Lower Fox River navigation maps

Photo of Appleton WI lock curtsy of gwo-main.com

With the reopening of the Fox River locks Bob Stark, Chairman for the FOX RIVER NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM AUTHORITY provided me with the below maps.

One note that is important: This is a version of the chart that shows the Aids to Navigation (buoys) as they were before the locks closed.

Those buoys do not exist today below/down river from Appleton Lock #1.

There is an effort underway to get the Goast Guard to return to the river to set the buoys as the did before the locks closed. Anyone interested in getting the Coast Guard to return should contact the Coast Guard and their legislator (Sen Kohl, Cong. Petri/Kagen) with that opinion.


Appleton navigational map
Little Lake Butte des Morts navigational map
Kimberly navigational map
Menasha navigational map
Note: Adobe Reader, available for free from Adobe, allows you to view, navigate, and print PDF files across all major computing platforms. If you do not have Adobe Reader you can Download free Adobe Reader from Adobe's web site

For lock operating hours please click 2008 Fox River lock schedule

FOX RIVER NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM AUTHORITY
1008 Augustine Street
Kaukauna, WI 54130
Tele. 920-759-9833
Fax: 920-759-9834
Robert J. Stark, Chairman
David Williams, Chief of Staff
Harlan Kiesow, CEO
Fox River Navigational System Authority

2008 Fox River lock schedule

The Fox River Navigational System Authority is giving notice to all navigational interests that three Fox River locks will be open for the recreational navigational season at 10 a.m. on Friday, May 9, 2008.

Photo of Appleton WI lock curtsy of gwo-main.com

The operational schedule is:

Menasha & DePere Locks (Seven day operation)

Monday – Thursday 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Friday - Sunday & Holidays 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 a.m.

Little Kaukauna Lock (Five day operation)

Thursday – Monday 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Tuesday & Wednesday Closed

The four locks in Appleton and the Cedars Lock will operate for an abbreviated 2008 navigation season because of College Avenue Bridge construction in the City of Appleton. The dates are May 23rd through July 6th. The Olde Oneida and Lawe Street bridges will operate in conjunction with the lock operation. The schedule is:

Appleton Locks 1-4 (Three day operation)

Friday – Sunday
Holidays Noon – 8 p.m.

Alternating hourly travel down stream and up stream.

Appleton Lock #1 – Downriver lockage at noon, 2 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Appleton Lock #4 – Upriver lockage at 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Cedars Lock (Three day operation)

Friday – Sunday
Holidays Noon – 8 p.m.

All other locks are closed for the season.


The Fox River Navigational Authority has established the following user fee schedule:

Seasonal Lockage Permit $120.00

Daily Transit Permit

26 feet and over $12.00
Under 26 feet $ 6.00

The basic operational season will close on October 5, 2008. Inquiries can be addressed to the FRNSA Kaukauna office at (920) 759-9833.

FOX RIVER NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM AUTHORITY
1008 Augustine Street
Kaukauna, WI 54130
Tele. 920-759-9833
Fax: 920-759-9834
Harlan Kiesow, CEO

2008 Bridge's start operation Friday April 25th 2008

The four Oshkosh Bridge and the Winneconne Bridge start operation Friday April 25th thru October 12, 2008 from 8:00 AM thru Midnight.
2008 navigational season operating dates and hours for bridges on the Fox River System

Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Northeast Region - 2008 Bridge Operation Schedule

For the four bridges in Oshkosh (Main Street, Oregon/Jackson Streets, Wisconsin Street and Congress Avenue) and the Winneconne Main Street Bridge, the operating hours will be: 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 midnight from Friday, April 25th to Sunday, October 12th. As in the past there will be restricted operating hours for the Oshkosh bridges on Monday through Friday to avoid undue conflicts with street traffic during the following time periods:

11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
12:45 p.m. to 1:15 p.m.
3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

For the two bridges in Menasha (Racine and Tayco Streets), the operating hours will be: 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 midnight on Friday through Sunday and 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Monday through Thursday from Friday, April 25th through Sunday, October l2”. Operating hours on Memorial Day, Monday, May 26th and Labor Day, Monday, September 1st will be from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 midnight, as on weekends.

Note: The Racine Street Bridge will not be operated on September 21, 2008 from 9:00 A.M until 2:00 P.M. to accommodate the Fox Cities Marathon route.

The Lawe Street and Olde Oneida Street bridges in Appleton will be operated from May 9, 2008 to July 7, 2008 then closed for the season as razing and replacement of the College Avenue bridge begins.

The Island Street Bridge in Kaukauna, and the Mill Street Bridge in Little Chute are inoperable, and will not have scheduled hours for the 2008 season.

During the off season, all operable bridges in the system can be opened if at least twelve (12) hours notice is given. Railroad bridges and highway lift bridges will be operational and available for 12 hour non-operating hours notification prior to April 25, 2008 and after October 12, 2008.

The following is a listing of telephone contacts for the issuance of 12 hour notices by mariners of requests for drawbridge openings during unscheduled operating hours:

City of Appleton, Drawbridge Operations, Municipal Service Building, 2625 E. Glendale Avenue, Appleton, WI 54911 (920)832-5580 [Police (920)832-5500]

City of Menasha, Director, Department of Public Works, 140 Main Street, Menasha, WI 54952 (920)967-5102 [Police (920)967-5128]
Winnebago County (Oshkosh and Winneconne Drawbridges), Bridge Operations Supervisor, Winnebago County, 901 W. County Road Y, Oshkosh, WI 54903 (920)232-1700 [After 3:00 p.m. (920)420-21461 Off Hours 920-232-1715

Canadian National, 6361 N. Western Avenue, Fond du Lac, WI 54937 (920-929-6040)

Questions? Northeast Region Bridge Operations: Dale Weber, Wisconsin Department of
Transportation, Northeast Region, 944 Vanderperren Way, Green Bay, WI 54304 (920)492-7161.

Photo from http://www.gwo-main.com/

The Lower Fox River Lock System (Menasha Lock) operating season for 2008 is May 9th through September 28th. Off season lockages (surcharge applies) can be made by special 12 hour advance request. Contact Dennis Arnoudussen at 920-202-1853.

Source: East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission
http://www.eastcentralrpc.org/

Public Meetings on the Lower Fox River Rapide Croche Boat Transfer and AIS Management Plan

1008 Augustine Street
Kaukauna, WI 54130
Tele. 920-759-9833
Fax: 920-759-9834
FOX RIVER NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM AUTHORITY


Meeting Notice


Public Meetings on the Lower Fox River Rapide Croche Boat Transfer and AIS Management Plan

The Fox River Navigational System Authority is holding a series of public meetings to present the preliminary overland boat transfer and aquatic invasive species management plan for the Rapide Croche Lock site near Wrightstown on the Lower Fox River. The meetings will introduce a preliminary plan to transfer boats overland around the Rapide Croche Lock allowing boat passage on the Lower Fox River. The meetings will also present a boat inspection and cleansing plan designed to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species on any boats or contents transferred. The Rapide Croche Lock was closed and sealed in 1988 to prevent the upstream invasion of the sea lamprey. Since that time, no boats could pass through the Rapide Croche Lock.

