2020 Greater Madison Lake Guide

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LAKE GUIDE

SUMMER 2020

GREATER MADISON

MENDOTA | MONONA | WINGRA | WAUBESA | KEGONSA | YAHARA RIVER

FEATURING THE STATE OF THE LAKES REPORT Greater Madison Lake Guide

| Summer 2020 1

WHEN IT’S TIME WE’LL BE HERE WE’LL SAVE YOU A SEAT.

2 Greater Madison Lake Guide | Summer 2020

CONTENTS 6

A Message from Clean Lakes Alliance

11

More Than a Rain Garden

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Become a Clean Lakes Alliance Lake Partner

14 Fishing in Our Lakes 19

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Let's Talk About Lake Turnover

20 Help the Lakes at Home (Top 10 Actions) 22 Finding Home in Wetlands 24 Hidden Gems 26 What Do You See? 31

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Yahara CLEAN Compact

34 A Conversation with Coach Clark 36 Message from Dane County 37 Message from City of Madison 39 2019 State of the Lakes Report 52 Community Action, Collective Impact 55 Yahara Lake Leaders 56 Lake Maps

55 Clean Lakes Alliance 150 East Gilman Street, Suite 2600, Madison, WI 53703 Thank you to Foley & Lardner LLP for the donated office space.

The Gialamas Company generously provided office space for Clean Lakes Alliance's first two years.

60 Lake Directory 70 Lessons From Nature

Cover: Sunset over Lake Mendota | Cover Photo Credit: Samuel Li

Clean Lakes Alliance Greater Madison Lake Guide is an official publication of Clean Lakes Alliance and published annually. No part of this publication may be reprinted or otherwise reproduced without permission. Every effort is made to make this guide accurate.

Some information is subject to change without notice. Thank you to Royle Printing for covering a portion of the costs associated with this Greater Madison Lake Guide.

Greater Madison Lake Guide | Summer 2020 3

Dreams do come true.

Can you imagine waking up every morning and walking into your dream kitchen? It’s a beautiful thing. All the amenities and features sparkle and seem to be waiting for your command. The smile on your face is wide and it never goes away. Everything tastes better, smells better, sounds better. Your friends and family love coming over, especially during the holidays.

When you’re home you spend most of your time in the kitchen so why not make it the kitchen of your dreams?

5117 Verona Road | Madison, WI 53711 | 608-204-7575

www.dream-kitchens.com

4 Greater Madison Lake Guide | Summer 2020

Greater Madison Lake Guide | Summer 2020 5

A MESSAGE FROM CLEAN LAKES ALLIANCE I

have rewritten this introduction many times. Originally, I planned to talk about Clean Lakes Alliance's 10-year anniversary, which we will celebrate this November. I was going to talk about the new projects we take on each year while also giving out more than $1.1 million in grants since 2011. Then the world changed. Like everyone else, Clean Lakes Alliance followed “Safer at Home” guidelines and started to wonder how we could continue to help the lakes while working remotely. Like everyone else, we found it difficult at first, but quickly picked up where we left off. We continued to work with business, community, and government leaders—now virtually—to update a plan to push for faster change and faster lake improvements. We also leaned into the fact that our community was social distancing when we published a list of 10 simple actions people can take at their homes to help the lakes (pg. 20 - 21).

In this fifth issue of the Greater Madison Lake Guide, you’ll notice unique stories involving people, places, and projects in our watershed. If you’re like me, you are reading more as you stay at home. Hopefully these stories will be a great escape for you! My favorites are pieces on the Waubesa Wetlands (pg. 22), hidden lakeshore parks (pg. 24), and a great interview with my longtime friend, University of Wisconsin Men’s Rowing Coach, Chris Clark (pg. 34).

You will also see a larger section on the science surrounding our lakes. That’s because we’ve taken our State of the Lakes Report and inserted it into the middle of this book.

(It starts on page 39 marked with green around the pages. You can’t miss it!) Inside the State of the Lakes Report, we dive into the science of our lakes. We also take a look at how the phosphorus reduction numbers stacked up last year (phosphorus causes the cyanobacteria blooms that close our beaches), and highlight some of our lake improvement and education accomplishments.

We hope this Greater Madison Lake Guide continues to serve as a resource for boaters, swimmers, anglers, and anyone else who enjoys spending time in or around our lakes.

If you haven’t heard, LakeForecast.org—which reports water quality conditions, beach closures, and any reported cyanobacteria blooms at more than 70 points around all five lakes—is now an app! Our volunteer monitors gather data at these points at least twice a week from Memorial Day to Labor Day. The app is simply called LakeForecast, and is available for FREE on both Apple and Android.

I want to thank our Friends of Clean Lakes and Lake Partners for supporting our work with an annual donation—especially as coronavirus has changed the community and world we live in. These donation dollars help fund important projects and educational programming throughout the watershed, and continue to help Clean Lakes Alliance operate as a catalyst for change in our community. If you’d like to join the growing list of businesses and community members helping Clean Lakes Alliance, please return the envelope in this guide. Finally, I’d like to thank Royle Printing for covering a portion of the costs associated with this Greater Madison Lake Guide.

We know this summer will be different than any other we’ve experienced. There are fewer festivals and gatherings, which is what a lot of us in Wisconsin enjoy during the warmer months. Despite this change, I hope you can still find your way to a lakeside park, keep a safe social distance, and enjoy one of the five large gems that make Greater Madison a great place to call home. Stay safe, stay healthy, and stay positive.

In partnership,

James Tye, Founder & Executive Director Sunset over Lake Mendota 66Greater Greater Madison Madison Lake Lake Guide Guide | Summer | Summer 2020 2020

THANK YOU TO OUR 2020 BOARD MEMBERS The Clean Lakes Alliance boards represent the many government, business, and community partners working to make healthy lakes a reality.

Executive Board

Community Board

Matthew Frank, Chair Murphy Desmond S.C.

Roger Bannerman USGS Wisconsin Water Science Center, Retired

Mark Riedel Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Paul Barbato CUNA Mutual Group

Sam Robertson von Briesen & Roper, S.C.

Daniel Chovanec CG Schmidt, Inc.

Kelda Roys OpenHomes

Bryan Dow Understory

Michael Rupiper Capital Area Regional Planning Commission

James Gallegos, Vice Chair Alliant Energy Corporation Colleen Johnson, Secretary Johnson Financial Group Jim West, Treasurer Town Bank James Tye, Executive Director Clean Lakes Alliance David Fahey Monona Bank

Mary Elvekrog Compeer Financial Peter Foy Friends of Lake Kegonsa Society

Joseph Ferreri Lands' End

Brenda Gonzรกlez University of Wisconsin-Madison

Paul Wrycha Foley & Lardner LLP Lloyd Eagan, Director Emeritus Wisconsin DNR, Retired Jeff Endres, Director Emeritus Endres Berryridge Farms Nathan Fagre, Director Emeritus Faraday Grid Limited Randy Peterson, Director Emeritus Russell James Investments

Dr. Jana Gyurina Oak Park Dental John Haeckel Clean Fuel Partners Chris Henderson M3 Insurance Woody Kneppreth Lake Waubesa Conservation Association

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Scott Smith Madison Gas & Electric Trey Sprinkman Sprinkman Real Estate Amy Supple The Edgewater Russ Tieman Arthur J. Gallagher & Co Jake Vander Zanden UW Center for Limnology Alex Vitanye Badger Sports Properties

Courtney Kruger Fiore Companies

Christie Baumel, Ex Officio City of Madison, Office of the Mayor

Andy Kurth Weed Man Lawn Care

Dave Merritt, Ex Officio Dane County Department of Administration

Gregory Levesque American Transmission Company

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Chasidey Martin Sprinkman Real Estate Tina Noel Community Advocate Eric Olson Yahara Lakes Association

D. Michael Mucha, Ex Officio Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District Lyle Updike, Ex Officio Dane County Towns Association Robert Weber, Director Emeritus First Weber, Inc.

Jason Potter FarWell

SUSTAINING FOUNDERS

Greater Madison Lake Guide | Summer 2020 7

8 Greater Madison Lake Guide | Summer 2020

crystal clear As we use fewer fossil fuels, we use less water too.

By 2030 we’ll need 75% less water for our fossil-fueled generation.

That means cleaner air, a cleaner planet and more of the sparkling lakes we all love.

It’s one more way we’re Powering What’s Next.

alliantenergy.com/poweringwhatsnext Greater Madison Lake Guide Summer ©2020 Alliant Energy | 7625320 3/202020 JS 9

Re n e w T h e B l u e

E a r t h D a y Cl e a n - U p

Lo o p T h e La ke

F o r e ! La ke s G o l f O u t i n g

M A D ISO N’ S #1 LAKE T EAM

Shelly Sprinkman

Trey Sprinkman

Julie B ernauer

G i v e u s a c al l ( 6 0 8) 2 20.1453 / / S pri nkmanReal E state.co m

Rain garden at the Catholic Multicultural Center

Compared to a conventional lawn, rain gardens allow 30% more water to soak into the ground.

Groundwater Foundation

MORE THAN A RAIN GARDEN T

ucked between South Park Street and Newville Park, you will find a rain garden. At first glance, it may seem like a simple collection of native pollinator plants, but after digging a little deeper, you will realize it is much more than just a rain garden.

" The very people we are serving are the most impacted by environmental issues."

Laura Green, Catholic Multicultural Center

The rain garden, located at the Catholic Multicultural Center (CMC) on Madison’s south side, was designed and created by a dedicated group of CMC staff and community members as part of their environmental programming. More than five years later, the rain garden continues to add tremendous value—beyond its environmental benefits.

“This rain garden project is something from the community,” said Antonio Quintanilla, CMC Services Coordinator, who helped initiate the project. “It’s for people to learn from and be inspired by.”

The project began with help from the University of WisconsinMadison Earth Partnership, which aims to collaborate with diverse communities to create vibrant outdoor learning spaces. The rain garden was created during three community workshops and four work days, with more than 50 community members contributing to the project. Participants learned about the environmental Wingra Creek cleanup

benefits, designed educational signs to post around the garden, and built the garden on the property.

“Earth Partnership was the spark that got us started and enabled us to implement an environmental program,” said Laura Green, CMC Grants & Volunteer Coordinator.

Quintanilla said the environmental movement is not very diverse or representative of the people served by the CMC. Therefore, all programs and workshops were held in Spanish and English to allow everyone to get involved.

“The very people we are serving are the most impacted by environmental issues,” said Green. Beyond the rain garden project, the CMC has done neighborhood and creek cleanups and provided education and awareness on environmental issues.

Since 1964, the CMC has operated on Madison’s south side to provide essential programs and services to community members.

Today, the CMC offers a variety of programs addressing basic needs, education and employment, immigration legal services, and environmental programs.

Over the past five years, the CMC’s rain garden has been more than just a rain garden. It has been an educational tool, a jumpstart for other community rain gardens in the city, and a beautiful way to help protect our waters.

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BECOME A 2020 LAKE PARTNER

Mendota • Monona • Wingra • Waubesa • Kegonsa • Yahara River Cleaning up the lakes is a community job. In the face of new challenges with COVID-19, your support is more important than ever. Become a Lake Partner and join Clean Lakes Alliance as we work together to protect and improve our lakes.

Annual donations (Jan. 1 - Dec. 31) made by Lake Partners (business or organization ‘members’) directly benefit efforts to protect our lakes independent of events, sponsorships, or programs. As a Lake Partner, your annual contribution will help improve water quality through on-the-ground projects and hands-on community engagement.

Lake Partners may also choose to demonstrate their commitment to clean lakes by making improvements on their properties, educating staff about watershed sustainability, and participating in volunteer opportunities.

LAKE PARTNER BENEFITS 1 2 3

Free admission to our monthly Yahara Lakes 101 Science Café for all employees Early access to tickets and discounted rates to events like Frozen Assets and the Community Breakfast Marketing recognition and opportunities to sponsor events and programs

YES, I’D LIKE TO BECOME A LAKE PARTNER! Support our lakes and make a tax-deductible donation today!

q $75 - Small Nonprofit, suggested for 0-25 employees

q $750 - Suggested for 100-249 employees

q $100 - Small Business, suggested for 1-10 employees

q $1,000 - Yahara Society, suggested for 250-499 employees

q $250 - Suggested for 11-50 employees

q $2,500 - Yahara Society, suggested for 500-999 employees

q $500 - Suggested for 51-99 employees

q $5,000 - Yahara Society, suggested for 1,000+ employees

Business Name_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Please list as you would like name to appear in all materials and acknowledgments

Primary Contact_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Street Address_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ City, State_______________________________________________________________________________________ Email__________________________________________________________________________________________ Payment Options (please check one) Credit Card Information

q Card provided

q Check enclosed

ZIP________________________________________ Phone _______________________________________

q Invoice me

q Pay online

q I authorize Clean Lakes Alliance to bill the card listed below

Cardholder Name____________________________________________________________________________

Cardholder ZIP____________________________

Card #_________________________________________________________________________________________

Exp. Date____________ CVV Code___________

MAIL TO: CLEAN LAKES ALLIANCE • 150 E Gilman Street, Suite 2600 • Madison, WI 53703 PHONE: (608) 255-1000 • EMAIL: laura@cleanlakesalliance.org • WEB: cleanlakesalliance.org/lake-partner

12 Greater Madison Lake Guide | Summer 2020

Thank you to the following Lake Partner businesses and organizations for their generous support in 2020 Lands' End*

SkipperBud's

Fields Auto Group Foundation*

Madison Area Antique & Classic Boat Society - Glacier Lakes Chapter

Spectrum Brands*

Fiore Companies, Inc.

Madison Dentistry

First Weber Inc.*

Madison Gas & Electric Foundation*

Current Lake Partners as of January 1 - June 3, 2020

Fearing's Audio-VideoSecurity

4Pillars4Health EcoSpace ActionCOACH Business & Executive Coaching of Madison Alliant Energy* Alpha Gamma Rho Educational Foundation American Transmission Company* Architectural Building Arts* Argent Capital Inc. Association of State Floodplain Managers Atlas Counseling Blain's Farm & Fleet of Madison* Brownhouse Designs Buck & Honey's Camp Randall Rowing Club Capilia Hair Loss Solutions Capital Area Regional Planning Commission

Foley & Lardner LLP*

Studio 88

Madison Veterinary Specialists S.C.*

Summers Christmas Tree Farm

Manke Enterprises, Inc.

Susi Haviland Homes*

Mazanet Marina

T. Wall Enterprises

MCV Salon

TASC (Total Administrative Services Corp.)*

Four Lakes Yacht Club FreshWater Engineering Friends of Cherokee Marsh Friends of Lake Kegonsa Society* Friends of Lake Wingra Friends of Pheasant Branch Conservancy

Middleton Boat House Co.

The Livingston Inn

Gates of Heaven Preservation Fund

Midnight Splash - Houseboat Charter

Thrivent Financial - Michael Nowicki

Graft Madison

Mid-West Family Broadcasting

Tota Vita Financial Associates*

Mohs, MacDonald, Widder & Paradise

Town of Westport

Monona Motors Moran Aviation

UW Health, UnityPoint Health - Meriter & Quartz*

Moren Investments

Vierbicher Associates

Murphy Desmond S.C.*

Village of Waunakee

National Guardian Life Insurance Company*

von Briesen & Roper, S.C.*

National Mutual Benefit Naturalake Biosciences*

Walden Bay Single Family Condo Association

Oak Park Dental*

Waubesa Sailing Club

Off Broadway Drafthouse

Waypoint Public House

Perkins Coie LLP*

Weed Man Lawn Care*

Petersburg Insurance Agency

Wickcraft

Pharo Marine

William Thomas Jewelers*

Phoebe R. and John D. Lewis Foundation*

Wisconsin Alumni Association*

Josh Lavik & Associates

Pleasant T. Rowland Foundation*

Wisconsin Memorial Union*

Kothe Real Estate Partners*

Premier Cooperative

Kwik Kill Pest Control

Quam's Marine & Motor Sports

Yahara Software*

CG Schmidt, Inc.*

Hellenbrand

City of Madison-Engineering*

Henry Farms

City of Monona

Henry Farms Prairie Spirits

Clean Fuel Partners*

Honeybee Cannabis Company

Coldwell Banker Success

Hooper Foundation*

Compass Properties

Hovde Properties*

Country Meadows Apartments

Hy Cite Enterprises*

Cresa Madison*

In Business Magazine*

Don's Marine DORN True Value Hardware DreamHouse DreamKitchens* Edward Jones - Patrick Ellestad FarWell

The Biergarten at Olbrich Park The Edgewater*

Friends of the Lakeshore Nature Preserve

Hart DeNoble Builders

Dixon Shoreline/Landscaping

Meister's K&M Tree and Landscaping Inc.

Sub-Zero Wolf Foundation Inc.*

Mendota Rowing Club

Certco, Inc.

Devine Partners LLP (The Surf)

Strand Associates, Inc.*

Madison School and Community Recreation (MSCR)

gThankYou

Destination Madison

State Line Distillery

Four Lakes Traditional Music Collective

Carrington Lawn & Landscape

Dane County Conservation League

Stark Company Realtors*

Madison No Fear Dentistry

Great Lakes Ecological Monitoring*

Culver's - Cottage Grove

Sprinkman Real Estate*

Fontana Sports

Capitol Water Trails, LTD

Crown Point Resort

Springers on Kegonsa

Hydrite Chemical Co.* Isthmus Partners JD Hellendbrand Piers and Lifts John Marshall, CPA Johnson Financial Group*

Lake Effect HR & Law* Lake Monona Sailing Club Lake Waubesa Conservation Association

Trei-Four Aces

von Rutenberg Ventures

Yahara Lakes Association

Restaino & Associates Realtors Relocation ResTech Services

Lakeview Research

Rutabaga Paddlesports

Lakeview Veterinary Clinic

Schoenherr Design & Drafting Services

Zing Collaborative*

Lake Partners who donate at the $1,000 level or more are also recognized as part of the Yahara Society

*Denoted with asterisks above

Greater Madison Lake Guide | Summer 2020 13

FISHING IN OUR LAKES THE LIFE AND TECHNIQUE OF A LOCAL ANGLER

By KEXIN BIAN

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n a city surrounded by lakes, fishing is part of community life. No matter the season, Greater Madison residents can often be found casting a line from a pier or out on a boat with a fishing rod in hand.

For Hans Klopp, fishing is a must. Klopp is a soil conservationist with the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resource Conservation Service—and an avid angler.

SHARING HIS SPORT

“I’ve been fishing since I was two,” Klopp said.

However, Klopp credits his time on the lake for much of his expertise. “I gain knowledge by going out and using different technologies that help find fish,” said Klopp.

In fact, Klopp has been fishing since his family first got him interested in the sport close to 26 years ago. During the fishing season, he spends two to four days each week waiting for a catch out on one of the five Yahara lakes.

“I just love being outside and the challenge of it [fishing],” Klopp said. “It relaxes me.”

Throughout the past eight years, Klopp has created hundreds of fishing videos for his YouTube channel. With professional knowledge and a fishing background, Klopp has a lot to offer his more than 2,000 subscribers. He studied water resources at the University of WisconsinMadison before he received his PhD in Soil Sciences.

noticed more fish stay near the bottom for nutrition.

It’s also important to target various areas.

Instead of staying in a fixed spot, Klopp chooses his fishing location based on the type of fish he is hoping to catch. He suggests Lake Monona is the best spot for panfish, but if you want perch, and really big bluegills, Lake Mendota is the best lake. For muskie fishing, Klopp will venture to Lake Wingra and Lake Monona.

SHARING HIS SECRETS

Eight years ago, Klopp caught six muskies in less than three hours on Lake Wingra.

“It’s not always easy to get a muskie. It’s a good day if you can catch one,” Klopp said. “That was a good action day!”

Based on years of experience, Klopp pays close attention to temperature, location, and water clarity while fishing. In the springtime, when the bottom of the lake is warmer than the top of the lake, he has

Note from Clean Lakes Alliance: It is important to check Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources fishing advisories before consuming fish.

Hans Klopp holding a largemouth bass

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dixonshoreline.com 608.742.5657 N6780 Cty. Hwy U Portage, WI 53901 info@dixonshoreline.com

14 Greater Madison Lake Guide | Summer 2020

WE ARE LANDS’ friendly …and water friendly too. The 3000+ people on our Dodgeville campus are focused not only on delivering your logo’d business apparel quickly with the highest quality and outstanding customer service, but also ensuring that the sustainable business practices we follow protect the lakes and the land for future generations.

B U S I N E SS. L A N D S E N D.CO M | 8 0 0 . 3 3 8 . 20 0 0 Greater Madison Lake Guide | Summer 2020 15

Oak Park Dental Named Madison’s Best Dentist and Best Dental Office!

As a cosmetic and neuromuscular dentist, Dr. Jana is passionate about helping her patients enhance their life, health, and smile.

“Today’s patients are looking for more conservative, individualized dentistry, and require a higher level of care,” says Gyurina, who commits to 100+ hours of continuing education each year.

Dr. Jana has an amazing team of 13 women. She is proud of their dedication to continue to evolve and grow, and to provide the best for patients.

Dr. Jana runs a state-of-the-art facility, and together, they meet all of their patient needs.

Oak Park Dental offers smile makeovers, prepless veneers, same-day CEREC crowns, implants, orthodontics, TMD (TMJ treatment), sleep appliances (versus CPAP machines), with a focus on the oral systemic connection of a patient’s overall health.

Proud founding supporter and Community Board member of Clean Lakes Alliance.

Enhancing your life, health, and smile.

Dr. Jana Gyurina, DDS, FAGD, FICOI, LVIF Oak Park Dental

oakparkdentalmadison.com // 608.833.4466 Call for a complimentary consult today!

16 Greater Madison Lake Guide | Summer 2020

WE’VE BUILT A LOT IN MADISON OVER THE LAST 100 YEARS

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LIKE OUR REPUTATION AS A BUILDER YOU CAN TRUST. Just like UW Madison’s Union South, a reputation isn’t something that’s built overnight. It’s built over a lifetime of hard work, kept promises, and by acting with integrity. At CG Schmidt, we’ve been building our reputation as a construction company our clients can trust since 1920, through four generations of family leadership. Whether it’s the schools where our children learn, the office buildings we work in, the hospitals where our loved ones heal, or the lakes we enjoy daily, we’re proud to be Wisconsin’s Trusted Building Partner and are proud to be a continuing supporter of the Clean Lakes Alliance.

MADISON // MILWAUKEE // CGSCHMIDT.COM

Greater Madison Lake Guide | Summer 2020 17

Every angle, seen from your angle

Cresa excels when it comes to looking at real estate from your perspective.

We focus exclusively on occupiers, developing creative solutions and strategic approaches to move your business forward. Through our global integrated services platform, we find businesses the space they need to work, create, build and grow.

cresa.com

LET’S TALK ABOUT LAKE TURNOVER

By BRIANNA VAN MATRE & LUKE WYNN

Governor’s Island on Lake Mendota

“I

think of turnover as the lake taking a deep breath as everything is mixed,” said Robert Ladwig, a hydrologist at the University of Wisconsin Center for Limnology. “It’s like a fresh start every spring and fall.”

Twice a year, unseen forces churn water from the depths of our deeper lakes and deliver oxygen and nutrients essential to aquatic life. This temperature-driven process of lake “turnover” allows aquatic life to inhabit the entirety of the lake as oxygen becomes more available. Without this natural process, our lakes would not be the vibrant and dynamic ecosystems we see today.

WHAT IS LAKE TURNOVER? Simply put, lake turnover is the seasonal mixing of the entire water column. For many lakes deeper than about 15 feet, distinct, thermally stratified layers of water form during the summer, which prevent the lake from mixing and aerating. Warmer and less dense water floats on the top of cooler, denser water at the bottom.

This temperature layering begins to weaken when outside temperatures cool, allowing the lake to mix when temperatures equalize throughout the water column. This means water from the bottom of the lake rises to the top, and water from the top of the lake sinks to the bottom. The process allows for oxygen to replenish and nutrients to be distributed throughout the lake.

Deep lakes like Mendota and Monona are “dimictic,” meaning they undergo turnover twice per year. On the other hand, shallow lakes like Wingra, Waubesa, and Kegonsa maintain a more uniform temperature, meaning they mix frequently and rarely experience stratification.

WHY DO LAKES STRATIFY? Water is unique in the way it changes density at different temperatures. Unlike almost all other liquids, water is most dense at 39 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees Celsius), and is less dense

at both warmer and colder temperatures. In other words, when water reaches the critical temperature of 39 degrees Fahrenheit, further cooling causes the water molecules to become less dense and rise to the surface. This unusual characteristic allows water to form distinct layers within an otherwise uniform liquid, and helps explain why ice forms at the surface and does not sink.

There are two ways to help visualize this phenomenon. First, think of diving down into a lake in the summer. The top layer of water is very warm, and as you swim deeper you often feel a distinct and sudden drop in temperature. Now, imagine it is winter and the lake is frozen over. Solid ice floats and stays on top of the lake because it is less dense than liquid water, despite the ice being colder than the water it floats on. The weather keeps the water near the surface cool, making it less dense than the warmer water deep in the lake. Ice also acts as an insulating blanket, preventing deeper lakes from freezing completely solid.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR OXYGEN LEVELS AND LAKE HEALTH? Oxygen is most commonly depleted at the bottom of the lake by oxygen-hungry bacteria, consuming dead algae that sinks to the lake floor.

“Once a lake stratifies, atmospheric oxygen, and oxygen produced by algae in the surface layer, have a hard time getting to the bottom of the lake,” said Ladwig.

If oxygen is not replenished, the amount of viable habitat for fish would drastically decline. These areas of low oxygen are referred to as hypoxic or dead zones, only suitable for certain bacteria.

The biannual cycle of lake turnover is essential in mitigating the negative impacts of low oxygen dead zones and providing suitable habitat for fish and aquatic organisms to thrive.

Greater Madison Lake Guide | Summer 2020 19

helpthelakes at home Clean Lakes Alliance is collaborating with local community partners to reflect on what resiliency means for the environment and our community. Together, we developed a list of the top 10 actions you can take at your home or business on the following page. These small actions can make our landscape more resilient and add up to big impacts for water quality.

MANY SMALL ACTIONS = BIG IMPACT If every single-family home in Dane County installed just one 55-gallon rain barrel, we could capture 7.5 MILLION GALLONS of runoff from EVERY rain event!

If those rain barrels are emptied just three times per month from May through September, that’s enough to fill 10 FOOTBALL FIELDS with water 25-FEET DEEP.

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20 Greater Madison Lake Guide | Summer 2020 Visit cleanlakesalliance.org/top10 to share your progress!

top 10 actions

Install a Rain Barrel

By capturing rainwater from your roof, rain barrels reduce the amount of stormwater runoff that reaches the lakes and also provide you with stored water that can be used on gardens and lawns.

Create a Rain Garden

Start Home Composting

Turn your food trash and yard waste into valuable, nutrient-rich compost that reduces fertilizer use and provides you with a costsaving solution for use in your garden, planters, or rain garden!

Plant Native & Diverse Vegetation Not only will rain gardens capture stormwater runoff and beautify your property, they also provide biodiversity that helps butterflies and bees survive.

Redirect Downspouts

Deep-rooted native plants and trees help absorb water and hold topsoil in place during rain events.

As an added bonus, they will add beauty to your property and provide habitat for songbirds and butterflies.

Plant Home Food Gardens This simple action allows you to redirect rainwater to your lawn or garden, while also reducing the amount of stormwater that goes to streets and directly into the lakes via storm sewers.

Pick Up Pet Waste & Litter Picking up after your pet helps reduce the potential of E. coli pollution from washing into our lakes and closing our beaches after rain events. If you don’t have a pet, simply pick up trash you may see on your walk to reduce pollution and make our community more beautiful for everyone!

