Trimbelle River – Pierce County Park

Trimbelle Recreation Area – Pierce County

During 2012, a Kiap-TU-Wish completed a restoration project in conjunction with the Pierce County Land Conservation Department, Pierce County Parks Department, and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. The project restored nearly 1,000 feet of stream habitat for trout and other aquatic species in the project area, which is located approximately 5 miles west of Ellsworth on Pierce County Road O – just 1/2 mile south of U.S. Highway 10.

 The project provided brown trout conservation, protection, and helping reduce the need for stocking of non-wild hatchery brown trout in the river. The project connected two previous habitat restoration projects completed in 2000 and 2007 above and below the project site. There is a recent Pierce County Park Department (landowner of this project) addition of picnic tables, shelters and parking area adjacent to the project area. The project will also lend itself well to educational opportunities and community access including a handicapped accessible fishing area.

 “The Trimbelle River is a watershed with exceptional water quality, and with some stream restoration work from Trout Unlimited and the WIDNR, it will become another exceptional trout fishery in Western Wisconsin.”

~former Chapter President Kyle Amundson

Project goals:

1. Stabilize severely eroding banks;

2. Provide in-stream cover;

3. Increase spawning habitat for trout in this section of the Trimbelle;

4. Reduce sediment and nutrient flow to Mississippi River The reshaping and sloping of steep, eroded banks will help accomplish this.

Resource Challenges

As with most watersheds in the Driftless Region, the Trimbelle has outstanding water quality but suffers from severe bank erosion and unstable banks— resulting from years of poor agricultural practices.

WDNR Fisheries Biologist Marty Engel stated, “The addition of bank and other overhead cover along with increased depth will provide outstanding adult fish habitat. Overall, restoration of this stretch of stream will result in restoring natural reproducing trout populations, improved fishing access and fishability.” With stream restoration and other improvements in this section, Engel indicates that attainable use potential for the Trimbelle can move to Class I Water, reducing the need for stocking of non-wild trout in this section.

A big thanks to Fairmount Minerals for providing numerous volunteers and much needed funding for this project.

A big THANK YOU to the following partners for helping fund these projects: