River Facts
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90% of flow is from Groundwater
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Class I premier cold water trout stream
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Most studied River in America
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We have been warned since 1965 in report after report of the pending dry up of the Little Plover River
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1965 Weeks study
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1985 Hunt study
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1997 Lampert & Lee watershed management study (this report accurately predicted the dry up of the Little Plover in 2005)
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As predicted, portions of the Little Plover dried up in 2005
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The dry up was so severe that brook trout died and this dry up continued for 4 years; in 2010.recod setting rainfall kept the river flowing but the flow was still below the public rights stage of 4 cfs.
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The ecosystem has been irrevocably harmed
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Little Plover River Dry Ups
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2005
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2006
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2007 (augmentation)
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2008 (augmentation)
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2009
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2010 remains below the public rights stage
1 cfs= 7.5 gpm
What Is Augmentation?
Augmentation Pipe Feeds intoLittle Plover River
Pipe Runs from High Capacity Well to the River
To Augment: to increase--to make (something well or adequately developed) greater . . . .
After the first dry up, ever, of the Little Plover River in 2005 and again in 2006-2009, it became apparent that the LPR was "near death." The term "near death" for the LPR is used for a reason: it has been kept on life support the past few years by farmers pumping groundwater into the river from their high capacity irrigation wells.
This augmentation process was ended even though it would result again in a total dry up of the River. We should stop pretending there is water in the LPR. Everyone needs to understand that the LPR is severly compromised by pumping.
Augmentation of the LPR, by pumping water into the river from the very groundwater that gives it life, is a band-aid approach and is an ecological fraud. Remember the LPR is 90% groundwater fed--we lower the groundwater level, we lose the Little Plover River.
A PowerPoint Presentation
Friends of the Little Plover River have been presenting to community groups the 20 minute informational PowerPoint presentation which you can view below. Viewing the PowerPoint requires that the Flash player be installed on your computer. The presentation covers the history and relationship between the Little Plover River and groundwater extractions. This PowerPoint presentation, given by Barb Feltz and Barb Gifford, is fact-based and generates discussion on why and how we best manage our treasured Wisconsin water resources for future generations to enjoy as we do today.
To inquire about scheduling the presentation for your group, contact:
Barb Feltz, President-FLPR, 715-630-6660 email: barbfeltz@charter.net
Barb Gifford, Vice President-FLPR, 715-344-3539 email: barbaragifford@charter.net
Friends of the Little Plover River presentation