Vernon County
Land & Water Conservation Department

  
Wisconsin PL566 Coalition
10th Biennial Conference
Hosted by State Coalition
The Wisconsin P.L. 566 Coalition is hosting the 10 th Conference of the National Watershed Coalition, to be held in La Crosse, Wisconsin, May 20 – 23, 2007. This will be a “watershed” conference, providing participants with the insight and tools to deal with the rapidly changing world of Small Watershed Protection.
The Conference theme “Total Watershed Awareness – Extending The Legacy” will build on the rich conservation history of western Wisconsin. Learn how those first steps of H.H. Bennett, Aldo Leopold, and other conservation giants on the road to watershed-based conservation set the path we all follow today. And, how we can apply those lessons and guidance to the work facing us today.
The Conference will involve historical and technical tours, key note presentations by national political and conservation leaders, concurrent sessions, dozens of vendor and sponsor displays, and ample opportunities for exploring beautiful downtown La Crosse as well as making those all-important networking connections.
Please contact Phil Hahn, Chair of the Wisconsin P.L. 566 Coalition at phahn@vernoncounty.org, or call 608-637-5483 for more information. Also go to www.watershedcoalition.org for updates on the conference as well as important legislative updates.
National Watershed Coalition
The National Watershed Coalition (NWC) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization made up of national, regional, state, local and tribal organizations, associations and individuals, that advocate dealing with natural resource problems and issues using the watershed as the logical planning and implementation unit. They support using total resource management principles in planning, and believe that the Small Watershed Program, authorized by PL 83-566, is one of the best planning and implementation vehicles available for sound water and land resource management. For more information...

The WI PL566
The 14 counties with operation and maintenance responsibilities for a total of 88 flood control structures formed a coalition in 1995 to "Advance and protect the interests of PL566 in Wisconsin". The coalition publishes a newsletter and provides information to local decision makers and educates its members on duties and responsibilities of PL566 operation. The WI PL566 Coalition is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. The Wisconsin Coalition will be hosting and sponsoring the 20th anniversary of the National Watershed Coalition in LaCrosse, Wisconsin in 2007. For more information, contact Phil Hahn at 608-637-5483.

The Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act (Public Law 83-566) authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to provide technical and financial assistance to entities of state and local governments and tribes (project sponsors) for planning and installing watershed projects. The USDA agency responsible for program management is the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).The Act was passed on August 4, 1954, when Congress recognized the serious natural resource and economic damages suffered in our nation’s watersheds from flooding and sedimentation. The Act has been amended several times to address a broad range of natural resource and environmental issues. Today this authority can be used to assist communities to address almost any natural resource issue. The Act provides assistance to sponsors who develop projects on watersheds up to 250,000 acres (391 sq. miles).

The watershed program is a unique and flexible approach to natural resources planning and management, focusing on proper land use and the installation of conservation practices. Watershed plans are developed by interdisciplinary teams of technical specialists who assist the project sponsors.
Reducing Damages From Flooding
Flood damage reduction, or flood control as some call it, includes conservation practices that reduce the damages caused by flooding. Where completed watershed projects are in place, damages from natural disasters are greatly reduced. A variety of measures are used in watershed projects. Some are larger, more complex and often costly practices that require group action to plan, install, operate and maintain. Structural measures might include levees, dikes, floodways, floodwater diversions, and flood control dams. Other measures can also be used to reduce the impacts of flooding. These measures might include proper zoning, enforcing building codes and other regulatory measures, relocation, flood proofing buildings, land acquisition, and preparing emergency action plans consisting of flood warning and response systems.
When a watershed plan calls for watershed protection and flood damage reduction:
  • NRCS provides engineering and construction costs for larger flood control measures such as flood control dams.
  • Local sponsors provide all land rights and permits.
  • NRCS provides cost-share funds for needed land conservation practices for water-quality, and erosion and sediment control.
  • NRCS provides engineering services and cost-share funds for construction for irrigation, drainage, public recreation, and fish and wildlife habitat development.
  • Other costs, including additional costs for municipal and industrial water supply, is provided by sponsoring local organizations.
  • Funding from NRCS is dependent on available appropriated funds from Congress.
In Vernon County, there are 22 large flood control structures (PL 566 Structures). The county has the responsibility to operate and maintain these structures.

Phil Hahn, Vernon County's Resource Conservationist, is the Chair of the Wisconsin PL 566 Coalition. You may contact him if you have questions on the large flood control structures in our county.

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