosion. Random
surface drains and landsmoothing will eliminate wet spots.
There is a slight erosion hazard on tree harvest areas
and skid roads. There is a slight limitation on equipment
use for tree planting, management and harvest. Seedling
mortality is moderate. The wind throw hazard is slight.
Plant competition is slight for hardwoods and moderate
for conifers.
These soils are well suited for growing grasses and legume
crops that are used for forage. Surface drainage is
needed to dispose of ponded water in low spots. Tillage
practices should be applied when the soils are at proper
moisture level to help maintain good tilth. Pall tillage
helps to prepare a satisfactory seedbed for the spring.
B-2
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This unit includes well drained Superior soils formed in
sand overlying clay at depths of 10 to 20 inches, and
poorly drained sandy Ogemaw soils overlying clay at 4-0
to 60 inches. These soils are on gently sloping uplands
and benches. Permeability is rapid in the sandy upper
part and slow in the clayey lower part. These soils
have medium available moisture and fertility-holding
capacity. They are somewhat drouthy during extended
dry periods.
The soils in this unit have a slight erosion hazard.
Erosion is the main hazard. Diversions, contour tillage
and grassed waterways are needed for erosion control.
Crop residue and minimum tillage help to increase the
organic matter content, maintain tilth, and control
erosion. Wet seepage spots can be controlled with inter-
ception surface drains.
There is a slight erosion hazard on tree harvest areas
and skid roads. There is a slight limitation on equip-
ment use for tree planting, management and harvest.
Seedling mortality is moderate. There is a slight wind
throw hazard. Plant competition is slight for hardwoods
and moderate for conifers.
These soils are well suited for growing the grasses and
legumes used for forage. Some surface drainage is needed,
Alfalfa generally out-yields other species.
IIsl
Moderately deep, moderately well and well drained, clayey
Ontonagon soils on nearly level uplands. These are slowly
permeable soils with medium available moisture and fertility-
holding capacity. The surface generally has a microrelief
of low swells and swales, and water ponds for short periods
in the depressions.
Poor tilth and ponded surface water are the main hazards.
Surface drainage is needed to remove wet spots. Crop
residue management and minimum tillage increases the
organic matter content and helps to maintain good tilth.
There is a slight erosion hazard on tree harvest areas
and skid roads. There is a slight limitation on equipment
use for tree planting, management and harvest. Seedling
mortality is moderate following tree planting. There is
a slight wind throw hazard. Plant competition is slight
for hardwoods and moderate for conifers.
B-3
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These soils are well suited for growing forage crops.
Some surface drainage is needed. Pall tillage helps
to obtain a satisfactory seedbed for the spring.
This unit is class III in Minnesota.
IIwl
This unit includes deep, somewhat poorly drained, loamy
Tula soils on nearly level low areas in glacial till
uplands. These soils have moderate permeability and
medium available moisture and fertility-holding capacity.
They have a seasonal high water table.
Wetness is the major hazard. Surface drainage and grassed
waterways are needed. Diversions that intercept runoff
from adjacent uplands are beneficial. Grassed or structural
outlets are needed for diversions and surface drains.
Minimum tillage and crop residue management help maintain
good tilth.
Erosion hazard on tree harvest areas and skid roads is
slight. There is a slight limitation on equipment use
for tree planting, management and harvest. Seedling
mortality and wind throw hazard is slight. Plant com-
petition is moderate for hardwoods and severe for conifers.
These soils are suited for growing many of the grasses and
legumes used for forage. Management practices and the
choice of plant species are limited somewhat by wetness.
Where adequate drainage can be provided, and applications
of lime and fertilizer are made, alfalfa stands can be
established and maintained. Red clover should be considered
where drainage is not adequate.
IIw2
Included in this unit are moderately deep, somewhat poorly
drained silty Spooner soils on nearly level lacustrine
basins. These soils have moderate permeability and high
available moisture and fertility-holding capacity. They
have a seasonal high water table and surface water ponds
in depressions for short periods.
