Watersheds

Emergency Watershed Protection Program 2008 Activities

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Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Program

The purpose of the Watershed Program, including River Basin operations, is to assist Federal, State, local agencies, local government sponsors, tribal governments, and program participants to protect and restore watersheds from damage caused by erosion, floodwater, and sediment, to conserve and develop water and land resources, and solve natural resource and related economic problems on a watershed basis. The program provides technical and financial assistance to local people or project sponsors, builds partnerships, and requires local and state funding contribution.  Find out more about the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Programs.

• EWP 2008 News Releases and Status Reports
• Wisconsin Watershed Projects Stood the Test of August Flooding, 2007
• First Wisconsin River Removed From Degraded Waters List
• Governor Proclaims 50th Anniversary of Watershed Progam  (PDF)
• PL566 Projects Protect From Floods, Spring, 2004
• What is a 100-Year Storm

Watershed Rehabilitation

In Wisconsin, eighty-three dams have become part of Wisconsin’s landscape through the PL-566 Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention program. More than half of these dams need repairs that, if not corrected, will result in significant adverse environmental, economic, and social impacts. The dams were built to protect agricultural lands. However, human health and safety concerns now exist downstream of 12 dams as a result of residential and commercial development.

Studies are needed on an additional 41 dams to determine the extent to which other homes and businesses could be in harm’s way. Eighty-two of the dams are between 20 and 39 years old.  Many of these dams will reach the end of their useful life within 15 years.  More about Watershed Rehabilitation.

Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWP)

The purpose of the Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) program is to undertake emergency measures, including the purchase of flood plain easements, for runoff retardation and soil erosion prevention to safeguard lives and property from floods, drought, and the products of erosion on any watershed whenever fire, flood or any other natural occurrence is causing or has caused a sudden impairment of the watershed.

It is not necessary for a national emergency to be declared for an area to be eligible for assistance. Program objective is to assist sponsors and individuals in implementing emergency measures to relieve imminent hazards to life and property created by a natural disaster. Activities include providing financial and technical assistance to remove debris from streams, protect destabilized streambanks, establish cover on critically eroding lands, repairing conservation practices, and the purchase of flood plain easements. The program is designed for installation of recovery measures.  More information on the Emergency Watershed Protection Program.