The Authority began preparing for the management plan over a year ago with the creation of the Aquatic Invasive Species Technical Advisory Committee. The Committee evaluated boat transfer alternatives and methods to cleanse boats for all known invasive species. With extensive research and analysis the Committee has selected a preferred option plan. After public review the final plan will be will be prepared and submitted to the Department of Natural Resources for approval. Construction of the Rapide Croche transfer station is subject to future fund raising.

Five public meetings are scheduled throughout the Lower Fox River Basin and will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. The agenda includes:

Information Stations

Opening Remarks and Moderation – Bill Bush, AIS Technical Committee Chairman

FRNSA Mission and Activities – Bob Stark, FRNSA Chairman

Primary Presentation, Dr. Phil Moy, Wisconsin Sea Grant

Transfer Station Description

AIS Inspection and Cleansing

AIS Monitoring Program

Questions and Answer Period, Bill Bush, Moderator

Listening Stations

Meetings are scheduled in:

Green Bay on December 5th, Brown County Agricultural & Extension Building, 1150 Bellevue Street, Green Bay

Appleton on December 12th, Grand Chute Town Hall 1900 Grand Chute Boulevard, Town of Grand Chute

Oshkosh on December 13th, LaShure’s Hall 3125 South Washburn Avenue, Oshkosh

Fond du Lac on January 7th, Fond du Lac Government Center, 160 South Macy Street, Fond du Lac

Winneconne on January 9th, Village Municipal Center, 30 South First Street, Winneconne

Boaters, sportsman, civic groups, government officials and interested citizens are invited to the meetings.


For more information, contact: Harlan P. Kiesow, CEO
(920) 202-1855
hkiesow@new.rr.com
William Bush, AIS Committee Chair
(920) 213-5007
wbush43476@aol.com

###

Lake Winnebago regulation meeting notes October 24, 2007

Lake Winnebago regulation meeting notes October 24, 2007

I attended the ACOE (Army corps of engineers) Lake Winnebago regulation meeting today, October 24, 2007. Below are my personal notes from this meeting.

The ACOE will post their own notes to their website. I have provided a link to the relevant site at the bottom. Also, a copy of their presentation is available at the website. I provided a link to this as well.

I Welcome – from the ACOE
Introductions (I am guessing at name spelling. Please do not count on the spelling of names below. Please assume the spelling of all names is suspect. I did my best. )
Mike O’Brien – ACOE chief of Detroit office, includes Fox River system
Dave Hause – primary contact with public, also 24/7 dam operator, maintenance of gauges.
Bob Stanic – chief of office
Jim Benettis – chief of operations Kewaunee
Dave Fosters – Lake Michigan operations
Rich DeFauldie – Engineer
John Allis – chief of water shed
Missed - sorry
Lee Strum – deputy
General attendance: Property owners, Fox River navigation authority (Bob Stark), Various fishing clubs and groups, Utilities, multiple, Petri office representative, Steve Kagen office representative, Wolf River ???? could not hear her, Tri-Co power boat alliance, Thilmany Paper, Radtke construction, Oshkosh boat club, Friends of the Fox, General boaters, others, DNR. Sorry I messed some groups.

II Overview
The pool covers 6430 sq miles. It takes 7 days for rainwater to get from runoff from the pool north of Shawano to make its way to Lake Winnebago.

The ACOE is responsible for managing the level of water in the Winnebago Pool. They can adjust various gates on damns along the Fox River between Lake Winnebago and the bay of Green Bay.

Once the gates are completely closed they have no ability to raise the level of the water level. Water will continue to evaporate and will continue to flow over the spillway at the damn. The water will continue to flow over the spillway with the gates closed until the water reached a level of 1.75’ over Oshkosh datum.

The ACOE must balance the needs of the various stakeholders. For example, the Kaukauna utility uses the river to make electricity. To them, a constant flow of 4,500 is optimal for power production. Higher and the water is spilled over the top and wasted. Less and they are not able to product as much electricity.

III General 2008 projects & flow needs
PCB clean up – this will require tight regulation of the flow on the Fox River due to the need to keep various equipment buoyant.
Sewer work in Kaukauna, level must be dropped at specific times due to this project.
Spawning of fish – this is an annual need
Ski show called the water board warriors require a specific minimum levels. ACOE does its best to accommodate this.
Utilities and paper mills prefer a constant flow of 4,500.
Property owners require flood control.
Bridge construction in 2009 the College Ave Bridge will be replaced. Not likely to start in 2008 but possible.
Recreational boating – as more locks open there will be increased need to manager the level at each pool – 17 total pools including Lake Winnebago.

IV ACOE 2008 projects
Appleton Weir – needle damn 4x4 timbers are worn out. Some completed.
Kaukauna dike – sink holes – needs repair. Some repairs completed.
Clearing / grubbing – due to vegetation
DePere Trunnion repairs (Pins that hold the gates in place)
Appleton upper buoy ball cable – this is a safety cable, grab wire incase a boater is going over the damn. This is installed now. The goal is for this grab cable to be 3’ above the water. If a boater is going to go over the dam this gives the boater one last shot to grab this cable to prevent from going over the damn. The cable is to be present year round.
Down river gage upgrades – this will be new and will be similar to the Lake Winnebago data that is available now.
Menasha spillway – flow will exist as long as Winnebago is at 1.7” above datum or more. ACOE has no control over this spillway. Neenah was rebuilt. It was leaking. Now it is not leaking. Wood was replaced with cement.
There are 4 gauges in Lake Winnebago and 4 other data collection sites upriver to determine water level. Data is current on the ACOE website and is no more the 15 minutes delayed.

V 2007 season Weather review
May, June & July was dry in this area. By August, most of the area was in drought conditions. Late August rain relieved the drought conditions. Also, snowfall was light. 2007 was the 3rd summer in a row with below average precipitation. 2004 it was very wet and we had flooding.

May 22nd 2007 all gates (Neenah / Menasha) were closes and have remained closed since this time. Please note how Lake Winnebago dropped after this. This is the second earliest gate closing in the entire history. Evaporation is equivalent to an equal amount of water flow as the Fox River. Algae were strong. ACOE had requests to open gates to flush algae. They did for 4 hours in Menasha just before a ceremony. This was to relieve smell for the dedication. This was 1 time. The ACOE said this 4 hour opening has a insignificant effect on the overall level of the Winnebago pool. The algae smell returned quickly once the gates closed. There was a constant call to increase water flow for the PCB buildup. The ACOE was not able to accommodate this due to the low rainfall.

VI Plan for 2008
The fill plan is identical to 2007.
Early January the pool will be drawn down.
From Ice out (date varies – but normally mid to late March) the pool will be raised.
There will be a .3 foot operating band. Goal is to raise the level to 3.0 to 3.3 by June 1 to July 1. This is equal to 2007. 2004 is an example of flooding. It got too high to fast. The issue is May and June can have such a variation in rainfall.

