# & DK DK Da DK DK DA PK DK DA DC PE DA DK DK DA DK DE DS DC DK DA DCD D (2026) > Briefs, arguments, decisions, and more. URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/tribal%3Abad_river_chippewa%3Adf06c5887d0e6a98 ## Record - **Collection:** Tribal code - **Document type:** Tribal code ## Text | & DK DK Da DK DK DA PK DK DA DC PE DA DK DK DA DK DE DS DC DK DA DCD D Mashkiiziibii Natural Resources Department COMMON GROUND How EDK DK DK DK DK DEDEDE MEE IK MODE DE DEDE » 2 3.3°F Above Average NUMBER OF DAYS WITH: 88 46 32 36 M PH fe 12 32 SNOW SUN DAYS. DAYS BELOW 32°F BELOW O°F @ Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Dec 2025, Jan 2026, Feb 2026 February 27 ESE Le Swe LYE SFTF Fe Se rTF w «a & DK DK DA DK PE DA DK DK DA DK DE Da DC DK DA DE DE DA DC DCD DD 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. & DK DK DA DK DK DA. PK DK DA DK DE DA. DK DK DA DK DK DA PC DK DA DDK D 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. ESE Le Se Le SS LS SLT w a & DK DK Da DK DE DA DK DK DA _ DK DE Da. DK DK DA DC DCE DA DC DK DA DOD 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! & DK DE DA DK DK DA DK DK DA DK PC Da DK DC DA DK DEK Da PC PCD DCD 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... ED & DK DE Da DK DK DA DK DE DA DK PE DA DK DK DA DK DK DA PC DCD BCDC D 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 KS a WD SET OES SS GT UZ m DK DE DA DK DK DA DK DK DA DK OC Da DE DK DA DC PE Ds DC PK DS DK DD 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) Es SEP FE 5 Eee a Oe 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. ee en QP i SO SS ~ >< d€ Du DK DK Dn DK OK PA DK DK Da. DK DC Dun BC DK Da BK PK DA OK OD 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 & DK DK DA DK DK DA DK DK DA DK PE Dd DK DK DA DK DEK DA DC DK DA DD 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!! a POSS OES SS ae KDE dL PEDO DE HEE DO ODE DE HOPE DE oO DO OE POPE EIT 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