Wetness is the main limitation. Surface drainage, conser-
vation cropping systems, crop residue management and
minimum tillage are needed practices.
The erosion hazard on tree harvest areas and skid roads
is slight. There is a slight limitation on equipment use
for tree planting, management and harvest. There is a
slight limitation on equipment use for tree planting,
management and harvest. There is a slight seedling mortality
hazard. Wind throw hazard is slight. Plant competition
B-4
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is moderate for hardwoods and severe for conifers.
These soils are suited for growing many of the grasses
and legumes used for forage crops. Management practices
and the choice of plants are limited due to wetness.
Where adequate drainage can be provided and applications
of lime and fertilizer are made, alfalfa stands can be
established and maintained. Without adequate drainage,
red clover should be considered.
Illel
This unit includes deep, well drained loamy Baudette soils
on sloping lacustrine basins, and moderately deep well
drained Duluth and Gogebic soils on sloping glacial till
uplands. Permeability is moderate to moderately slow.
They have a medium available moisture and fertility-
holding capacity. Gogebic soils have a fragipan in the
subsoil.
The soils in this unit have a moderate erosion hazard.
Contouring is the control practice most applicable on
slopes. Grassed waterways are needed to control erosion
in drainageways.'
The erosion hazard is slight on tree harvest areas and
skid roads. There is a slight limitation for equipment
use for tree planting, management and tree harvest. There
is moderate limitations for seedling mortality and wind
throw. Plant competition is moderate for hardwoods and
severe for conifers.
These soils are well suited for growing the grasses and
legumes used for forage. Pasture and hayland management
practices are easy to apply.
This unit is class IV in Minnesota.
IIIe2
This unit includes moderately deep, well drained, clayey
Ontonagon soils on sloping uplands. These soils have
slow permeability and medium available moisture and
fertility-holding capacity.
The soils in this unit have a moderate erosion hazard.
Diversions, contour tillage, grassed waterways, crop
residue management and minimum tillage are among the
measures needed for control of erosion.
There is a slight erosion hazard on tree harvest areas
and skid roads. There is a slight limitation on equip-
ment use for tree planting, management and harvest. There
B-5
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is a slight wind throw and seedling mortality hazard.
Plant competition is slight for hardwoods, moderate
for conifers.
These soils are well suited for growing the grasses and
legumes used for forage. Some surface drainage is
needed. Tillage practices should "be applied when the
soils are at the proper moisture level. Pall tillage
helps to obtain a satisfactory seedbed for the spring.
This unit includes deep, well to excessively drained
Cloquet, Marenisco and Washburn soils on gently sloping
uplands. These soils have moderate to moderately rapid
permeability and moderately low available moisture and
fertility-holding capacity. They are drouthy and are
subject to both a water and wind erosion hazard.
The soils in this unit have a slight erosion hazard.
Contour tillage and proper cropping system help to
control erosion. Minimum tillage and crop residue manage-
ment improve tilth and increase the organic matter and
water-holding capacity.
These soils have a slight erosion hazard on tree harvest
areas and skid roads. There is a slight limitation for
equipment use for tree planting, management and harvest.
There is a moderate seedling mortality and wind throw
hazard. Plant competition for hardwoods is slight and
conifers is moderate.
The soils are well suited for growing many of the grasses
and legumes used for forage. Alfalfa generally outyields
other species.
IIIwl
Included in this unit are moderately deep somewhat poorly
and poorly drained clayey Rudyard, Bergland and Pickford
soils on nearly level lake plains. These soils are slowly
permeable, have moderately high available moisture and
moderate fertility-holding capacity. They are subject
to water ponding on the surface and have a climatic limit-
ation.
Wetness is the main hazard. Maintaining good tilth is a
serious problem. Surface drainage and land smoothing is
needed. Crop residue management and minimum tillage are
needed for these soils.
These soils have a slight erosion hazard on tree harvest
areas and skid roads. There is a severe limitation on
Bergland and Pickford soils for equipment use in tree
B-6
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planting, management and harvest, seedling mortality
and plant competition. On Rudyard soils the limitation
is moderate. There is a severe wind throw hazard.
With adequate drainage, these soils are suited for growing
many of the grasses and legumes used for forage. Without
drainage, ponded surface water restricts the use of many
species. When drained, these soils are suited for alfalfa
production.
This unit is class IV in Minnesota.
IIIw2
Included in this unit are somewhat poorly drained silty
Busier soils on nearly level uplands. These soils have
slow permeability and high available moisture and
fertility-holding capacity.
Wetness is the main limitation. Maintaining good tilth
is a problem. Surface drainage and crop residue management
is needed.
Erosion hazard on tree harvest and skid roads is slight.
Limitations on equipment use during tree planting, manage-
ment and harvest is moderate. There is a moderate seedling
mortality following tree planting. Wind throw hazard is
slight. Plant competition is moderate for hardwoods and
severe for conifers after harvest.
The soils in this group are suited for growing many of the
grasses and legumes used for forage. Management practices
and some plant species are limited due to wetness. Where
adequate surface drainage can be provided and applications
of lime and fertilizer are made, alfalfa stands can be
established and maintained. Without adequate drainage and
a high fertility level, red clover should be considered.
This unit includes moderately deep, somewhat poorly drained
sandy Allendale soils and deep poorly drained Ogemaw soils.
These soils are underlain by clay at depths of less than
60 inches. They are on gently sloping uplands and benches.
These soils have rapid permeability and medium to low
available moisture and fertility-holding capacity in the
upper sandy layer. There is a seasonal high water table.
Wetness is the main limitation. Surface drainage or tile
laid in the clayey substratum material is needed for best
crop production.
Wetness is the main limitation. Surface drainage or tile
laid in the clayey substratum material is needed for best
crop production.
B-7
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The erosion hazard is slight on tree harvest areas and
skid roads. (There is a slight limitation on equipment
for use for tree planting, management and harvest.
Seedling mortality and wind throw hazard is slight.
Plant competition is slight for hardwoods and moderate
for conifers.
These soils are unsuited for growing many forage species
due to seasonal high water table followed by drouthiness
as the water table is lowered during the growing season.
When adequately drained, red clover should be considered,
Without adequate drainage, bluegrass should be grown.
IVel
Moderately deep, well drained, loamy Gogebic soils on
moderately steep glacial till uplands. These soils have
a fragipan in the subsoil. They are moderately permeable
and have a medium available moisture and fertility-holding
capacity.
These soils have a severe erosion hazard. Permanent
grassed waterways, contour cultivation, crop residue
management and minimum tillage control runoff and erosion.
Erosion hazard on tree harvest areas and skid roads is
moderate. There is a moderate limitation on equipment
use for tree planting, management and harvest. There is
a moderate seedling mortality and wind throw hazard.
There is moderate plant competition for hardwoods and
severe plant competition for conifers after harvest.
These soils are well suited for growing forage crops.
Alfalfa generally outyields other species.
IVe2
This unit includes moderately deep, well drained, clayey
Ontonagon soils on moderately steep uplands. These soils
have a slow permeability and a medium available moisture
and fertility-holding capacity. Water ponds for short
periods in depressions.
These soils have a severe erosion hazard. Contour
cultivation, diversions and grassed waterways help control
runoff and erosion. Crop residue management and minimum
tillage improve tilth and reduce runoff.
There is a moderate erosion hazard on tree harvest areas
and skid roads. There is a severe limitation on equipment
use for tree planting, management and harvest. There is
a moderate seedling mortality hazard on north and east
facing slopes. On south and west facing slopes the seedling
B-8
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mortality is severe. There is a slight wind throw
hazard. Plant competition is severe for hardwoods and
moderate for conifers.
These soils are suited for growing the grasses and
legumes used for forage. Tillage practices should be
applied when the soils are at the proper moisture level,
Alfalfa generally outyields other species.
