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Mashkiiziibii Natural Resources Department

COMMON GROUND

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How is ground level g

ozone monitored in Odanah? mn

Nathan Kilger, Air Quality Specialist - airquality@badriver-nsn.gov

T here are air quality monitoring sites spread out across

the country. Many are owned

and operated by states. typically each state’s department

of natural resources or environmental quality, but some

are owned and operated by

tribes. Four of the sites in

Wisconsin are owned by the

Bad River Band (in Odanah),

Forest County Potawatomi

Community (near Crandon),

and the Ho-Chunk Nation

(near Black River Falls and

Tomah).

Air monitoring sites can consist of different sampling

equipment. The site in

Odanah includes an ozone

monitor that measures ground

level ozone pollution. Ozone

at ground level is a harmful

pollutant to human, animal.

and plant health.

Northern Natural Gas Projects Current and Future

By Zakkary Zander MNRD Air Quality Technician/Radon Program Manager - airqualitytech@ badriver-nsn.gov

Ln sure folks have noticed an uptick in the work

being done by Northern Natural Gas(NNG/

Northern) on the Reservation lately. These activities are focused on pipeline repairs (known as anomaly digs) as well as addressing pipeline exposures on

the Reservation. Anomaly digs are the excavation of

the pipeline for inspection and possible repair triggered by the results of the surveys completed by

THE NEGATIVE HEALTH EFFECTS

OF GROUND LEVEL OZONE

Ozone is created when two

different pollutions

(volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides) combine with sunshine to create ozone. Certain weather patterns, when

there is very little wind to

move clean air in, can allow ozone to build up to

harmful levels.

The Clean Air Act set national standards that are

corridor.

meant to protect human

health. We compare ozone

values to the national standards and can issue health advisories on days with high

levels of ground level ozone.

The ozone monitors in Wisconsin are all the same model. for consistency in data

collection, a model called

T400. In this photo, Bad

River's Air Quality Technician is performing annual

continued on page 2

tools sent through the pipelines. I'll be providing a

fairly high-level run through of what they have

going on currently and what they will be working

on in the near future. The map I’ve included

shows the approximate location of the upcoming

projects; except for the bull horn installation

which will take place all along Northern’s pipeline

2026 ZIGWAN EDITION

(SPRING)

SEASON OF THE COLORS

BEE HAPPY!

Special points of interest:

¢ NIXLE Alerts

¢ MNRD Upcoming Events

© Piping Plovers Update

¢ Beach Monitoring Public Notice

© Job Opportunities

Inside this issue:

Winter Weather Summary 2

Northern Natural Gas (NNG) 3

Current Projects

Piping Plover Wintering 4

Grounds: Big Travel for

Little Birds

Equipment Inspections Ri

Fisheries Program Updates 6-7

Beach Monitoring Public 8

Notice

NIXLE Alerts Sign Up 9

MNRD Upcoming Events 10

Forestry Updates II

WARDEN Hotline 12

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Page 2 COMMON GROUND

Ground Level Ozone continued....

maintenance to ensure the T400 will run smoothly for another year.

Data from the T400 in Odanah is collected continuously and is uploaded to the main Wisconsin server in Madison. Servers in

each state send their information to EPA servers so that the data is brought together for the entire country.

Bad River operates a 1400 for several reasons. First, to monitor human health levels, especially during stagnant weather events

that allow ozone to build up. Second, for a background measurement that is used by state and federal policy to protect human

health on a larger scale. Bad River uses the delegated authority in the Clean Air Act to monitor fine particulate pollution which

is then linked to topics such as state and federal air permits. and the ability to compare annual or daily measurements to the

National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS).

Interactive Map of Air Quality

<>

How

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SNOW SUN DAYS. DAYS

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@ Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Dec 2025, Jan 2026, Feb 2026

February 27

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2026 ZIGWAN EDITION

x

Active projects

Anomaly Digs 105 and FID

41990/41992 (off of Falls Rd.)

¢

This project is taking place

near Sugarbush creek and

her surrounding wetlands

and tributaries. Access to

this site is from Falls

Road. Dig 105, an immediate dig, has a had a few

delays due to the cold

weather we had in February as well as a longer

access route that is taking

time to complete. Once

work has been completed

at site 105 they will begin

working their way back

out. As they work their

Northern Natural Gas Pipelines & Projects 2026

Page 3

Birch: Hill

way out, they will stop to

complete work at site

FID41990/41992. Work is

expected to continue until

late March. Periodic up-

— Roads

Rivers & Streams

(= Reservation Boundary

4 Anomaly Dig Locations

Approx. HDD Locations

dates will be posted to

MNRD webpage here:

https://www.badrivernsn.gov/natural-resources/

threats/

@®B Soil Bore Locations

~~ NNG Pipelines

Anomaly Dig 401 (Birch Hill Community)

This project occurred within the Birch Hill community, in Northems pipeline corridor. While construction was active the pipeline

corridor was closed between Clearcut Dr and Birch Hill Rd for the

duration of the project. Inspection of the excavated pipeline resulted

in a metal sleeve being added to the pipe for reinforcement. NNG

will remove erosion controls once soil is stable with good plant

coverage.

Anomaly Dig 106

This immediate dig near Pine Flats Road was mostly completed by

Northern's contractors in February. However, stormwater inspections and restoration efforts will be ongoing into summer until the

soil is stabilized with plant cover.

Upcoming Projects

Northern has completed the project review process to conduct

brushing along their pipeline corridor. They plan on doing this

work while there are frozen ground conditions. This project would

take several weeks to complete.

MNRD has reviewed the proposed installation of Bullhorn Moni-

tors. This project would be to install pipeline monitors at

locations that lack adequate remote coverage along Northern’s corridor. These would be monitoring for corrosion on

the pipeline. They do not emit noise; they transmit readings

from the pipeline to a computer. Once approvals have been

issued and work has started it will take about a month to

complete.

MRND is also reviewing a geotechnical investigation for

Northern in the Potato River area. This project would gather information about soil and rock underground for another

project NNG has proposed. Once approvals are issued and

work on this project begins it is expected to take 12 weeks

to complete.

The data from the geotechnical investigation will be used

for a proposed horizontal directional drilling HHD project

to install new sections of pipeline. This new pipeline is

proposed to replace two sections of existing pipeline that

have exposures. Once this project has all of the needed

permits and is able to begin it is expected to take 20 weeks

to be completed.

There are currently 5 additional projects under MNRD

review for Northern to address anomalies within the Reservation boundaries. Some of these project reviews contain

multiple dig locations due to them being located close together. They all have varying timelines with most taking

several weeks to complete once permitted.

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Page 4 COMMON GROUND

Piping Plover Wintering Grounds: Big Travels for

Little Birds!

Jakob Wohlford, Ornithology Specialist - ornithology@badriver-nsn.gov

ter along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts. While we focus on protecting nests during the breeding season, their journey

doesn’t stop there — and neither does conservation.

Why Winter Sightings Matter

F mer year, the small but resilient endangered Piping Plover leaves the shores of Lake Superior and heads south to win-

Winter sightings are like postcards filled with critical data. Thanks to color bands placed on chicks and adults, we can identify

individual birds wherever they travel. Each report helps researchers:

e Track migration routes and important stopover sites (including timing of migration)

e@ Measure annual survival rates of adults and young birds

e Understand which winter habitats birds rely on most

e Learn whether individuals return to the same wintering areas year after year (site fidelity)

e Identify threats on wintering grounds, such as disturbance or habitat loss

For a federally endangered population like the Great Lakes plovers, every bird matters so this information helps guide recovery efforts. Knowing where birds spend the winter helps prioritize habitat protection, informs partnerships with coastal managers, and ensures conservation plans cover the full life cycle not just the nesting season. Simply put, better winter data leads to

stronger recovery strategies.

From the Great Lakes to Sunny Shores

This winter, six Chequamegon Point plovers — three adults and three chicks — have been spotted, from a migration stop in

Gary, Indiana to Florida’s coastal islands.

A highlight was the Bad River Mouth male, “Extra Large Guy,” seen wintering at Cape San Blas, Florida. Even more exciting,

two of our region’s very first grey-banded chicks (a color exclusive to Bad River for this year) were recorded at Edisto Beach,

South Carolina and Outback Key, Florida — the first grey bands from our region ever confirmed on wintering grounds!

