Holistic Management Assessment of an Urbanized Watershed and Kettle Pond in Southern Wisconsin: Finding Paths Forward for a Local Natural Resource

A multidisciplinary assessment of a small pond and its fully urbanized watershed was conducted to understand physical, biological, and social factors influencing this natural resource. Originally an emergent wetland lacking natural drainage, Stricker’s Pond today is a resource shared by two municipalities which has been hydrologically connected (via a man-made outlet) to the larger Yahara River watershed in Wisconsin. The assessment involved water quantity and water quality measurement and modeling, vegetation and wildlife surveys, and community surveys and observation. Major findings include the following: increased flood risk caused by large storm events; high concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus, likely contributed by a variety of natural and anthropogenic sources, resulting in full eutrophication; varied, but generally poor, vegetation biodiversity; limited wildlife diversity; and discrepancies between the management objectives of the two municipalities which share the resource and the surrounding community’s vision for the pond. To overcome these issues, a collection of recommendations are suggested for implementation. These recommendations range from minimal reoccurring maintenance and community engagement to specific management strategies and intermunicipal collaboration. With the recommendations provided within the assessment, a new, better pathway forward can be charted for Stricker’s Pond by decision makers and community members alike. By engaging with this case study, participants will be exposed to the complexity of water resources challenges occurring in this as well as their own communities. Thus, this case study can serve to participants as an example and a baseline of how similar holistic resource management assessments can be carried out in the future.