This unit is class VII in Minnesota.
This unit includes moderately deep and deep, well to
excessively drained sandy Marenisco and Washburn soils
on sloping uplands. These soils have moderately rapid
permeability and moderately low available moisture and
fertility-holding capacity.
These soils have a moderate erosion hazard and they are
somewhat drouthy. Contour cultivation, grassed waterways,
crop residue management and minimum tillage improve tilth
and reduce erosion.
The erosion hazard is slight on tree harvest areas and
skid roads. There is a slight limitation on equipment
use for tree planting, management and harvest. The
seedling mortality hazard is slight. There is a slight
wind throw hazard. Plant competition is slight for hard-
woods and moderate for conifers.
These soils are drouthy and suited for growing only a
limited number of species for forage. Forage yields are
generally low.
IVsl
This unit includes deep excessively drained sandy Omega
and Vilas soils on nearly level to sloping uplands. Also
included are deep excessively drained sandy Bibon soils
and somewhat poorly drained Orienta soils with clayey
layers at depths of less than 60 inches.
Permeability is rapid in the sandy material, slow in the
clay. Available moisture capacity and fertility-holding
capacity is low in the sands.
These soils are drouthy and have a moderate erosion hazard
on slopes. They are subject to wind and water erosion.
Crop residue management, minimum tillage and cover crops
help to control erosion and improve soil moisture-holding
capacity.
B-9
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IVwl
These soils have a slight erosion hazard on tree harvest
areas and skid roads areas. There is a slight limitation
on equipment use for tree planting, management and harvest.
There is a moderate seedling mortality hazard. Wind throw
hazard is slight. Plant competition is slight for hard-
woods and moderate for conifers.
These soils are suited for growing only a limited number
of species for forage. Alfalfa generally outyields all
other species.
Included in this unit are deep, poorly drained Rifle soils
in depressional areas. These organic soils have a high
water table, moderately rapid permeability, and high
available moisture and fertility-holding capacity.
Soil wetness and severe frost hazard are the main limitations,
Water ponds on the surface during wet seasons. Surface
drainage is needed for general crop production. Wind
erosion and subsidence are hazards when these soils are
drained and cultivated.
Erosion hazard is slight on tree harvest areas and skid
roads. Because of the low bearing value of these soils,
there is a severe limitation on equipment use for tree
planting, management and harvest. Seedling mortality, wind
throw hazard and plant competition is severe.
Due to excess water, generally low fertility and some water
ponding on the surface these soils are unsuited for grow-
ing many forage species. The low bearing value limits
the use of these soils for livestock grazing. Without
adequate drainage, reed canary grass is the only adapted
species. When adequately drained red clover and reed
canary grass are the species to plant.
IVw2
Included in this unit are deep, poorly drained sandy
Kinross and Newson soils on nearly level and depressional
topography. These soils are rapidly permeable, and have
a low available moisture and fertility-holding capacity.
Ground water is at or near the surface seasonally.
Wetness is the main hazard. Surface drainage is needed
for crop production. When drained and cultivated they
have a severe wind erosion hazard. Crop residue manage-
ment, minimum tillage and cover crops help to maintain
good tilth and reduce wind erosion.
These soils have a slight erosion hazard on tree harvest
areas and skid roads. There is a severe limitation on
B-10
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equipment use for tree planting, management and harvest.
There is moderate seedling mortality hazard and wind
throw hazard. Plant competition is moderate.
Because of the high water table, these soils are unsuited
for growing many forage species. When adequately drained,
red clover should be considered. Without adequate drainage,
this soil should be managed for bluegrass.
Included in this unit are moderately deep, somewhat poorly
drained, sandy Nemadji and Orienta soils on nearly level
outwash and lake plains. These soils have a seasonal high
water table, are rapidly permeable and have a low available
moisture and fertility-holding capacity. Orienta soils
are underlaid with clay at less than 60 inches.
Wetness is the limiting management hazard. Surface drains
are needed for best crop production. When drained and
cultivated there is the possibility of wind erosion.