VII Comments from the group

Comment / suggestion from a Lake Winnebago land owner.
Drop the water level sooner, like now, not January. Do it in October and draw the water level up more aggressively in spring. Get the gates closed sooner. This will reduce ice flows and increasing pleasure boating, reduced algae blooms.
Response from Art, from the DNR – re: winter draw down – for the lake ecosystem – he would not be apposed to this earlier draw down. He felt it would not have a positive nor gegative effect on the lake ecosystem.

Question: How fast can you draw the pool down?
Answer: The rate they can draw the pool down varies based on a lot of factors. If they were to pick a number, it’s theoretically possible to draw down the pool as much as ½ foot in 1 weeks time, assuming zero precipitation and no ground water runoff. In real world conditions, the process is slower then ½ foot / week. In 2004, they had a period of 6 weeks with all gates fully open with zero drop in level.

Question: How long does it take for rain in Northern portion of the basin to get to Lake Winnebago?
Answer: It takes about 1 week.

Question: Do you do pre-emptive gate opening? Say if there is a forecast of heavy rain. Answer: Yes, they can. They have not needed to in the last 3 years but they can.

Question: How much of a flood was 2004?
Answer - Per Art Decko with the DNR- this was a 25 year flood. This is average and can not predict with certainty when a flood of this level will return.

Question: When does ice go out in Lake Winnebago?
Answer: Mid March is typical lately. It’s been as late as April 10th. They have this data on the ACOE website. See link below.

Question: With gates closed, only spillway flow, will the Fox River navigational authority be able to use the lock system?
Answer: Yes. With water up to the spillway a boat can continue to navigate over the lock door threshold.

Question: When did the summer water level goal become 3.0 Oshkosh datum?
Answer: Per Art Decko from the DNR – 1982.

Question: What was the goal before 1982?
Answer: There was no goal. It was random. It was below 3.0. 3.0 is the highest goat that has ever existed before 2007 when the .3’ range was added making a goal range of 3.0 to 3.3’ over Oshkosh datum.

Question: What does 3.0 Oshkosh datum mean?
Answer: Its nothing more then a spot on a gauge. It’s meant for comparison purpose. There are presently 4 gauges on Lake Winnebago and 4 more on the upper portion of the system. More are being added to the lower Fox River. Data is electronically transmitted and uploaded to the ACOE website. Data is real time with not more then a 15 minute delay.

Question: Why not increase the level above 3.0?
Answer: The target range is 3.0 to 3.3 now. Flooding stage begins at 3.5. It would be irresponsible to have a target at flood stage.

Question: Why not move the target of 3.0 to a point earlier in the year?
Answer: In May 22, 2007, before the July 1 target date, we completely closed the gates. This was the second earliest we had ever done this. Our rainy season is May and June. We need to balance the needs of boaters with the other stakeholders of the Winnebago Pool including flood control.

Question: When did the ACOE stop dredging within this pool?
Answer: More then 25 years ago.

Question: When did the locks go into caretaker status?
Answer: 1983.

Question: What role does the ACOE serve for the Winnebago pool?
Answer: Dam maintenance and control of the water level for the Lake Winnebago pool and sub pools to Lake Michigan.

Question: Does the DNR control the water level? I heard a rumor that the water level is being held down for aquatic growth by the DNR.
Answer from Art Decko with the DNR: - Absolutely not. The DNR does not have the power to control the water level. We provide input, as does the other stakeholders as mentioned in the opening of the meeting. If the DNR had control over the water level it would be managed different. (Lots of chuckles in the room followed. Its understood Art Decko would like the water level much lower.)

Question: Doesn’t lower water levels mean greater aquatic growth?
Answer: Sometimes. Lower water level can cause more light to get further down and can result in more aquatic growth however this is only one factor. Another factor is water clarity.

Question for Art: Do you feel we have sufficient aquatic growth? I tool my dock out and it took 2 hours to remove all the growth. Last year too. I never had to do that and I’ve been on Winnebago for 67 years.
Answer from Art: We certainly have plenty of aquatic growth in Lake Winnebago. We are also having growth of invasive aquatic vegitation. The upper portion of the pool including Lake Poygon is suffering from low aquatic growth. The upper lakes are low on habitat.

Question: This spring we had a major fish die off. Why did this happen?
Answer from Art: The fish was mostly gizzard shad. We had a cold snap. They died by the millions. If we had a normal winter of ice cover the fish would have decayed. The issue was the lake opened up, the fish flowed into shore and marinas and you saw it and smelt it. The fish die off was caused by a cold snap. That is not the unusual part. The opening of the ice on the lake allowing the fish to float in to shore and gather in specific locations is what was unusual

Conclusion: Several people thanked the ACOE for this opportunity to meeting with the ACOE and hear their plan and answer questions.

Army Corps of Engineers Lake Winnebago Home Page:
http://www.lre.usace.army.mil/greatlakes/hh/lakewinnebago/
Copy of the presentation.
http://www.lre.usace.army.mil/hh/winnebago/regulation/regulation_meeting_presentation.pdf

Only 5 of 300 washed their boat after Lake Winnebago event

Lake Winnebago is infected with VHS virus — viral hemorrhagic septicemia.

To prevent the spread of this virus to other instate lakes the DNR has recommended washing boats including the hull, bilge and live wells.

This past weekend Lake Winnebago had the annual Walleye Weekend event in Fond du Lac.

There were 300 boats participating in the fishing tournament.

Volunteers brought in tucks with washing equipment. One truck had a mixture of bleach then the second had fresh water.

There was no fee for this.

Out of 300 boats participating in the walleye weekend fishing tournament, only 5 used this free service.

Only 5.


I first learned about this when I had the TV on this morning. I was watching the news and had channel 26 on. This is WGBA – NBC 26. They covered this story. The reporter was Claudia Hickey – phone 920-490-2672. I called the station and she was not in yet however the person in the news room was able to tell me that that company who provided the trucks with the equipment was:

Valley Hydro-Excavation, LLC
Contact: Jeff & Jackie Rindt
Address:
W1902 Town Hall Road
Campbellsport, WI 53010
Phone: (920) 533-5927

I next called Valley Hydro, got Jeff’s cell number and verified the information was correct, only 5 out of 300 boats washed their boats. The rest drove on past.

The company, Valley Hydro-Excavation, LLC, and its owners volunteered their time and had to turn down business to b e available for this event. I called and spoke to Jeff and he said he did this out of his hope to help prevent the spread of the VHS virus.

To make matters worse, they had a group of youth volunteers that were part of a little league and football team to do the work. The kids were also very disappointed.

VHS Confirmed in Lake Winnebago

Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS) Confirmed in Lake Winnebago.

Menasha lock to resume operation at 4:00PM today, May 18, 2007. The lock will stay open for the season.