Every sighting connects Lake Superior to southern beaches and reminds us that protecting Piping Plovers is a year-round effort. We can’t wait to welcome them back this spring!

y : Rob Stewe

alee Rob Stewart

Photos captured by Rob Stewart of the grey band Piping

Plover in Outback Key, Florida.

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2026 ZIGWAN EDITION

Page 5

2

Equipment Inspections

Bridget Thornburg, Non-Local Beings Program Manager - nonlocalbeings@badriver-nsn.gov

hen equipment is

brought onto the Reservation and is intended to be used in

areas beyond the main roads, an

equipment inspection must be

scheduled and completed with the

Non-Local Beings Program. These

equipment inspections prevent nonlocal beings from entering the Reservation because these inspections

ensure that equipment does not

have vegetation, soil, or other debris that may transport non-local

beings on it. It is important to allow

only clean equipment on the Reservation because construction sites or

any earth disturbing work can create the ideal environment for nonlocal beings to spread. Non-local

beings can thrive in conditions that

stress native plants, and once nonlocal beings have established a

population it is very difficult to remove them.

The Non-Local Beings Program

aims to complete equipment inspections for:

e Equipment transported onto the

Reservation from off-

Reservation

e Equipment transported from an

area with a known non-local

beings population

e Equipment that will be used in

areas beyond the main roads of

the Reservation

The type of equipment that we inspected includes ATVs, skid steers,

well drilling equipment, kayaks,

cranes, lifts, timber matting, and

much more!

Equipment inspections are completed in the parking lot of the Bad River Casino, which is why you may

see various trucks and construction

equipment there from time to

The photo on the left

shows equipment

that failed inspection,

the photo on the right

shows the same

equipment during

reinspection after it

was taken off-

Reservation and

cleaned.

equipment for any vegetation, dirt,

or debris, and thoroughly photograph it. Then we complete an inspection datasheet that records

what the equipment is, what project

it is for, what company is using the

equipment, and other relevant details. If the equipment is determined

to be clean and passes the inspection, it is then sent to the project

site. If the equipment is found to be

dirty and does not pass the inspection, then the contractor must take

the equipment off-Reservation to be

cleaned and bring it back for reinspection before they can go to the

project site.

So far this year, the Non-Local Beings Program has completed 159

equipment inspections!

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Page 6 COMMON GROUND

Fisheries Program Update

Jacob Rodmaker, Fisheries Specialist - fisheryspecialisu@badriver-nsn.gov

pring is coming, Hatchery Total Ogaa Catch Per Day by Year

along with Ogaa 550 =

(Walleye) spawning season. S00 —o— 2003

The Fisheries Program has Sa

been monitoring the Ogaa 450 206

spawning season on the 400 pomeee

Kakagon River for decades. 2009

The Kakagon is closed at 6 =e

this time to fishing except 2 300 oe 2012

for hatchery or Fisheries % 250 a

projects. Total Allowable 5 22015

Catch (TAC) on the Kakagon 2 7” Saal

is determined annually by 150 Seat

the Bad River Fish Hatchery. =.

The hatchery sets hoop nets 2021

in the river when the water 2 mom 2022

temperature starts to ap- 0 Som

roach Ogaa spawning tem- S gS SF Ww wo gS Ss Ss SF Ww w 2025

reratiliea: Ogaa iin in co OE oF OM Ci wg eh a a oF

water temperatures between Date

42 and 50 Fahrenheit. On

average in the last 25 years

the spawning window occurs

between April 8 -29 (Figure 1). During this time

the hatchery does two to four days of tagging

and releasing of Ogaa. After approximately 300

fish are tagged and released the hatchery starts

to hold fish for producing eggs and milt for pro-

Hatchery Ogaa catch per day per year (2001-2025)

15 years are shown in Figure 3 and the numbers for the last 5

years are shown in Table 1. If you have any questions about

: reins : Kakagon Ogaa spawning, population, or other general fisheries

uae betas aaa Gaeuienie questions/concerns contact Jacob Rodmaker, Fisheries Spe-

hatchery can trade males for females that are cialist at fisheryspecialist@badriver-nsn.gov or 715-682-7123

caught by tribal members. The hatchery catches ext, 1552.

more males than females, so trading allows us to

hit our production numbers sooner. After the

majority of female Ogaa are finished spawning

we remove our hoop nets, derive the TAC for the

year, and open the river for gill netting. This allows for fish that are not used for hatchery production the opportunity to spawn before being

harvested. The average Total Allowable Catch

(TAC) of the Kakagon over the last 20 years has

been 1520 fish ranging from a low of 1200 to a

high of 2700 (Figure 2). Spawning is very stressful for any fish species and so the hatchery sees

mortalities from production fish. These fish do

not go to waste and are provided to elders at the

hatchery. Ogaa harvest by user group for the last

...continued on page 7...