There is a slight erosion hazard on tree harvest areas and
skid roads. There is a slight limitation on equipment use
for tree planting, management and harvest. There are
moderate seedling mortality hazards following tree planting,
There is a slight wind throw hazard. Plant competition
is slight for hardwoods and conifers.
These soils are unsuited for growing many forage species
due to the seasonal high water table. When adequately
drained, red clover should be considered. Without adequate
drainage, these soils should be managed for bluegrass.
IVw4
This unit includes deep, poorly drained loamy Mahtowa and
Blackhoof soils on nearly level uplands and in depressional
areas. These soils have slow permeability and moderately
high available moisture and moderately low fertility-holding
capacity. The water table is within one foot of the surface
during most of the growing season.
Wetness is the main limitation. Surface drainage and
land smoothing are needed for best cropland production.
Minimum tillage helps maintain organic matter content and
promotes good tilth.
These soils have a slight erosion hazard on tree harvest
areas and skid roads. There is a severe limitation on
equipment use for tree planting management and harvest.
There is a severe seedling mortality. There is a severe
wind throw hazard. Plant competition is severe.
B-ll
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Vwl
When drained these soils are suited for growing many of
the grasses and legumes used for forage production.
Unless drained, these soils have a high water table that
restricts their use to species such as reed canary grass.
With adequate surface drainage, red clover should be
considered.
This unit includes deep, poorly drained, loamy alluvial
soils on nearly level stream flood plains. These soils
have moderate permeability, high available moisture and
moderate fertility-holding capacity. They have a high
water table during wet seasons and are subject to frequent
stream overflow.
Periodic flooding and soil wetness are the main limitations,
Most areas of this soil are not used for cultivated crops.
The erosion hazard is slight on tree harvest areas and
skid roads. There is a moderate limitation on equipment
use for tree planting, management and harvest. There is
a slight seedling mortality and wind throw hazard. Plant
competition is slight for hardwoods and moderate for con-
ifers.
Due to the periodic excess water and flooding hazard and
the difficulty of providing protection from overflow, the
soils in this group are unsuited for growing most of the
grasses and legumes used for forage. With good management
moderate yields of bluegrass may be expected.
VIel
Included in this unit are moderately deep, well to excess-
ively drained sandy Washburn and Marenisco soils on
moderately steep uplands. These soils have moderately
rapid permeability and moderately low available moisture
and fertility-holding capacity.
These soils have a severe erosion hazard. A vegetated
cover and protection from overgrazing help to control
erosion.
The erosion hazard on tree harvest areas and skid roads
is moderate. There is a moderate limitation on equipment
use for tree planting, management and harvest. Seedling
mortality hazard is slight on north and east facing slopes
and moderate on south and west facing slopes. There is
a slight wind throw hazard. Plant competition is slight
for hardwoods and moderate for conifers.
These soils are drouthy and unsuited for growing many
species for forage. Steep slopes and surface stones
B-12
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restrict the use of tillage implements in some areas.
Where renovation is not feasible lime and fertilizer
can be applied, brush removed and grazing controlled.
Bluegrass should be grown where soils are not renovated.
VIsl
This unit includes deep excessively drained sandy Vilas
soils on sloping uplands. These soils have rapid
permeability and a very low available moisture and
fertility-holding capacity.
Drouthiness and a severe erosion hazard are the main
limitations. These soils are subject to wind erosion
and water erosion when cultivated. A vegetated cover
and protection from overgrazing help to control erosion.
The erosion hazard on tree harvest areas and skid roads
is slight. There are slight limitations on equipment
use for tree planting, management and harvest. There
is a moderate seedling mortality hazard. There is a
slight wind throw hazard. Plant competition limitations
are slight for hardwoods and moderate for conifers.
These soils are drouthy and unsuited for growing many
species for forage. Where renovation is possible,
alfalfa generally outyields other species. Bluegrass
should be grown where soils are not renovated.
