June 11, 2026
VERNON COUNTY, Wis. – Vernon County is pulling its application for a state dam removal grant and betting that the federal government will follow through on a promise to design and pay for the decommissioning of Jacobson Dam.
The decision comes as local officials continue to navigate the massive federal plan to decommission 23 aging flood control dams across the region. Following catastrophic flooding in 2018 that breached several dams in the area the Natural Resources Conservation Service conducted an exhaustive watershed study. The federal agency concluded that the earthen structures in the Coon Creek and West Fork Kickapoo watersheds are built on fragile geology and no longer meet the cost benefit ratio to justify expensive repairs. The preferred federal alternative is to notch and permanently decommission all the dams with the exception of the Jersey Valley Dam which may be rebuilt downstream because of its high recreational value.
While waiting for federal action the county successfully applied for a Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources grant to decommission the failed Mlsna Dam. That removal cost the county roughly $470,000 which was eventually reimbursed by the state.
The county then applied for the same state grant program to remove the Jacobson Dam and ranked first in the state for the funding. However County Conservationist David Hettenbach told the Vernon County Conservation and Education Committee during its June meeting that the state recently asked the county to step aside.
“The DNR approached us and kind of talked to us and with where we are at federally, kind of asked if we would be interested in rescinding our application since the feds have now committed to funding the design of the decommissioning of Jacobson Dam,” said Hettenbach.
Hettenbach explained that if the county keeps the state grant the state would have to set aside up to $1 million for the design and construction of the single dam. If the county rescinds the application the federal government has promised to deliver the completed engineering designs for all the dams by February 2028.
Supervisor Kevin Walleser asked staff to clarify the risks of giving up the guaranteed state money.
“What is the gamble here?” asked Walleser. “In the slight gamble is there a potential where one pays more money than the others?”
Hettenbach noted that both programs cover 100 percent of the costs but the federal timeline is uncertain.
“There is a world where if we did not get the designs by February, 1 of 2028 then we are kind of in the lurch,” said Hettenbach. “The feds are almost done with the designs but we do not have them yet, so should we apply for this 335 program again through the state?”
Despite the risk Hettenbach noted that federal agencies usually see projects through to the end.
“The federal government usually works backwards,” said Hettenbach. “They are not going to fund the designs for something that they do not intend on paying for the construction for. It would be a huge waste of money on their part.”
Supervisor Bruce Kilmer worried about giving up guaranteed money now only to fight for it later if the federal government stalls.
“The other risk is if you do not take that DNR money now and competition increases for that same money for the decommissioning money,” said Kilmer. “I mean we cannot predict what other events might happen.”
Kilmer also pointed out that working with the federal government on designs could bring its own challenges.
“So we got some apprehension on whether or not the feds can perform as far as getting the designs done on time, but how about back and forth as far as maybe we do not agree with the design?” said Kilmer.
Supervisor Dave Eggen argued that since the federal government built the structures and recommended their removal the county should step back and force the federal agency to fulfill its promises.
“The feds initiated this,” said Eggen. “Let us hold their feet to the fire.”
Eggen noted that the county is setting an example for how local governments deal with failing federal infrastructure.
“Vernon County is the proverbial guinea pig,” said Eggen. “I will make a motion to leave the federal government responsible. They started this.”
Supervisor Frank Easterday agreed with the move acknowledging the awkwardness of keeping state funds tied up.
The committee ultimately voted unanimously to rescind the state grant application and let the federal funding process play out.
Following the dam discussion Hettenbach reported on the early success of a new county initiative designed to slow water runoff and keep soil on the hillsides. The county recently launched a $30,000 cost share program utilizing Ho Chunk Nation grant money and county funds to pay farmers to plant perennial contour strips and headland buffers.
“We had really good interest in this program,” said Hettenbach. “I think there was almost 10 producers that called us or contacted us around 10 guys that contacted us to try to enroll acreage in this program and that was with very minimal outreach from our department.”
Hettenbach said agricultural modeling shows that converting just 10 percent of a field into perennial contour strips can drastically reduce the amount of phosphorus and sediment washing into local streams.
“We probably had 10 to 12 or so people without having the spreadsheet in front of me that were interested and we were only able to fund you know three locations,” said Hettenbach. “So you know if I got more money tomorrow there are more people that I know I could just pick up the phone and call that were interested and filled out an application.”
Walleser noted the changing economics of farming make these conservation programs more appealing.
“If there is a market for that,” said Walleser. “Our dynamics have changed so much in the last 25 years.”
Kilmer asked if there was any way to secure more funding for the popular program.
“Is there any way to increase, obviously the need is there is there any way to increase funding,” asked Kilmer.
Hettenbach said he hopes to find matching funds to expand the program next year.
“If the Ho-Chunk money is there again next year I will probably put in a request to expand the funding for this a bit,” said Hettenbach. “But my thought was if I could find some other money to match that it might make our Ho Chunk request a little bit stronger.”
Ho-Chunk funds refers to the $1.2 million the county receives every year as a result of state agreement that the Ho-Chunk Nation pay $1,000 per acre for all land held in trust. There are 1,200 acres of Ho-Chunk land in trust in Vernon County.
Eggen praised the new program as a small but vital piece of addressing the massive flooding issues facing the region.
“I got a Chinese proverb I have been sitting on,” said Eggen. “The journey of 1000 miles begins with one step. Well that is kind of what we are doing right.”
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