Incidental Take Notice For Eau Claire County

MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) proposes to issue a permit for the incidental taking of a rare turtle, which may result from the City of Augusta Water Quality Trading Project.  Incidental take refers to the unintentional loss of individual endangered or threatened animals or plants that does not put the species' overall population at risk.

Eau Claire County proposes to stabilize portions of the Diamond Valley Creek streambank in Augusta by installing rip-rap, a cattle stream crossing (ford) and livestock exclusion fencing. An instream fish habitat will also be created.

The presence of the state-threatened wood turtle is confirmed in the vicinity of the project site. DNR staff determined that the proposed project may result in the incidental taking of some turtles.

The DNR concludes that the proposed project is not likely to appreciably reduce the likelihood of the survival or recovery of the species within the state, the whole plant-animal community of which it is a part of or the habitat that is critical to its existence.

Conservation measures to minimize the adverse effect on the threatened species will be incorporated into the proposed Incidental Take Permit. Copies of the jeopardy assessment and background information on the wood turtle are available by visiting the DNR Incidental Take Public Notices webpage or upon request from Rori Paloski, DNR Conservation Biologist, at 608-516-3742 or rori.paloski@wi.gov.

The public is encouraged to submit written comments regarding project-related impacts to the wood turtle by July 30, 2021 to:

Department of Natural Resources
c/o Rori Paloski, DNR Conservation Biologist
101 S. Webster St. Madison, WI 53707
rori.paloski@wisconsin.gov or 608-516-3742