Vllel
This unit includes the steep slopes of deeply cut drain-
ageways in the clayey Nemadji and Fish Creek Basins.
These areas have a slow permeability and a medium avail-
able moisture and fertility-holding capacity. Runoff
is very rapid and there is a severe erosion hazard. The
slopes are unstable and are subject to massive slumping
and soil slippage.
The erosion on tree harvest areas and skid roads is
severe. There is a severe limitation on equipment use
for tree planting, management and harvest. Seedling
mortality hazard is moderate on north and east slopes,
severe on south and west slopes. Plant competition is
severe.
Most of these areas are in woodland. They are best suited
to this use.
This unit is class VIII in Minnesota.
VIIwl
This unit includes deep, poorly drained, Greenwood and
Bain soils and the moderately deep Beseman and Dawson
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soils on nearly level depressions. These fibrous
organic soils have moderately rapid permeability,
medium available moisture and low fertility-holding
capacity, and are very acid in reaction. Water table
is at or near the surface most of the year. Beseman
and Dawson soils are underlaid by loam and sand
respectively at 16 to 50 inches.
Low natural fertility, acidity, severe frost hazard,
and wetness are the main hazards. Most areas of these
soils are maintained in existing or natural vegetation.
The erosion hazard on tree harvest areas and skid roads
is slight. The low bearing capacity of these soils
puts a severe limitation on the use of equipment for
tree management and harvest. There is a severe plant
competition, seedling mortality and wind throw hazard.
Native vegetation on these soils is a forest cover of
black spruce and tamarack trees with an understory of
leatherleaf, laborador tea and sphagum moss. Growth
is generally slow. The best use of these areas is to
maintain them in their natural state.
This unit is class IV in Minnesota.
VIIIwl
This unit includes deep, poorly drained organic and
mineral marshes in nearly level depressional areas
bordering on lakes and streams. Water exists at or
above the surface most of the year, and they are
not suited for drainage. Vegetation is generally
cattails, bulrushes and other aquatic species.
These areas are not suited for cropland or trees. They
are better suited for wildlife habitat or recreation.
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APPENDIX C
DEFINITIONS OF LAND TREATMENT PRACTICES
1. ACCESS ROAD is constructed as part of a conservation
plan to provide needed access to other conservation
measures. The estimated cost includes: clearing,
earthwork, gravel surfacing and seeding.
2. AGRICULTURAL WASTE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS is a planned
system to contain and manage liquid and solid live-
stock wastes with disposal in a manner which does not
degrade air, soil or water resources. The cost is
an average typical cost of those recently constructed.
5- BRUSH MANAGEMENT is management of brush stands to
restore plant communities and specific needs of the
land users. The cost includes both chemical and
mechanical brush control.
4- CONSERVATION CROPPING SYSTEM is growing crops in combin-
ation with needed cultural and management measures.
Cropping systems include rotations that contain grasses
and legumes as well as rotations in which the desired
benefits are achieved without the use of such crops.
The cost includes the land user's cost of establishing
and maintaining contour strips, rotations, etc.
5- CRITICAL AREA PLANTING is stabilizing sediment-producing
and severly eroded areas by establishing vegetative
cover. This includes woody plants, such as trees,
shrubs of vines, and adapted grasses or legumes estab-
lished by seeding or sodding to provide long-term
ground cover, (does not include tree planting mainly
for the production of wood products). The acreage of
this item does not include roadside seeding needed and
seeding as part of other conservation measures.
6- CROP RESIDUE MANAGEMENT is using plant residues to
protect cultivated fields during critical erosion
periods. The cost is indicative of the added expense
in converting to mulch tillage practices.
7. DIVERSION is a channel with a supporting ridge on the
lower side constructed across the slope for the purpose
of diverting water to areas where it can be disposed of
safely. The cost includes earthwork and seeding.
8- DRAINAGE FIELD DITCH is a graded ditch for collecting
excess water within a field. It does not include
Grassed Waterway or Outlet. The quantity of this item
is intended for application on the cropland.
