Assessing Threats to Coldwater Habitat in Wisconsin's Bois Brule River

Abstract

The Bois Brule River (Brule) is a cold-water river in Douglas County, Wisconsin. The Brule supports a premier trout fishery in the region, which attracts anglers from across the state, nation, and around the world. Two local non-profit organizations - Brule River Sportsmen’s Club and Brule River Preservation, Inc. - have 800 members nationwide. The Brule flows through the 47,000-acre Brule River State Forest (BRSF) boundary. The BRSF is administered by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) and is the fourth-largest state park/forest in Wisconsin. The BRSF manages ten designated canoe landings, two campgrounds and eighteen angler parking lots along the Brule and estimates there are 120,000 visitors every year. The WDNR classifies the Brule River as a “Class 1” trout stream, which is defined as “high-quality trout waters that have sufficient natural reproduction to sustain populations of wild trout, at or near carry capacity” and, therefore, no stocking is required (Web https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Fishing/trout/streamclassification.html April 19, 2021). Despite the Brule’s high-quality ecosystem and natural trout reproduction, stakeholders have concerns about potential risks to habitat associated with sediment deposits and climate changes.