Questions and Answers on Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS)

Important Questions and Answers on Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS) in Great LakesFish.

During the past two years, the fish kills on Great Lakes have involved thousands of fish infected by the Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia Virus (VHSV); this virus was not previously known to exist in the freshwater environment of North America.Here is some information on VHS compiled by NY Sea Grant.

What is VHS? What is the significance of the recent discovery of VHS in the Great Lakes?
Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia is an infectious viral disease of fish that has been found in fish from the AtlanticCoast of Europe and Atlantic and PacificCoasts of North America. Historically, VHS was known as a very serious disease of freshwater-reared rainbow trout in Europe. At least four different genetic strains or forms of the virus are known to exist. The North American marine strain has a relatively low infection rate compared to that of the European freshwater strain.Until 2005, VHS was only found in the marine environment in North America. Several fish kills in the Lower Great Lakes since 2005 have been associated with VHS. To date, VHS has been confirmed from wild fish in the Bay of Quinte Lake Ontario, Lake St. Clair, Lake Erie and the St. Lawrence River. Scientists believe that this appearance may represent an invasion of the freshwater strain in North America.

What North American freshwater fish species are affected?
In the Great Lakes, VHS has been found in smallmouth bass, yellow perch, crappie, muskellunge, northern pike, bluegill, walleye, round gobies, sheepshead, and some sucker species. Scientists are concerned; however, that VHS could also strike native salmonids such as trout, salmon and whitefish in the wild, and salmonids in hatcheries and net pen operations.

How did VHS get here?
It is unclear how the virus spread to the Great Lakes; it is possible the marine virus may have been introduced to the Great Lakes some time ago and it simply evolved to live in freshwater.The VHS virus is a strain that undergoes rapid mutations (spontaneous genetic changes) and may have adapted to freshwater environments in North America. Recently, VHS was found in stored fish samples that were collected in the Great Lakes during 2003, suggesting the virus has been present in the Great Lakes for some time.

How does VHS spread?
It is unclear exactly how the disease is spread but it appears that the virus can be shed by infected fish into the water through metabolic waste materials, particularly by fish that survive the disease and become carriers. It also appears that carrier fish or offspring of carriers become more resistant to the disease. The virus can infect fish of all ages. It may enter a host fish through the gills or food or contact with some contaminated object. It does appear that stressed fish more vulnerable to viral infection. Typical fish stressors include sudden water temperature changes, crowded hatchery conditions and, spawning activity.The timing of the recent fish die-off in the Great Lakes coincided with the spawning by some of the fish species, such as muskellunge.

What does it do to fish? What are the symptoms of a fish with VHSV infection?Like many fish diseases, the type of symptoms present in a fish change with the severity of the infection.At low infection intensity fish may display few to no symptoms as is the case in most wild disease outbreaks.Hatchery or pen-reared fish are much more susceptible because of the confined conditions. As the infection severity increases, fish become darker and the eyes bulge with some bleeding around the eye and base of the fins. The gills are usually quite pale with some pin point bleeding.Mortalities appear at this point because hemorrhaging reduces the oxygen carrying ability of the blood. Dark red patches may appear on the front and sides of the head.
If the fish is opened up, bleeding on the surfaces of the intestine, liver, swim bladder can be seen. Fluid also builds up in the body cavity giving the fish a swollen belly. Later, if infection increases, the body continues to darken and the eyes really stick out of the head. At this point, the gills look gray or even white and the fish may swim in a corkscrew pattern. Most fish kills from VHS occur in water temperatures from 40 to 60 F (3-12 C) and few occur at temperatures above 62 F (15 C).NOTE:The detection of a VHS infection can only be made from sophisticated laboratory testing.A diagnosis cannot be made based solely on the observation of visible signs because many different diseases of fish have very similar signs of disease.

What is the long-term outlook for VHVS in the Great Lakes?
Diseases like VHS run their course just as they do in human populations. At first mortalities may appear to be large, but many biologists believe that most fish can survive the disease if they are not otherwise stressed because mortalities generally occur in weaker, stressed fish. The remainder will build up a natural immunity to the virus and the numbers of fish killed by the virus will decline.

Is it a health risk to people?
There is no apparent health risk for people contracting VHS.Because it takes a long time to identify the causes of fish kills in lab studies, people should be cautioned against handling or eating any fish that does not act or appear to be healthy because of the risk of contracting avian botulism a bacterial disease that does pose a human health threat.

What is being done to control it or prevent it?
One of the best management options is containment.Efforts should be made to eliminate or reduce the potential spread of the virus from the locations where it is known to exist.Actions such as not moving fish from the endemic area to areas outside the Great Lakes may be important.Many of the same preventative actions that are taken to reduce the spread of invasive species may also be appropriate.These include cleaning of boats before moving them between different bodies of water; cleaning, draining and drying of live wells and not moving bait minnows or other live bait from an endemic area to a non-infected area.To be fully effective, these containment efforts will need to be practiced by all users of the aquatic resource.

In a hatchery, the best means of controlling the disease is to prevent the contact of the virus and fish. This can be done by hatchery disinfection, egg treatment with anti-viral agents, and using ultra-violet light treatment of hatchery water. It is important to stock disease free fish and to monitor freshwater populations for signs of further spread.Information on diseased wild fish is difficult to obtain because they often die undetected and fish can decompose rapidly making disease diagnoses very difficult.New research is being developed that would allow more rapid detection of the disease.

What should I do if I see a fish kill?
If you observe a fish kill on the Great Lakes, please contact the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources at (608) 266-8782 or your local DNR office. If you see fish with any of the outward signs of VHS as described above please mention this as well.This will help biologists keep track of where the disease may be appearing.

Source

Notice: Menasha Lock Closed as of May 12, 2007

Notice: Menasha Lock Closed

The Menasha lock has been closed as of Saturday May 12th.

The Menasha lock closed at the request of the DNR after the discovery of a virus in fish that were harvested in Little Lake Butte des Morts in Menasha.

Official release #1)

(Appleton, WI) The Fox River Navigational System Authority suspended the operation of the Menasha Lock today in response to a report that the Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS) virus was preliminarily discovered in a fish sample taken from Little Lake Butte des Morts earlier this month.Two samples of freshwater drum, (sheepshead), were collected on May 2, 2007 from Little Lake Butte de Morts by DNR fisheries staff. On May 11th the University of Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Lab informed the DNR that the samples tested positive for VHS.

Additional testing is being done to confirm the presence of the virus.“Protecting our waterways and our fisheries from Aquatic Invasive Species has been the number one pledge of the Navigational Authority since work began to restore and operate the 150 year old historic lock system on the lower Fox River,” said Bob Stark, chairman of the Authority. “When we received word that a preliminary positive test for the VHS virus was reported in Little Lake Butte des Morts, our immediate response must be to honor that pledge and to do what we can to fight the spread of AIS,” he added. “Therefore, I have ordered the Menasha Lock to be closed and not to be operated until further notice.”According to the DNR it is not known how the virus entered Little Lake Butte des Morts. The virus is carried in live and dead fish and on fish eggs.

