| Paddle Badfish Creek CTH A Landing - 2023 |
Amount Funded: $6,000.00 |
| During the COVID-19 pandemic, when outdoor recreation was an important coping activity for many, the numbers of paddlers on the creek increased significantly. Our goal was then and still is to help as many paddlers as possible experience nature on the Badfish. This new landing will allow less-experienced paddlers to explore the creek from CTH A to Old Stone landing to Old Stage Landing, a reach less challenging than downstream of Old Stage landing. Construction of the landing will be both by local contractors and volunteers. FBCW will hold a public event with MMSD and the Town of Rutland to introduce the landing and share information about the partnership between FBCW, MMSD and the Town. LETTER OF SUPPORT FROM MMSD:
"Dear Members of the Stoughton Area Community Foundation Grants Committee, I am pleased to write a letter supporting the Paddle Badfish Creek CTH A Landing project submitted to the Stoughton Area Community Foundation by the Friends of Badfish Creek. Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District is the regional provider of wastewater collection and treatment services for a large portion of Dane County. The wastewater we receive is cleaned and disinfected and returned to downstream waterways, primarily Badfish Creek. This return of water to Badfish Creek supports the creek waterway as a prime paddling destination for local residents and visitors, allowing paddlers to enjoy our local water resources and environment. We were delighted to learn about the Friends of Badfish Creek’s desire to add a paddle landing on the creek. The Friends’ request to utilize the District’s parcel off County Highway A in the Town of Rutland provides a fantastic opportunity to support the important work of the Friends
organization, increase accessibility to Badfish Creek, and improve recreational opportunities to connect people with our shared water resources. The District fully supports the Friends of Badfish Creek’s project to add a paddle landing on Badfish Creek and their application for funding from the Stoughton Area Community Foundation. This project would be an asset to the community and the environment for years to come, and we would be proud to partner on this project.
Sincerely,
D. Michael Mucha
Chief Engineer & Director
Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District" |
| Badfish Creek, 22 miles long, is a very popular paddling destination, year around, for residents of Stoughton, Dane County and beyond, but access upstream of Old Stone Road is somewhat challenging. To enhance recreational opportunities on the creek, we want to develop a new public canoe and kayak landing, like the one we developed at Old Stage Road. This new landing, which will have a driveway, parking area, information kiosk and wood-chip trail to the creek, will be on land owned by Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District where CTH A crosses Badfish Creek. MMSD is enthusiastic about our plan and has approved it, subject to an agreement between MMSD and the Town of Rutland to create an easement on the creek side portion of the land for this purpose.
Development of the Paddle Badfish Creek CTH A Landing will increase accessibility and improve recreational opportunity by leveraging existing public lands and natural resources. The property has access to CTH A with an existing circular gravel drive. The property is currently used by MMSD staff during the annual bio-monitoring fish survey. Improved creek access would be beneficial for future bio-monitoring efforts.
Eric Dundee at MMSD and Kent Knutson, Chair of the Town of Rutland Board, will meet soon. Final terms of the easement agreement should be complete by October 2023. Should the agreement not go through, however, FBCW will withdraw this grant request.
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