Reduce Salt Use

Planting a garden will provide food for you and your family. Gardens also reduce transportation costs, provide a place for mulch and compost, and help infiltrate stormwater.

Inspire a Friend or Neighbor Leading by example creates a large ripple effect! Can you inspire friends, family, and neighbors to adopt these actions at their own homes? Share what you’re doing or invite someone to a Clean Lakes Alliance event so they can learn more about helping our lakes.

Rake for Leaf-Free Streets Winter salt runoff into our lakes can be toxic to aquatic plants and animals. Reducing salt does not need to compromise public safety.

By shoveling snow, using sand, and limiting salt use, you can be lake friendly and safe at the same time.

Leaves contain phosphorus. When left in the street, stormwater passes through leaves like a teabag and brings the phosphorus with it. Raking leaves from the street edge (3 feet from curb) and onto lawns will help fertilize the grass and reduce cyanobacteria blooms in our lakes! Greater Madison Lake Guide

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FINDING HOME IN WETLANDS LIFELONG LEARNING & APPRECIATION OF WAUBESA WETLANDS

By DR. CAL DEWITT, University of Wisconsin-Madison Professor Emeritus

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ake Mendota, for me—the most famous lake in the world—was spread out ahead in quiet grandeur one fine day in the early 1970s. A million sun-spangles decked its surface as I stood at the north end of Park Street at the lakeshore. I had learned of this wondrous jewel in the landscape years earlier—not in Wisconsin but from my professors of limnology at Michigan. They taught me about the lake’s seasonal thermal stratifications and turnovers, vertical distributions of dissolved oxygen, remarkable phytoplankton and zooplankton, and annual heat budget that described its energy exchange with its environs, and with our star, the Sun. As I pondered anew this great ecosystem and its deep meaning for me and so many others, a tall blond man approached and stood at my side.

“Wonderful, isn’t it?” he exclaimed! “Back in Scandinavia this lake was my great teacher!

I’ve known little of America, much less about Wisconsin, but this lake? I know it very well!

And now I am blessed to behold this great teacher!”

Both he and I had first learned limnology from this lake ecosystem as described in publications by UW scientists Edward A. Birge and Chancey Juday. And now, standing before our teacher, we beheld it with our very eyes! Arthur Hasler, student of Juday and later Director of the Laboratory of Limnology, had welcomed me warmly to Wisconsin

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Dr. DeWitt served on the UW-Madison graduate faculties of Environment and Resources, Water Resources Management, Conservation Biology and Sustainable Development, and Limnology and Marine Science. He has taught and inspired hundreds of students and led conservation efforts at the local, state, and national levels.

in 1972, as had the limnologists of this place where the science of limnology emerged in America.

Twelve thousand years ago, this and the other jewels in the Yahara chain of lakes already had its admiring native beholders, and I had become one of them—knowing full well its compelling beauty and arresting attractiveness to people over decades, centuries, and yes, even millennia. Appointed “to address the problem of the fragmentation of the disciplines” and driven by my love of turtles and their habitats, I placed a pencil point on a map of Dane County where wetlands were the most dense to help find our family’s new home. It fell on an old glacial bay of Lake Waubesa, downstream from science-famed Mendota—a glacial bay within which a great wetland ecosystem had developed over the past 10,000 years.

On May 25, 1972, my family slept on the floor of our new home in the Waubesa Wetlands listening in awesome wonder at a chorus of hundreds of American Toads, whose voices enveloped us with resonating trills. The underlying peats of this great ecosystem, my students and I would later discover to be 95 feet deep, and its embedded pollen would tell a grand story recorded in what another of us, Aldo Leopold, called its “sodden pages.” Walking across its surface, with thousands of pages below and an American Osprey nest far above, I sometimes experience “the fear of falling—falling down in space, falling back in time.”

"On May 25, 1972, my family slept on the floor of our new home in the Waubesa Wetlands listening in awesome wonder at a chorus of hundreds of American Toads, whose voices enveloped us with resonating trills."

Cal DeWitt Aerial view of Waubesa Wetlands

Here my family and I have found home. Remarkably for all of us who live and work in this valley, we have found beautiful lakes strung as sun-spangled waters, vibrant with extending marsh and prairie, underlain by deep peats, and inhabited by a myriad of living creatures. This is our place. And we human inhabitants are delighted and inspired to care for it.

Greater Madison Lake Guide | Summer 2020 23

HIDDEN GEMS

By ALEAH MCGOWAN

Although the most beloved beaches and piers are popular for good reason, there are also some hidden gems around the watershed that may just become your new favorite as we practice social distancing!

MCKENNA PARK, LAKE MENDOTA Sunsets on Lake Mendota are unbeatable, but the public piers near the Memorial Union can get crowded during the summer. If you want to get away from the masses and enjoy an unobstructed view of the sunset, check out McKenna Park. Nestled in between homes in the Village of Shorewood Hills, the deck of the boathouse is perfect for packing a picnic and meeting friends. This hidden spot is great for sunset watchers, anglers, and paddlers.

WAUNAKEE VILLAGE PARK, SIX MILE CREEK Well known to local residents, Waunakee Village Park is picture perfect. Six Mile Creek flows through the middle of the park, making it a perfect spot to enjoy the day. There is always something happening, from softball games, to music, or kids catching crawfish in the creek.

OLBRICH PARK BEACH, LAKE MONONA Olbrich Beach is a great spot to spend a sunny day. With a lifeguard on duty, you can take a swim or rent a kayak or canoe. Take a break from the beach and head across the street to explore Olbrich Botanical Gardens, or bring your bike and cruise around Lake Monona on the roughly 13-mile marked Lake Loop. You can end your day by grabbing cheese curds or a beer at The Biergarten at Olbrich Park.

24 Greater Madison Lake Guide | Summer 2020

GIDDINGS PARK, LAKE MONONA

ESCAPE TO THE LAKE

Hidden between Castle Place, North Brearly Street, and East Gorham Street, Giddings Park is the perfect example of nature in a city. Located just a few blocks from East Washington Avenue, it's a peaceful getaway. The park is the perfect place to go fishing or bring a book and escape from the hustle and bustle of downtown.

BOOK ONLINE AT

www.MADISONBOATS.com

YAHARA HEIGHTS COUNTY PARK, YAHARA RIVER Yahara Heights County Park is perfect for the whole family, including the dog! It has a designated dog park with two piers for your furry friends that love the water as much as you do. With fishing docks and a canoe landing, you can spend the whole day enjoying this hidden gem. The park is adjacent to Cherokee Marsh, for never-ending trails to explore.

MADISON BOATS LOCATIONS Don’t forget to check out the beautiful lake-access points by all three Madison Boats locations: Brittingham Boats on Lake Monona, Marshall Boats on Lake Mendota, and Wingra Boats on Lake Wingra!

Greater Madison Lake Guide | Summer 2020 25

WHAT DO YOU SEE?

By LUKE WYNN

Beautiful sunsets, majestic sailboats, and shoreline views of the Wisconsin State Capitol are some of the more familiar and picturesque sights around the Yahara lakes. But what else can we see across these thriving and complex ecosystems? On your next walk around the lakes, keep your eyes peeled for some other fascinating lake phenomena.

GREEN ALGAE & CYANOBACTERIA Algae provide tremendous value to our freshwater ecosystems by producing oxygen and providing the base of the aquatic food web.

However, green algae can grow problematically in our nutrient-rich lakes, and cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) blooms are of special concern because some species can produce potent toxins that are harmful to people and pets. On the Yahara lakes, blooms can appear and disappear in a matter of hours or persist for days. Blooms can also be pushed across the lake by winds or concentrated on shorelines by currents. Tracking blooms is a key objective of LakeForecast and Clean Lakes Alliance's network of volunteer water quality monitors across all five lakes.

Green algae

Cyanobacteria

Green Algae

Cyanobacteria (Blue-Green Algae)

• Simple, plant-like organisms that can grow in filamentous mats • Comprised of about 4,300 different species, 90% of which live in freshwater • Long green strands appear hair-like when separated • Filamentous strands stick together when scooped by a stick or paddle

• Unicellular microscopic organisms that have been on Earth for at least 2.1 billion years • The only photosynthetic bacteria able to capture energy from sunlight • Often green when growing, but can become blue, white, or other brilliant colors when decaying, and may release toxins • May appear as “paint-like scums” on the water surface

Photo Credit: Joe Campshure and Terri Lefebvre

Bluegill nests Photo credit: S. Costello

ZEBRA MUSSELS Infesting the Greater Madison lakes starting in 2015, this prolific invader deprives aquatic life of food and habitat and is a costly nuisance to boaters and swimmers. Stuck to docks, boat hoists, and submerged rocks, they are highly efficient at filtering food from water and can significantly deplete zooplankton populations.

This filtering creates increased competition for fish that also rely on these food sources. Zebra mussels are known to reach densities as high as 700,000 per square meter.

BLUEGILL NESTS Some of the more observant lake users may have been fortunate enough to spot a fascinating underwater feature: bluegill nests. Every spring, warmer water prompts bluegill to seek the best areas to build defensive nests and protect their eggs from predators.

Male bluegills plant themselves firmly above their newly constructed territory where they attract females and fend off the competition. Cruise the shores of Monona Bay in late May to catch a glimpse into the lifestyle of Wisconsin’s most common game fish.

26 Greater Madison Lake Guide | Summer 2020

Zebra mussels

Langmuir circulation

LANGMUIR CIRCULATION Looking out across Lake Mendota on a windy day, you may be met with the image of some unexpectedly organized foam stretching in uninterrupted lines across the surface. You are seeing physics in action. Wind applies a shear force to the surface that creates small vertical rotating cells of water. When neighboring cells rotate in opposite directions, bubbles and debris get caught and are held in place by the resulting currents, producing foam lines which are evidence of a process called Langmuir circulation.

Foam

Fish kills

FOAM

FISH KILLS

It may not seem natural, but this shoreline foam is often a natural side effect of decomposing aquatic plants. Many dissolved organic compounds (DOCs) released from decaying plants are surfactants, similar to the soap we use every day. These surfactants allow air to mix with the water and form mats of foamy bubbles. Besides smelling a little “earthy,” this naturally occurring foam isn’t dangerous. Unfortunately, foam can also be a sign of environmental pollution. Contaminants like perand poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), recently found in high concentrations at Truax Field and in nearby Starkweather Creek, can cause foam to accumulate on the lakeshores. PFAS-generated foam is typically bright white, lightweight, and sticky. Elevated PFAS contamination in Lake Monona via Starkweather Creek is a growing concern that is being closely monitored by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

You may smell this particular sight before it catches your eye. This unfortunate, but often natural phenomenon occurs across many lakes. The most common cause of fish kills is lack of dissolved oxygen. Oxygen-hungry bacteria consume the much-needed oxygen when plants and algae decay. Particularly in shallow areas, fish are unable to avoid these localized “dead zones.” Another familiar culprit is the ever prevalent Columnaris disease caused by infection from a specific bacterium, Flexibacter columnaris, that is naturally present in our lakes. Typically proliferating during the spring spawning season, infected fish display unsightly cotton-like growths that are acutely fatal. While the disease can be particularly problematic in aquariums and smaller lakes, Columnaris disease typically has minimal impact on the robust fish populations in the Yahara chain of lakes. It is important to report fish kills to local DNR officials, so they can rule out less benign causes like viruses, unknown bacterial infections, or unexpected toxins.

EURASIAN WATERMILFOIL The title of “most obnoxious aquatic plant” easily goes to Eurasian watermilfoil (EWM) (Myriophyllum spicatum). The fast-growing aquatic plant is found submerged in still or slow-moving water across the Yahara chain of lakes. Native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa, the plant was able to travel here by clinging to boats and other water equipment from across the Atlantic. Like most invasive species, EWM outcompetes the native vegetation because of a lack of native organisms that can consume or otherwise keep its growth in check. Excessive growth can block sunlight, reduce food sources for fish, and create poor recreational conditions for lake users. As with all aquatic invasives, extra care should be taken when transporting boats and equipment between lakes.

From the largest boats to the smallest kayak or set of waders, it is imperative to inspect and remove any aquatic hitchhikers to reduce the spread of invasive species.

Eurasian watermilfoil

Photo credit: Fungus Guy / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)

Greater Madison Lake Guide | Summer 2020 27

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Greater Madison Lake Guide | Summer 2020 29

“Unwavering community support and advocacy to clean up our lakes will continue to be the key ingredient to our success.�

Matt Frank, Clean Lakes Alliance Board Chair

YAHARA CLEAN COMPACT PARTNERS & COLLABORATORS Preston D. Cole, Secretary WI Department of Natural Resources

Gurdip Brar, Mayor City of Middleton

Joseph T. Parisi, County Executive Dane County

Chad M. Lawler, Executive Director Madison Area Builders Association

Satya Rhodes-Conway, Mayor City of Madison

Jerry Derr, President Dane County Towns Association

James Tye, Executive Director Clean Lakes Alliance

D. Michael Mucha, Director & Chief Engineer Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District

Randy Romanski, Secretary WI Department of Agriculture, Trade, & Consumer Protection

Karl J. Martin, Dean & Director UW-Madison Division of Extension

Rebecca M. Blank, Chancellor University of Wisconsin-Madison

Paul Robbins, Dean UW-Madison Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies

Chad T. Vincent, CEO Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin

Jake Vander Zanden, Director UW-Madison Center for Limnology

30 Greater Madison Lake Guide | Summer 2020

Martin Griffin, Executive Committee President Yahara Watershed Improvement Network Larry Palm, Executive Chairperson Capital Area Regional Planning Commission Ruth A. Hackney, CEO Realtors Association of South Central Wisconsin Eric Olson, President Yahara Lakes Association Robert Wipperfurth, President Dane County Cities & Villages Association

YAHARA CLEAN COMPACT A SHARED VISION FOR CLEAN, SAFE, & ACCESSIBLE LAKES

By PAUL DEARLOVE In August 2019, leaders from government, business, and nonprofit organizations came together with a shared vision—a future in which Greater Madison’s five Yahara lakes are clean, safe, and accessible for everyone. Together, these leaders formed the Yahara CLEAN (Capital Lakes Environmental Assessment and Needs) Compact and committed to sharing resources and working together to curb pollution and chart the best path forward to cleaner, healthier lakes.