Equipment that comes into contact with fish (live wells, bait buckets, nets and the like) is also a possible vector. Additional testing of fish in other areas is now being done, including Lake Winnebago. The virus poses no risk to human health.The DNR is asking all anglers, boaters and others using the water to take voluntary steps to prevent the spread of this deadly disease. The preliminary message is that all anglers and boaters need to take personal responsibility for not spreading this virus (and other invasive species) by:

• NEVER moving live fish or fish eggs (including bait) to other waters

• ALWAYS draining all water from their boats after use

• ALWAYS obtaining bait minnows from approved sources (WI bait dealers or harvest yourself in the water you'll be fishing)

• RINSE the boat with hot water or let it dry in the sun for 5 days before moving to new waters

• Clean equipment (live wells, nets etc) with a bleach solution, (1/3 cup bleach to 5 gallons of water, in contact with equipment for 5 minutes)

Notice of the Menasha Lock closure will be sent to boat clubs and marinas on the system.

Questions regarding the operational status of the Menasha Lock can be directed to Harlan Kiesow, CEO of the Fox River Navigational System Authority at (920)759-9833.

Release #2)

DATE: May 12, 2007
CONTACT: Mike Staggs, Fisheries Director, (608)220-2609George Boronow, Regional Fisheries Coordinator, (920)662-5426
SUBJECT: Fish likely infected with deadly virus found in Little Lake Butte des Morts;Menasha Lock closed; Public asked to take steps to stop the spread

MADISON – The Department of Natural Resources announced Saturday that two fish from Little Lake Butte des Morts in the Lake Winnebago chain of lakes have preliminarily tested positive for the deadly fish virus called viral hemorrhagic septicemia or (VHS).

Additional dead fish samples taken from Lake Winnebago, itself, appear to have the virus.

Though VHS is not a health threat for people who eat or handle fish infected with the virus, it can infect more than 25 game fish, panfish and bait fish species. State fish managers had suspected it to be present in Lake Michigan and possibly in Lake Superior and in the Mississippi River. This would be the first infection to be confirmed in Wisconsin inland waters. Wisconsin recently enacted emergency rules for boaters, anglers and people who harvest wild bait to prevent the spread of VHS in inland waters http://dnr.wi.gov/org/caer/ce/news/rbnews/BreakingNews_Lookup.asp?id=497

“This is a major fish health crisis,” said Fisheries Director Mike Staggs, “We have to take aggressive steps now and enlist the help of the public to stop this spread.” Fish managers met Saturday to implement immediate steps to deal with the infection and limit its spread. DNR asked the Fox Locks Authority to close the Menasha Lock immediately and to keep it closed until more information about the spread of the disease could be confirmed; boaters can expect to be turned back from the lock starting today. In addition, DNR began the process of posting all boat launches with actions boaters should take to avoid spreading the disease. “We need to err on every possible side of caution,” Staggs said. “Believe me, nobody wants to see this disease get into more of our lakes. Do not take live fish (including unused bait minnows) away from the landing or shore. Drain all water from bilges, bait buckets, live wells, and other containers when leaving the landing or shore.” Little Lake Butte des Morts is downstream from Lake Winnebago and separated by one dam and one functioning lock, which has now been closed. The Lake Winnebago chain is home to Wisconsin’s unique sturgeon population. On May 11, 2007 the University of Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Lab (WVDL) informed DNR that two samples of freshwater drum taken from Little Lake Butte des Morts on May 2, 2007 had tested positive for VHS. The samples have been sent to an approved federal lab for confirmation. The fish were collected by DNR fisheries staff during muskellunge spawning netting and were submitted for testing because they had shown external signs of VHS. Since that time, DNR has been receiving reports of hundreds of freshwater drum dying on Lake Winnebago, itself. On May 9 and 10 samples of those dead fish were sent to WVDL for testing. A visual inspection of the Lake Winnebago fish by DNR’s certified fish health inspector showed the same external signs of VHS as the Little Lake Butte des Morts fish. Also the DNR staff that collected the fish on Little Lake Butte des Morts reported seeing dead and dying drum washing over the dam separating that water from Lake Winnebago. Because the virus can infect so many different ages and species of fish, VHS could spread more quickly in inland lakes, which are much smaller than the Great Lakes, potentially devastating fish populations and fishing opportunities. Walleye, spotted musky, yellow perch, bluegill and northern pike are all susceptible to the virus, as are common bait species such as emerald and spot-tail shiners.

DNR is appealing to anglers, boaters and other water users to help prevent the further spread of VHS by taking a few simple steps:

• Never move live fish or fish eggs to other waters and always buy bait minnows only from Wisconsin bait dealers because bait from other states may not have been tested for VHS. These steps are required by the new emergency rules.

• Inspect boat, trailer and equipment and remove visible aquatic plants, animals, and mud before leaving the lake launch.

• Drain water from boat, motor, bilge, live wells, and bait containers before leaving a lake. This step is recommended for boaters on all waters and is required under the emergency rules for boaters on the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River and their tributaries up to the first dam.

• Dispose of leftover bait in the trash, not in the water. Do not take live fish or live fish eggs away from the boat landing.

• Rinse boat and recreational equipment with hot water OR dry for at least five days.

• Report large numbers of dead fish or fish with bloody spots to your local DNR fish biologist or conservation warden.

Wisconsin already has taken steps to deal with VHS. The state Natural Resources Board on Wednesday, April 4, unanimously passed emergency rules prohibiting anglers and boaters from moving live fish, and requiring them to drain their boats and livewells, before leaving Wisconsin’s Great Lakes waters, the Mississippi River and those waters’ tributaries up to the first dam.

Fishing in Wisconsin is a $2.3 billion industry.

More information on aquatic invasive species and Wisconsin’s programs to prevent their spread is available on the DNR Web site.


For more information about VHS please see http://dnr.wi.gov/fish/pages/vhs.html

Menasha lock to being opening for 2007 boating season May 11

The Menasha lock will being opening for 2007 boating season on Friday May 11, 2007 at 10:00 AM.

Photo from www.gwo-main.com

Hours of operation are:
Monday thru Thursday 10:00 AM until 10:00 PM
Friday thru Sunday 8:00 AM until 10:00 PM

The cost to use the lock has been raised to $6.00 for boats less then 26 feet and $12.00 for boats 26 feet and up. If you are going to go back thru the lock the same day they will give you a ticket stub and there is no additional fee for this return trip.

You can also purchase a seasonal ticket for $120.

This lock is hand operated and is a enjoyable experience for the family.

Lake Winnebago water level is lower then last 2 years

Over the last two years we have seen lower then normal water levels on Lake Winnebago. As of today our current water level is lower then these past two years.

The Army cops of engineers controls the gates on the Fox River that allow an increase in the flow of water out of the Lake Winnebago pool system.

Per the ACOE website the gates for the Fox River in Menasha are now closed, meaning the ACOE is allowing for the fastest possible refill of Lake Winnebago.

