Citizens Group Seeks Solutions For Troubled Big Eau Pleine Reservoir

A central Wisconsin citizens’ group is pushing for solutions for the troubled Big Eau Pleine Reservoir with the aim of preventing another massive fish kill.

The Big Eau Pleine Citizens Organization is holding a series of community conversations with experts from the state Department of Natural Resources, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and fishing advocacy groups to keep public attention focused on the reservoir.

President Tim Garrigan said they want to prevent another fish kill like the one that took place in 2009.

“It was awful. Five-foot muskies on the shoreline, thousands and thousands of fish,” he said. “We used to keep the photos on our website, but it just got to be so depressing that we took them off to try to be more positive. Let’s never let this happen again.”

Garrigan said the reservoir still has problems with agricultural runoff, low oxygen and water levels.

The Big Eau Pleine stretches 18 miles between Stratford and Mosinee.