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Lake-O-Gram Vol. III Issue 4

Did you see these two paddle boarders on Lake Mendota this week?

Summer’s off to a big start.  We’ve had a lot of rain recently.  If you want more information on lake levels, click here.

Our pilot programs in beach and citizen water quality monitoring continue to be successful.  We are testing James Madison Beach Monday through Friday and we have citizen volunteers testing on the four major lakes.  If you are interested in participating in this program, please contact us.

For you app-lovers out there, we suggest you get the free Lake Mendota Buoy app.  It provides live data on wind speed and direction, water temperature, and other factors to consider when going out on the lakes.  Available for iPhone and Android.

The Yahara Pride Farms certification program also continues to move forward.  We are out on the farms working to prevent runoff to our lakes.

This Lake-O-Gram focuses on ways for you to get out on the lakes this summer.

We packed the house for our June program of Yahara Lakes 101 with Dr. Jake Vander Zanden speaking to us about spiny water fleas and zebra mussels, and how these invasive species may impact water clarity and algae growth in the Yahara Lakes. Be sure to mark your calendar for our July 11th program where we’ll hear from UW Center for Limnology research scientist Ted Bier teaching us how to identify the variety of fish species inhabiting the lakes and how their abundance has changed over time. Click here to register.

We have a line-up of stellar scientists scheduled well into the fall to speak to us all about the science behind the issues that affect our beloved lakes. Come for a coffee and light breakfast on the beautiful lake patio here at the Verex Plaza, and learn about your lakes with Mendota as our backdrop.

The details:

• Yahara Lakes 101 – the science of the lakes made interesting and accessible through presentations and Q&A with local experts

• Second Thursdays of the month: June 13, July 11, Aug 8, Sep 12, Oct 10

• Doors open at 7:30am in Bluephie’s café and the lake patio on the lower level of the Verex Plaza, home to CLA offices. Program begins at 8:00am and class is dismissed by 9:00am. Feel free to stay for another half hour of informal networking and Q&A

See our website for the full program schedule.

Admission is free for Friends of Clean Lakes and $10 for the public. If you are not yet a Friend, become one today for a minimum gift of $35.

Please register for the event on the CLA website.

Paddle & Portage

When: Saturday, July 20, 9:00am

Where: James Madison Park

Registration: Advance – $40 now through 11:59pm Wed, July 17

Day of – $50, begins at 7:00am Sat, July 20

Register online here

Isthmus hosts hundreds of paddlers from across the country as they descend on Madison for the 34th annual canoe race.

This quirky challenge features a canoe race in Lake Mendota and Lake Monona, and a portage across the Capitol Square. Watch for crazy costumes, paddling fanatics, and fun family teams to set oar. Party in the park after!

A portion of the proceeds benefits CLA.

Loop the Lake

When: Saturday, July 27, 10:00am

Where: Start and end at Law Park, ride clockwise around Lake Monona

Registration: $35 for single rider

$55 for family (2 adults & up to 3 kids ages 10-17)

– $10 per extra child

– Kids ages 10 & under are free

Register online here

Loop the Lake is a recreational bike ride around Lake Monona. Along the ride, there will be four educational checkpoints offering a quick lesson about lake ecology, history, bike safety, as well as a beverage station.  The ride will end at Law Park where the Clean Lakes Festival is holding festivities. By participating in the ride, riders will receive a free beverage and sandwich at the CLF, and a Loop the Lake t-shirt.

The honorary co-chairs of the event are Mayor of Madison Paul Soglin and Mayor of Monona Bob Miller. CLA is partnering with Saris, Schwinn, Trek Bicycle, Budget Bicycle, and Lands’ End to produce the event.

Clean Lakes Festival

When: Saturday, July 27, 9:00am – 9:00pm

Where: Law Park, next to Monona Terrace

Registration: Only required for Heritage Boat Tour ($10) – Register here

The Clean Lakes Festival is a celebration with a cause. The festival offers a full day, jam-packed with activities in and on the shore of Lake Monona, all for the purpose of raising money to improve the quality of the lakes in Dane County. There are activities for all ages including, but not limited to: kayaks and canoe rides, log rolling, children’s activities, live music and food and drinks.

AquaPalooza

 When: Sunday, July 28, 1:00pm – 4:00pm

Where: Picnic Point, Lake Mendota

Registration: Register online here

SkipperBud’s will be again be hosting this great party at Picnic Point.  Live music will be playing and
summertime will be in full swing.  Come early to get a good spot for your boat!

