|
A • - 24 -
<br /> Pnojected It is estimated that the Cross Plains Unit could attract 50,000 visito:s annually by 1982 assuming completion
<br /> Uae of developments as scheduled.
<br /> SCHEDULE Acquisition is presently ongoing at this Unit. The projected completion date for development of the Unit is
<br /> 1982.
<br /> OTHER A Wisconsin Power and Light Co. (WP & L) 69 KV transmission line has been erected along the east side of
<br /> ACTIONS Cleveland Road near the Cross Plains Unit. The Public Service Commission is conducting an investigation,
<br /> and has held hearings to determine whether WP & L should be required to replace a 's mile segment of the line
<br /> with an underground line near the Cross Plains Unit.
<br /> Ice Age Tnait. The exact location of the Ice Age Trail has not been designated in the vicinity of the Cross Plains Unit.
<br /> CONFORMANCE There is no known conflict with existing state or regional plans. The 1972 Wisconsin Outdoor Recreation Plan
<br /> WITH PLANS calls for protection of scenic areas, and additional hiking trails, both of which will be provided by this
<br /> proposal. The Dane County Regional Planning Commission has identified the Unit as a "Resource Protection
<br /> Area".
<br /> DEVILS LAKE STATE PARK ICE AGE UNIT
<br /> The Devils Lake State Park Ice Age Unit (Devils Lake Unit) is one of two major Ice Age Units, the Kettle
<br /> Moraine Unit being the other. It is proposed to expand the project boundary of the Devils Lake Unit by 970
<br /> acres over the 8,840 acre boundary published in the Federal Register. Existing state ownership within the
<br /> boundary totals 6,825 acres (as of June, 1977) and it is proposed that the state acquire an additional
<br /> 2,985 acres in fee title of which 1,727 acres are proposed to be acquired as a direct result of IANSR. •
<br /> Because of the scope and complexity of this Unit the Department will prepare a separate Master Plan and
<br /> Environmental Impact Statement for the development of Devils Lake State Park. The proposed Ice Age relates
<br /> development and any proposed redevelopment of the park would be discussed and analyzed in the Master Plan
<br /> and EIS process. The Ice Age development will include an interpretive center/park administrative office
<br /> and associated roadwork, interpretive exhibits, trails and waysides.
<br /> Devils Lake State Park Ice Age Unit is located at the Devils Lake State Park in the Baraboo Hills of Sauk
<br /> County (see Figure 6). The City of Baraboo is located about 3 miles north of the Unit and Sauk City-
<br /> r Prairie du Sac is about 15 miles to the south. Devils Lake State Park is located approximately 45 miles north
<br /> of Madison and 15 miles south of the Wisconsin Dells, a major Wisconsin tourist area. As of 1970, the Devils
<br /> Lake Ice Age Unit was located within a one-hour drive of 400,000 people, a four-hour drive of ten million
<br /> people and within a seven-hour drive of thirteen million people.
<br /> The Unit includes Sections 23, 24, 25, and 26 and parts of Sections 13, 14, 35, 36, T11N, R6E in the Towns of
<br /> Baraboo and Sumpter; Sections 19, 30 and parts of Sections 20, 21, 29 and 31, T1ON, R7E, Town of Merrimac; and
<br /> Sections 17, 18 and parts of Sections 8, 9, 15 and 16, T11N, R7E, Town of Greenfield.
<br /> The Devils Lake Unit is approximately 33 miles north of the Cross Plains Unit and 55 miles south of the
<br /> Mill Bluff State Park Unit (see Figure 1).
<br /> Contained within the Devils Lake Unit is one of the most varied assortments of glacial-geological features
<br /> in Wisconsin. Important geological features at the Unit include Devils Lake, a glacial lake formed by
<br /> moraine "dams" in the former course of the Wisconsin River; ancient quartzite bluffs and talus slopes of
<br /> the Baraboo Mountain Range; and a unique segment of terminal moraine.
<br /> Devils Lake State Park has been a state park since 1911, and is one of Wisconsin's and the midwest's,
<br /> most popular parks. The park was visited by 1,333,955 people in 1976, making it Wisconsin's most heavily
<br /> used park.
<br /> The Ice Age Act (P.L. 88-655) of October, 1964, specifically designated portions of Devils Lake State
<br /> Park for inclusion within the Ice Age National Scientific Reserve. As published in the Federal Register,
<br /> May 29, 1971, the Devils Lake State Park Unit boundary contained 8,840 acres. In subsequent months, work
<br /> was initiated by NPS and DNR on a preliminary master plan for the IANSR which was eventually published in
<br /> July, 1973. In 1971, the boundary of Devils Lake State Park was increased from 4,800.13 acres to 8,840
<br /> acres by the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board. Further study indicated that the boundary of the Ice Age •
<br /> Unit should be expanded by 970 acres to include more geologic features as is now described in the proposed
<br /> master plan and in May 1974 the Natural Resources Board approved the present 9,810 acre goal. As a result,
<br /> the existing state park boundary encompasses the Ice Age Unit's boundary as it is presently proposed.
<br /> Acquisition within Devils Lake State Park was ongoing at the time that the area was designated as an Ice
<br /> Age Unit and is continuing. To date, 6,825 acres have been acquired in fee title by the state at a cost
<br /> of $2,028,000.
<br /> Figure 20 is a map showing the existing development at Devils Lake State Park. Currently, the park
<br /> contains 471 family campsites on 140 acres of land divided into three campground areas. Approximately
<br /> half of those campsites have electrical hookups available. A camper's concession facility, trailer
<br /> dumping station, showers and flush toilet buildings are also provided. In addition to the family camping
<br /> facilities, a juvenile group tent campground (capacity 300 persons at 12 sites) and an indoor group camp
<br /> facility (1 building with 40 cots) are also provided at the south shore of Devils Lake.
<br /> Day-use facilities are provided at both the northern and southern shores of Devil's Lake. Picnicking,
<br /> swimming and boat launch facilities are provided. Each end also is provided with bathhouse and toilet
<br /> facilities. In addition, a large chateau is located on the north shore, where various concession items
<br /> are available. Table 21 contains a summation of the recreational facilities in the park.
<br /> Devils Lake State Park contains its own sanitary waste treatment system consisting of a seepage lagoon with
<br /> a second lagoon for overflow.
<br /> The park also has a well developed trail system with over 10 miles of existing trails, and up to 31 additi. ,'
<br /> miles of hiking and skiing trails proposed for state park purposes.
<br />
|