2011 - 2020 Land and Water Resource Management Plan

2011-2020 LWRMP Full Plan; 2016-2020 LWRMP Revision

In 1997 the Land and Water Resource Management Plan concept became law as Chapter 92.10 of the Wisconsin Statutes was amended.  This created a County Land and Water Resource Management Planning Program that is intended to:

  • rely on a locally driven process for plan development and implementation;
  • maximize flexibility in how program funds are used;
  • foster comprehensive efforts without excessive planning;
  • support innovation and cost effectiveness toward achieving objectives;
  • foster the “seamless” integration of programs and funding sources; and
  • establish a credible means to measure the extent to which planned objectives are achieved.

This plan provides structured means that will integrate and leverage available programs, funds, and other resources to:     

  • guide the process for resource management planning and decision making;
  • evaluate land and water resource conditions;
  • identify land and water related resource problems and priorities;
  • develop a multi-year work plan to address land and water resource problems;
  • strengthen partnerships with landowners, other agencies, municipalities, and organizations;
  • coordinate with Township and County comprehensive land use planning efforts;
  • develop effective information and education strategies that will strengthen and maintain community support for the Land and Water Resource Management Plan goals and objectives; and
  • track progress toward the achievement of the plan’s goals and objectives.

Winnebago County has a long-standing record of leadership and participation in natural resource protection and improvement.  These actions include prior plan development, program design, and project implementation which all emphasize cooperation and integration to get the most accomplished with the least amount of dollars available.  The driving force behind the development of the Winnebago County Land and Water Resource Management Plan is the opportunity to establish a true locally driven process.  Individual citizens, units of government, and local, state, and federal agency representatives working together to develop a framework which: 

  1. positively integrates natural resource management programs and funding sources; and 
  2. provides the necessary flexibility to allocate staff and financial resources where they will do the most toward accomplishing resource management objectives.   

The overriding theme of this Plan is “Back to Basics”.  Our intention is to meet with landowners, identify the resource concerns and address them with the appropriate BMPs utilizing all the financial and human resources available.  We will recognize and document the pollutant load reductions provided by each installed practice.  This Plan does not make broad unquantifiable estimates based on models that cannot be substantiated.  It does however set realistic and achievable practice installation goals that can be measured, evaluated and adjusted as the environment that surrounds and impacts this Plan fluctuates.