An interview with Public Health Madison & Dane County
Parks and lakes define Greater Madison, offering plenty of public beaches to enjoy the water’s edge. In fact, we have 22 public beaches and official swimming locations on the Yahara chain of lakes (and more throughout Dane County). Every summer, Public Health Madison & Dane County (PHMDC) monitors the majority of these beaches from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Clean Lakes Alliance’s Watershed Programs Manager Caitlin McAleavey sat down with PHMDC’s Jennifer Lavender Braun and Ronesha Strozier to learn how they test the beaches and what determines if they are open or closed.
At this year’s Yahara Pride Farms’ conference, one message came out loud and clear: farmers are leading the way in conservation, but their stories too often go untold.
An interview with a Dane County Aquatic Plant Harvester Operator
If you’ve spent time around any of Greater Madison’s lakes, you’ve probably seen these large machines in action. Unofficially and incorrectly known as “weed cutters,” the machines and their operators play a vital role in keeping our lakes open to everyone. The proper name for the machine is aquatic plant harvester, because they’re not just cutting weeds, they’re harvesting and removing vegetation from our lakes.
So how do they work? What are they doing? Who is out there driving them? Clean Lakes Alliance visited Lake Monona on a beautiful August day to ride along on one of Dane County’s aquatic plant harvesters driven by Donn Kidd to get some answers.
Riding along with Donn Kidd on one of Dane County’s aquatic plant harvesters on Lake Monona in 2023, photo courtesy Dane County
Join us for this in-person or virtual hybrid edition of Clean Lakes 101 to hear about Dane County’s many projects to keep our lakes clean and mitigate the impacts of climate change. Register as an in-person attendee or to receive a Zoom link through your confirmation email and watch virtually.
Register by entering your information in the box below
About this Talk
Hear from Dane County Executive Joe Parisi and Laura Hicklin, Director of Dane County’s Land & Water Resources Department as they describe the County’s many projects to keep our lakes clean and mitigate the impacts of climate change. From more extreme weather with increased rain in the spring, to dryer, hotter summers and winters, the risks of climate change become clearer all time. These changes are exacerbating existing threats to the Yahara lakes, such as increased phosphorus runoff.
During this presentation, you’ll learn the latest information about specific projects that advance Renew the Blue such as Suck the Muck, manure treatment, and conservation cover programs, along with updates on aquatic plant management, lake levels, Yahara River sediment removal, and the ongoing efforts to combat climate change.
About our Speakers
Dane County Executive: Joe Parisi has called Dane County home his entire life. He sought out public service as a way to give back to a community that has given so much to him. Joe was first elected as County Executive, the chief elected leader of Dane County, in 2011 after 6 years in the State Assembly and 8 years as Dane County Clerk. Joe’s priority is to ensure that everyone in our community has access to the opportunity to succeed. He believes investing in people pays big dividends. Joe knows this can work because he experienced it. Now Joe believes it is his turn to give back to ensure that our children’s generation has access to the same opportunities that were available to him. Joe and his wife, Erin Thornley Parisi, raised their two daughters on Madison’s east side. With a population of more than 500,000 and an annual county budget of $600 million, Dane is Wisconsin’s second largest county. Dane County has the highest private sector job and population growth in Wisconsin.
Laura Hicklin: Laura Hicklin is the Director of the Dane County Land & Water Resources Department. The Land & Water Resources Department protects and enhances the natural, cultural, and historic resources of Dane County; provides the County’s residents with a broad array of accessible, high quality resource-based recreational services and facilities; and supports residents, communities, local governments, and other agencies and organizations in their resource management and protection activities. Laura’s goal is to bring civility to challenging discussions about natural resource management in Dane County.
Event Details
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 in a confirmation email.
By Pete Jopke, Water Resources Planner with the Dane County Land & Water Resources Department Article first published in the 2022 Greater Madison Lake Guide, a Clean Lakes Alliance publication
Aquatic plant harvesting on the Yahara lakes
The Dane County Land & Water Resources Department manages an aquatic plant harvesting program with much of the harvesting occurring on lakes Mendota, Monona, Waubesa, and Kegonsa. Occasionally, other smaller waterbodies are harvested to aid in recreation and invasive plant management. The program dates to the early 1980’s when five harvesters were in operation. In those years, harvests totaled over 300 tons of plant material. In 2021, the existing fleet of 12 harvesters recorded plant harvests of more than 12,000 tons!
