Clean Lakes Alliance in the news
Since Clean Lakes Alliance was founded in 2010, we have advanced new ideas and approaches to phosphorus reduction. Our goal is to raise community awareness of the issues facing the watershed, advocate for the welfare of our lakes, and help procure the necessary funding to clean and protect these waterways.
Clean Lakes Alliance strives to connect the community to our lakes through distribution of news, science, and other important topics facing our watershed. Here are some of the ways Clean Lakes Alliance has recently connected the community with important lake and watershed topics.
Keeping our beaches safe in a pandemic
Beaches are a great way to get out of the house during a pandemic, but water quality concerns are closing some of those beaches. Clean Lakes Alliance talks about prevention being the key to keeping those beaches open in the future. Click here to visit the entire story published by WKOW27 on July 29, 2020.
First cyanobacteria blooms of the season
According to predictions from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2020 is expected to have higher than average levels of cyanobacteria in the Yahara lakes. Clean Lakes Alliance explains what conditions cause cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) to form in our waters. Click here to read the entire story published by Wisconsin Public Radio on June 16, 2020.
Loop the Lake is going virtual!
Our annual Loop the Lake Bike Ride is going virtual this year due to COVID-19. Bike, walk, swim, or paddle anywhere and anytime to raise funds for our lakes. Funds raised will help support water quality monitoring, lake improvement projects, and educational programming. Hear more about Loop the Lake on WISC-TV3.
Help the lakes from your home
In light of next week’s Earth Day, Clean Lakes Alliance released a list of ten ways to help the lakes from your home. Read more in the story published by WKOW about how you can help our lakes through ten simple actions.
Celebrate our lakes at the Frozen Assets Festival
Join us for this year’s 6th annual Frozen Assets Festival. The free festival is open to children and adults, and raises funds for our lakes. Hear more about the festival on WISC-TV3.
Dog nearly dies after swimming in lagoon
A dog became sick with symptoms of cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) exposure after swimming in a lagoon near Tenney Park. The dog was treated by a veterinarian and survived. Clean Lakes Alliance warns people to keep themselves and their pets out of any water that has a paint-like scum on top, or water that appears unsafe. Click here to visit the entire story published by Channel3000 on August 12, 2019.
A summer of frequent cyanobacteria blooms
A cyanobacteria bloom closed swim access on Lake Mendota near the Memorial Union. Emily Stanley of the UW Center for Limnology talks about the trend of frequent cyanobacteria blooms this summer. Clean Lakes Alliance weighs in on what the community can do to help improve lake health. Click here to visit the entire story published by Channel3000 on August 2, 2019.
Lake health ahead of the CrossFit Games
A large cyanobacteria bloom reported on Lake Mendota near the Wisconsin Union Terrace has people worried about lake health. The CrossFit Games are scheduled to take place on Lake Monona and near the Monona Terrace, but water safety is still being closely monitored. Click here to visit the entire story published by WKOW on August 2, 2019.
Updating Yahara CLEAN
Yahara CLEAN is a community partnership working to reduce phosphorus loading to our lakes in an effort to improve water quality. Clean Lakes Alliance is working to update the Yahara CLEAN Compact to account for a changing climate and cost changes. Read more about Yahara CLEAN. Click here to visit the entire story published by Channel3000 on July 15, 2019.
Improving lake health and keeping our beaches open
WISC/Channel3000 explored the health of our Yahara lakes and how to keep them healthy this summer. Clean Lakes Alliance explained the importance of small efforts throughout the community, which will improve lake health. Click here to visit the entire story published by Channel3000 on July 5, 2019.
Cyanobacteria becoming more prevalent, but Clean Lakes Alliance is taking action
WKOW took a look at cyanobacteria in the Yahara lakes and whether it’s becoming more common. Clean Lakes Alliance explained what citizens can do to improve lake health. Click here to visit the entire story published by WKOW on July 2, 2019.
Renew the Blue Volunteer Day
Clean Lakes Alliance worked with Lands’ End to Renew the Blue in Pheasant Branch Conservancy. More than 100 Lands’ End employees volunteered to remove invasive plants and plant seeds in an effort to restore the conservancy. Creating a healthier prairie will decrease the amount of runoff to our lakes and improve water quality. Click here to see the entire story published by channel3000 on June 21, 2019.
Groups monitoring salt levels in Madison lakes
Every month, Clean Lakes Alliance hosts its Yahara Lakes 101 Science Café presentations for the community. This month, Dr. Hilary Dugan of the UW Center for Limnology discusses salt use and its impact on the Yahara Watershed. Click here to view the entire story published by WKOW on February 13, 2019.
Task force working to prevent more catastrophic flooding around Yahara lakes
Channel3000 and WISC take a look at the Dane County task force working to prevent additional flooding around the Yahara Lakes. Clean Lakes Alliance discusses increased infiltration as a way to reduce runoff to our lakes. Click here to view the entire story published by Channel3000 on February 11, 2019.
A look inside the Frozen Assets Festival
Clean Lakes Alliance previews the Frozen Assets Festival, which takes place at The Edgewater and Lake Mendota February 1-3, 2019. The Festival is a FREE family-friendly event in which people can celebrate our community’s number one asset – OUR LAKES! Click here to view the entire story published by WMTV NBC15 on January 27, 2019.
Salt usage and our lakes
Clean Lakes Alliance talks about keeping our lakes healthy year-round by monitoring wintertime salt usage. Too much salt can disrupt fish and plant life. Click here to view the entire story published by WMSN FOX47 on January 27, 2019.
Winter runoff is problematic for the lakes
Clean Lakes Alliance speaks about the winter’s warm temperatures, reduced snow, increased rainfall, and the resulting problems being felt by our lakes. Click here to view the entire story published by Channel3000 on January 6, 2019.
Lake Mendota is officially iced over
Despite the recent warm weather in Madison, Lake Mendota is officially frozen over. The Wisconsin State Climatology Office declared Lake Mendota iced over on December 15, 2018. Click here to view the entire story published by Channel3000 on December 17, 2018.
High lake levels; bracing for ice damage
Madison residents braved rainy and wet conditions to take part in the Flood Clean-up Challenge hosted by the City of Madison Parks Division. Clean Lakes Alliance discusses the high water levels and how our lakes are being impacted. Click here to view the entire story published by Madison Commons on December 14, 2018.
There is still time to enter the Mendota Freeze Contest
Winter is almost here, and temperatures are getting colder. Clean Lakes Alliance has kicked off its 7th annual Mendota Freeze Contest asking the community to guess when Lake Mendota will freeze. The contest winner will take home a $1,000 gift card from Lands’ End. Click here to view the entire story published by WMTV NBC15 on December 13, 2018.
