Dell Creek Watershed Project

The a Dell Creek Watershed is a 132-square-mile drainage basin located in Sauk County and Juneau County, Wisconsin. Approximately 60% is located in Sauk County and 40% in Juneau County. The watershed is largely agricultural (51%). Approximately 18% of the land area is developed. The urban portions of the Dell Creek watershed includes the villages of Lyndon Station and Lake Delton, along with the western portion of the city of Wisconsin Dells. The remaining 31% of the watershed is comprised of woodlands, wetlands, and surface water. The Wisconsin Dells is well known as a tourist destination that was built on private boat tours that began in the 1880's. The Dell Creek watershed is located in the lower Wisconsin River Basin.

Dell Creek, Hulbert Creek, Lyndon Creek, and many unnamed tributaries make up the watershed drainage area. Dell Creek and many of the other streams are not reaching their highest potential due to pollution from non-point sources and the lack of stream habitat in the watershed. Problems impacting the water quality of the streams and lakes include sediment transport and nutrient loading from agricultural fields and barnyards, bedload sediment transport, lack of stable substrate, and lack of diverse habitat.

The goal of the Dell Creek Priority Watershed Project is to protect, enhance and restore the surface and groundwater resources in the watershed area. Sediment reduction goals include a 25% reduction of sediment delivered to streams from agricultural fields, and a 70% reduction in sediment delivered to area streams from construction sites. Phosphorus reduction goals include a 53% reduction in phosphorus runoff from barnyards, and a 25% reduction in phosphorus delivered to streams due to erosion from agricultural uplands.