We are more than a quarter of the way through 2019, and the days are starting to warm as we head deeper into the spring season. As the lake season approaches, there are plenty of opportunities to get involved with our lakes.
Renew the Blue Volunteer Days provide an opportunity for individuals to help clean up our lakes while becoming informed and engaged with issues that affect them.
In recent years, Clean Lakes Alliance has partnered with parks, friend groups, local businesses, and associations to restore shorelines. Volunteers clear invasive plants and trees, plant native seeds, remove algae from waters, and clean up trash along the lakeshore.
We request that all participating businesses consider becoming Lake Partners, our business donors to Clean Lakes Alliance. This helps us continue to facilitate volunteer days as well as fund other important projects in the watershed.
Please see the below form or contact Clean Lakes Alliance’s Watershed Program Associate Luke Wynn to learn more about participating in a volunteer day.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Since 2011, Clean Lakes Alliance has provided more than $1,400,000 in grants to urban and rural partners to support on-the-ground projects designed to protect water quality in the Yahara Watershed. Engaging the community to leverage action is an effective force and catalyst for improving and protecting our lakes.
Seed the Need has a fundraising goal of $200,000. The fund focuses on strategic land purchases to protect areas that impact water quality. We will restore those lands to improve our lakes for future generations and, through programs like Renew the Blue Volunteer Days, we will preserve the progress made on the land through maintenance and restoration work. Moving forward, our Renew the Blue volunteers will be engaged to help with the restoration and maintenance of the land. Donate to this fund today to invest in a permanent legacy of improved water quality and reduced flooding in our watershed.
Clean Lakes Alliance is a 501(c)(3), nonprofit organization. Your donation is tax-deductible!
Summer in Madison would not be the same without our lakes. This year, especially, we’ve seen our lakes at their best and their worst due to record rain events, cyanobacteria blooms, and beach closures. Here at Clean Lakes Alliance, the summer is a time to get out and enjoy our lakes while also doubling down on our efforts to protect them. From innovative grant projects, to county policy recommendations, to record-setting engagement, we’ve been hard at work for our lakes this summer, and so have you! Let’s take a look back at some highlights from this lake season.
Clean Lakes Alliance strives to build a community of people working to improve and protect water quality in the Yahara River Watershed. Learn more about our programs!
This course provides students with the knowledge, tools, leadership skills, and connections needed to meet today’s land and water conservation challenges.
Our team of trained volunteers gather data on water clarity and temperature, observe beach conditions, and identify potentially harmful blue-green algal blooms. Learn about our citizen water quality monitoring program.
Every summer, Clean Lakes Alliance partners with Madison Boats and the Boys & Girls Club of Dane County to give local kids a “crash course” in lake education and recreation. Learn more about the Lake Explorer Camp.
Clean Lakes Alliance partners with local businesses and host site partners to conduct meaningful and rewarding volunteer days at lakeside parks and natural areas. Learn more about our volunteer days.
Clean Lakes Alliance is working to reignite community passion for our beaches and reimagine them as showcases for sustainability, function, and natural beauty.
Dear Friends,
Another year has come and gone on our lakes. Thank you for being a Friend of Clean Lakes. Today, I have only ONE thing on my holiday wish list – healthy lakes.
DONATE today to support our work.
As 2017 closes, we’re already pulling together phosphorus-reduction and water quality numbers for our State of the Lakes annual report. In the meantime, I’m looking back on a few things that have made ME happy this year.
Since 2011, Clean Lakes Alliance has provided more than $1,400,000 in project support! This landmark achievement honors our goal of helping to build partner capacity among our partner organizations and supporting on-the-ground projects and initiatives. We believe that a community engaged in our lakes and working in concert on shared water quality goals is the most effective force for improving and protecting our lakes.
Clean Lakes Alliance continues to raise funds and strategically target resources to reduce phosphorus runoff, improve watershed health, and address the root cause of our water quality problems. The figure below illustrates the percentage of Clean Lakes Grants invested in various action areas from 2011-2021. An additional $100,000 in grants was approved to support partner efforts in 2022.
Projects must be located within the Yahara River Watershed, with priority given to project areas that drain directly to one of the five Yahara lakes.
Project work promised under the grant must be complete within one year of the official award date.
Local units of government, colleges and universities, schools, and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations.
Following an eligibility review by Clean Lakes Alliance staff, a panel of technical reviewers for each project category will review proposals, provide comments, and assign points using the project evaluation criteria outlined below. Clean Lakes Alliance staff will use technical scores to compare projects and make funding recommendations to relevant boards and committees for final funding decisions. Applicants should expect the review process to take 30-60 days following receipt of a complete application.
Priority consideration is given to proposals that support:
Successful applicants will receive their awarded funds on a reimbursement basis. Funds will be released within 45 days following notification of project completion through the submission of a final report documenting outcomes and project-eligible expenses.
Please direct questions to Clean Lakes Alliance at (608) 255-1000 or grants@cleanlakesalliance.org.
With 58 miles of lakeshore in our watershed, shoreline maintenance is a big job. We’re lucky to have dedicated staff and community groups working to keep our parks and beaches healthy – but sometimes, there just aren’t enough hands to get the job done. That’s where our summer volunteer groups come in!
So far this season, there have been 15 Renew the Blue volunteer days, for a total of 457 volunteers and 1,481 hours maintaining our lakeshores over the season. These events serve double duty: our lakeshore parks get some much-needed TLC, and volunteers learn more about keeping our watershed healthy.
At Clean Lakes Alliance, our mission is to create a community that is dedicated to protecting and improving water quality in the Yahara River watershed. Partners like Foley & Lardner help us make this goal a reality. One of four sustaining founders of Clean Lakes Alliance, Foley & Lardner is an example of a local company that makes lake health a top priority.
