Coon Creek Community Watershed Council Inc.
Coon Creek Watershed Plan
What is a watershed plan?
A watershed plan is a framework for identifying and adressing community concerns regarding the care and management of local waters.
Does the Coon Creek Watershed have a watershed plan?
Not yet! But CCCWC is working with Valley Stewardship Network, partners in La Crosse, Monroe, and Vernon Counties, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and other watershed stakeholders to develop a plan that addresses flooding and supports the health and thriving of our watershed. Our plan will be compliant with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Nine Key Element watershed planning framework.
This work will be done in two phases. One phase will encompass Coon Creek’s Timber Coulee subwatershed, and the other will address the entire Coon Creek basin.
What’s next in the planning process?
Coon Creek’s watershed planning process is proceeding according to this rough timeline:
Mar. 2023-Dec. 2024: Gather stakeholders and assess the watershed.
Mar. 2024-Dec. 2025: Set goals, identify solutions, and design an implementation plan.
Mar. 2025-Dec 2026: Begin plan implementation, monitor plan results, and modify plan if needed.
See the links below for more information on watershed planning.
Community Perspectives
In Fall 2024, CCCWC and other project partners hosted a series of four planning events across the watershed to learn about community planning priorities. A draft summary of themes that arose at these meetings is linked here. Please email council@cooncreekwatershed with any comments on this draft by Dec. 15, 2024.
Wed. Oct. 9, 6-7:00pm: Introducing the Coon Creek Watershed Plan
What is a watershed plan and why do we need one? CCCWC’s Nancy Wedwick and Sydney Widell offered an overview of the watershed planning process, and facilitated a discussion about plan priorities for the Coon Creek Watershed. View a PDF of their presentation
When: 6:00-7:00pm, Oct. 9
Where: Knutson Memorial Library; 500 Central Ave, Coon Valley
Cost: Free
Sat. Oct. 12, 11-5:00pm : Pumpkins, Pages, and Watershed Places
CCCWC spent a day in Timber Coulee at Tucker and Becky’s Pumpkin Patch talking watershed plans with watershed residents and visitors, and tapping into youth perspectives on the planning process.
When: 11:00-5:00pm, Oct. 12
Where: Tucker and Becky’s Pumpkin Patch; 7099 Oboe Ave, Cashton
Cost: Free
Sat., 3:00-7:30 pm: A Night at Branches Winery
CCCWC held a screening of Decoding the Driftless and a Coon Creek Watershed Planning discussion, followed by dinner, drinks, and live music. Notes from the meeting will be available here soon.
Event Schedule
3-4:00 Film screening
4:00-4:30 Discussion
4:30-7:30 Dinner, drinks, & music
When: 3:00-7:30pm, Oct. 19
Where: Branches Winery; E6796 Old Line Rd, Westby
Cost: Free, food and drink available for purchase
Wed. Nov. 6, 1:30-2:30pm: Putting the plan together
Watershed planning partners reviewed lessons learned and community perspectives shared during the fall planning process. Check back soon for a PDF of the presentation.
When: 1:30-2:30pm, Nov. 6
Where: Knutson Memorial Library; 500 Central Ave, Coon Valley
Cost: Free
For more project updates, attend any of CCCWC’s monthly general meetings and subscribe to our email list. If you can’t attend but want to learn more about or be involved in the planning process, email us at council@cooncreekwatershed.org
November 2024
