The weso DAM repair and wetlands restoraton shall include a new whistle tube structure will be constructed and installed repairs will be made to the auxiliary spillway with heavy RIP RAP erosion…

The Oconto County Sherrif Department received a $139,472.35 Project Grant award from the U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Region 3 to undertake the WESO Dam Repair and Wetlands Restoration project. Funded under the Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration program, the project will involve constructing a new whistle tube structure, repairing the auxiliary spillway with heavy rip rap for erosion control, reseeding the dike to reestablish approved vegetation, and working with local groups and private entities to lower water levels and replace the dam. Additional restoration activities will include planting wild rice as a natural food source and reestablishing habitat to benefit migratory birds and reptile and fish species of greatest conservation need. The completion date for the project is December 31, 2024.

The weso DAM repair and wetlands restoraton shall include a new whistle tube structure will be constructed and installed repairs will be made to the auxiliary spillway with heavy RIP RAP erosion control measures will be undertaken to prevent further damage dike willbe reseeded to reestablish approved vegetation the county will work closely with the DNR, local groups, lake associations and private entities to lower the water levels, replace the DAM and reestablish and enhance the area during the draw down, IT is the intent to plant wild rice as anatural food source, to help draw wildlife back to the area this area will provide clean habitat tomigratory birds since little to no pcbs are known to be present in this creek weso is a large shallow basin with creek through the center blanding s turtle and wood turtle are a couplehof reptile species of greatest conservation need that would benefit from replacement of thestructure replacing the structure maintains the hydrology needed for species to use throughoutthe year for breeding, foraging and overwintering restoring this wetland is vital to the localbedrock glade community about a dozen species of greatest conservation need are associatedwith the bedrock glade community type the weso management plan objective is to designate habitat management practices, which will improve the flowage for use by migrating waterfowl and waterfowl production and management techniques that improve the habitat requirements of furbearers the draw down process to replace the DAM will assist with management of the area by stimulating new plant growth and help clarify water plants serve asspawning habitat for fish and amphibians and nesting for birds once control structure is repairedthe RE flooding period will allow food production during the summer and available for waterfowland muskrats