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9. FARMSTEAD AND FEEDLOT WINDBREAK is a belt of trees
or shrubs established next to a farmstead or feedlot.
The cost is for tree planting and materials.
10. FENCING is enclosing or dividing an area of land with
a permanent structure that acts as a barrier to live-
stock or people. The quantity shown in the table is
that needed for livestock exclusion from gullies and
steep slopes. The cost is for material and labor.
11. FIELD WINDBREAK is a strip or belt of trees or shrubs
established to reduce wind erosion on open fields.
The cost is for tree planting and materials.
12. FLOODWATER RETARDING STRUCTURE is a single purpose
structure providing for temporary storage of flood-
water and for its controlled release. This structure
is designed to trap sediment also, though not consid-
ered a purpose. The cost is the estimated construction
cost for sites indicated on the work map.
13. GRADE STABILIZATION STRUCTURE is built to stabilize
the grade or to control head cutting in natural or
artificial channels. (Does not include stream channel
improvement, streambank protection, diversions or
structures for water control). The higher cost is
representative for construction of a low head, crib
type structures located in the stream channel to control
gradient. The lower cost is representative for
construction of high head, pipe drop type structures
for small watersheds.
14. GRASSED WATERWAY is a natural or constructed waterway
or outlet, shaped and graded, with vegetation established
to safely dispose of runoff from a field, diversion,
terrace or other structure. The cost includes earthwork
and seeding.
15. LAND ADEQUATELY TREATED is using land within its capability
on which the conservation practices that are essential
to its protection and planned improvement have been
applied.
16. LAND SMOOTHING is removing irregularities on cropland
surfaces by use of special equipment.
17 LIVESTOCK EXCLUSION refers to areas where grazing is not
wanted.The cost for doing such is the amount shown
for fencing.
18 PASTURE AND HAYLAND MANAGEMENT is proper treatment and
use of pastureland or hayland. The cost includes mowing
and fertilization.
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W. PASTURE AND HAYLAND PLAMTINfl is establishing long-term
stands of adapted species of perennial, biennial, or
reseeding forage plants. (Includes pasture and hayland
renovation, does not include grassed waterway or outlet
on cropland).
20. RECREATION AREA IMPROVEMENT is establishing grasses,
legumes, shrubs, trees or other plants or selectively
reducing stand density to improve an area for recreation.
The construction cost is included in other practices.
21 • STOCK TRAILS, WALKWAY OR WATERING FACILITY a trail, walkway
or watering facility provided to improve access to water
for livestock when fencing is used to exclude livestock
Irom prior watering areas.
22 • STREAM CHANNEL PROTECTION AND SLOPE STABILIZATION includes
all those structural measures design to control or reduce
the amount of streambank erosion and stream side slope
failure (clay slides).
23. STRIFCROPPING is the growing of crops in a systematic
arrangement of strips or bands on the contour to reduce
erosion. The cost includes the land user's cost of
establishing and maintaining strips.
2/K SUBSURFACE DRAINAGE is a conduit installed beneath the
ground surface which collects and/or conveys drainage
water. The cost includes installation and material.
25. TREE PLANTING is the planting of tree seedlings or cuttings.
Costs include materials and planting.
26- WOODLAND IMPROVEMENT is removing unmerchantable or unwanted
trees, shrubs or vines.
27• WOODLAND SITE PREPARATION is treating areas to encourage
natural seeding of desirable trees or to permit reforest-
ation by planting or direct seeding.
C--
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APPENDIX D
WATER QUALITY MONITORING
1. Description of class "A" monitoring station.
a. A.permanent shelter—heated, insulated and equipped
with electricity.
"b. Continuous streamflow recorder.
c. Automatic suspended sediment sampler to collect daily
and storm event samples.
d. Manual collection of suspended and bed material on
an event basis by USGS.
e. Intensive chemical quality monitoring.
