Thank you for being part of State of the Lakes
We’re still celebrating the success of this year’s State of the Lakes, and we’re grateful to all who joined us.
With your support, we once again brought together scientists, community and business leaders, government officials, and representatives from the Ho-Chunk Nation to deepen our understanding of the challenges facing our lakes and build momentum for collaborative action.
The energy in the room reflected a shared commitment to progress. During the event, Clean Lakes Alliance and fellow Renew the Blue Council members spoke about the partnerships, progress, and opportunities that will help shape the next chapter of lake improvement efforts, turning collaboration into action.
Highlights from the event:
Teejop Regional Guide & State of the Lakes
Clean Lakes Alliance released the State of the Lakes report as part of our 2026 Teejop Regional Guide (formerly the Greater Madison Lake Guide). The annual State of the Lakes report highlights the latest conditions and community progress toward cleaner, healthier lakes for all.
A meaningful welcome from the Ho-Chunk Nation
Event attendees were welcomed with an original water blessing song performed by Thomas Redbird IV and family alongside Ho-Chunk Nation President Jon Greendeer. After the performance, Redbird and Greendeer spoke about the importance of protecting shared waters and natural resources.
Urbanization of Dane County
Jason Valerius, Renew the Blue Council Co-Chair and Executive Director of the Capital Area Regional Planning Commission, addressed how population growth and urbanization are impacting the watershed. He also discussed the broader trends shaping the region’s future water quality challenges.
Renew the Blue
Dane County Executive Melissa Agard and Clean Lakes Alliance Executive Director James Tye shared examples of progress around priority Renew the Blue actions. They also highlighted specific initiatives that are helping turn those goals into action.
Thank you, Dana!
We want to extend a special thank you to our emcee, Dana Fulton from WKOW-TV 27. She expertly guided the event, helping create a welcoming and engaging experience for all attendees.
Protecting water quality, public health, and the future of our lakes
Clean Lakes Alliance is advancing implementation efforts through:
- Clean, Safe Beaches Initiative with Public Health to identify sources of E. coli contamination so we can better understand and fix the root causes of our beach closures.
- Land conservation efforts on Lake Kegonsa and along the Yahara River between Lake Waubesa and Lower Mud Lake to permanently protect sensitive shoreline areas, improve habitat and water quality, expand public access, and preserve important Indigenous cultural resources.
- A Sink the Rain strategy supporting projects that reduce stormwater runoff, such as the Alliant Energy Center redevelopment plan, slated to modernize stormwater infrastructure and better protect downstream water quality.
Save the date for next year’s event!
Join for next year’s State of the Lakes event on Wednesday, May 12, 2027. The event will take place at the Monona Terrace Community & Convention Center.
Become a Friend of Clean Lakes
If you believe in cleaner, healthier lakes and waterways, consider becoming a Friend of Clean Lakes. Our Friends are a dedicated community of lake advocates who make a difference for cleaner, healthier water. Friends of Clean Lakes are individual donors who provide critical support that goes directly to our lakes, outside of event registrations.
Thank you, sponsors!
