Waterbody Classification Project
A project of the Lakes and Watershed Commission,
Dane County Department of Planning and Development, and the Dane County Regional Planning Commission
August 26th 2004
Meeting Agenda
• Background• Classification
System• Next Steps• Input and
Discussion
Background
• Rising from public comment, the classification project was started to address citizen concerns
• Tailoring policies to meet the differing needs and circumstances of different types of waterbodies
Overall goal: to encourage the management of lakes and streams on the basis of resource
specific characteristics
Provide scientific basis for developing a mix of policy approaches appropriate for each waterbody
Promote a deeper understanding of the current condition of Dane County waters
• Will not identify certain waterbodies as better than others.• Grouping waterbodies in order to identify and target
management techniques tailored to their given physical, chemical, and biological conditions.
Lakes and Ponds: Sensitivity Measurements
• Lake Hydrologic Type– Spring, Seepage, Drainage
• Maximum Depth• Surface Area• Shoreline Development Factor• Stratification• Septic Suitability • Soil Erodability• Others
Lakes and Ponds: Shoreland Development Measurements
Past methods:
dwelling units per shoreline mile or average lot size
Impervious Cover– any surface where water
cannot infiltrate into the ground– emerging as a key indicator for
measuring the impacts of development on aquatic ecosystems.
http://www.co. fairfax.va.us/parks/accotink/impervious.htm
Impervious Cover Model
Our method– 300-foot buffer– Determined acres of each land
use present within buffer– Assigned each land use a
recognized average impervious cover percentage
– Calculated the percent of imperviousness within the buffer
Streams: Subwatershed Development Measurements
Streams: Sensitivity Measurements
Stream Classification
DNR Fish and Aquatic Life classification
Next Steps
Phase I:
-Public Review and Comment
-Final Report
Phase II:
-Develop a Waterbody
Protection Program
(funding pending completion of phase I)
Input and Discussion