The 19 partners and collaborators listed on page 30 include representatives from government, education, and community organizations across the state.

Past investments and recent progress laid the foundation for future improvements, yet all five Yahara lakes—Mendota, Monona, Wingra, Waubesa, and Kegonsa—remain federally impaired for failing to meet water quality and usability standards. In the face of a changing climate, the Compact aims to build on current progress by updating timelines, budgets, and strategies to achieve a better future for our lakes.

“Anyone who visits our lakes knows that we deserve better and can do better,” said Clean Lakes Alliance Community Board Chair and former Wisconsin DNR Secretary Matt Frank. “Unwavering community support and advocacy to clean up our lakes will continue to be the key ingredient to our success. As we work together to develop and implement the Compact, we must all stay engaged and give voice to the community’s expectation for bold action. There is no better time than now.”

Currently, the Compact is transitioning from the initial planning phase into agreeing on bold but realistic goals that will define the direction going forward.

With a late-2021 estimated completion date, this first-of-its-kind initiative seeks to reshape recommended community actions and funding strategies.

a role in their protection,” said Clean Lakes Alliance Founder and Executive Director James Tye. “We envision a cultural shift in which lakes are revered, intertwined with daily life, and motivate all of us to take action on their behalf.”

Looking ahead, Clean Lakes Alliance expects the updated roadmap will be a game changer. The Compact will lay out what is needed to reach water quality goals within the shortest time possible, and how that work will be completed and funded.

“Our community is tired of waiting,” said Tye. “We’re prepared to do what it takes to make our shared vision a reality—not just for future generations, but for our generation.”

A BRIEF HISTORY OF YAHARA CLEAN Matt Frank led the Wisconsin DNR in 2008 when a partnership called Yahara CLEAN was developed.

The partnership proposed 70 recommendations for cleaning up the Yahara lakes and beaches, with a focus on phosphorus and E. coli reduction.

In 2012, Clean Lakes Alliance reconvened and expanded the partnership, commissioning a consulting group to help turn the recommendations into a 14-action strategic plan to reduce the amount of phosphorus entering our lakes annually by 50%. If fully implemented, University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers predict we could double the number of clear water days.

Learn more: cleanlakesalliance.org/yahara-clean

“The Yahara CLEAN Compact is driven by a philosophy that everyone should be able to regularly enjoy the lakes and play Lake Mendota sunrise from Marshall Park

Greater Madison Lake Guide | Summer 2020 31

Thank you, Clean Lakes Alliance for the opportunity to support your work in the Madison community.

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Morning practice on Lake Mendota

A CONVERSATION WITH

COACH CLARK

CHRIS CLARK, UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN MEN’S ROWING COACH

By KARIN SWANSON, Clean Lakes Alliance Marketing & Communications Manager and former UW Rowing Team Member KARIN SWANSON: How long have you been coaching the University of Wisconsin Men’s Rowing Team?

at the lakes as. Our practice place. I look at the lakes as one giant, possible place to practice.

COACH CLARK: I got here in July of 1994.

I had been here for rowing camp about 10 years before. I would come down to the old boathouse and work out on the rowing machine. After a workout, I would run to the end of the docks and jump into the water and swim. It’s funny though, I would never do that now unless I looked at the clarity and quality of the water. I didn’t even think about it then. You know, I don’t want to make it sound like there probably weren’t some issues then, but it’s completely different now. You have to take into account what the conditions are on that day before you jump in. That’s my opinion. Whereas I didn’t do that at all in the past.

KS: Do you feel like visually you have noticed big changes in the lakes?

KS: Tell me about your daily connection to our Yahara lakes as a University of Wisconsin Rowing Coach.

CC: Football or basketball, or even soccer or baseball—they’re on their own field or on the court. But for us, that’s what I look 34 Greater Madison Lake Guide | Summer 2020

CC: No doubt in the past six or seven years, the algae blooms.

KS: What do you think is perhaps the most interesting or unusual thing you’ve seen while you’ve been out on the water?

CC: I’ve seen all sorts of things. I’ve seen waterspouts. You know, "water tornadoes," multiple times.

KS: While you’ve been out rowing with the team?

CC: No. But on the horizon. Not when we’ve been rowing, because that would imply a “thunderstormy” environment which we try to avoid at all costs for safety.

In certain circumstances, especially when thunderstorms are nearby and there are changes in pressure, you see these giant pike. I think they get overwhelmed because

the pressure has changed dramatically and they’ll surface. You can come right up to them and tap them on the head. Right on the surface. And I’ve seen that multiple times. Huge fish!

KS: Do you have any interesting lake stories or memorable things that have happened out there? Things that you’ve seen or that your team has had happen?

CC: Sometimes you see things that the rest of the city doesn’t see. Like remember when that power station blew up about a year ago? That was an amazing sight from the lake. And another time there was the theater, the (Memorial) Union Theater was on fire, and we were the only ones to see it.

I remember a time, it could have been the fall of 1995. I was coming back from Milwaukee where my then fiancé worked.

It was in the morning and I heard on the radio that a steer had broken free from the stock pavilion and ran down toward the boathouse and jumped in the water.

And Jabo (Randy Jablonic), my coaching predecessor, got a launch (coaching boat)

out and a giant rope and lassoed the steer and brought it back to shore. That I didn’t see but you can look up that article.

KS: Have you had to deal with many safety situations out on the water?

CC: We’ve had numerous situations that can be surprising. But again, if you’re prepared...me personally, I’ve never even swamped a boat (had a boat fill with water or capsize).

But those few and far between episodes make us super wary about what we do on this lake. But it’s an incredible lake and we essentially treat it like a dump. And I really noticed even here at the boathouse how the runoff from the circle right here on Babcock goes to the lake. Unbelievable.

I’m surprised they are in as good of shape as they are in.

KS: Like runoff from all of the city streets?

CC: Yeah, right. It’s amazing how great of a condition the lake is in. And I just don’t think that people who live close by but don’t live on the lake realize the impact.

KS: Is there a best kept secret about Lake Mendota or our lakes in general?

CC: That’s tough. My favorite time of the year on the lake is usually late fall, because everybody’s gone. But there are so many of those fall days right around when the time changes that are just brilliant. I don’t know how many times we’ll go row around to Marshall Park and then we’ll come back.

Coach Clark on Lake Mendota

ALUMNI PARK WISCONSIN ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

DESTINATION:

ALUMNI PARK Photo: Joe Leute

EXPERIENCE THE LANDMARK ON THE LAKE. ARTFUL EXHIBITS, INVITING LAKESHORE PIER, AND MORE. UW–Madison, between Memorial Union and the Red Gym

Proud supporter of the Clean Lakes Alliance Perfectly beautiful downtown—all lit up with the state capitol. And then you’ll come around the point (Picnic Point) and the UW band is practicing. You know, right over there in the bay (University Bay). You can hear the marching band and it’s all lit up over there too. It’s just unbelievable.

Everybody should see that!

KS: And how about the steam fog days, right?

ALUMNIPARK.COM

CC: Yeah! Nothing is more pleasant and beautiful, and really stunning all at the same time. I’m always trying to remind myself, you have to appreciate things while they are happening because it’s so easy to look back and think gosh I wish I realized how great it was.

KS: Is there anything else you want people to know about our lakes that you think our community doesn’t know?

CC: Just how lucky we are to have them.

I’m not saying they don’t know that, but keep reminding yourself how fortunate we are.

Interview edited and condensed for print

by Clean Lakes Alliance Photos of Coach Clark credit to Paul Capobianco/UW Athletics

Greater Madison Lake Guide | Summer 2020 35

A MESSAGE FROM

DANE COUNTY

By DANE COUNTY EXECUTIVE JOE PARISI

As of this writing in mid-May, we are in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, and our community during these difficult days is tirelessly working together and looking out for one another. I’m hopeful that aggressive actions being taken by government, health care providers, private-sector, and community-based organizations will have successfully lessened the impact of the virus. One day this tragic experience will be behind us, but right now through community-wide compassion and smart action we must continue to look out for one another.

We will learn from this crisis that working together as a community makes us stronger to solve the many challenges we face, including cleaning up our lakes. Our clean lakes work I’ve highlighted below, while not in the headlines the past few months, has nonetheless continued as a top priority.

SUCK THE MUCK The first phase of Suck the Muck is complete, extracting 75,000 pounds of phosphorus from Dorn Creek and 30,000 pounds of phosphorus from Token Creek, which are two of the four key waterways feeding the Yahara lakes. The next chapter of our work, with $2.5 million in the 2020 budget, is underway with sampling the remaining tributaries of the Yahara lakes and planning for sediment removal from Six Mile Creek between Westport and Waunakee. Removing these sediments stops the ongoing seepage of phosphorus into Lake Mendota and beyond.

LANDFILL RENEWABLE NATURAL GAS PROJECT The new $29 million county landfill gas processing system is in full operation, designed to not only convert landfill methane gas into renewable natural gas (RNG), but also convert farm digester biogas into RNG powering fleets of vehicles locally and across the country. The first-in-the-nation RNG offloading station received its first load of digester biogas this spring. Due to the increased revenue opportunities for local digesters, the offloading station will spur the development of more digesters and increase our lake clean-up efforts.

Sediment removal equipment at Token Creek

County staff monitoring restoration at Pheasant Branch Conservancy

CONTINUOUS COVER INITIATIVE Designed to reduce phosphorus run-off, enhance carbon sequestration, promote pollinator habitat, and preserve rural character, interest in the new initiative was overwhelming for the second year in a row. After a successful first year in 2019, I doubled funding to $1.5 million in the 2020 budget to take advantage of a growing number of county property owners to enter into long term agreements to seed down their lands with continuous cover grasses and prairies. The program has converted more than 1,200 acres to permanent cover!

MANURE TREATMENT The county-purchased $1.8 million manure treatment system is on the verge of being fully operational at the Gundersen Health System-owned digester outside of Middleton. It will process hundreds of millions of gallons of manure from three family farms in the Lake Mendota Watershed with capacity to add additional farms to this project. The proliferation of this treatment technology is one of the most effective means to improve water quality and maintain one of the most vibrant dairy economies in the country.

36 Greater Madison Lake Guide | Summer 2020

PHEASANT BRANCH CONSERVANCY RESTORATION Dane County was thrilled to purchase a 160-acre addition to the Pheasant Branch Conservancy in 2019. The $10 million purchase was the largest conservation investment by Dane County and it provides direct benefit to the Lake Mendota Watershed by reducing stormwater runoff and improving water quality.

Restoration of the property is in full swing this year, in partnership with Clean Lakes Alliance, The Nature Conservancy, the Meringoff Family Foundation, and Friends of Pheasant Branch Conservancy.

Thank you to Clean Lakes Alliance for supporting this critically important restoration work!

View of Lake Monona from Capitol Square

A MESSAGE FROM

CITY OF MADISON

By CITY OF MADISON MAYOR SATYA RHODES-CONWAY Madison’s lakes are one of our most valuable assets. Whether for recreation, fishing, tourism, ecosystem health, or just the view as we look around, they are central to our well-being and core to our community identity.

the right solutions for the right places, we’re reinvigorating our rain garden program, we’re testing pervious pavements on streets in Madison, and we’re updating our stormwater management requirements for private development.

Like many urban lakes, our lakes in Madison have long needed an active hand to reduce pollution and improve ecological health.

That challenge has worsened with climate change. Increasing storms mean higher water levels and more stormwater runoff bringing additional nutrients to the lakes from farms, yards, and decomposing leaves. Increasing nutrients plus warmer water have meant more algae blooms. To address this challenge and preserve the health of our lakes, we need to rethink our approach to managing our urban ecosystem.

We’re also reducing our winter street salting through the WI Salt Wise Partnership, and we’re reducing the phosphorus flowing into our lakes by improving our fall leaf collection services. We support regional efforts to reduce phosphorus in our lakes and collaborate with partners to improve the health of the Yahara chain of lakes.

The good news is that we have the tools and partnerships to address this challenge. We can and do use distributed green infrastructure (DGI) in the form of rain gardens, bioswales, pervious pavements, green roofs, and more to help slow down and clean stormwater to improve water quality and reduce flooding. Rain gardens are also pockets of natural habitat in the city, creating havens for pollinators and other species. Madison is committed to greening our infrastructure and our approaches to stormwater management. We are conducting studies to identify

We’re glad to have a local partner and coalition-builder like Clean Lakes Alliance in Madison to help move this work forward on a regional level, and we look forward to continued partnership in improving the health of our lakes in the year to come.

The value that our residents and visitors put on the lakes is key to helping move these efforts forward. These lakes belong to all of us, and I am committed to doing our part to ensure they remain among our most valuable assets. Thank you for all you do to help us toward that goal.

Greater Madison Lake Guide | Summer 2020 37

YAHARA RIVER WATERSHED WHO WE ARE

Clean Lakes Alliance is a nonprofit organization devoted to improving the water quality of the lakes, streams, and wetlands of the Yahara River Watershed. Our vision is a future in which everyone realizes the lakes are the center of our community.

WHAT WE DO

We aim to reduce phosphorus concentrations in our waters and increase the community’s engagement with our lakes. We do this through on-the-ground lake improvement projects, water quality monitoring, and educational programming. We believe that as more people use the lakes, more people will work to protect them.

Every year, Clean Lakes Alliance gathers data about water quality in Greater Madison’s lakes and reviews projects throughout the watershed in the State of the Lakes Report (pg.

39 - 51).

CELEBRATING 10 YEARS

In November 2010, Clean Lakes Alliance was formed to bring together business, government, science, and community members to develop innovative solutions for our lakes. Nearly 10 years later, we have awarded more than $1.1 million in grants to fund practices on the land and in the water; we have connected with as many as 65,000 community members through programs and events; and we have grown a strong alliance for our lakes.

