MENASHA LOCK REOPENING LETTER TO THE DNR

          Winnebago System Fisheries Protection Alliance

                         Dotyville Sportmans Club,     Eagles Anglers,     East Shore Conservation Club,

                      Eden Gun Club,   Fishermans Road Fishing Cub,    Foot of the Lake Fishing Club,

                           Forest Sportsmans Club,   Friendship Fishing Club,   Lakeshore Bowhunters,

                            Isaac Walton League – Fond du Lac,     North Fond du Lac Rod & Gun Club

                Lighthouse Anglers,   Oakfield Conservation Club,     Riverside Hunting & Fishing Club,

                                   Winnebago Conservation Club,    Van Dyne Sportsmans Club,

                         Wescott Sportsmans Club,    Trout Unlimited–Central Wisconsin Chapter,

                  Wings Over Wisconsin–Eden Chapter,    Pipe Fishing Club,     West Shore Fishing Club

                   Van Dyne Sportmans Club,    Winnebagoland Musky Club,    Stockbridge Fishing Club

          Walleyes For Tomorrow Fond du Lac Chapter, Walleyes For Tomorrow-Brothertown Chapter,   

                 Walleyes For Tomorrow Green Lake Chapter, Walleyes For Tomorrow Berlin Chapter,

              Walleyes For Tomorrow Appleton Chapter, Walleyes For Tomorrow-Manitowoc Chapter

                Walleyes For Tomorrow-Shawano Chapter, Walleyes For Tomorrow Green Bay Chapter,

                   Sturgeon For Tomorrow-Main Chapter, Sturgeon For Tomorrow-South West Chapter,  

                    Sturgeon For Tomorrow-Oshkosh Chapter, Sturgeon For Tomorrow-North Chapter

     Sturgeon For Tomorrow – Upper Lakes Chapter, Wisconsin Wildlife Federation (206 Affiliate Clubs)

 

August 28, 2019

 

Secretary Preston Cole

Wisconsin DNR

101 South Webster Street

Madison WI 53707

 

Dear Secretary Cole:

 

In 2015, round goby were found in the Fox River below the Menasha Lock. The Department of Natural Resources ordered the Fox River Navigational System Authority (FRNSA) to close the Menasha Lock to prevent the round goby from moving upstream into the remainder of the Fox-Wolf watershed. The FRNSA has the proposed the construction of an electrical barrier system at the Menasha Lock and the reopening of the locks to accommodate navigation between Little Lake Butte Des Morts and Lake Winnebago. FRNSA has contracted with Smith-Root to design such a system and has submitted preliminary design documents to the Department. FRNSA has also stated their intent to eventually provide navigation around or through the Rapide Croche lock below Kaukauna where a sea lamprey barrier has been in place since the late 1980s. The above listed local and state sports fishing organizations with over 50,000 members in Wisconsin greatly value the outstanding fishery resources of Lake Winnebago and the Fox-Wolf River System and request that the Department prepare an Environmental Impact Statement to fully assess not only the proposal to reopen the Menasha Lock, but also the proposal to eventually reopen the Rapide Croche.

 

The Fox-Wolf River System extends from Columbia County in the south to Forest County in the north and makes up more than 22% of the inland water resources of the state. The watershed maintains a highly diverse and outstanding fishery including the finest Lake Sturgeon population and fishery in the world. Beyond its vast recreational and environmental benefits, the economic benefits from angling on just the Winnebago Pool lakes according to a 2006 UW-Extension survey found that the total annual economic impact of that fishery was $234 million and supported 4,300 jobs. The Wisconsin DNR and the local and state sports clubs have invested scores of millions of dollars over the years to restore and maintain this highly valuable fishery. As stated previously, almost one-quarter of the state’s inland water resources would be put at risk by the reopening of the Menasha Lock.

 

Specifically, the above-stated groups sending this letter are respectfully requesting that the Department of Natural Resources, prior to making a decision on the FRNSA proposals, prepare an Environmental Impact Statement pursuant to section 1.11, Wisconsin Statutes and Chapter NR 150, Wisconsin Administrative Code. We strongly believe that the review and approval of the FRNSA project will be a “major state action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment”.

 

The listed organizations believe that the proposed re-opening of the Menasha Lock is a project “of such magnitude and complexity” that four of the eight criteria in subsection NR 150.20 (4) (b), WAC apply. Legally any one of the criteria in that subsection can trigger the development of an EIS. The specific criteria met by this project are:

 

NR 150.20 (4) (b):

(4) The project may result in deleterious effects over large geographic areas.

(5) The project may result in long-term deleterious effects that are prohibitively difficult and expensive to reverse.

(6) The project may result in deleterious effects on important, critical or sensitive  environmental resources and

(7) The project involves broad public controversy.

 

We believe that a fair and objective analysis of the proposed project and the natural resources of the Fox-River System should lead the Department to the conclusion that an Environmental Impact Statement should be completed as part of its decision-making process for the review of the project to reopen the Menasha Lock by the Fox River Navigational System Authority’

 

Respectfully yours,

 

Craig Challoner                                    Mike Arrowood                           Pat Brasch

President                                              Chairman                                      President-Main Chapter

Wisconsin Wildlife Federation         Walleyes For Tomorrow             Sturgeon For Tomorrow

 

Bill Steffen                                                                        Matt Harp

President                                                                           President

Winnebagoland Conservation Alliance                        Lake Poygan Sportsmen’s Club