Wisconsin's Priority Watershed and Priority Lake Program

The Priority Watershed and Priority Lake Program provides financial assistance to local units of government in selected watersheds to address land management activities which contribute to urban and rural runoff. The WDNR issues grants for the implementation of watershed and lake projects through a cost-share approach. The grantees use the funds to reimburse costs to landowners for installing voluntary BMPs.

Priority watershed/lake project goals focus on water quality improvements or protection resulting from reductions in pollutant levels delivered to streams, rivers, and lakes. Each year, project grantees submit reports to the WDNR, showing progress made towards meeting pollutant reduction goals in the watersheds/lakes. For a given project, information may be submitted as reductions in sediment/soil loss from uplands, streams, gullies, and phosphorus reductions from barnyards and croplands. Other projects are focused on protecting shoreline and habitat in a watershed or lake.

In 1997, the Wisconsin legislature significantly changed the direction of the state's runoff management programs. The 1997 Wisconsin Act 27 placed the Priority Watershed and Priority Lake Program into a multi-year phase-out period. Funding for ongoing watershed and lake projects will continue through 2009.

Since 1978, 86 of the state's watersheds and lakes have been designated as priority watershed or priority lake projects.

• List of All Priority Watershed Projects [PDF 20KB]
• Map of Priority Watershed Projects [PDF 309KB]

Examples of some best management practices used in priority watershed projects

Developing Urban Areas - construction site erosion control and storm water management. Existing Urban Areas: accelerated street sweeping and wet detention basins.

Easements Brochure [PDF 246KB]