HOW TO HELP

Learn more about our work, actions you can take at home, and ways to support Clean Lakes Alliance at cleanlakesalliance.org.

38 Greater Madison Lake Guide | Summer 2020

WHAT IS A WATERSHED?

A watershed is defined by the part of the landscape that channels rainfall and snowmelt to creeks, streams, and rivers that flow into a single waterbody, like a lake. As the water flows over the landscape, it picks up pollutants, such as phosphorus, that cause water quality problems. Actions can be taken on the landscape to slow the water and filter out the pollutants.

WHAT CLOSED OUR BEACHES? A look at beach closure data and the cause of closures

PG. 43

LAKE BY LAKE REPORT

SOTL (CENTER)

A breakdown of the state of each of the Yahara lakes

PG. 45 - 49

Volunteer water quality monitor Greater Madison Lake Guide training | Summer 39 on 2020 Lake Mendota

STATE OF THE LAKES WHAT HAPPENS ON THE LAND, IMPACTS THE LAKES

View of Wisconsin State Capitol over Lake Mendota

The Yahara River Watershed encompasses lakes Mendota, Monona, Wingra, Waubesa, and Kegonsa, and is home to a fast-growing population and some of the most productive farmland in the United States. The intersection of productive farms and growing urban areas presents unique challenges as we work to improve water quality.

Lake water quality is a reflection of the health of the landscape. Many of the decisions we make on the land impact the health of our lakes, from how we manage manure, to how much winter salt we use.

At Clean Lakes Alliance, we focus on curbing the biggest culprit of our water quality problems—phosphorus runoff that results in the excessive growth of potentially toxic cyanobacteria (also known as blue-green algae).

Phosphorus that makes its way into our surface waters is found in leaves, soil, and animal waste. It is found at higher than natural levels in our lakes because of how we use and manage surrounding lands. The trend toward more frequent and intense rainstorms and winter snowmelt only exacerbates the situation by generating more runoff that carries phosphorus to our lakes. The total amount of phosphorus entering the lakes is called “loading.”

The following State of the Lakes Report shows the impact of phosphorus on lake water quality and beach closures in 2019. Each lake has a unique story, but overall, it was another challenging year for our lakes. Water clarity ranked "good" and phosphorus levels ranked “fair” for most of the lakes, according to Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) criteria, and there were a comparatively 40

large number of beach closures. These conditions can be tied in part to wetter than normal weather. Large runoff events, especially in the late winter when the ground was frozen, contributed to the highest annual phosphorus loading since the 1990s. Overall, phosphorus loading was 40% higher than 2018 when we had massive flooding.

2019 also saw 146 days of beach closures, or 39 more closure days than the long-term median (2010-2019).

Cyanobacteria blooms were the primary cause of the 2019 beach closures, and were likely made worse by invasive zebra mussels. Zebra mussels (see page 26) consume free-floating algae and zooplankton, but they leave cyanobacteria—which compete for the same nutrients and sunlight—largely untouched.

If land management surrounding our waters does not change to accommodate an increasingly wet climate with more extreme rain events, our lakes are likely to continue to experience poor water quality. These challenges are why Clean Lakes Alliance is advocating for and investing in individual and community actions through the Yahara CLEAN (Capital Lakes Environmental Assessment and Needs) Compact. This coalition of government, nonprofit, and industry association leaders is working together to update lake-improvement recommendations and accelerate the adoption of effective solutions. We also worked with partners to develop an at-home actions guide for improving the watershed (pg. 20 - 21), raised money to support conservation practices on farmland, and promoted leaf-free streets (the largest source of urban phosphorus pollution).

YAHARA RIVER WATERSHED

THE STATE OF OUR LAKES IN 2019

ABOUT THE WATERSHED

WHAT HAPPENED IN 2019?

» The Yahara River Watershed begins in the headwaters of the Yahara River in Columbia County, and encompasses lakes Mendota, Monona, Wingra, Waubesa, and Kegonsa throughout Dane County. The Yahara River then empties into the Rock River in Rock County.

RECORD LEVELS OF PHOSPHORUS FLOW INTO LAKE MENDOTA

» Invasive species like zebra mussels and the spiny water flea are impacting the food web in the lakes, creating conditions that favor cyanobacteria blooms during hot, calm conditions. » Conservation practices and manure management on farmland and green infrastructure in urban areas (like rain gardens) help make our watershed more resilient while keeping phosphorus out of the lakes.

» 2019 was the 5th wettest year on record in the region, with greater than normal total precipitation and heavy rain events recorded at the Dane County Regional Airport. All the lakes were above their summer maximum water levels for a majority of the summer (May 1 - October 30). » Rivers and streams flowing into Lake Mendota carried phosphorus into the lake in record amounts, the highest levels since intensive monitoring began in the late 1980s, and more than double the long-term average (see Figure 1). » The majority of phosphorus loading to the lakes occurred during an unusually large snowmelt period in March.

CONSERVATION PRACTICES ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE

» Separating out the effect of streamflow on water quality allows us to see the impact of watershed management, such as the adoption of conservation practices by landowners, over the past 30 years.

Figure 1: Annual phosphorus loading to Lake Mendota from 1990-2019 as measured at the U.S. Geological Survey’s monitoring stations on the Yahara River (at Windsor, WI) and Pheasant Branch Creek (at Parmenter Street in Middleton, WI). Loading was at record levels in 2019 largely due to an unusually large snowmelt in March of 2019. Source: T. Stuntebeck, U.S. Geological Survey & R. Lathrop, UW Center for Limnology

Rain garden

» According to an analysis by Matt Diebel of Dane County Land & Water Resources Department, if weather-related streamflow had not increased and did not vary from year to year, estimated phosphorus inputs to Lake Mendota would have decreased by 36% during the period 1990-2019, suggesting conservation practices would have been effective in an unchanging climate.

Low-disturbance manure injector 41

WHAT IMPACTS WATER QUALITY?

WATER RESIDENCE TIMES & LAKE STRATIFICATION

» Phosphorus, a nutrient found in soil, manure, leaves, and organic matter, enters the lakes in runoff and fuels algal blooms. The amount delivered into the lakes can vary greatly from year to year due to variations in land use and runoff-producing weather events. Reducing phosphorus in the upper lakes (Mendota, Monona, and Wingra) is essential to reducing it in the lower lakes (Waubesa and Kegonsa) as phosphorus flows downstream and accumulates.

» Figure 2A shows the water residence time of each lake, which is the length of time it would take to completely “flush” its entire volume of water. Deeper surface waters like Mendota and Monona thermally stratify in the summer, meaning a warmer water layer lies on top of a substantially colder water layer. This leads to a reduction in the amount of nutrient-rich water at the bottom that mixes to the surface where it can fuel cyanobacteria growth. Stratified lakes tend to have better summer water quality compared to shallower, mixed lakes like Wingra, Waubesa, and Kegonsa (see Figure 2B).

» Late winter runoff events, when rain falls on frozen ground and cannot infiltrate into the ground, are when most of the annual phosphorus load reaches our lakes. » Fall precipitation creates a phosphorus-rich “tea” when leaves are left to decay in the street. Because Madison storm sewers lead directly to the lakes, leaves represent the biggest source of phosphorus from urban areas.

Water Residence Time (Figure 2A)

Mendota 4.4 years

Monona 1.1 years

Waubesa 0.2 years

Kegonsa 0.3 years

» Invasive species, like zebra mussels, are changing the lake ecology and creating conditions that can worsen water quality. » A changing climate, projected to be warmer and wetter in southern Wisconsin, is working against efforts to improve water quality.

Mendota 4.4 years

Monona Although it seems there are many forces negatively 1.1 years impacting water quality, it is importantWaubesa to remember that the actions we take on the land can help0.2 improve years it. Kegonsa

Seasonal Stratification (Figure 2B) warm

Summer Stratified Stratified

cool

0.3 years

YAHARA LAKES ICE DATES

Lake ice can be an indicator of climate change.

The median seasonal ice duration has decreased by about one month since the winter of 1852-53 when records began at the Wisconsin State Climatology Office. Scientists project one-third of winters will result in an ice-free Lake Mendota by the end of this century.

Yahara Lakes Ice Conditions (2019-2020 Season) Freeze dates

Ice off dates

Median freeze date

Median ice off date

Mendota

1/12

3/22

Dec. 20

Apr. 4

Monona

12/16, 1/12

12/30, 3/20

Dec. 15

Mar. 30

Wingra

11/12, 12/11

11/27, 3/12

Nov. 29

Mar. 25

Waubesa

11/16, 12/12

11/21, 3/20

N/A

N/A

Kegonsa

11/16

3/20

N/A

N/A

Ice Conditions (days)

42

Unstratified Unstratified Figure 2: Water residence times and summer stratification of lakes Mendota, Monona, Waubesa, and Kegonsa. Figure adapted from an original image created

by Cory McDonald, research limnologist formerly with the Wisconsin DNR Bureau of Science Services.

Cyanobacteria bloom on Lake Mendota Courtesy of Arlene Koziol

WATER QUALITY GOALS

WHAT CAUSES BEACH CLOSURES?

Once Yahara CLEAN phosphorus-reduction goals are realized, University of Wisconsin scientists have estimated that we will double the number of summer days when the lakes are clear and free of cyanobacteria blooms.

» Invasive aquatic organisms, like zebra mussels and spiny water fleas, alter native food webs and phosphorus availability, creating conditions that lead to cyanobacteria blooms, floating algal mats, and beach closures.

BEACH CLOSURES

We experienced 146 beach-closure days in 2019 due to cyanobacteria and high E. coli levels from Memorial Day to Labor Day. To put this into context, each beach offers 99 possible beach days from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Multiplying this by the number of beaches we include in this report, 17, we should have 1,683 total beach days per year.

Yahara Lakes Beach Closures (2005-2019) 160 140 120

Closures, Long term median

100 80 60 40

Beach Closure days

200 180

20 2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010 2011 Mendota

2012

2013

Monona

2014

Waubesa

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

0

Wingra

Figure 3: Each lake has the following number of public beaches monitored by Public Health Madison Dane County for beach closures: Mendota (8); Monona (7); Waubesa (1); Wingra (1); Kegonsa (0).

» High E. coli bacteria levels at beaches can occur for several reasons. Commonly, rainstorms wash dog or bird feces into our lakes, allowing pathogens to enter our waters from nearby stormwater outfalls. Bacterial contamination can also come from manure runoff. » Cyanobacteria, also known as “blue-green algae,” is an aquatic photosynthetic form of bacteria that can take on different colors and appear as a paint-like scum on the water surface. Abundant phosphorus combined with hot, calm weather creates ideal cyanobacteria bloomforming conditions. Wind can then push floating scums to downwind shorelines where it accumulates and rots, producing noxious odors. Public health officials close beaches when blooms are present because they are potentially toxic and can lead to various health concerns. Toxins can also poison fish and other waterdependent wildlife, and rob the lake of life-sustaining dissolved oxygen.

43

PHOSPHORUS REDUCTION AN UPDATE ON OUR COMMUNITY'S PROGRESS Yahara CLEAN Plan Actions

Target

2017

2018

2019

%

Comments

Urban (pounds of phosphorus reduced) [1]

Improve leaf management

4,100

390

150

750

18%

Includes estimated phosphorus reductions from reported new or expanded collection programs, or from collections in excess of an established baseline.

[2]

Control construction erosion

3,600

910

760

290

8%

Most progress associated with City of Madison's Expanded Erosion-control Enforcement Program.

[3]

Maintain private permitted stormwater facilities

2,500

150

150

150

6%

Dane County inventories and issues notices of non-compliance.

No additional facilities were brought into compliance in 2019.

[4]

Stabilize urban waterway banks

2,100

1,440

1,550

1,820

86%

Recent projects completed in Madison on heavily eroded waterway banks.

[5]

Reduce total suspended solids in municipal stormwater

Recent projects in Madison and Village of DeForest, with assistance from Dane County's Urban Water Quality Grant Program, includes stormwater treatment ponds and green infrastructure.

Urban subtotal

1,100

810

900

980

89%

13,400

3,700

3,500

4,000

30%

Rural (pounds of phosphorus reduced)

[6]

Improve cropping, tillage, & in-field agricultural practices

14,800

7,360

10,060

11,230

76%

Farmers are adopting conservation measures to limit soil and phosphorus loss from fields. Recent progress mostly reported through Yahara Pride Farms and Dane County Land & Water Resources, and with funding from Yahara WINS and other assistance programs. Cover crops and low-disturbance manure injection were the biggest gainers.

[7]

Build community manureprocessing facilities

7,700

1,660

1,660

1,660

22%

Two of the recommended five facilities have been built.

[8]

Recover additional phosphorus at digesters for export

5,100

0

0

0

0%

Dane County is in the process of installing a nutrient concentration system at one of the two manure digesters.

[9]

Manage manure and nutrients

2,100

1,850

2,140

2,560

122%

Biggest gains were from farm nutrient management planning and the headland stacking or composting of manure. The latter practice previously received funding support from Clean Lakes Alliance and other partners.

[10]

Stabilize rural waterway banks

1,000

0

0

10

1%

Recent project in Town of Westport funded through Yahara WINS and Clean Lakes Alliance.

[11]

Dredge drainage ditches

600

0

0

0

0%

Dane County's "Suck the Muck" project has removed legacy sediment from sections of Dorn and Token Creeks. Associated phosphorus reductions to the lakes have yet to be estimated.

[12]

Relocate or cover livestock facilities

600

0

0

0

0%

Dane County continues to identify high-risk facilities and advertise cost-share availability.

[13]

Harvest wetland plants

600

0

0

0

0%

Work is needed to identify suitable sites.

[14]

Restore critical drained wetlands

300

30

50

50

17%

Work is needed to identify additional restoration sites.

Rural subtotal

32,800

10,900

13,900

15,500

47%

Total

46,200

14,600

17,400

19,500

42%

44

Totals and subtotals rounded to nearest hundred

LAKE BY LAKE REPORT HOW WAS THE WATER IN EACH OF OUR LAKES?

