Door County officials will have extra hoops to jump if they ever want to repeat a drawdown of the Forestville Mill Pond.
Late last month, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources set a minimum elevation of 591.5 feet for the Forestville Mill Pond at the request of the Friends of the Forestville Dam, which battled the county on its approach to solve issues with the body of water dating back to 2019. The hope was that the drawdown would address shallow water depth, the diversity and number of native plants, a carp-dominated fish community, and poor water quality. The drawdown lasted two years, with the county now undergoing water quality monitoring, aquatic vegetation surveys, and invasive plant checks to see if their efforts worked.
Members of the Friends of the Forestville Dam argue that drawdown flushed untreated sediment down the Ahnapee River, making its waters even more impaired. Establishing a minimum water level was a goal the group had in mind after the Door County Circuit Court dismissed their case against the county in 2021. The DNR agreed with the group, saying that the minimum water elevation “protects the public rights in navigable waters, safety, life, health, property values, and economic values." It will also ensure that the Southern Door Fire Department, which protects the area as a part of its jurisdiction, will have a fill site in case of emergencies. The minimum water elevation is in addition to the requirement that the county holds a public hearing and receives DNR approval before the county could do another drawdown.
