Independence Students Aid Creek Restoration

Independence Middle School students assisted with work being done on a creek located on property owned by Derek and Philip Waldera along County VV in the town of Chimney Rock on Friday. Students were on hand to conduct a shocking survey, install weirs and learn about aquatic bugs. The educational experience was part of a streambank restoration project by Trout Unlimited (TU) with assistance and funding from numerous other conservations groups and the Trempealeau County Department of Land Management. The project aims to improve the quality of the waterway to reduce soil erosion, which will reduce the amount of sediment that flows into other waterways, including Bugle Lake. It will also help improve fishing in the area as Peter Jonas from TU said the creek will become a “really awesome spawning habitat.” The Walderas have also enrolled nearby property in a Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) with plans to plant native grass.