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Page7 COMMON GROUND

Fisheries Continued...

Kakagon Tribal Harvest

2000

1500

Number of Fish

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025

Year

=@= Total Harvest —@=—Dipnet —@=—Gillnet —@Elders e=—meDonations --==Hatchery Mortalities

Total Ogaa harvest by user group of the Kakagon river (2011-2025)

Total Harvest vs TAC

Number of Fish

q

8

2004 2007 2010 2013 2016 2019 2022 2025

Year

—O— TAC Average Harvest =-®=e Total Harvest

Total Harvest of Ogaa vs TAC of the Kakagon River per year (2004-2025)

Year 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025

TAC 1800 1200 1373 1665 1508

Total Harvest 1077 899 957 858 942

Dipnet 207 492 320 178 288

Gillnet 654 369 594 486 576

Elders 213 38 43 125 126

Donations 0 0 0 0 0

Hatchery Mortali-

ties* 47 38 43 125 78

*Hatchery Mortalities are donated to Elders

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2026 ZIGWAN EDITIO: Page 8

Posted: Friday, March 13th, 2026

PUBLIC INPUT OPPORTUNITY

Beach Monitoring & Notification Plans for 2026

The Mashkiiziibii Natural Resource Department

(MNRD) is soliciting community input on the

proposed 2026 beach monitoring plan and on the

methods for notifying the public when bacteria

levels exceed water quality criteria.

Comments will be accepted through: 4/13/26

Ple he Water Reso Technician/Lab Coordi r

watertéch@badriver-nsn.gov

Mashkiiziibii NRD, PO Box 39, Odanah, WI 54861

Fest

Oxt86)

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For more information on

our Beach Monitoring

Project, visit our website.

Monitoring Location Tier | Monitoring Frequency

Bad River Mouth East 1 1x per week

Bad River Mouth West 1 Ix per week

Madigan 1 Ix per week (more if requested)

Second Landing 1 1x per week

Waverly 1 2x per week

Amnicon Bay (Madeline Island) 2 1x per 2 weeks

Joe Rose Beach 3 1x per season (more if requested)

Morrison Creek Mouth 2 1x per season (more if requested)

Newago Creek Mouth 2 1x per season (more if requested)

Bell Creek Mouth 3 1x per season (more if requested)

Graveyard Creek Mouth 3 1x per season (more if requested)

Honest John 3 1x per season (more if requested)

Long Island East 3 1x per season (more if requested)

Sand Cut 3 1x per 3 weeks

Chequamegon Point North 2 2x per season (more if requested)

Beach Act Funds from the EPA support MNRD's efforts to monitor coastal beaches within the reservation.

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2026 ZIGWAN EDITION Page 9

Sign up for

Nixle Alerts

TEXT 'BADRIVER' Do you want

TO '888777' bd dlaat

There has been a change to the

Nixle alert system. You will only

need ONE key word to sign up for

each of the following

e Tribal Events & Operations a

Gives you warnings of emergencies...

(ex. forest fires, floods, amber alerts)

e Alerts & Advisories

Gives you updates on community

happenings...(ex. poll location times,

unexpected department closures)

® Pow Wow

Gives you updates on Pow-Wow and other

community feasts and celebrations.

@ Public Works

Gives you updates on road closings

and hydrant flushing.

BAD RIVER BAND OF LAKE SUPERIOR CHIPPEWA INDIANS

PR TaD OO SS SS

pe ot kee tnd od a totel Lutetetobet ta tatwtotios I

Beach Clean-Up

d

July 17th | SEPTEMBER |

Beach Clean-Up

#2

Lake Superior Days

Celebration

Questions or Concerns contact MNRD Outreach Coordinator @ NRDOutreach@badrivei-nsn.gou

(715) 682-7123 ext. 1589

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Page 11

2026 ZIGWAN EDITION

Forestry Updates

Gena Abramson, Forestry Specialist - Forester@badriver-nsn.gov

oozhoo. Mino-Ziigwan 2026!