Support clean, healthy lakes with Clean Lakes Alliance’s 10th Annual Loop the Lake Bike Ride. Join us in person on the official Monona Lake Loop by starting and ending at Olbrich Park on Saturday, June 18th. Or, choose to ride, walk, run, or paddle virtually, from anywhere Saturday, June 11th – Sunday, June 19th.
Loop the Lake is more than a bike ride – it’s an opportunity for our community to rally around our lakes! All registered participants will receive a super-soft event tee. Event proceeds will support Clean Lakes Alliance’s work to protect and improve our lakes through on-the-ground projects, educational programs, and water quality monitoring.
Join us in person on the official Monona Lake Loop by starting and ending at Olbrich Park (3527 Atwood Avenue, Madison) on Saturday, June 18th. The course will be open from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. so that riders can ride at their own convenience. Riders will travel 12 miles clockwise around Lake Monona.
About the Ride: Virtual – choose your own course (Saturday, June 11th – Sunday, June 19th)
Participants may ride, walk, run, paddle, or rollerblade along any route they choose! Share your enthusiasm for our lakes and encourage others to join by sharing photos and videos from your Loop the Lake adventure with the #LooptheLake hashtag!
Want to mimic the original Loop the Lake route? Feel free to head over to Lake Monona and follow the “Lake Loop” bike path clockwise or find a 12-mile loop in your neighborhood! You could also ride around Monona Bay, Lake Wingra, or your favorite lakeshore bike path!
Registration includes an event t-shirt, courtesy of Lands’ End. Your registration supports critical work by Clean Lakes Alliance to keep our lakes at the top of the community agenda.
Registration: $40 per in-person rider, $50 per virtual rider or in-person rider wishing to have t-shirts mailed. FREE for children 10 & under with purchase of adult registration.
Registrations are transferable but non-refundable. In the event of cancellation, registrations and sponsorships will not be refunded. Thank you for your donation to Clean Lakes Alliance!
T-Shirt Distribution
Please select your t-shirt size by Monday, May 2nd to make sure you receive your t-shirt before the event. T-shirts can be mailed to your home or business if you select the $50 ticket option. Otherwise, you may pick up your t-shirt(s) on Saturday, June 18th at Olbrich Park (3527 Atwood Avenue, Madison) from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m.
Participant Safety
Be safe during the Loop the Lake Bike Ride! Obey all traffic laws, be careful of cars sharing the road, and wear a helmet. Participants should obey all social distancing guidelines.
If you would like to learn more about sponsorship opportunities, contact our Executive Director James Tye at james@cleanlakesalliance.org or 608-255-1000.
FAQs
What is the refund policy? Registrations are transferable but non-refundable. In the event of cancellation, registrations and sponsorships will not be refunded. Thank you for your donation to Clean Lakes Alliance!
Clean Lakes 101 is taking a field trip to learn more about Dane County’s signature Suck the Muck effort to remove legacy sediment. Register today to join us on Monday, August 22nd for this educational event at Sixmile Creek with Dane County Executive Joe Parisi.
Dane County’s “Suck the Muck” project has received a lot of exciting attention over the past few years for its legacy sediment removal in Dorn Creek and Token Creek. Now on the third phase of the project, Dane County will begin the work in Sixmile Creek. It is estimated that approximately 25,000 tons (or about 1,800 dump truck loads) of material will be removed from this section of Sixmile Creek, including an estimated 60,000 pounds of phosphorus contained in the accumulated sediment.
In this month’s Clean Lakes 101 field trip edition, we’ll hear an update from Dane County Executive Joe Parisi and Assistant Director of Land and Water Resources John Reimer about the project. Attendees will get to see the phosphorus-laden sediment islands firsthand and learn about the removal process. Ultimately, this project is currently estimated to divert thousands of pounds of phosphorus from entering our lakes.
About our Speakers
County Executive Joe Parisi has called Dane County home his entire life. Parisi sought out public service as a way to give back to a community that has given so much to him. He was first elected as County Executive, the chief elected leader of Dane County, in 2011 after 6 years in the State Assembly and 8 years as Dane County Clerk.
