For decades, Mill Creek, a 47-mile tributary of the Wisconsin River, has faced severe water quality challenges. Originating in Marshfield, the stream has minimal flow in its upper 14 miles, which are classified as "Limited Aquatic Life" due to the Marshfield wastewater treatment plant contributing more than 90% of the stream flow at the discharge point. The lower 33 miles are designated as "Fish and Aquatic Life" waters, but the entire creek is listed as an impaired waterbody by the EPA for low dissolved oxygen levels, requiring a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan. 

The impairments stem from multiple sources stormwater runoff carrying sediment, nutrients and other pollutants, stream bank erosion, and ammonia toxicity. Historical data even indicates significant organic loading to the stream. Compounding the issues, the dominant land use in the watershed is agriculture, accounting for 86.3% of the sediment loading and 87.7% of phosphorus loading as wetlands have been drained for agricultural expansion over the years. 

While the watershed's challenges are formidable, producers in the Mill Creek watershed have taken an on-the-ground approach: adopting and promoting soil health practices. 

Shane Wucherpfennig, County Conservationist for the Wood County Land and Water Conservation Department (LWCD), has witnessed this transformation firsthand. 

"The soil health movement has sparked more conservation progress in the last five to 10 years than ever before," he stated. 

For over 20 years, Wood County LWCD built relationships with local producers while seeking funding to help them address the issues in the watershed. In 2023, 15 Wood County farmers adopted no-till and/or cover cropping practices within the Mill Creek Watershed, with support from DNR’s MultiDischarger Variance and 9-Key funds, and DATCP’s SWRM funds. With these practices, producers ensure cleaner waterways and see a range of soil health benefits, including improved infiltration, less soil loss, increased nutrient retention, and a stronger soil structure. 

Wucherpfennig also recognized that emphasizing the economic benefits of soil health practices is another effective tool for soil health outreach. “We know that operation costs are rising, and with these practices there is also a great return on investment by saving on labor, input costs, fuel, wear and tear on equipment, and time,” he explained. 

Today, soil health workshops foster partnerships between agencies, nonprofits, and an increasingly engaged producer community. “Wisconsin is unique to have funding mechanisms that support locally-led conservation, and it’s been exciting to see the state supporting the producer-led initiative,” added Wucherpfennig.

Article courtesy of DATCP 2023 Wisconsin Report on Soil and Water Conservation