Unfortunately, even with this gate closure, the current level of water is below the level of the past two years.

Lake Winnebago Historic Water Levels April 17
2005 - 2.40
2006 - 2.40
2007 - 2.35

You can view the current ACOE water level information here

Based on history, spring precipitation should cause a raise in the water level over the next two months.

Boaters should be particularly cautious in areas that are shallow.

Wisconsin Street Bridge - Oshkosh – marine construction zone

Boaters are being urged to use caution in a construction zone along the Fox Rive in Oshkosh, WI. The Wisconsin Street Bridge in Oshkosh Wisconsin is being rebuilt. A new bridge is being erected parallel to the existing Wisconsin Street Bridge that crosses the Fox River in Oshkosh.

The Wisconsin Department of transportation (DOT) is urging boaters to use caution in this area.

For safety the DOT has placed Danger buoys as well as special reflective tape on the bridge itself.
During the construction the width of the opening will be limited to 45 feet. This reduced width is due to the cofferdam sheeting used during construction. Once construction is completed this width will increase to 70 feet.

Construction is expected to be completed by the fall of 2008.

For more information please contact:
Kim Rudat, Regional Communications Manager
kim.rudat@dot.state.wi.us
(920) 492-5743
http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/projects/wisbridge/index.htm

Friends of the Fox - Unlock the fox video

The Friends of the Fox have created a video about the Fox River lock system and their goal of unlocking the locks.

Video will open in your Media Player.

To view the video please click here





Note: This video is hosted at http://www.gwo-main.com

Friends of the Fox Annual Meeting Saturday May 19th, 2007

From the Friends of the Fox president Bob Stark


DEDICATION & DEMONSTRATION TO BE HELD AT APPLETON LOCKS # 2

RE-DISCOVER THE PAST WHILE YOU LOOK INTO THE FUTURE


For Immediate Release April 5, 2007


(Appleton, WI) – After nearly 2 years of preparation, the Friends of The Fox – in conjunction with Fox River Navigational System Authority, Appleton Sesquicentennial, and CR Meyer Construction Company are ready to unveil the completely restored Appleton locks 1& 2 to the public. After major renovation and new construction, it’s no surprise that boaters and historians alike will be anxious to view, tour, and witness the operation of the restored locks.

“We wanted to show everyone what we have been working on and celebrate what we’ve accomplished so far” said Robert Stark (President of Friends of The Fox and Chairman of the Fox River Navigational System Authority). “After giving a lot of thought to how we want to celebrate this historic event, one idea seemed to make the most sense…….invite everyone over to the locks for a demonstration and tour so they can experience the excitement for themselves”, said Brunhilde Courtney (Friends of The Fox Board Member and Event Coordinator). In addition, people will be able to hear from fund raisers, engineers, and other people who have been instrumental in the success of the project every step of the way. “It’s also a great time to ask questions and satisfy one’s curiosities” said Stark.

This waterside event will feature dignitaries from State and local levels and is open to the general public. In addition guests will be able to enjoy refreshments (for purchase) as well as free boat rides. The following day (May 20th 2007), the 2 locks will be operational from 1 P.M. to 5 P.M. for boaters who wish to lock through. Harlan Kiesow, CEO of Fox River Navigational System Authority, stated there will be no charge for boaters on May 20th however lock usage and safety procedures will be in effect with oversight by the lock tenders.

“We want this event to be more than a celebration – we want it to be a window into the future that shows the public what’s to come along the Fox River” Stark said.

Where: Appleton Lock #2
CBC Parking Lot, Olde Oneida Street, Adjacent to Lock #2
Appleton, WI

When: Saturday May 19th , 2007
1 P.M to 4:00 P.M.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

Bob Stark, President Harlan Kiesow, CEO
Friends of The Fox Fox River Navigational System Authority
(920) 809-6407 (920) 202-1855
robertjstark@sbcglobal.net lock269735@sbcglobal.net


Webiste
http://www.friendsofthefox.org/

Lake Winnebago Spring refill conference April 3, 2007

Spring refill conference April 3, 2007 9:30 AM notes

Pleaste read: These are my notes. The officinal notes will be posted to the below website in a few weeks. Also, my apology for spelling, expically name spelling. Assume the spelling of the name is incorrect. I did my best.

US Army cops of engineers Website for the Lake Winnebago basin
http://www.lre.usace.army.mil/greatlakes/hh/lakewinnebago/

The ACOE has opened these meetings to the public. One thing I have learned by attending and listening to the meeting is the difficult position they are in. There are many stakeholders in this Lake Winnebago water basin and they have different and conflicting needs.

Introductions – lots of people including many people from the army corps of engineers. Marie is the point person to the ACOE on this call.

Bob Stanic – Kaukauna utility
(missed name) - City of Menasha parts and recreation
Art Decko – DNR
Bruce / Mike – Kaukauna utilities
Tom Davy – Winnebago water conservation department
Skip Palermo - Appleton yacht club
WHBY radio
Many people from around the Lake Winnebago basin area

ACOE started by stating their primary goal is flood control.
Goal is flood damage reduction. They must balance with needs of DNR, wildlife, utilities, boaters, and land owners however they made it clear by stating since the locks are not owned by the federal government they are “No longer responsible for marine navigation – flood control is there goal.”

Water level goals:
Current level = 2.09 Oshkosh
Goal by May 1st 2.4-2.7
By July 1 the goal is to be at 3.0 and maintain between 3.0 and 3.3

ACOE stated there is a slight chance of above average precipitation this spring. National weather service confirmed this.

As of today Wolf River is quite high and is in flood forecast; this means it’s just below flood stage.

Ice covers / current refill as of today
As of 29 March the Wisconsin DNR determined ice out conditions on Lake Winnebago.
As a result, a slow and controlled spring fill began. However, sufficient storage capacity must be maintained for flood storage and ecosystem establishment.

Current inflow is about 9,500 cfs while outflow is approximately 8,500 cfs.

Operation band changed for May 1st to June 1st 2.4-2.7 (actual target is 2.4) then starting in June they would like to raise the lake to 3.0 then by July 1st 3.3. NOTE: This is NEW and HIGHER then in the past of 3.0 and maintain. They need to have the range low to the bottom of the band in spring to avoid flooding.

In recent years the post June 1st has been dry. If there is no precipitation then the water level will not rise. They must take into consideration flood control in the spring. There is a lot of wet weather and a lot of precipitation coming.

DNR guy (sorry I missed his name – Art I think) He wants the fill slowed and feel its filling too fast now.

Kaukauna utility (sorry I missed his name) – concerned that the summer level has been too low and is concerned that past summer flow was too low. Also current flow today is past what they can utilize, meaning water is being wasted and not being turned into electricity.

(Missed the persons name) Depere sturgeon spawning – starts in late April. So the first part of May the eggs are incubating. Water level needs to be controlled (not dropped) during this time. So this means in May there is a need to keep the flow up. Low flow after spawn is problematic. Anything below 4,000 is very bad for the eggs.

