Clean Lakes Alliance’s LakeForecast water quality monitoring program completed its 13th season in 2025. This program is entirely volunteer implemented, with more than 100 trained monitors assessing water quality conditions from nearshore and offshore locations across all five Yahara lakes (Mendota, Monona, Wingra, Waubesa, and Kegonsa).
From Memorial Day through Labor Day, volunteers recorded water clarity, air and water temperature, waterfowl presence, the extent of floating plant debris, and the severity of green algae and cyanobacteria at public beaches, lakeside parks, and private piers. Submitted condition reports were able to be tracked in real-time on Lakeforecast.org or our free app, allowing the general public to stay up to date on current lake conditions.
Join us for Clean Lakes 101 on Wednesday, April 8, at The East Side Club from 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. Hilary Dugan will explain how booming spring zooplankton populations trigger Wisconsin lakes’ brief but dramatic “clear-water phase,” and explore the powerful mix of temperature, light, nutrients, and predator–prey dynamics that make it all happen.
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About this Talk
Each spring, many lakes in Wisconsin undergo a remarkable transformation. They suddenly turn strikingly clear. This “clear-water phase” happens when booming populations of tiny zooplankton rapidly graze down spring algae, briefly reshaping the entire food web. In this talk, Dugan will explore how temperature, light, nutrients, and predator–prey interactions combine to create one of the most dramatic and short-lived events in our lakes.
About our Speaker
Hilary Dugan is an associate professor at the Center for Limnology at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. As a limnologist, Hilary studies how terrestrial and atmospheric changes, such as warming air temperatures or land use patterns, alter biogeochemical fluxes and aquatic processes in lakes. Her research focus is on temperate and polar lakes, with sites spanning from Wisconsin to Antarctica.
Event Details
This event will be held at The East Side Club (3735 Monona Dr, Madison, WI 53714). Doors open at 3:30 p.m. The program runs from 4 – 5 p.m. A Q/A session will follow the presentation as time allows. Complimentary event parking will be available at The East Side Club. Parking fills up quickly, and capacity may limit available spots.