Boat and PWC Volunteers Needed for this Year’s Ironman Wisconsin

Sunday September 8, 2013 Lake Monona (Law Park)- 5:30am to 10am

Motorboat and Personal Water Craft Volunteers are needed to assist the swim safety team. You will be stationed along the swim course to serve as directional guides for athletes and for safety purposes. A lifeguard will be assigned to your boat. If an athlete is in need of assistance/rescue, the motor boat volunteer will deliver the lifeguard to the location, and transport the athlete back to medical staff awaiting on shore.

Attendance required at one of two training /coordination meetings, held at Monona Terrace on Thursday September 5th 5:45 pm – 7:15 pm or Saturday September 7th 8:15 am – 9:45 am.

Mention that you are volunteering on behalf of Clean Lakes Alliance if you are signing up.

For Questions: Motor Boat Captain email imwiboat@gmail.com or 608.770.4253

Register Online At
https://www.ironman.com/im-wisconsin
Follow the links for Volunteers

Monona’s 2013 Follow the Stormwater – Paddle Event

Come take a behind the scenes look at stormwater management in Monona. Paddle your way along Lake Monona while seeing the health of our lakes. The Paddle Event will start in Inter Lake of the Yahara River and continue along the lake through Squaw Bay and back.

When: Thursday, July 25th; Rain date August 1st

Where: Rutabaga 220 West Broadway, Monona, WI

Who:    All ages- kids under 10 to paddle in a boat with parent(s).

Time:    5:00pm arrival and unload

5:30-7:30 paddle

Cost:     $5.00 for participation with own boat

$15.00 per boat for rentals- tandem kayak, solo kayak, canoe (max 3 people in a canoe)

Registration:

Call:  608-222-4167

Online: http://tinyurl.com/stormwaterpaddle

*PFDs must be worn at all times.
*Participants must sign a Rutabaga Waiver of Liability.

This article appeared in the Summer 2013 edition of Madison Water Ways, the quarterly newsletter of City of Madison Engineering.

As part of the renovation/rebuilding of Arboretum Pond 3 (behind Steinhafels and Culver’s at the Beltline Highway and Todd Drive), which is jointly funded by the City of Madison and the UW, Engineering staff designed a screened debris and sediment capture device to treat stormwater prior to entering the pond. This structure has been completed and the final restoration of the pond project should be completed by June 2013.

As designed, this treatment system is the second largest of its kind in the United States and will treat all runoff from the 100-year storm event, ap- proximately 350 cubic feet per second (157,500 gallons per minute). For comparison, a large garden hose puts out about 40 gallons per minute. This device is an extension of a catchbasin screen design that Engineering has been installing at outfalls with trash problems for approximately four years (which has been very successful).

A typical stormwater pond would normally require maintenance dredging approximately every five years (a $25,000 cost) to remove material caught at the pipe outfalls, with a full rebuild in 30 years (over $300,000). The material that is trapped in this device will be removed at least twice per year by Engineering Operations Staff with our vactor equipment. We anticipate this device, which has a holding capacity of 40 cubic yards or four large dump trucks, to reduce the need for maintenance dredging and to extend the design life of the pond by at least 10-15 years.

Happy Summer – we’ll see you on the lakes!

The CLA Team

Yahara Lakes 101 – July 11, 8-9:30am, Verex lake patio

Paddle & Portage Canoe Race – July 20, James Madison Park, Across Isthmus, Olin Park

Follow the Stormwater Paddle Event – July 25, 5-7:30pm, Rutabaga

Loop the Lake – July 27, Around Lake Monona

Clean Lakes Festival – July 27, Law Park

AquaPalooza – July 28, Picnic Point Bay, Lake Mendota

Madison Area Antique & Classic Boat Show – Aug 2, Multi-lake boat parade; Aug 3, Christy’s Landing

Yahara Lakes 101 – Aug 8, 8-9:30am, Verex lake patio

Science Thursdays at Wingra Boats – June-Aug, every Thursday, Wingra Boats

Ironman Wisconsin – Sept 8, 5:30-10am, Lake Monona

Yahara Lakes 101 – Sept 12, 8-9:30am, Verex lake patio

Fore! Lakes – Sept 20, Blackhawk Country Club

Yahara Lakes 101 – Oct 10, 8-9:30am, Verex lake patio

Don Heilman, President, don@cleanlakesalliance.com

James Tye, Vice President, james@cleanlakesalliance.com

Elizabeth Katt-Reinders, Policy & Program Director, elizabeth@cleanlakesalliance.com

* Interns *

Ted Barthell, Media & Marketing Manager, ted@cleanlakesalliance.com

Rachel Fossum, Program & Outreach Coordinator: Yahara Pride Farms, rachel@cleanlakesalliance.com

Rebecca Krumholz, Program & Outreach Coordinator, rebecca@cleanlakesalliance.com

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