Tom Davies – Winnebago County – asked Art about aquatic vegetation and concerned that high levels cause low light thus lack of vegetation. Art replied that presently it’s OK and he is happy with how it’s going.

Navigational Buoy placement – Fox River Navigational authority will open the Menasha lock May 11th. Brian w/city of Menasha said navigational buoy’s will be in by April 27th, 2007 in all of Winnebago County. This will be done by Radtke Contractors. Done likely by Friday for that Saturday.

May 12th (this is not correct. The date is May 19th) – Appleton locks opening celebration. Right now everything is fine for this.

Questions:
Winneconne – (missed his name- Bill ?) make a case about the need to reach a compromise for boat navigation. This call started with the ACOE saying ““No longer interest in navigation – only flood control. “

Marie from the ACOE responded – Mid 80’s locks were put into caretaker’s status, the locks have been turned over to the state. They no longer dredge in this area. They value the other stakeholders including boaters however the goal of the ACOE is flood control.

Art (DNR) said they are looking at the merge of the Fox and Wolf river area and looking at moving the buoys placement and possible dredging. Adjusting(raising) the water level for the entire system is not an option.

Bill (from Winneconne) replied back asking to get to 3.0 earlier due to the history of missing the goal.

Marie from ACOE mentioned the past few years had a fast transition from wet to dry and that is why they missed the summer targets and they are looking at a more aggressive flexible plan.

Bob Beon (spelling?) in Oshkosh – added that July is tool late, ½ the summer is gone. He added that the ACOE saying they are only interested in outflows is misleading since outflows controls the water levels.

Marie from ACOE said once they close the gates they can do no more. She restates that the ACOE does not control the water levels. Also restated the need of other interests including sturgeon spawning needing high flow in May, vegetation needing low spring levels, recreation including boating needing high levels, utilities needing continual flow, others.

We are at 2.09 right now. ACOE expects this to rise to 2.2 to 2.3 within the next week.

Marie from ACOE said 2.7 is a reasonable summer operating level.

She felt 2.4 to 2.5 by May 1st is a reasonable guess as to where they will be at.

Name not give, female waterfront land owner – “What does 3 mean?”

Marie from ACOE – 3.0 is a reference point at a location in Oshkosh. Crest of Menasha damn spillway is another reference. 1.5’ over spill is another common reference gauge.

Art (DNR) Since 1982 3.0 has been the goal. 3.0 is the normal summer goal for the past 25 years. The gauge has marks on it. The number is in relative terms and is not meant to be a specific depth.

Same Name not give, female waterfront land owner – “I am at Point Comfort, Winnebago – we are showing the bottom 20’ out form shore – this is very low for this time of year”

Marie from ACOE “2.09 is the current level.”

Marie – said that sediment depositing is causing fill-in in some locations however the water level at this time of year is not off compared to this time of year in past years.

Art Deco – DNR – “The spring teleconference call is not to determine the level Lake Winnebago but how fast we will get there.”

Bob Bexton – I'm just north of the other lady on Point Comfort. “You cant get a boat out, this is MUCH lower then in the past, not including the last 2 years. “

Complaints opened up about broken props, etc.

Judy – tri-county boat alliance. Will notes be posted?

Travis (ACOE) yes, in about 2-3 weeks.

Judy – gave her ID information and stated the need they have for volunteers on the Wolf River June 2nd.

Tricounty Powerboat Alliance
Wolf river cleanup date for 2007 is Sat June 2nd
No website yet however you can reach Jody Johnson at
TCPA@centurytel.net or call 920-446-3930 Judy Johnson

Doug Ales – WiPary - “Tank you for allowing us to participate in this teleconference. How long have there been the water level gauges other then Oshkosh? Is it possible the gauges are in error or have been tampered with?”

Marie ACOE “Since 1992 we have had 4 gauges. Data recorder and physical gauge. Gauges are located in Stockbridge, Fond du Lac, Oshkosh, and Menasha. Checking and testing is done to prevent tampering.

ACOE website address given – used real time data from site to show right now Lake Poygan is 9” higher then Lake Winnebago.

Tom Davis – Land and Water of Winnebago County – This system is a storm water retention system. The need is to protect the properties from flooding.

Marie from ACOE – Once again the ACOE goal is flood control.

Calumet Marina – when do you start the drawdown?

Marie from ACOE – Early January after ice cover is established.

No more questions – call was concluded.

Lake Winnebago fill-up strategy 2007 conference call April 3, 2007

Lake Winnebago fill-up strategy 2007

The department of the Army – Detroit district corps of engineers will hold its Lake Winnebago fill-up strategy 2007 conference call on April 3rd at 9:30 AM cst.

This conference call is open to the public. To join the conference call please dial 888-455-9639 and enter 74654 when prompted to the pass code.

The agenda for the conference call is as follows:

Introduction and conference call guidelines

Basin conditions
Lake Winnebago water levels
Snow pack
River flows

Expected spring conditions

Fill-up timing and extent

Wrap-up session.

If you have any questions please feel free to call Mr. Travis Dahl at 313-266-2137.

This is the official site for the Army Corps with reguard to the levels on Lake Winnebago
http://www.lre.usace.army.mil/greatlakes/hh/lakewinnebago/

Unlocking the Fox locks – Lake Winnebago to Lake Michigan

There is a system of locks that allows boaters to get from the Lake Winnebago waterway though Menasha and up the Fox River to the bay of Green Bay. Once in Green Bay you can navigate the Great Lakes and get to the rest of the world via water.

Photo of Appleton WI lock curtsy of gwo-main.com
At one time this system of 17 locks allowed commercial traffic to continue upriver through additional locks and connect to the Wisconsin River then to the Mississippi River. This provided a much needed waterway link from Lake Michigan to the Mississippi River. However with the development of the railroad system and the development of other lock systems the commercial traffic has ceased long ago.

Construction of the Fox lock system began in the 1840’s. Due to a lack of funds all but the remaining 3 operational locks were closed in the early 1980’s.

The Fox lock system presently has the first lock in Menasha and the last two locks from Rapid Croche down river to the bay of Green Bay in operation from mid May through the boating season. With the passage of many years of non-use many of the locks are in need of repair.

In 2000 the state of Wisconsin agreed to take over the locks to prevent the system from being abandoned by the army corps of engineers. The state received $11.8 Million with a pledge for an additional $5.6 Million for restoration of the lock system.

With the commercial traffic gone the focus is on tourism and riverfront development. In 1995 an economic impact study was done and this study estimated the re-opening of the lock system would generate a $74 Million annual positive economic impact. With inflation this number should be even higher today.

The ‘private donation’ funding needed to complete this project to re-open and operate the lock system is over ½ way to the goal of $6 Million.

The Friends of the fox http://www.friendsofthefox.org/ is working to raise funds to re-open the lock system and ensure operation for the future. To protect the Winnebago water system of invasive species they plan to build a barrier at Rapide Cronche.