LAKE MENDOTA

cleanlakesalliance.org/lake-mendota

Lake Mendota is the largest of the lakes in the Yahara River Watershed, located at the top of the chain. The lake has a 72,094-acre watershed that is primarily agricultural but with areas of rapid urban growth. There are eight beaches on 22 miles of shoreline. Water quality improvements in this lake will positively influence water quality in the downstream lakes of the chain.

HOW WAS THE WATER?

» A reproducing population of zebra mussels was first confirmed in the lake in 2015. Zebra mussels filter out small forms of free-floating algae (phytoplankton), making the water clearer at the center of the lake, but prefer not to eat cyanobacteria, helping this organism proliferate near the shoreline. They are most likely contributing to increases in cyanobacteria blooms, beach closures, and the accumulation of algal mats that wash up on downwind shorelines.

» City of Middleton repaired damage to the Donna Drive Pond, including reinforcing the embankment, improving the outlet system, and enlarging the pond to provide more flood-storage capacity. » Friends of Pheasant Branch Conservancy is continuing to work with the City of Middleton and Dane County to repair and restore the Pheasant Branch Creek corridor after it was impacted by the devastating floods of August 20-21, 2018. » Dane County provided funding for a new “Continuous Cover Program” to offer small family farms an incentive to convert lands from annual row crops into perennial grasses to improve water quality and reduce flooding. » Town of Westport completed a project to control bank erosion along Six Mile Creek, a Lake Mendota tributary stream. » Village of DeForest constructed five bio-retention basins at the Conservancy Place Athletic Complex.

Wetland restorations continued at the Marvin and Marie Schweer’s Natural Area and along the Upper Yahara River Trail.

Closure days

» 2019 average (July – August) water clarity ranked "good" and phosphorus concentrations ranked "fair," according to Wisconsin DNR criteria for deep lakes.

COMMUNITY PROJECTS & INITIATIVES

High E. coli closures Cyanobacteria closures (including closures for both cyanobacteria & high E. coli)

Figure 4: Lake Mendota Total Phosphorus at Fall Turnover (surface measurement, 1975-2019). Fall turnover is when the lake mixes from top to bottom due to temperature changes in the water. This is the time when phosphorus concentrations are most uniform in the lake. Concentrations were low during 2010-2017. Concentrations went up in both 2018 and 2019 due to high phosphorus loading from the lake's major tributaries.

Figure 5: Lake Mendota beaches were closed 63 times during the summer of 2019, primarily due to cyanobacteria blooms or both cyanobacteria and high E. coli (64%). A total of eight Lake Mendota beaches are monitored.

45

cleanlakesalliance.org/lake-monona

Lake Monona is the second lake in the Yahara River chain.

There are seven beaches on 13 miles of shoreline. The lake has a 61,643-acre watershed that is primarily urban.

Efforts to keep streets leaf-free and reduce construction erosion will help reduce phosphorus runoff into the lake.

HOW WAS THE WATER?

» 2019 average (July – August) water clarity and phosphorus concentrations both ranked "fair," according to Wisconsin DNR criteria for deep lakes.

COMMUNITY PROJECTS & INITIATIVES

» City of Madison improved stormwater management at Nautilus and Jacobson Fury Ponds, and made streambank repairs along Daley Drive and Tree Lane. The City also restored natural areas by planting pollinator prairies along Inner Drive and established native plants around Dondee Pond. The City collected approximately 1,600 additional tons of leaves compared to the five-year average, and continued its Expanded Erosion-control Enforcement Program.

Closure days

LAKE MONONA

High E. coli closures Cyanobacteria closures (including closures for both cyanobacteria & high E. coli)

Figure 6: Lake Monona beaches were closed 48 times during the summer of 2019, primarily due to cyanobacteria blooms or both cyanobacteria and high E. coli (75%). A total of seven Lake Monona beaches are monitored.

» City of Monona dredged North Winnequah Park Lagoon, stabilized the lagoon’s shoreline, installed new fish-habitat features, and expanded an adopt-astorm drain program. In total, the City has had 110 drains adopted by volunteers to keep them free of leaves and dirt. » Friends of Starkweather Creek began working with the Capital Area Regional Planning Commission on a Starkweather Creek Watershed chloride study, collaborated with partners to maintain the rain garden at Washington Manor Park, and removed invasive vegetation from along the creek corridor.

Jacobson Fury Pond

Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were found in high concentrations at Truax Field and in nearby Starkweather Creek in 2019. The Wisconsin DNR issued a fishing advisory on Lake Monona to limit consumption of and exposure to the contaminant.

46

Madison Magnet Kayaks for a Cause event on Lake Wingra

cleanlakesalliance.org/lake-wingra

Lake Wingra is a small shallow lake located in the City of Madison and connects to Lake Monona via Wingra (Murphy) Creek. The lake has a 3,456-acre watershed that is primarily urban but also includes the UW-Madison Arboretum. Water quality challenges include phosphorus and road salt pollution from urban runoff.

HOW WAS THE WATER?

» Lake water quality continues to benefit from a carpremoval project in 2008. Reducing carp numbers in small shallow lakes can be an effective strategy to improve water quality because non-native carp uproot submerged aquatic plants and stir up lake bottom sediment when foraging for food.

Closure days

LAKE WINGRA

1

High E. coli closures Cyanobacteria closures (including closures for both cyanobacteria & high E. coli)

Figure 7: A reported high number of geese at Vilas Beach likely contributed to the 23 closures due to high E. coli. One Lake Wingra beach is monitored.

» 2019 average (July – August) water clarity and phosphorus concentrations both ranked "good," according to Wisconsin DNR criteria for shallow lakes.

COMMUNITY PROJECTS & INITIATIVES

» Friends of Lake Wingra worked with homeowners in the Vilas and Greenbush neighborhoods as part of a leaf-collection pilot with the City of Madison. » City of Madison launched the Vilas Park master planning process in 2019. Clean Lakes Alliance began serving on the advisory committee, advocating for green infrastructure and lake-friendly design concepts.

Figure 8: Lake Wingra water quality conditions are linked to the success of the March 2008 carp removal from the lake. Prior to the carp removal, during 19962007, median summer clarity was 2.0 feet. After the carp removal, during 20082017, median clarity was 3.7 feet, a major improvement for the shallow lake.

47

LAKE WAUBESA

cleanlakesalliance.org/lake-waubesa

Lake Waubesa is the third lake in the chain as the Yahara River flows south. The lake has a 28,160-acre watershed that is a mix of urban and rural lands. Action to improve agricultural practices, remove fall leaf debris from streets, and minimize construction erosion will help improve water quality. In addition, efforts to reduce the sources of upstream runoff will reduce the amount of phosphorus entering the lake via the Yahara River outlet (83% of the average annual phosphorus load).

Piers on Lake Waubesa

HOW WAS THE WATER?

» 2019 average (July – August) water clarity ranked “good” and phosphorus concentrations ranked "fair," according to Wisconsin DNR criteria for shallow lakes.

COMMUNITY PROJECTS & INITIATIVES

» Town of Dunn passed an assessment to allow for the purchase of development rights for the purpose of preserving agricultural land and natural areas. » Town of Dunn partnered with Lake Waubesa Conservation Association and Dane County Parks to offer a new leaf-collection site at Goodland County Park. This allowed an additional 780 cubic yards of leaves to be collected, bringing the total to 6,000 cubic yards of leaves for the 2019 season.

Closure days

» Friends of Capital Springs Recreation Area received a Foundation for Dane County Parks grant to develop educational and interpretive resources for an outdoor space at the Lussier Family Heritage Center.

High E. coli closures Cyanobacteria closures (including closures for both cyanobacteria & high E. coli)

Figure 9: The beach at Goodland County Park was open all summer, likely due to the exclosure maintained by Dane County in 2019 to enhance the water quality at the beach. One Lake Waubesa beach is monitored.

48

Leaf collection at Goodland County Park Photo Credit: Lake Waubesa Conservation Association

Fall colors on Lake Kegonsa

LAKE KEGONSA

cleanlakesalliance.org/lake-kegonsa

Lake Kegonsa is the fourth and southernmost lake in the chain. The lake has a 34,560-acre watershed that is primarily agricultural. Most of the phosphorus comes from the upper lakes. Action to improve agricultural practices and fall leaf management will have a positive impact on water quality. In addition, efforts to reduce sources of upstream runoff will reduce the amount of phosphorus entering the lake via the Yahara River outlet (76% of the average annual phosphorus load to the lake).

HOW WAS THE WATER? » The beach at Lake Kegonsa State Park was closed 11 times in 2019, nine times for cyanobacteria and two times for high E. coli bacteria levels. » 2019 average (July – August) water clarity ranked “good” and phosphorus concentrations ranked "poor," according to Wisconsin DNR criteria for shallow lakes.

COMMUNITY PROJECTS & INITIATIVES » City of Stoughton converted a bioswale to a wet detention basin in Industrial Park South to better protect water quality. The City collected leaves three times in April and at least seven times in October and November. » Friends of Lake Kegonsa Society (FOLKS) continued efforts to harvest carp by offering incentives to commercial anglers. Carp stir up bottom sediments, which resuspends phosphorus and contributes to poor water quality. In 2019, commercial harvesters removed 162,135 pounds of carp. FOLKS also continued to pilot leaf vacuuming with the Town of Dunn, Town of Pleasant Springs, and City of Stoughton, and maintained a native shoreline garden at Fish Camp County Park.

49

MAKING PROGESS

Clean Lakes Alliance has increased efforts to reduce phosphorus runoff and empower individual action to protect and improve our lakes. We accomplished a lot for our lakes in 2019, but there is still more work to do.

WHAT DID WE ACCOMPLISH IN 2019?

Last year, Clean Lakes Alliance's work was focused on actions that increased community engagement and reduced phosphorus runoff into the lakes. Below are highlights of what Clean Lakes Alliance accomplished in 2019 with the dedication and support of our boards, committees, donors, volunteers, staff, and partners. » Recruited partners and collaborators to sign on to a Yahara CLEAN Compact Letter of Intent, pool resources, and begin the work of updating our lake cleanup plan. Began working with appointed Compact designees to affirm goals, build on recent progress, and create an inclusive decision-making framework for charting future action. » Created a Protect, Restore, Preserve Fund to raise money for critical land acquisitions and restoration work. Secured a $100,000 challenge grant from Alliant Energy for the fund to help Dane County restore newly-purchased property adjoining Pheasant Branch Conservancy. » Funded a manure composting pilot led by Yahara Pride Farms, and invited leadership to speak about agricultural successes at Yahara Lakes 101 lecture series.

» Graduated 23 watershed captains from the Yahara Watershed Academy and continued to support a growing network of graduates as they take action for the lakes. » Completed 30 different cleanup and restoration projects around the watershed, with volunteer events hosted every week from April through October. Led 538 Renew the Blue Volunteer Day participants in removing dozens of truckloads of invasive plants and trash from our lakeside parks and restoring native vegetation. » Activated weekly reporting at 72 nearshore water quality monitoring stations, including all 25 public beaches, to share water quality and beach data with the public through LakeForecast.org.

For an expanded list of our accomplishments last year, visit cleanlakesalliance.org/2019-achievements Aerial photo near Schluter Beach on Lake Monona Courtesy of Robert Bertera

50

Common Loon on Lake Mendota Courtesy of Arlene Koziol

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS & REFERENCES Collaborators: Dr. Jake Vander Zanden and Dr. Richard Lathrop at UW-Madison Center for Limnology, Dane County Land & Water Resources Department, United States Geological Survey

» Wisconsin State Climatology Office – ice-on/off data for lakes Mendota, Monona, & Wingra, climate data

Contributors: City of Madison, City of Middleton, City of Monona, City of Stoughton, Town of Dunn, Village of Shorewood Hills, Village of DeForest, Village of Windsor, Friends of Lake Kegonsa Society, Friends of Starkweather Creek, Friends of Lake Wingra, UW-Madison Lakeshore Nature Preserve, Yahara Pride Farms

» Friends of Lake Kegonsa Society – ice-on/off for Lake Kegonsa

» UW Center for Limnology – R. Lathrop, UW-Madison Center for Limnology. Data WDNR (1975-1994), NTL-LTER (1995-2019)

» Lathrop & Carpenter, Phosphorus Loading and Lake Response Analyses for the Yahara Lakes, unpublished report prepared for the Yahara CLEAN project, 2011

» Dane County Land & Water Resources – lake levels, aquatic plant harvesting, phosphorus projects » Yahara Lakes Association – historic lake level highs

» McDonald, C.P. & Lathrop, R. (2016), Aquatic Sciences, Seasonal shifts in the relative importance of local versus upstream sources of phosphorus to individual lakes in a chain

» Public Health Madison & Dane County – beach closure data

» Potter, K. (2020), Landuse, Climate Change, and Yahara Lakes Flooding

» Christy’s Landing – ice-on/off for Lake Waubesa

» United States Geological Survey – preliminary data on phosphorus loading; rain monitoring data on Pheasant Branch Creek

» Department of Natural Resources, beaches advisory report for lakes Mendota & Kegonsa - beach closure data 51

COMMUNITY ACTION COLLECTIVE IMPACT MESSAGES FROM OUR PARTNERS WORKING FOR CLEAN, HEALTHY LAKES Martin Griffin, YAHARA WINS While the Yahara Watershed Improvement Network (WINS) began as a way for point sources to comply with federal Clean Water Act requirements, it has transformed into a vehicle for urban and rural community partners to collaboratively work toward reducing all sources of phosphorus in the Yahara River Watershed over the next 20 years.

2020 marks our fourth year of implementation of the Yahara WINS partnership. Our collaborations have funded hundreds of projects that have directly and indirectly resulted in the successful implementation of on-the-ground phosphorus-reducing practices. These proven technologies and innovative projects have helped the partnership average more than 40,000 pounds of reduction per year for the first two years, and we expect the same as the data from year three becomes available.

While we have had great initial successes, we must keep growing and adapting. As we continue this 20-year journey, we aim to form new alliances and partnerships with diverse audiences to push the system and find market-based win-win solutions. That is the only way we will reach our goal of preventing 96,000 pounds of phosphorus from entering our waterways every year.

