2018 | Tainter Creek Farmer Led Council

Contact

Lead Entity: Tainter Creek Farmer Led Council via Valley Stewardship Network

Contact: Shelly Gradwell-Brenneman

Email:shelly@valleystewardshipnetwork.org

Project

From Erosion to Restoration 

The Tainter Creek Project Shows the Power of Partnership in Protecting Wisconsin’s Cold-Water Streams 

 In the heart of Wisconsin’s Driftless Area, a powerful collaboration came together to restore the health of Tainter and Conway Creeks. Led by the Tainter Creek Farmer-Led Watershed Council, Valley Stewardship Network (VSN), Trout Unlimited (TU), and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the project successfully stabilized over a mile of severely eroding streambanks and enhanced in-stream fish habitat. 

The project aimed to protect one of Wisconsin’s exceptional cold-water resources while supporting the farmers who live and work along its banks. Tainter Creek, known for its trout fishing and spring-fed tributaries, has suffered accelerated erosion due to historic land use and recent extreme weather events. High, unstable banks and increased runoff had degraded habitat and made farming more difficult. 

A Legacy of Restoration and Community Leadership 

Following the proven model of Trout Unlimited’s Driftless Area Restoration Effort (DARE), the team identified priority sites, secured public fishing easements, and worked with willing landowners to restore stream function. Landowner Ernest “Wayne” Rayner played a pivotal role in selling a perpetual easement to the DNR, enabling access and long-term maintenance of the site. 

Although Mr. Rayner passed away shortly after work began, his vision was realized. Restoration crews reshaped 3,200 feet of streambank, installed toe rock, log deflectors, root wads, and boulder clusters, and created side channels and basking logs. These efforts significantly reduced erosion, improved fish habitat, and reconnected the stream to its floodplain. The project was estimated to reduce sediment loss by over 600 tons annually. 

Measured Outcomes and Monitoring 

VSN and the DNR monitored the site using a suite of water quality and biological indicators, including phosphorus, dissolved oxygen, macroinvertebrates, and fish populations. Similar projects on Tainter Creek have already shown a tenfold increase in brown trout numbers and substantial reductions in sediment loads. 

Community Engagement and Education 

Public outreach was central to the project’s success. The Tainter Creek Farmer-Led Council, in partnership with TU and VSN, hosted multiple “Stream Days,” drawing over 300 attendees to learn about restoration techniques and see the work firsthand. These events inspired neighboring landowners, several of whom began exploring restoration projects on their own property. 

Promotion efforts included drone footage, news articles, features on the Kickapoo Grazing Initiative website, TU’s Driftless Area Restoration bus tour, and DNR public fishing maps. 

A Model for Collaborative Conservation 

This project stood out not only for its ecological impact but also for its collaborative spirit. By pooling resources from Farm Bill programs, the DNR, and Trout Unlimited—with support from the local farming community—the partners created a model for how diverse stakeholders can work together to achieve lasting conservation outcomes. With experienced restoration specialists, dedicated landowners, and a strong network of community partners, the Tainter Creek project became a shining example of what’s possible when people unite to heal the land and water.