The Friends of the fox http://www.friendsofthefox.org/ will be holding a meeting to give a status update on the project to re-open the lock system. This meeting will be held April 29, 2006 at Waverly Beach starting at 5:00 PM. Waverly Beach, N8770 Fire Lane 1, Menasha, WI 54952.

The above information was prepared by Presentation Rentals a audiovisual equipment rental company in Appleton Wisconsin that offers LCD projector PA public address sound system and accessories. Visit them on the web at http://www.presentationrentals.net

Boat - SeaRay Sundancer 240
Port - Slip #2A, Skipper Buds, Oshkosh, WI
Lisa

Wisconsin History – the Winnebago War of 1827

In 1827 the Stockbridge Indian tribe on Lake Winnebago lived in peace and harmony until early English colonists decided to rid the area of the Indians who fished the lake and were often in the way of the “cruisers” of the day, the speedy schooners.

The American Calvary, overwhelmingly favored to win the battle, threatened to cut a certain body part off of all captured Indian soldiers so that they could never fight again. The Indians won in a major upset and waved the body part in question at the Calvary in defiance. What was this body part?

The resistance, known as the Winnebago War of 1827 was led by chief Red Bird. Using this threat of having the body part cut off by the American Calvary to his advantage chief Red Bird convinced the Brothertown Indian tribe, the Ho-Chunk Indian tribe and many other smaller Indian tribes to unite in battle. When the American Calvary in their schooners encountered the united Indian armada they immediately retreated. With the armada in pursuit the Calvary retreated through Oshkosh, Winneconne and headed up the Wolf River to Fremont.

With superior knowledge of the local area chief Red Bird took a select group of warriors and headed on shore to a high bank just beyond Fremont. When the Calvary arrived they found the deep keels on their schooners were more then what could clear the shallow water at this spot of the river. At this point the Calvary could continue no more and were easy targets for the Indians perched high above on the river banks. This shallow wide area, later named “Red Banks” in the chiefs honor was not dredged until almost 100 years later.

With the Calvary unable to go forward they reversed course back to Fremont until they reached the awaiting Indian warrior armada. Scared and facing certain death the Calvary set fire to their own vessels and retreated up the west river banks slipping away from the battle. This very spot became known as “Slip knot.” Defeated and scared the American Calvary ran and did not stop until they reached Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin.

Victorious in battle chief Red Bird ordered the Indian warriors to wave the very body part that the Calvary had so arrogantly threatened to cut off. The body part the American Calvary threatened to cut off of the Indian warriors was the middle finger, without which it is impossible to draw the renowned longbow, favored by the Indians. The act of drawing this long stiff bow made from wood from the yew tree was known as "plucking yew." The victorious Indian warriors shouted to the retreating American Calvary as they ran up the river banks "See, we can still pluck yew! PLUCK YEW!"



Embarrassed by the humiliating defeat President John Quincy Adams, in Nov. 1828 ordered all official records of the battle to be rewritten in favor of a union victory however the story of the battle of Winnebago continues by being passed on generation to generation.

Over the years some 'folk etymologies' have grown up around this symbolic gesture. Since 'pluck yew' is rather difficult to say (like "mother plucker", which is who you had to go to for the feathers used on the arrows), the difficult consonant cluster at the beginning has gradually changed to a labiodental’s fricative 'f', and thus the words often used in conjunction with the defiant gesture are mistakenly thought to have something to do with an intimate encounter. In honor of the victory lead by Red Bird, the Indian chief, the symbolic gesture has become known as "giving the bird".

Today a statue displayed at High Cliff state park commemorates the battle between the Indians and the Americans. To honor this revered leader, a 12 foot statue was erected in High Cliff State Park. Historical revisionists and citizens for decency have forced the officials to have the statue modified from its original historically accurate portrayal as seen in this original photo below to adding an extended pointer, ring and pinky finger next to the middle finger. However if you visit this statue today at High Cliff state park on the north east corner of Lake Winnebago, Wisconsin and you get on someone’s shoulders to take a close look you can see the other fingers are not a perfect match.

The original Statue of chief Red Bird at at High Cliff state park


You can read more about this infamous chief at and this historic battle by visiting the High Cliff General Store Museum. The High Cliff General Store Museum shares the history of the park in one of the original buildings from Sherwood's past. Additionally, visitors can purchase ice cream, candy and other items while examining the items in the museum. The High Cliff General Store Museum is open Friday through Sunday from Memorial Day through Labor Day from noon to 5 p.m.

Native American history is abundant in Calumet County. There are several memorials, preserved burial grounds, and effigy mounds to go back in time and tap one’s desire to experience and learn more. From the Brothertown Indian Memorial at the intersection of Highways 151 and 55, to the Chief Red Bird Memorial in High Cliff State Park, the historic gems you will discover will awe you.

History is not lost on today's residents of Calumet County. Indeed, it is celebrated to this day by keeping the historic traditions alive, specifically by the fisherman of Lake Winnebago.

Now that you know the history you can do your part to keep the storied tradition alive and help repair the rift that divides between cruisers and fishermen through this day.

When you are out on your cruiser and you come across an anchored fisherman rather then avoiding their general vicinity alter your course to take you close to their side. As you pass them hold up your right arm with your middle finger extended and shout “Pluck yew!” If they return with the same geniture and reply “Pluck you too!” you can be proud that you are doing your part to repair this long standing divide between fishermen and cruisers.

$52 Million hotel/condo/water park/marina – the next big date June 21 2006

On February 15th the Oshkosh Common Council had a closed door meeting with Five Rivers Resort developer Tom Doig.

The Oshkosh WI development with Five Rivers is still unclear but at a maximum we will know if it’s a go by June 21st, the final day the developer has to secure financing.

At this point, financing is not set. City councilors are increasingly aware of the challenge Five Rivers developers face in locking in financing by June 21.

After this closed door meeting, Oshkosh Councilor Bryan Bain said “We're really zeroing in on a target here, whether it's 'We're breaking ground' or cutting the fishing line, re-baiting it and recasting for a new fish.”

The only conclusion we can make is the project becoming reality with the current developer and with the current financing arrangement / time frame is at best a long shot. Weather it can be pulled back together or announced DOA may not be known until June 21st.

When asked about the Park Plaza Hotel and convention center just down the river from the proposed resort site, Oshkosh visitors bureau Member John Supple said he feels future hotel development in Oshkosh, including the sale of Park Plaza, is now tied to Five Rivers' future.

"Until the city and Tom Doig decide what's going on, everything's on hold," Supple said. "Nobody will want to invest $3 million in the hotel and then stick a few more million into improvements just to get their butt kicked by Five Rivers."

I feel you can say the same about the Pioneer Inn resort project and the current owner / developer Decade Properties, Inc.

If the Five Rivers project goes ahead, given the market size, the other two projects simply are not feasible.

I hope the Oshkosh council is aware of how not having an answer on one project is postponing development on others.