One idea is to make reducing phosphorus affordable, and to make reduction efforts scalable. Each farm and each municipality is different. Market-based solutions are a way to help accelerate and scale technology to keep pace with the water quality challenges that we face. This can take the form of traditional market-based programs like water quality trading or expand into creative financing vehicles that directly invest in phosphorusreducing practices. Just as Yahara WINS is a partnership between urban and rural interests, unique financial tools go beyond the traditional governmental cost-share programs and allow for an opportunity for conservation organizations, businesses, and individuals to contribute to the environmental and water quality outcomes they want to see.

Thanks for working together with Yahara WINS to improve the quality of our area’s waters.

52 Greater Madison Lake Guide | Summer 2020

Jeff Endres, YAHARA PRIDE FARMS Yahara Pride Farms (YPF) is a farmer-led nonprofit organization working to improve soil and water quality. We strive to help advance new ideas and technology that balance water quality improvement with farm sustainability and profitability. In early March, we welcomed more than 100 people to our annual watershed conference and several key Clean Lakes Alliance staff were in attendance.

We didn’t know it at the time, but this would be one of our final chances (for the foreseeable future) to gather as a group of farmers and citizens due to the national call to practice social distancing to slow the spread of COVID-19. Amid these unprecedented times, take heart knowing that our commitments to the land haven’t changed.

Farmers in the Yahara Watershed will do our best to continue to make improvements despite increased market volatility and wet weather. Food producers are an essential industry, and never has it been more important to ensure that farms remain in business and able to provide customers with the safe, abundant, and sustainable food we all need.

With Clean Lakes Alliance’s help and efforts like the “Conserve an Acre” program, we have focused our efforts on looking to the future of water quality in the Yahara Watershed. As farmers, we are working to get things done; we are taking a look at the problems within our unique area and we’re working to address them—this is why we started Yahara Pride Farms in 2012. Since that time, farmers in YPF programs have documented nearly 68,000 pounds of phosphorus that have remained on farm fields and out of rivers and streams.

Dr. Jake Vander Zanden, UW CENTER FOR LIMNOLOGY 2019 was another busy year for Center for Limnology research on Madison lakes. We wrapped up our fourth year of monitoring the zebra mussel invasion in Lake Mendota, took readings from across the Yahara chain of lakes and their tributaries as we work to understand our lakes’ contributions to greenhouse gas emissions and, of course, we continued to detail the dynamics between runoff, nutrient pollution, and cyanobacteria blooms.

We also added another year’s worth of data on water quality, fish populations, ice duration, and more to the North Temperate Lakes LongTerm Ecological Research program; which will not only help us document how our lakes are changing, but also point to ways in which we can better manage and conserve them.

In addition to our scientific endeavors, the Center for Limnology continued our commitment to outreach, welcoming dozens of groups to Hasler Lab for school field trips and public events—including a record number of visitors (more than 400) to our annual open house in June.

Pleased to Support Clean Lakes Alliance And Other Environmental Causes in Wisconsin.

Attorney and Clean Lakes Alliance board president, Matt Frank (center stage), 2019 Annual Breakfast.

Contact the law firm of Murphy Desmond S.C. for all your personal and business legal needs.

Finally, and perhaps most exciting, we got a new boat. Our 50-yearold research vessel, the LIMNOS was forced into retirement due to engine failure last summer. Thankfully, the LIMNOS II is a capable replacement— and partners of the Yahara CLEAN Compact were the lucky passengers for one of its inaugural cruises!

Madison • Janesville • Appleton • Dodgeville murphydesmond.com • abogadosenwisconsin.com • 608.257.7181 Greater Madison Lake Guide | Summer 2020 53

Foley cares about our lakes.

Foley is proud of our longstanding partnership with the Clean Lakes Alliance.

We look forward to building on and expanding upon decades of ongoing efforts to preserve and restore the lakes, rivers and wetlands in our communities.

For more information about Foley, please contact: Sarah A. Slack in our Madison office at sslack@foley.com.

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YAHARA LAKE LEADERS INDIVIDUALS & ORGANIZATIONS FIND UNIQUE CONNECTIONS TO OUR WATERS Curling on Lake Mendota at the Frozen Assets Festival

Breakthrough Dance Company performing at 2019 fall showcase

Ryan Witt The connection between our lakes and curling may not seem obvious. But to Ryan Witt, a curling enthusiast and lake advocate, they are a natural fit. For the past three years, Witt has built a curling sheet on frozen Lake Mendota for thousands of community members to enjoy during Clean Lakes Alliance’s annual Frozen Assets Festival at The Edgewater.

“So many people watched the 2018 U.S. Olympic curling teams but haven’t tried it themselves. This gives everyone the opportunity to see if they can be the next Olympic curler!” said Witt.

Having grown up on Lake Wissota near Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, lakes have been important to Witt throughout his life. In 2017, he graduated from the Clean Lakes Allianceled Yahara Watershed Academy. After participating in five intensive educational workshops over five months, he gained the knowledge and tools to advocate on their behalf. As a member of the Greater Madison community, he cares about raising awareness and getting people involved—be it through advocacy or curling!

“To clean up the lakes for future generations, we all need to be advocates who are willing to teach our friends and families what they can do to help. My hope is that people learn early in life that they can enjoy the lakes in so many different ways—whether it’s spending time at a park, swimming, fishing, kayaking, canoeing, paddle boarding, or simply cruising around on a boat!” said Witt.

Ryan Witt and his wife Paula

Breakthrough Dance Company Art. Advocacy. Environment. Members of Madison-based Breakthrough Dance Company see a strong connection between their work as artists and the water we all depend on in our community. Every year, the no-audition dance company challenges itself to take on a new advocacy project. Their 2019 fall showcase, Bridges, focused on the environment and natural resources, with a portion of ticket sales donated to Clean Lakes Alliance. The event featured a special performance choreographed to express the importance of water—which was set to a poem called “If Water” by Wisconsin writer Robert Stetson.

“Last year, we felt that we wanted to continue to give back, and we had a discussion as an entire company about the causes that were most important to all of us. As we looked at local environmental organizations, it became clear that we should reach out to Clean Lakes Alliance!” said Breakthrough Dance Company co-director Shona Mitteldorf.

The showcase did not stop with Breakthrough Dance Company and its members. The company also invited poets, musicians, and visual artists to share the connections between art, environment, and water. As a company, Breakthrough strives to provide a space where members can develop as dancers and artists. As a part of the Madison community, they have shown that any group can make a difference and raise awareness about our lakes and water.

“The lakes represent tranquility, our connection to nature, recreational and social gathering spaces, and a source for life. We as a company want to protect our natural resources, particularly these lakes!” said Mitteldorf.

Greater Madison Lake Guide | Summer 2020 55

LAKE MENDOTA

Yahara River

Beaches & Access Sites 1 Governor Nelson State Park 2 James Madison Park 3 Maple Bluff Beach Park 4 Marshall Park 5 Memorial Union 6 Mendota County Park 7 McKenna Park (Shorewood Hills Beach) 8 Spring Harbor Park 9 Tenney Park 10 Warner Park

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Restaurants 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Betty Lou Cruises Captain Bill’s Memorial Union Nau-Ti-Gal The Statehouse The Mariner’s Inn The Boathouse

Gasoline Vendors 1 Mazanet Marina 2 SkipperBud’s of Madison

Boat Launch Sites * See page 61 and 62 in the Directory for the complete list of boat launch sites.

LAKES MONONA & WINGRA

Beaches & Access Sites 1 B.B. Clarke Beach Park 2 Bernie’s Beach Park 3 Brittingham Park 4 Esther Beach Park 5 Frost Woods 6 Hudson Park 7 Law Park 8 Olbrich Park 9 Olin Park 10 Schluter Beach 11 Vilas (Henry) Park 12 Wingra Boat Launch and Livery

Yahara River

Restaurants 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Breakwater Buck & Honey’s East Side Club - Tiki Bar & Grill Lake Vista Café Lakeside St. Coffee House Madison Elk’s Lodge Paisan’s Sardine The Biergarten at Olbrich Park Waypoint Public House

Gasoline Vendors 1 Four Lakes Yacht Club

Boat Launch Sites * See page 61 and 62 in the Directory for the complete list of boat launch sites.

Greater Madison Lake Guide | Summer 2020 57

LAKES WAUBESA & KEGONSA

Beaches & Access Sites 1 Goodland County Park 2 LaFollette County Park 3 Lake Farm County Park 4 Lake Kegonsa State Park 5 McDaniel Park

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Restaurants 1 2 3 4

Christy’s Landing Green Lantern Kegonsa Cove Resort Springers

Gasoline Vendors 1 Barr’s Resort 2 Kegonsa Cove Resort

Boat Launch Sites * See page 61 and 62 in the Directory for the complete list of boat launch sites.

VISIT OUR CLEAN LAKES IN STYLE

FIELDS MATTERS BECAUSE YOU MATTER All of our customers enjoy automatic enrollment in our Fields Matters Program which includes: Complimentary Car Washes • Internet Work Stations • Complimentary Service Loaners Fields Cafés and Gourmet Coffee Bars • Senior Discounts (65 and older) Student Discounts (with valid student ID) • Free Paintless Dent Repair (within 90 days of Purchase)

F I E L D S J A G U A R L A N D R O V E R V O LV O M A D I S O N 5 0 4 E a s t B a d g e r R o a d M a d i s o n , W I | 8 7 7. 8 4 1.7 74 7 | f i e l d s m a d i s o n . c o m

Greater Madison Lake Guide | Summer 2020 59

CLEAN LAKES ALLIANCE DIRECTORY TO GREATER MADISON'S LAKE-RELATED BUSINESSES Apartments Lake Edge Apartments (715) 574-1677 4033 Monona Dr Monona, WI 53716 lakeedgemonona.com Lakeshore Apartments (608) 256-8525 122 E Gilman St Madison, WI 53703 Lake Towne Apartments (608) 255-6550 22 Langdon St, Suite 101 Madison, WI 53703 laketowne.com Mendota Lakeshore Apartments (608) 257-1561 620 N Carroll St Madison, WI 53703 mendotalakeshore.com Monona Lakeview Apartments (608) 222-6911 3819 Monona Dr Monona, WI 53714 Mullins Apartments (608) 257-2127 222 E Lakelawn Pl Madison, WI 53703 mullinsapartments.com Riverwood Apartments (608) 222-5571 6351 Bridge Rd Madison, WI 53713 riverwoodmadison.com The Current (608) 327-4021 800 W Broadway Monona, WI 53713 currentmonona.com The New Monona Shores Apartments (608) 224-1788 2 Waunona Woods Ct, #102 Madison, WI 53713 bmcmadison.com/the-new-mononashores

60 Greater Madison Lake Guide | Summer 2020

The Surf LAKE PARTNER (608) 213-6908 661 Mendota Ct Madison, WI 53703 The Surf offers a gated community of beautiful apartments on the shores of Lake Mendota with spectacular lake and sunset views.

The Waterfront Apartments (608) 442-4200 633 N Henry St Madison, WI 53703 mendotawaterfront.com Watermark Lofts (608) 575-1018 960 John Nolen Dr Madison, WI 53713 twallenterprises.com/watermark-lofts Yahara Terrace (608) 949-3399 320 W Broadway Monona, WI 53716 yaharaterrace.com Associations Association of State LAKE PARTNER Floodplain Managers (608) 828-3000 8301 Excelsior Dr Madison, WI 53717 floods.org Madison-based ASFPM is the world's leading voice for floodplain management, science, and policy with 37 chapters and 19,000+ members. Home to the certified floodplain manager certification (CFM), Flood Science Center, and flood research library.

Black Earth Creek Watershed Association (608) 320-3243 4296 County P Cross Plains, WI 53528 BECWA.org Capitol Water Trails LAKE PARTNER (608) 223-0995 3806 Atwood Ave Madison, WI 53714 capitolwatertrails.org Improving Dane County waters for paddle craft navigation, improved habitat, and flood control. An all volunteer nonprofit educating citizens in water stewardship.

Lake Waubesa Conservation Association PO Box 6521 Monona, WI 53716 waubesa.org

LAKE PARTNER

North American Stormwater & Erosion Control Association of WI (NASECA) PO Box 70714 Madison, WI 53707 nasecawi.org Token Creek Watershed Association (608) 334-8941 PO Box 366 Windsor, WI 53598 tokencreek.org Upper Sugar River Watershed Association (608) 437-7707 PO Box 314 Mount Horeb, WI 53572 usrwa.org Wisconsin Alumni LAKE PARTNER Association (888) WIS-ALUM 650 N Lake St Madison, WI 53706 uwalumni.com The Wisconsin Alumni Association (WAA) is your connection to UW-Madison and we work to advance the University’s mission. WAA's Alumni Park is a place where alumni stories are shared and celebrated.

Yahara Lakes Association LAKE PARTNER 1702 Ashlawn Ln Waunakee, WI 53597 yaharalakes.org The Yahara Lakes Association is dedicated to representing waterfront property owners and advocating for the vitality of the Yahara chain of lakes so all citizens may enjoy them.

