About LWCD

In Wisconsin, every county has a Land and Water Conservation Department (LWCD) and a Land Conservation Committee (LCC) that are the "boots on the ground" implementers of conservation in their local communities.

• Wisconsin State Statutes: Chapter 92
  Chapter 92 is Wisconsin’s Soil and Water Conservation and Animal Waste Management law. It was enacted by the Wisconsin State Legislature in 1981 and aims to protect and improve the state's natural resources by:
  • Establishing goals and standards for conservation of soil and water resources;
  • Providing cost-sharing, technical assistance, educational programs, and other programs to conserve soil and water resources;
  • Encouraging coordinated soil and water conservation planning and program implementation; and
  • Enabling the regulation of harmful land use and land management practices by county ordinance where necessary.
     
• Land Conservation Committee (LCC)
  LCCs were created through Chapter 92 of the Wisconsin State Statutes, which required that all counties create an LCC to carry out their responsibilities for conserving soil, water, and related natural resources. LCCs oversee the administration and implementation of conservation programs that meet local priorities and the needs of land users.
   
• Land and Water Resource Management (LWRM) Plan
  Each county in the state is required to have a Land and Water Resource Management (LWRM) Plan approved by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP). LWRM Plans are approved for ten years, with a review by the state Land and Water Conservation Board (LWCB) in year five.
   
• Land & Water Conservation Department (LWCD)
  LWCD staff are the trusted advisors to private landowners and farmers. Whether supporting producer-led watershed groups, assisting waterfront property owners, helping farmers develop nutrient management plans, or responding to natural disasters like floods, LWCDs are relied upon to meet the needs of their local communities.
  • The return on investment for county conservation departments is high - not only do they provide valuable, cost-effective services for their local communities, but they also multiply the impact of state funding several times over, by leveraging federal and private grant dollars. This puts more conservation on the land and brings dollars into local economies at the same time.
  • Farmers and landowners who work with LWCDs have very low rates of severe runoff or other environmental problems. When runoff problems exist, farmers and landowners who work with LWCDs can fix the problems quickly

Source: LCC Handbook 2024-2026, WI Land +Water Conservation Association.

The County LCC is a standing committee of the Winnebago County Board.  Committee members promote conservation awareness, support local stewardship and provide leadership and coordination of local conservation efforts.  Working closely with the County LWCD, the LCC establishes policies for the delivery of land and water resource management programs, services and cost-sharing in Winnebago County, including developing the County's Land & Water Resource Management (LWRM) Plan. LCC members are community members, business owners, and farmers, most of whom are elected county board supervisors.

Chuck Farrey District 30 Supervisor LCC Chair

Douglas Nelson District 35 Supervisor LCC Vice Chair

Kristl Laux District 2 Supervisor LCC Secretary

Tim Macho District 20 Supervisor

Doug Zellmer District 22 Supervisor

Bruce Bohn Citizen Member

Dan Stokes Citizen Member

The LCC meets monthly on the first Monday of the month at 9:00am at the James P Coughlin Building (JPCC), unless otherwise noted.

• Meeting Info & Agendas are available on the County Board's Meeting Calendar (May 2024-current).
  • Locate the meeting on the calendar/list
  • Click on the meeting listing. This will automatically bring up the agenda, then you can use the menus on the left hand side to locate meeting packet files, live-stream video, recordings, and meeting minutes.
  • Land Conservation Committee Meeting Minutes 2009-April of 2024
• Join Us!
  • People wishing to participate in meetings can join us in person at the JPCC or remotely using the Microsoft Teams link located at the top of the meeting agenda
  • A live-stream video (and recording following the meeting) is available under "Meeting Media" on the meeting calendar link. This is not an interactive way to join the join the meeting - to participate, use the Microsoft Teams link on the agenda.

Winnebago County has more than 91,000 acres of surface water—the largest area of inland surface water of any county in Wisconsin.

