Incidental Take Notice For Adams And Columbia County

MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) proposes to issue a permit for the incidental taking of a rare lizard, which may result from the River Road Reconstruction Project in Adams and Columbia counties.

Incidental take refers to the unintentional loss of individual endangered or threatened animals or plants that does not put the species' overall population at risk.

The city of Wisconsin Dells proposes to reconstruct approximately 2.3 miles of River Road from Kansas Avenue to Chula Vista Parkway. The road reconstruction will offset the existing alignment to accommodate a new multi-use path unless curve geometries are required for safety. Approximately 16 acres will be disturbed. Several rock outcroppings are located along the road, and several will need to be altered. In addition, a small portion of the 3-phase circuit will be installed, and a single-phase circuit will be installed for lighting along the multi-use path. Installation methods include trenching and bores.

The presence of the state endangered slender glass lizard is confirmed in the vicinity of the project site. DNR staff determined that the proposed project may result in the incidental taking of some lizards.

The DNR concludes that the proposed project is not likely to appreciably reduce the likelihood of the survival or recovery of the species within the state, the whole plant-animal community of which it is a part or the habitat that is critical to its existence.

Conservation measures to minimize the adverse effect on the endangered species will be incorporated into the proposed Incidental Take Permit. Copies of the jeopardy assessment and background information on the Slender Glass Lizard are available by visiting the DNR Incidental Take Public Notices webpage or upon request from DNR Conservation Biologist Stacy Rowe at Stacy.Rowe@wisconsin.gov or 608-228-9796.

The public is encouraged to submit written comments regarding project-related impacts to the slender glass lizard by June 6, 2024, to:

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
c/o Stacy Rowe, DNR Conservation Biologist
2514 Morse St.
Janesville, WI 53545
Stacy.Rowe@wisconsin.gov or 608-228-9796