2nd National Extension Nat Res Conference-Abstract 30

Mindy Habecker, Natural Resource Educator and Bill Rizzo, Community Development Educator, Dane County UW-Extension, 1 Fen Oak Court, Madison, WI 53718-8812; 608.224.3718 or 608.224.3719; habecker@co.dane.wi.us or rizzo@co.dane.wi.us

The Rockdale Dam is 1 of approximately 4,000 dams in the state of Wisconsin. It was constructed during the later part of the 19th century to supply power to an adjacent feed mill. In addition to its commercial value, the millpond created by the dam has been the focus of pleasant vistas, recreation, and community identity for generations of Rockdale residents. The east shore of the pond is lined with a number of homes and the northern shoreline is a county park.

A local family has privately owned the dam for generations. After a recent dam inspection, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources found significant structural repairs needed. The family has expressed an interest in selling the dam, however, no one including the village of Rockdale has stated an interest in purchasing it. The current owners are unwilling to expend additional repair, replacement, or maintenance dollars. The family is significantly involved in community service and politics and wished not to make a decision that may greatly affect community identify with the loss of the millpond without knowing the wishes of the community.

County UW-Extension faculty members were requested to assist in the resolution of issues surrounding the Rockdale Dam by 2 county department directors. After meeting with stakeholders involved in the issue, UW-Extension faculty developed a proposed process for use in helping local stakeholders resolve issues surrounding the dam. A core group of stakeholders and a secondary tier of resource people were involved. Stakeholders met over 7 months to design and implement their process.

The process included clarifying the issue, defining the problem, determining goals or output, and designing a process to address the problems including structure, ground rules, authority, schedule, and how decisions will be made. The group determined what needed to be learned about the problem, then helped design and implement an educational program for the group and the general public. The stakeholders generated a series of alternative solutions and provided a consensus recommendation to the dam owner at the close of the process 7 months later.

Before beginning the process, this issue carried the potential for tearing the community apart. The decision finally made by the owner was to abandon the dam and all stakeholders were in consensus with this after looking at the alternatives. The dam owner will be working with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Dane County Parks, and the village of Rockdale on a collaborative effort to develop a creative solution for the area. This potentially includes expansion of the county park and as the dam is removed, restoration of the millpond bottom to prairie, wetland, and upland vegetation. The village wishes to work collaboratively towards historic preservation of the original mill and revitalization of the downtown area. Additionally there were changes among all the stakeholders? attitudes. Through the educational process feelings of confrontation and mistrust dispersed and participants began to see possibilities that none of the group had before anticipated.