Mission Statement ~ To protect and restore water resources for the benefit of the Lac du Flambeau Tribe, and to provide water resources management, planning, policy, regulation, and science services to the Tribe.
Goals for the Water Resource Program as identified through the Tribal Integrated Resource Management Plan and voted on by the Tribal Council:
There is a tremendous amount of surface water within the exterior boundaries of the Reservation. With 27.09 square miles of water area with the Reservation, Lac du Flambeau waters make up nearly one-half of all the water area (56.34 square miles) within Wisconsin Indian Reservations. (Census 2000) The Tribe’s GIS Program indicates that there are 260 lakes covering 17,897 acres within the Reservation. Additionally there are 71 miles of streams, and wetlands cover 24,000 acres. Surface waters cover nearly one-half (48%) of the Lac du Flambeau Reservation.
The Water Resource Program oversee 3 Tribal codes related to protecting Tribal water and reviews about 60 permits a year. Personnel visit every site and recommend ways to protect water from construction, measure setbacks, work with contractors, and insure compliance with all water laws. The Water Program Staff also works with Planning, Roads, Water & Sewer, Land Management and other Tribal staff to make sure the Reservation develops while protecting water resources from point and non-point pollution. The Water Program staff collect water quality data on chemistry, plants, habitat, mercury in fish flesh, substrate, flow, land use, and bacteria to identify problems and justify protection. Restoration projects are completed as funding is available for demonstration of restoration practices. The Water Program works with the community at the annual Lakes Fest (over 300 attendees), at the after school programs, with high school programs, at community events and by hosting interns to educate about protecting water. Water Program works with the community to keep Aquatic Invasive Species out of Reservation waters bringing in about 4000 volunteer hours a year to help the fight. The Water Resource Program developed a watershed management plan called the “Bear River Watershed Comprehensive Lake Plan”; it provides information & activities that community members & Tribal Programs can take to protect the Reservation water resources.
