Lake Koshkonong Wetland Association

July 2006 DNR email about Lake Koshkonong dredging

The following email was received from Susan Josheff on July 30, 2006. In it she responds to a question from a citizen requesting past dredging permits. She details the recent history of dredging in Lake Koshkonong.

From: Susan Josheff

Sent: Sunday, July 30, 2006 1:26 PM

Subject: Dredging permits

I have your letter requesting past dredging permits on Lake Koshkonong since 1976. I know there are lots of rumors that WDNR won't allow _________. You fill in the blank. In this case, you heard the rumor - WDNR won't approve dredging on Lake Koshkonong. We haven't received an application to dredge Lake Koshkonong in recent years.

I searched our database that lists the applications we have processed. There a (sic) four dredging (ch.30.20, Wisconsin Statutes.) permits applied for and granted from 1976 to the present listed for Lake Koshkonong. I didn't pull the files so I don't know the details.

Year	Applicant	File #
1976	Norm Duesterbeck	3-SD-1976-0419	Approved
1979	WI Electric Power	3-SD-1979-0038	Approved
1997	Shearer	3-SC-1997-28-3103LR	Approved
1999	Bingham's Point Lagoon Assoc.	3-SC-1999-28-3121LR	Approved (May have been in the lagoon and not directly on the Lake)

I believe there was at least one other dredging project near a boat landing also, but because WDNR partners on some landing dredging, we wouldn't have issued a permit. Instead we issue an internal approval that may not show up in the application database. I don't know for sure there was another, but I seem to remember one.

Below is our website for dredging. It has some information and the permit application. There are several different ways to dredge - with the water level at the normal level and with the water drawn down some - with a hydraulic dredge that 'vacuums' up the sediment or with equipment buckets that 'dip' the sediments. Each need type of dredging needs a disposal site for the sediments. The disposal site(s) can't be in wetlands or floodways.

I can't tell you that WDNR would or would not approve a dredging project. It depends on the details - Where? When? How? How much? etc. I can tell you that we have issued dredging permits in other lakes, held by dams when the project were well planned.

Dredging can be expensive but so are attorneys and court battles. There isn't funding available for general lake dredging but funding may be available to help with dredging in the vicinity of public boat ramps.

Hope I've answered your questions.

http://dnr.wi.gov/org/water/fhp/waterway/dredging.shtml

P Susan G. Josheff, PE, PH
Lower Rock River Basin Leader Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources - South Central Region
3911 Fish Hatchery Road
Fitchburg, WI 53711