Parisi’s priority is to ensure that everyone in our community has access to the opportunity to succeed. He believes investing in people pays big dividends. Joe knows this can work because he experienced it. As a teenager, Parisi dropped out of high school. He was encouraged to return to education through a community program by people who believed in him. So he worked to earn his GED and went on to MATC (now Madison College) and graduated from UW-Madison with a degree in sociology. Now Parisi believes it is his turn to give back to ensure that our children’s generation has access to the same opportunities that were available to him.
John Reimer is the Assistant Director of the Dane County Land & Water Resources Department. His technical background has focused on modeling and analysis of watersheds, rivers, and lakes. Reimer is responsible for lake level management, including aquatic plant harvesting and operation of the three dams in the Yahara chain of lakes.
Event Details: Field Trip Edition!
This event will be held at Sixmile Creek. (5656 Enchanted View Lane, Waunakee) This event is held at North Mendota Natural Resource Area near Sixmile Creek (see map below). Check in will open at 4:00 p.m. with a presentation and walking tour from 4:30 – 6:00 p.m. Please review the following details regarding the event:
The event will be held at an outdoor worksite on grassy, uneven terrain. Walking will be required to reach the presentation site.
Attendees should dress for the weather. Long light layers are recommended to protect against sun, scratches, and bugs/ticks.
The event will be held rain or shine. No rain date is scheduled. Cancellation due to severe inclement weather would be communicated via email day-of.
Parking is available at multiple spots at North Mendota Natural Resource Area but may require a short walk to the meeting location.
Bathrooms are not readily available at the site. The Kwik Trip on Hwy M, approximately 2 miles away, is the nearest drivable restroom.
Admission is FREE for all attendees. Online registration is requested.
On May 18th, 2022, more than 300 leaders throughout the Greater Madison-Dane County region met at The Edgewater on the shores of Lake Mendota. The meeting celebrated what promises to be a new era of collaboration to benefit our local waters. With a collective call to “Renew the Blue,” a 19-member coalition of organizations introduced what some might describe as a stakeholder declaration to a sold-out audience.
Join us for this in-person or virtual hybrid edition of Clean Lakes 101 to learn about research to predict summertime algal abundance. Register as an in-person attendee or to receive a Zoom link through your confirmation email and watch virtually.
In recent decades, cultural eutrophication of coastal waters and inland lakes around the world has contributed to a rapid expansion of harmful cyanobacteria (blue-green algae). Potential outbreaks of toxin-producing cyanobacteria species have drawn concern from health officials and water managers given their negative ecological, aesthetic, and socioeconomic impacts.
Currently, little information regarding expected summertime cyanobacteria abundance is available prior to the season. With sufficient lead time, communicating the likelihood of elevated cyanobacteria abundance may be informative for proactively managing potential threats to lake and beach safety. We developed a model to issue predictions in early June of expected summertime cyanobacteria abundance for Lake Mendota. The prediction model demonstrates moderate to good skill and an ability to accurately predict summers with above-normal cyanobacteria abundance. Associated beach closure predictions also show promise but are highly sensitive to the short observational record – a limitation directly being addressed by Clean Lakes Alliance volunteer monitors and researchers at UW-Madison.
About our Speaker
Dr. Paul Block is an associate professor in civil and environmental engineering at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. His research focuses on hydroclimatology and water resources systems, with a goal to couple climate, hydrology, and management models and knowledge to reduce risks and promote sustainability of water resources for societal benefit. He is involved in many national and international projects that promote season-ahead forecasts as a means to inform decision-making, with applications to reservoir operations, agricultural planning, water quality assessment, and disaster management. He also has extensive experience as a licensed civil engineer working on groundwater protection and extraction, landfill management, and storm water control projects.
Event Details
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.
In 2021, our volunteers embarked on the 9th season of LakeForecast water quality monitoring. This work involved collecting nearshore condition reports at piers, beaches, parks, and access points around the five Yahara lakes. From May through September, volunteers took water quality measurements. They measured water clarity, recorded air and water temperature, identified the presence of green algae and cyanobacteria, and noted additional visual observations. Reports are entered into the LakeForecast app where all data are updated in real time.
