(1)    In this section:

      (a)    “Nonpoint source” has the meaning given in s. 281.16 (1) (e).

      (b)    “Point source” has the meaning given in s. 283.01 (12).

   (2)   The department shall conduct a program to monitor and study the introduction of nutrients from point sources and nonpoint sources into the Wisconsin River from the headwaters of the river to the Castle Rock Flowage dam. The department shall seek to do all of the following under this subsection:

      (a)    Identify the amounts of nutrients being introduced into the river.

      (b)    Characterize and quantify the nutrients, in particular nitrogen and phosphorus, introduced into the river from nonpoint sources relative to climate, land use, soil type, elevation, and drainage.

      (c)    Collect water quality information for locations on the river itself and for major tributaries and major impoundments to use in evaluating the biological, physical, and chemical properties of the water and to use as data in watershed and river models.

      (d)    Use watershed and river models and the information collected under this subsection and from other sources to forecast the effect on water quality of different methods of reducing the amounts of nutrients introduced into the river.

      (e)    Develop tools to use in selecting and implementing methods of reducing the amounts of nutrients introduced into the river.