Poynette: Whether you are duck hunter on a wind-swept marsh, a trout angler on a coldwater stream, a trapper in a shallow swamp or a bass angler on a small Wisconsin lake, protection of Wisconsin groundwater is extremely important. Sportsmen and women know that over drawing our groundwater resource can and has had a negative impact on Wisconsin lakes, streams and wetlands.
The Wisconsin Wildlife Federation and its 168 affiliate clubs strongly supports SB 620, the Groundwater Protection Act. Additional oversight of groundwater withdrawals is necessary to prevent further unregulated loss of important fish and wildlife habitat.
“Living in Plover, Wisconsin, I have had a first hand opportunity to see the drying-up of the Little Plover River the last five years,” indicated Jerry Knuth, Board Member of the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation. “The Little Plover has joined Long Lake in Waushara County and Bloody Run Creek in Wood County as bodies of water near to where I live that have been largely destroyed by insufficient oversight of pumping from high capacity wells”
“The Legislature had graciously adopted the Constitutional Amendment to hunt, fish and trap in Wisconsin,” stated Don Hammes, Board Member of the Federation. “However our constitutional right to hunt, fish and trap is a mere piece of paper unless the Legislature adopts stronger laws governing the withdrawal of groundwater which is vital to the fish and wildlife habitat in our lakes, streams and wetlands.
The Wisconsin Wildlife Federation strongly endorses SB 620 and encourages its rapid adoption by the Legislature
The Wisconsin Wildlife Federation is the state’s largest conservation organization comprised of 168 hunting, fishing and trapping organizations. The Federation is dedicated to conservation education and the adoption of strong conservation policies.
Webmeister Note: WCSFO unanimously supported this Bill at the recent March 20th Spring Meeting held in Franklin, WI.
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