Project Goal
Leach Properties is proposing a multi-dimensional land use conversion project that will not only improve the water quality of the environment, but also serve to provide a substantial stream of income resulting from such improvements. The project owner desires to solicit a buyer that is interested in complying with its conservation or corporate ESG mission to improve the environment while at the same time enjoying a substantial revenue stream from such improvements.
Project Location
This project is comprised of three individual farms located adjacent to the Willow and Pumpkinseed Creeks upstream from Lake Poygan in the Upper Wolf River Watershed in Wisconsin. All three farms are located below the level of the adjacent creeks and are converted wetlands surrounded by a dike. The fields are drained by an extensive subsurface drain tile system. In addition, the fields have been sloped to prevent the accumulation of excess rainwater. Tile discharges and runoff from the fields accumulate in ditches adjacent to the dikes. This accumulated runoff is discharged from a pumping system into the adjacent watershed allowing for accurate measurement of the discharges.
Project History
The project area includes a former industrial scale celery growing, processing and storage operation covering three farms totaling 1,364+ acres. At the time of the operation, the project represented one of the largest celery growing operations in North America. Although runoff from the operation was not subject to regulation, the farm discharges were tested on a voluntary basis in 2012. The discharges were found to be exceptionally high in phosphorus, total suspended solids and nitrogen. The high discharges are a result of the history of heavy fertilization required to produce high value celery crops. Since the discharge testing, the project owner has sold the processing and storage facilities to a third party. However, the owner continues to own and farm the fields with the exception of 120 acres under lease annually to the buyer of the processing facilities. The lease expires in 2030.
Conversion Process and Credit Generation
The Water Quality Trading Plan is finalized and is in a form that can be immediately submitted to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (“WDNR”) for review and approval through the Wisconsin Water Quality Trading Clearinghouse.
Wetland Conversion Project
One of the fields that is part of this project was originally a wooded wetland. There are currently only two credits remaining for wooded wetland mitigation banks in the watershed where the bank is located. Stantec estimates there are approximately 520 wetland credits available from this property.
Streambank Restoration Project
In 2022 the project owner submitted a Prospectus and received Interagency Review Team (IRT) approval for a Stream Bank restoration project. In 2023 Stantec will complete the engineering work required for the proposed qualified streambank credit project. Stantec estimates that there are approximately 7,000 linear feet of streambank credits available from the two sites.
Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Offsets
At the request of the project owner, in 2022, Stantec prepared an estimate for the amount of carbon offsets which could be created once conversion projects described in this summary are completed. Once the conversions are completed, the credits can be certified and sold to interested parties desiring to offset GHG emissions resulting from the purchasers' activities.
Estimates of Credits from the Project
Water Quality Trading Plan
Phosphorus Credits-Long Term
Phosphorus Credits-Interim
Total Suspended Solids Credits-Interim
Total Suspended Solids Credits-Long Term
Total Nitrogen Credits-Interim
Total Nitrogen Credits-Long Term
Wetland Mitigation Credits (Phase One)
Sedge Meadow (Re-establishment 1:1) 118.58
Sedge Meadow (Reduced Credit Area 0.5:1) 11.21
Sedge Meadow (Rehabilitation 1:1) 3.64
Sedge Meadow (Reduced Credit Area 0.1:1) .65
Hardwood Swamp (Re-establishment 1:1) 5.55
Hardwood Swamp (Enhancement 0.33:1) 4.12
Hardwood Swamp (Reduced Credit Area 0.25:1) .99
Shallow Marsh (Re-establishment 1:1) 5.89
Shrub-Carr (Re-establishment 1:1) 17.74
Coniferous Swamp (Re-establishment 1:1) 18.82
Stream Bank
Winnebago Farm 4,454 linear feet
Waushara Farm 3,226 linear feet
Carbon Offsets
2,631-4,209 tCO2/year (estimated)
Get in Touch
Questions or Comments? Interested in being a part of the project?
Call Us
(920) 785-1002
Office Location
W1102 Buttercup Ct
Berlin, WI 54923