Forestry is excited about all of

the work that we're doing to honor and

support the Seventh Generation. Here are

some of our current projects:

Urban Forestry Hazard Tree Removal

Project as part of the greater Bad River

Greenspace Improvement Project. This half

million dollar project is funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs as well as the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

Birch Resilience, Utilization, and

Management Study — designed to help

us make decisions related to paper birch

management and the potential of utilization by tribal members for commercial

harvest. There is currently a moratorium

on any birch pole cutting and this has been

constant since 2016. This study is specifically

mentioned in the moratorium issued by

the Tribal Council.

Urban Forestry Training for Forestry

employees who intend to manage urban

forestry needs consistently throughout the

Greenspace Improvement Project and on

into the future.

Mechanized Planting Preparation —

Also serves as brushing for tribal gathering

access into the Bad River Forest. As seen

above, skid steers were used on heavy

snowpack and frozen ground to sever

brushy species that otherwise make it impossible to get around in the woods.

We intend to plant

pine and cedar

throughout areas

that we brush.

Miigwech for your

support of Mashkiiziibii Natural Resources Forestry. If

you have any questions or would like to -

give your opinion on

forestry needs, please

don’t hesitate to

reach out. Forester@badriver-nsn.gov

or 715-685-8929,

Gena Abramson and

Tyrease James are here to serve the Bad

River Communities and their 7" Generation.

Before and after photos of brushing efforts made this winter by our forestry technician,

Tyrease James, along with assistance from the BIA development forester, Brett Stempa.

This area has been rich with Sawtooth blackberry, a very short ground species that

produces a small blackberry. Mechanized brushing will allow tribal members to access

the area to harvest medicines. Before the brushing, access was very difficult.

i

UBL

We were asked to remove a red maple that had

fallen due to the wind storm a few weeks ago.

Tyrease (TJ) bucked it up and put it back in the

woods as soon as he heard that it needed to be done.

Red maple buds provide excellent winter forage for

deer. Falling trees are good for the ecosystem!!

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Job Opportunities in MNRD

-Lease Specialist

-Brownfield Specialist

-Deputy Director of MNRD

-Fisheries Aide SCAN QR

. CODE

-Fish Hatchery Crew Members (2) to view

Full Job

-Watercraft Inspector aegiatii

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The Warden Hotline provides the tribal membership with the opportunity to confidentially report suspected wildlife, recreational

and environmental violations.

These violations may include fishing, or hunting out of season, deposit of harmful substances in lakes or rivers or illegal storage or

disposal of hazardous waste. All these violations seriously affect the natural resources of our reservation.

Information received on this line will be relayed toa Mashkiiziibii Conservation Warden for investigation. You don’t have to leave

your name when reporting a violation. However, it is often helpful to an investigation if a Conservation Warden can follow-up on

your report to verify essential facts. If you provide, your identity and any information that may identify you, that information will

be protected and kept confidential.

If response is needed immediately please feel free to call or email one of the following Wardens:

Brad Bigboy 715-292-7256 chiefwarden@badriver-nsn.gov

Augilucho (Auggie) Godinez 715-292-3118 BRNRWarden@badriver-nsn.gov

Helpful info when reporting a violation

Who is the violator? Describe the people, including their physical description and clothing

What isthe violation?

Where did this violation take place? (be as specific as possible)

When did this occur?

If possible, please take pictures, and license plate numbers, anything to help identify the suspects.

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gow! Resource. ~MISSION STATEMENT~

: %a)

The Department strives for resource management which both conserves the natural resources for the future generations and provide

for the needs of the present. The departments

existence reflects the importance the Bad River

Mashkiiziibii Natural Tribe places on its right and ability to exercise

Resources Department sovereignty, self-determination and selfregulation in the area of natural resource

72682 Maple Street

PO Box 39 management.

Odanah, W1, 54806

Phone: 715-685-7840 - 715-682-7123 J ]

Fax: 715-682-7118 Were on the Web! f

Email: NRDOutreach@badriver-nsn.gov

Visit www. badriver-nsn.gov z / like Us on

3 / facebook