Lake Koshkonong Wetland Association - Library
WDNR / RKLD Water Controversy
The following are documents related to the request by the Rock-Koshkonong Lake District (RKLD) to raise Lake Koshkonong's water level. Read more about the controversy.
-
Judicial Review Decision
(662 KB). This is Judge Dillon's decision, announced May 12, 2008, affirming Judge
Coleman's decision to uphold the WDNR's Finding of Fact. -
Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law, and Order
(269 KB). This is Judge Coleman's decision announced December 1, 2006
-
Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law, and Order
(8 KB). This replaces the final page in the official Findings of Fact, Conclusions
of Law, and Order. It documents the appeal rights for those who feel harmed by the
decision.
-
Environmental Impact Report
(49.1 MB). This is the report prepared by the RKLD and submitted to the WDNR in
October 2003.
- EIR, Second Response (15.8 MB). This is RKLD's response to the WDNR's request for additional information. Submitted May 2004.
- WDNR Environmental Assessment (7.3 MB). Released in April 2005 by the WDNR, this report discusses the potential environmental consequences of granting the request. (Note that the attachments are not included as they would have increased the file to an unmanageable 120 MB.)
-
WDNR Finding of Fact
(25 KB). On April 15, 2005 the WDNR announced its decision to partially grant the
winter request and deny the summer request. This report summarizes the reasons for
its decision.
History of Lake Koshkonong
-
Early WI Shooting Clubs
(64 KB). Written by Walter A. Frautschi, this is a very good overview of the early
hunting clubs in Wisconsin. Much of it focuses on the clubs around Lake Koshkonong.
-
Antiquities of Wisconsin - Rock River Section 1
(2.29 MB). This is an excerpt from Chapter III of Increase Allen Lapham's book
Antiquities of Wisconsin. Published in 1855, the book documents Lapham's
exploration of the Native American effigy mounds in Wisconsin. This excerpt focuses
on the mounds located along the lower Rock River below Aztalan, including a description
of Lake Koshkonong in 1850 and the mounds near Bingham's Point and Thebeau Point.
The entire book can be found at the
University of Wisconsin - Madison Online Library.
Studies
-
Lake Koshkonong Wetland Plant Community Assessment (pdf)
(14.2 MB) Released in June 2006, this study conducted a comprehensive vegetation
survey and community quality assessment within wetlands adjacent to Lake Koshkonong,
-
Lake Koshkonong Floodplain Forest Study (pdf)
(2.2 MB) Released in February 2005, this study conducted a detailed assessment of
the floodplain forest communities adjacent to Lake Koshkonong, evaluated and described
correlations between historic and present lake water levels with the long-term growth
rates of the floodplain forest trees, and addressed potential impacts of the proposed water level increase
on these communities.
Maps
-
Vegetation Types Around Lake Koshkonong (pdf)
(111 KB) This map shows the vegetation types surrounding Lake Koshkonong. It was
developed with the free online WDNR tool WebView. The
public is invited to use this tool to create their own maps showing a wide array
of data.
General Information
- July 2006 DNR email about Lake Koshkonong dredging This is an email from DNR employee Susan Josheff that discusses the history of dredging in Lake Koshkonong. It was in response to a question from a citizen requesting past dredging permits on Lake Koshkonong.
-
Water Levels Got You Down?
(561 KB) This is an article from the Summer 2006 issue
(2414 KB) of
Lake Tides. It discusses the role of rain and groundwater on lake levels,
and how lower water can be beneficial.
- A touchy Lake Mendota issue (offsite) This is in article from the March 30, 2008 Wisconsin State Journal about how Madison is considering lowering the level of Lake Mendota in an effort to save marshes and prevent flooding.