An interview with University of Wisconsin Lifesaving Station staff
Article first published in the 2023 Greater Madison Lake Guide, a Clean Lakes Alliance publication
Situated on the southern shore of Lake Mendota is a very unassuming building. You may not recognize the building, but you’ve probably seen one of the boats housed here out on the lake. It’s the University of Wisconsin Lifesaving Station and its job is to help keep everyone safe on Greater Madison’s largest lake.
We had so much fun throughout the nine days of Frozen Assets 2023 and we hope you did too! More than 8,000 lake enthusiasts from near and far joined us for science demonstrations, musical performances, ice skating, food and drinks, ice sculpture carving, a chance to try new winter activities, face painting, networking, a chance to run or walk in the only 5K on a frozen lake in North America, and more! We THANK YOU for supporting lakes Mendota, Monona, Wingra, Waubesa, and Kegonsa!
Lake enthusiasts from near and far joined us at Frozen Assets 2023 for science demonstrations, music, a 5K on a frozen lake, and more!
Join us in-person or virtually Wednesday, April 13th to learn more about Lake Mendota’s storied history of research and challenges.
Lake Mendota is a beloved resource for thousands of people, but many don’t know that it has a rich history of testing scientific hypotheses. Often cited as the most studied lake in the world, it has been researched extensively since the 1880’s. This talk will chronologically cover how Lake Mendota has undergone large shifts in its food web and water quality over the last several decades. It will also incorporate current research to better understand the current state of the lake in anticipation for what the future might hold.
Ben Martin is a PhD candidate at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he works with Jake Vander Zanden on understanding food web ecology of lake ecosystems. Ben has been focused on synthesizing large-scale food web shifts in lakes in northern Wisconsin, the Madison lakes, and the Great Lakes. Ben has been very encouraged since moving to Madison from Pennsylvania as the Madison community has shown great interest in science, especially when it involves our lakes.
This event will be held at The Edgewater hotel – grand ballroom level 5 (1001 Wisconsin Pl, Madison, WI 53703). Doors open at 7:30 a.m. The program runs from 8 – 9 a.m. A Q/A session will follow the presentation as time allows. Complimentary event parking will be available at The Edgewater parking ramp. Parking spots fill up quickly and may be limited depending on hotel capacity.
A Zoom link will be sent to all registrants via the Eventbrite confirmation email.
Clean Lakes 101 is a series of educational events open to the public and a great chance for residents to learn more about the science behind the issues that affect our lakes. Each month we feature a different expert to make the science accessible and interesting to non-technical audiences. The series is produced in partnership with the UW-Madison Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies and UW-Extension Lakes, with presenting sponsors First Weber Foundation and Johnson Financial Group, hosting sponsor The Edgewater, supporting sponsor National Guardian Life Insurance Company, and media sponsor WKOW.
Clean Lakes Alliance is excited to share news about Dane County’s continued focus on improving water quality. In early July, Dane County Executive Joe Parisi, in conjunction with the Dane County Land and Water Resources Department, unveiled new lake technology.
About the author: My name is Karin Swanson and I am a student of the Yahara Watershed Academy. I work for Clean Lakes Alliance as the Marketing and Communications Associate Manager and I am a Meteorologist. I am sharing my journey through the Academy in an effort to expand our community’s knowledge and passion for the Yahara River Watershed.
It’s finally graduation day! It’s hard to believe it has been five months since our first Yahara Watershed Academy class. The Academy gathered once a month at various locations throughout the Yahara Watershed. The Academy involved a partnership with the University of Wisconsin-Madison Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, Clean Lakes Alliance, and Edgewood College. Each class included presentations and guidance from professors and other leaders.
With more than 6,000 visitors joining us at The Edgewater and on Lake Mendota, Frozen Assets raised more than $127,000 net for our lakes this year. THANK YOU to all of our sponsors, guests, volunteers, and event partners who made the festival and fundraiser a huge success!
Thank you to our presenting sponsor Lands’ End and to our platinum sponsor The Edgewater. Lands’ End provides critical funding and apparel to keep our staff and volunteers warm. The Edgewater and its staff were incredible hosts of the festival and fundraiser for the FIFTH year in a row!
Funds raised will be used to purchase easements for three miles of buffer strips, which help capture nutrient-rich runoff from farm fields before it enters our lakes. See some of the other projects we’ve been up to since our founding in 2010.
Keep reading for a recap of the event and respond to our survey below to give us feedback about how we can make next year even better!
