Trout Unlimited leads Trimbelle restoration

• Trimbelle River Restoration

Jeff Himes, a volunteer with Wisconsin Industrial Sand, waters a seeded stream bank to prevent future erosion on the Trimbelle River. Submitted photo

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Kiap-TU-Wish Chapter of Trout Unlimited has recently announced that is has teamed up with Wisconsin Industrial Sand Company to complete stream habitat restoration on the Trimbelle River in Pierce County.

Volunteers have been working tirelessly on a habitat restoration project on the Trimbelle River. The project will restore nearly 1,000 feet of stream habitat for trout and other aquatic species in the stream. The project will also work to reduce effects of agricultural run-off and sedimentation by stabilizing the stream bank.

The habitat restoration project provides trout conservation, protection, and will help reduce the need for stocking of non-wild hatchery brown trout in the Trimbelle.

In addition to Trout Unlimited Kiap-TU-Wish chapter members contributing over 65 volunteer hours of labor for brushing, invasive plant removal, LUNKER building and installation, as well as seeding and mulching -- Wisconsin Industrial Sand has also contributed over 75 volunteer hours for this project.

According to Kiap-TU-Wish volunteer coordinator, Randy Arnold, “Volunteers are the ‘lifeblood’ of the Trimbelle River Restoration Project.” Arnold goes on to state, “As a chapter, Kiap-TU-Wish would not be able to complete the work we do without the dedication of our member volunteers, those volunteers from other organizations who partner with us, concerned members of the community and landowners who grant easements and often help with the work itself.”

Kiap-TU-Wish president Kyle Amundson also commented, "Our latest project, for the Trimbelle River near HWY 10, has gone well with volunteer efforts coming from both our TU organization, Wisconsin Industrial Sand Company, and from some local land owners and fishermen. It was great to see a collaborative effort."

For recent projects on the Trimbelle River and Pine Creek, Wisconsin Industrial Sand Company has donated hundreds of hours of volunteer hours, with anywhere from 5 to 20 volunteers participating at any given time. All this is in addition to over $11,000 of funding for this project that has helped make this project a reality.

The project can be seen by visiting the Trimbelle Recreation 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 completion of the $69,000 project is slated for later this summer.

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