Necedah NWR partnered with the Ho-Chunk Nation, Vernon County Land Conservation Department and Natural Resources Conservation Service to restore a degraded 912-foot length of Billings Creek on Ho-Chunk Nation land. 

The partners shaped and stabilized eroding streambanks and installed in-stream and bank fish habitat structures.  They also plugged two adjacent drainage ditches restoring six acres of floodplain wetland. 

This project greatly reduces on-site streambank erosion, downstream sedimentation and flooding, and restores degraded in-stream fish habitat and associated floodplain wetlands. 

Billings Creek is an outstanding Driftless Area (USFWS priority area) brook and brown trout stream.  The project is located in the Kickapoo Valley Reserve, which is open to the public for fishing, hunting, canoeing, hiking, etc. 

The Billings Creek brook trout population will increase in response to the improved immediate project area in-stream habitat and downstream water quality.  Bald eagles will benefit from the project's resulting increase in trout abundance because fall spawning trout are a seasonally important food.  Sandhill cranes and waterfowl nest nearby and will benefit from the floodplain wetland restoration. 

Necedah NWR served as the lead partner for the wetland restoration portion of this project.  Necedah staff surveyed, designed, obtained all permits, supervised the contractor and contributed funding. 

The Vernon County Land Conservation Department served as the lead partner for the stream restoration portion of this project.  This partner surveyed, designed, obtained all permits and supervised the contractor. 

The Ho-Chunk Nation coordinated the stream and wetland restoration planning and contractor activities. 

The Natural Resources Conservation Service contributed much of the project funding.