2. Description of class "B" monitoring station.
a. A semipermanent bridge-mounted installation.
b. Peak flow recorder, crest-stage installation and
wire-weight gauge to measure stage at time of
sampling.
c. Weekly and storm event suspended-sediment samples
taken by local observer.
d. Particle-size analysis samples collected on an
event basis by USGS.
3. Parameters to be measured at all class "A" stations at the
irequency shown.
Parameter
Frequency
temperature continuous
specific conductance ••
discharge u
U instantaneous
coliform, fecal MF, M-Fc monthly
streptococci, fecal MF, M-entero "
bicarbonate „
carbonate n
hardness, as CaCO* «
hardness, non-carbonate ><
calcium, dissolved n
magnesium, dissolved n
fluoride, dissolved n
sodium, dissolved »
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Parameter
potassium, dissolved
residue on evaporation
dissolved solids
silica, dissolved
turbidity, JTU
chloride
sulfate, dissolved
phosphorus, total as P
nitrite plus nitrate,
total as N
nitrogen, total
Kjeldahl as N
arsenic, dissolved
arsenic, total
cadmium, dissolved
cadmium, total
chromium, dissolved
chromium, total
cobalt, dissolved
cobalt, total
copper, dissolved
copper, total
iron, dissolved
Iron, total
lead, dissolved
lead, total
manganese, dissolved
manganese, total
mercury, dissolved
mercury, total
selenium, dissolved
selenium, total
zinc, dissolved
zinc, total
total organic carbon
OTHER
insecticides
herbicides
organochlorine compounds
Frequency
11
11
it
11
it
quarterly
it
one time (repeat if
necessary)
D-2
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TECHNICAL REPORT DATA
(Please read Instructions on the reverse before completing)
1. REPORT NO.
EPA-905/9-76-002
3. RECIPIENT'S ACCESSION-NO.
4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE
"Impact of Non-Point Pollution Control on Western
Lake Superior"
(Red Clay Project-Work Plan)
5. REPORT DATE
February 1976
6. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION CODE
7. AUTHOR(S)
Stephen C. Andrews
Donald S. Houtman
8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NO
PERFORMING OR^ANIZATIjaJM NAME AND ADQPESS . . .- . . . ,
Douglas County Soil and Water Conservation District
Douglas County Courthouse
Superior, Wisconsin 54880
10. PROGRAM ELEMENT NO.
11. CONTRACT/GRANT NO.
G005140 01
12. SPONSORING AGENCY NAME AND ADDRESS
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Great Lakes Coordinator
230 South Dearborn Street
Chicago, Illinois 60604
13. TYPE OF REPORT AND PERIOD COVERED
Work Plan May 1974-Dec.1978
14. SPONSORING AGENCY CODE
15. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES
Section 108 (a) Program- Ralph G. Christensen
U.S. EPA Project Officer- Carl D. Wilson
16. ABSTRACT
The goal of the Red Clay Area project is to initiate and implement an action
program for soil erosion and sediment control in the Lake Superior Basin which will
lead into a basin-wide program. Institutional arrangements and vehicles for inter-
governmental cooperation between local governmental implementing authorities on an
interstate basis will be established to solve the basin-wide red clay erosion and
sediment problems.
Various types of structural and non-structural treatment measures to control
major sediment sources will be evaluated to determine quantity of sediment reduced
per unit cost of treatment and the impact on water qualtiy. New and innovative
techniques for controlling or preventing sedimentation will be demonstrated.
KEY WORDS AND DOCUMENT ANALYSIS
DESCRIPTORS
Sediment
Erosion
Water quality
Institutional
Socio-economic
Nutrients
Land treatment
b.IDENTIFIERS/OPEN ENDED TERMS
c. COS AT I Field/Group
3. DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT
Document available from Performing Office
or NTIS, Springfield, Virginia 22151
19. SECURITY CLASS (ThisReport)
21. NO. OF PAGES
20. SECURITY CLASS (This page)
22. PRICE
EPA Form 2220-1 (9-73)
E-l
*U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE! 1976—653-928
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