• These waters lie within 75 miles of over 2 million people and see heavy recreational use for fishing, boating, swimming, hunting, and trapping.

• Lake Winnebago alone supplies drinking water to over 200,000 people in Oshkosh, Neenah, Menasha, Appleton, Sherwood, and Waverly. 

Water Quality Concerns

• Most major water bodies in Winnebago County are listed as impaired under Wisconsin DNR’s 303(d) list and require further restoration efforts.

• Under the Clean Water Act (1972), states must identify impaired waterbodies that remain degraded even after controlling pollution from point sources (e.g., industrial or municipal discharges).

• Decades of high water levels, combined with wind, wave, and ice erosion, have destroyed tens of thousands of acres of shoreline wetlands. This loss of natural filtration has increased runoff of sediment and nutrients into local waters.
  
   

Nonpoint source pollution, also known as polluted runoff is one of the main threats to water quality in Wisconsin.

• It occurs when rain or snowmelt moves across or through the ground, picking up natural and human-made pollutants and carrying them into rivers, lakes, wetlands, and groundwater.
• These pollutants include sediment, nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen, fertilizers, oil, grease, and bacteria. They come from agricultural fields, urban areas, and residential properties.
• The Land & Water Conservation Department assists landowners and producers with installing conservation practices that will reduce sediment and phosphorous runoff.

Sediment 

• In farm areas, tilled fields are a major source of sediment. Conventional tillage leaves soil exposed, with little vegetation or plant residue to hold it in place, increasing erosion and runoff.
• Sediment pollution clouds the water, harms aquatic life, reduces water quality, and raises the cost of water treatment. It results from erosion that washes sand, silt, clay, and other materials into nearby water bodies.
• A single dump truck can hold up to 10 tons of soil (or sediment). Conservation practices implemented by Winnebago County LWCD prevent an average of 1,400 tons of sediment runoff each year.

Phosphorus

• Both urban and rural runoff contains phosphorus, a nutrient that promotes excessive algae and weed growth in water bodies. When phosphorus levels rise, it can lead to harmful algal blooms that disrupt recreation and damage ecosystems.
• Phosphorous can also be found in a soluble form. Urban sources of phosphorous include lawn fertilizers, pollen, leaves, grass and orthophosphate in vehicle exhaust.
• Just one pound of phosphorus can generate 300–500 pounds of algae. Conservation practices in Winnebago County reduce phosphorus runoff by an average of 2,700 pounds annually.
   

• The Plan

• The 5 Year Review

• Annual Reports (All 10 years)...and then Muddy Bottom, NOPP?, Link to our partners? WI L+W Annual report, fox wolf, demo Farms, etc.

• Couple graphics from this year???? of reductions?

• EVAL Map???
  
   

What we Do:

Planning and Regulation

• Develop and maintain the county’s Land and Water Resource Management Plan (LWRMP).

• Ensure compliance with state laws and local ordinances related to land use and manure storage.

Financial Support

• Administer state and county resource management programs, including allocation of cost-share funds to private landowners and producers for projects that improve water quality, increase soil health, and achieve agricultural performance standards.

  • Soil & Water Resource Management Program (state-funded)

  • Water Quality Improvement Program (county-funded)

  • Spirit Fund Program (county-funded)

• Apply for and manage other local, state, and federal grants for County Land & Water Resource Management initiatives. 

Technical Expertise

• Project planning and design of structural best management practices, including oversight of installation and construction.

• Assistance with permit applications and requests for construction proposals.

• On-farm consultation and guidance to implement and maintain agricultural soil health practices.

• Consultation on water quality concerns (primarily in rural areas of Winnebago County) including reports of erosion, pollution and runoff.

• Provide tools and supplies that assist landowners with planting best management practices (tree supplies and native planting resources). 

Education and Outreach

• Educate landowners, students, and the public on conservation practices and the importance of protecting natural resources.

• Host workshops, field days, and events to demonstrate and promote sustainable land and water use.