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WHAT: Work is proceeding on restoring a one-quarter mile stream channel along the East Branch of the Pecatonica River to what it looked like when settlers started farming near Barneveld.
WHERE: Nature Conservancy-owned property two miles south of Barneveld at the intersection of County Highway K and Prairie Grove Road in the Iowa County Town of Brigham – about a 30 minute ride from Madison. Take State Highway 18/151 westbound to County Highway K, just east of Barneveld. Take a left on K and proceed about two miles south to its intersection with Prairie Grove Road.
WHEN: Wednesday, August 23, 1:00 p.m.
BACKGROUND: The restoration project, which has been underway for about a month, calls for removing trees from the stream corridor and about 37,000 yards of soil in the scenic valley bottom that has accumulated from years of uphill erosion. The stream bank is being sloped so it can reconnect with its floodplain. Other project goals include creating suitable conditions for a balanced cool water fishery; improving habitat for rare species such as the Blanchard’s cricket frog and Blanding’s turtle; establishing grassland bird habitat by removing trees and converting agricultural field to wet prairie; and improving water quality by allowing the stream to spill over its banks more often.
WHAT YOU WILL SEE: A striking comparison between the restored section of stream and the adjoining upstream stretch that is still being cropped and is heavily wooded along its channel.
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