The area we presently know as the Coon Creek Watershed spans the current and ancestral homelands of the Ho-Chunk, Kickapoo, Santee Dakota, Sauk, and Meskwaki. Today, around 50 percent of the watershed is used agriculturally, and just under 50 percent is forested. The watershed drains 90,000 acres of land to the Mississippi River and crosses Monroe, Vernon, and La Crosse Counties.
What are Watersheds?
Watersheds are basins in which all water drains to a common point. These basins are nested, meaning small watersheds flow together to form bigger watersheds. Watersheds are also social, biological, and physical communities. What happens upstream affects everything that happens downstream. No matter where you live or where you go, you are part of a watershed!
Highlights
The Coon Creek Watershed is known for its extensive network of Class 1 trout streams, numerous public fishing access points, and exceptional recreational opportunities. The watershed is also a thriving hub for organic agriculture, and the world headquarters of the Organic Valley Cooperative. The watershed is notable as the site of the nation’s first watershed conservation project, which was centered in the region during the 1930s.
Coon Creek Watershed Attractions