Bait & Tackle Bait Rigs Tackle Co (608) 845-8431 PO Box 44153 Madison, WI 53744 baitrigs.com

DIRECTORY Olbrich Park Beach on Lake Monona

D&S Bait, Tackle & Archery (608) 241-4225 1411 Northport Dr Madison, WI 53704 dsbait.com Dorn Outdoor Pro Shop LAKE PARTNER (608) 274-2511 1348 S. Midvale Blvd Madison, WI 53711 dornhardware.com A complete fishing tackle outfitter. Rods, reels, lures for musky, walleye, bass, and panfish, and live bait! We service Minn Kota trolling motors and put line on your reel! Facebook: DornOutdoorProShop Harley's Liquor & Bait (608) 222-7941 3838 Atwood Ave Madison, WI 53714 harleysliquorandbait.com J&B Liquor and Bait (608) 838-8458 5714 US-51 McFarland, WI 53558 jbliquorandbait.com Monona Bait & Ice Cream Shop (608) 222-1944 4516 Winnequah Rd Monona, WI 53716 mononabaiticecream.yolasite.com Boat Launch Sites - Kegonsa Amundson Landing & Park Quam Dr Stoughton, WI 53589

LAKE PARTNER

Fish Camp Launch 3383 County Rd McFarland, WI 53558

Veith Avenue Boat Launch 4106 Veith Ave Madison, WI 53704

Lake Kegonsa State Park Boat Ramp 2405 Door Creek Rd Stoughton, WI 53589

Warner Park Boat Launch 2930 N Sherman Ave Madison, WI 53704

Town of Pleasant Springs Boat Launch 2267 Williams Point Dr Stoughton, WI 53589

Willow Drive Boat Launch Willow Dr (Howard Temin Lakeshore Path) Madison, WI 53705

Boat Launch Sites - Mendota Governor Nelson State Park Boat Launch 5140 County Highway M Waunakee, WI 53597 Governor's Island Boat Launch Governors Island Pkwy Madison, WI 53704 Lake Street Boat Launch 6000 Lake St Middleton, WI 53562 Marshall Park Boat Launch 2101 Allen Blvd Middleton, WI 53562 Mendota County Park Boat Launch 5133 County Highway M Middleton, WI 53562 Spring Harbor Boat Launch 5218 Lake Mendota Dr Madison, WI 53705 Tenney Park Boat Launch 1414 E. Johnson St Madison, WI 53703

Boat Launch Sites - Monona Law Park 410 S Blair St Madison, WI 53703 Olbrich Park Boat Launch 3527 Atwood Ave Madison, WI 53714 Olin Park Boat Ramp 1156 Olin-Turville Ct Madison, WI 53715 Tonyawatha Park and Boat Launch 4600 Tonyawatha Tr Monona, WI 53716 Winnequah Trail Boat Launch 5898 Winnequah Tr Monona, WI 53716 Boat Launch Sites - Waubesa Babcock County Park Boat Launch 4601 Burma Rd McFarland, WI 53558

The Lake Partner program recognizes businesses and organizations that support Clean Lakes Alliance through donations made independent of events, sponsorships, or programs, directly benefiting our efforts to reduce phosphorus loading to our lakes.

Additionally, Lake Partners demonstrate their organizational commitment to clean lakes through one or all of the following avenues: making improvements on their properties, educating staff on watershed sustainability, and participating in volunteer opportunities.

Greater Madison Lake Guide | Summer 2020 61

DIRECTORY Boat Sales, Rental, Repair, Storage

Goodland Park Boat Launch 2862 Waubesa Ave Madison, WI 53711 Lake Farm Park Boat Launch 4286 Libby Rd Madison, WI 53711

ARA Leisure Services (608) 244-2458 1831 E Washington Ave Madison, WI 53704 araofmadison.com

McConnell Street Boat Launch 4348-4398 McConnell St Madison, WI 53711

Barr's Resort (608) 838-9917 6002 Lake Edge Rd McFarland, WI 53558

Boat Launch Sites - Wingra

Brightwork Boats (608) 849-9200 madisonboathouse.com

Henry Vilas Park Boat Launch 1602 Vilas Park Dr Madison, WI 53715 Wingra Park & Boat Livery 824 Knickerbocker St Madison, WI 53711 Boat Launch Sites - Yahara River Cherokee Marsh - South Boat Launch 5002 School Rd Madison, WI 53704

Brittingham Boats LAKE PARTNER (608) 250-2555 701 W Brittingham Pl Madison, WI 53715 brittinghamboats.com Downtown’s premier paddle destination.

Walk-in rentals of Stand Up Paddle Boards, kayaks, canoes, paddle boats, and rowboats. Special events including group paddles and Full Moon Paddles make it a Madison must.

Lottes Park Boat Launch 400 W Broadway Monona, WI 53716

Improve habitat and water quality with simple and inexpensive projects.

Capitol Boat Club (608) 320-4354 1213 N Sherman Ave, Suite #328 Madison, WI 53704 capitolboatclub.com D.L. Anderson Marine Contractors (608) 249-3100 5440 Blue Bill Park Rd Madison, WI 53704 piers-lifts.com/home.aspx Deano Dock & Lift LLC (608) 850-4424 210 Knightsbridge Rd Waunakee, WI 53597 deanodock.com Decks Docks & More (262) 593-2216 W1204 Concord Center Dr Sullivan, WI 53178 Don's Marine, LLC LAKE PARTNER (608) 592-4705 N1401 Hwy 113 Lodi, WI 53555 donsmarine.com Family owned and operated since 1936.

Dealer of Alumacraft and SmokerCraft Fishing Boats, Bennington Pontoon Boats, Skeeter Performance Fishing Boats, and Hobie Kayaks, as well as new and used boats and motors. Area's only Top 100 and Marine Industry Certified Dealer!

Endres Manufacturing Company (608) 849-4143 802 S Century Ave Waunakee, WI 53597 endresmfg.com Gervasi Marine & Trailer Service (608) 271-4239 or (800) 240-8425 2295 S Syene Rd Madison, WI 53711 trailerrepairandpartsmadison.com Gill's Marine Crane Service (608) 630-5506 PO Box 234 McFarland, WI 53558 gillsmarinecraneservice.com

The Wisconsin DNR can provide cost-share for your raingardens, stormwater diversions, and other projects that promote healthy lakes!

Learn more at healthylakeswi.com 62 Greater Madison Lake Guide | Summer 2020

Harbor Recreation (608) 884-6007 807 Harbor Rd Milton, WI 53563 harborrec.com

DIRECTORY JD Hellendbrand Piers LAKE PARTNER and Lifts (608) 513.0690 N1792 Ryan Rd Lodi, WI 53555 bluecraneboatworks.com jdhellenbrand.com We sell, install, adjust, and remove old or new docks, piers, and boat lifts in central Wisconsin. Focusing on the Lake Wisconsin, Kegonsa, Waubesa, Monona, and Mendota area.

JNT's Marine Pros (262) 473-5960 N8066 County Hwy P Whitewater, WI 53190 jntsmarinepros.com Kegonsa Cove Resort (608) 838-6494 2466 City Rd AB McFarland, WI 53558 kegonsacove.com Mad City Marine/RV Sales (608) 846-9329 N827 Hwy 51 Arlington, WI 53911 madcitymarinervsales.com Manke Enterprises LAKE PARTNER (608) 592-4022 N1558 Sunset Dr Lodi, WI 53555 manke.com Manke Enterprises, the Midwest's leader in shoreline sales, service, and recovery is ready to serve you. Visit us at our showroom location in Lodi, Exit 119 off I90/94!

Marine Tops Unlimited (608) 246-3979 219 North Fair Oaks Ave, Suite B Madison, WI 53714 marinetops.com Marshall Boats LAKE PARTNER (608) 228-8333 2101 Allen Blvd Madison, WI 53562 madisonboats.com From a quiet paddle to the entire family on a pontoon boat—this is your destination for summer memories.

Access Lake Mendota from this west side location with kayaks, SUPs, canoes, and pontoon boats for rent and a lakeside café!

Mazanet Marina LAKE PARTNER (608) 249-9316 5320 Blue Bill Park Dr Madison, WI 53704 mazanetmarine.com Full service marina on Lake Mendota for 60 years. Services include gas on the pier, wet boat slips, dry dock spaces, food concessions, boat accessories, service mechanics, and winter storage.

Newville Marine (608) 220-7918 541 Lake Drive Rd Edgerton, WI 53534 newvillemarine.com Outdoor UW (608) 262-1630 800 Langdon St Madison, WI 53706 union.wisc.edu/outdoor-uw Peters Exteriors And Services (608) 220-8654 530 S Academy St Stoughton, WI 53589 manta.com/c/mr4q8nr/peters-exteriorsand-services Pharo Marine LAKE PARTNER (608) 849-5950 5341 W River Rd Waunakee, WI 53597 pharomarine.com Platinum sales and service center carrying brands of Lund, Godfreya, and Mercury. Sales, service, storage, and accessories.

Quam's Marine & Motor LAKE PARTNER Sports (608) 873-3366 1896 Barber Dr Stoughton, WI 53589 quamsmotorsports.com Full-service dealership on Lake Kegonsa for over 50 years. Services include wet slips, winter storage, service, sales, parts, and accessories.

Redline Watersports (608) 838-0838 4805 Voges Rd Madison, WI 53718 redlinewatersports.com Rock River Marina (608) 884-9415 520 Richardson Springs Rd Edgerton, WI 53534 rockrivermarina.com

Rutabaga Rentals Olbrich Park (608) 513-1308 3527 Atwood Ave Madison, WI 53714 rutabaga.com

LAKE PARTNER

SkipperBud's (608) 246-2628 5381 Westport Rd Madison, WI 53704 skipperbuds.com The Undercover Shop (608) 868-4089 305 E Madison Ave Milton, WI 53563 Wickcraft (608) 244-9177 2317 Daniels St Madison, WI 53718 wickcraft.com

LAKE PARTNER

Wingra Boats LAKE PARTNER (608) 233-5332 824 Knickerbocker St Madison, WI 53711 wingraboats.com Up-north beauty in downtown Madison.

Surrounded by nature, this quiet lake is a mecca for paddling and the perfect place for the whole family to SUP, kayak, canoe, row, or paddle boat. Fish, paddle, and play.

Boat Tours, Group Rental Badger Pontoon Rentals (608) 421-2355 badgerpontoon.com Betty Lou Cruises LAKE PARTNER (608) 246-3138 Mariner's Inn on Lake Mendota and Machinery Row on Lake Monona bettyloucruises.com Madison’s premier cruise line, cruising Lake Monona and Mendota since 1998.

Enjoy a public or private charter aboard one of our four motor yachts while our experienced crew and captain make your event one to remember.

Capital Lake Pontoons (608) 571-4889 410 S Blair St Madison, WI 53703 capitallakepontoons.com Jet Ski Madison (608) 259-6007 Madison, WI jetskimadison.com Greater Madison Lake Guide | Summer 2020 63

DIRECTORY Lake Explorer Camp

Madison School and LAKE PARTNER Community Recreation (MSCR) (608) 204-3000 3802 Regent St Madison, WI 53705 mscr.org Offers a variety of recreation programs for all ages including arts, camps, fitness, sports, swimming, afterschool, and more.

Check out paddling and pontoon boat drop-in rides, specialty trips, and group rentals at mscr.org.

Midnight Splash LAKE PARTNER Houseboat Charter (608) 628-0730 Madison, WI midnightsplash.com A 56’x16’ houseboat built in 2002 with capacity for 40! 2 baths, 4 bedrooms, full kitchen, and living room. Features coolers, gas grill, front & rear decks with partial covered party deck, water tubes, and water slide. Bring food & beverages of choice. Find us on Facebook.

Pontoon Porch (608) 284-8727 1 John Nolen Dr Madison, WI 53703 pontoonporch.com Community & Convention Centers Monona Terrace Community & Convention Center (608) 261-4000 1 John Nolen Dr Madison, WI 53703 mononaterrace.com

Fishing Guides A Big Fish Guide Service (414) 779-0479 wibigfish.com Blue Ribbon Outdoors (608) 698-3332 blueribbonoutdoors.com Finseekers Guide Service (847) 707-1827 finseekers.com Fishing Guide Service with Lee Tauchen (608) 444-2180 leetauchen.com Fishing Thrills Guide Service (608) 921-8980 fishingthrills.com Get the Net LLC (608) 220-3406 Klus Fishing & Hunting Guide Service (608) 469-1867 klusfishandhunt.com Madison Angling Guide Service (608) 210-9350 madisonangling.com Madison Fishing Charters (608) 575-8597 Madison, WI 53711 joeokada.com Madison Musky Guide Service (608) 848-3906 madisonmuskyguide.com Millenium Guide Service (608) 695-9703 milleniumguideservice.com Pike Pole Fishing Guide Service (608) 290-3929 pikepolefishing.com

64 Greater Madison Lake Guide | Summer 2020

Spring Creek Specialties (608) 206-5951 springcreekspecialties.com Friends Groups Friends of Badfish Creek Watershed (920) 650-0966 rockrivercoalition.org/chapters/badfish Friends of Capital Springs Recreational Area friendsofcapitalsprings.org Friends of Cherokee LAKE PARTNER Marsh (608) 215-0426 P.O. Box 3390 Madison, WI 53704 cherokeemarsh.org We work to protect, preserve, and restore the beauty, value, and health of Cherokee Marsh, Dane County's largest wetland located at the head of the Yahara chain of lakes.

Friends of Edna Taylor Conservation Park facebook.com/friendsofetcp Friends of Hoyt Park PO Box 5542 Madison, WI 53705 hoytpark.org

DIRECTORY Friends of Lake Kegonsa LAKE PARTNER Society (FOLKS) PO Box 173 Stoughton, WI 53589 kegonsa.org FOLKS is a nonprofit organization established in 1988 to provide the manpower and financial resources to improve the ecology, water quality, fishing, and recreational use of Lake Kegonsa. Our more than 450 members are proud to be strong partners with Clean Lakes Alliance.

Friends of Lake View Hill Park (608) 249-9449 PO Box 3272 Madison, WI 53704 lakeviewhill.org Friends of Lake Wingra LAKE PARTNER PO Box 45071 Madison, WI 53744 lakewingra.org Friends of Lake Wingra promotes a healthy Lake Wingra through collaborations with those who live, work, and play in the watershed. You’ll find us doing outreach, research, and projects during every season!

Friends of Monona Bay friendsofmononabay.blogspot.com Friends of Olin Turville (608) 239-4299 olin-turville.org Friends of Pheasant LAKE PARTNER Branch Conservancy PO Box 628242 Middleton, WI 53562 pheasantbranch.org The Friends of Pheasant Branch Conservancy's mission is to restore, preserve, and promote the value of conservancy lands and habitats in the Pheasant Branch Watershed. Our Board oversees restoration and education activities in the Conservancy.

Friends of the Kettle Ponds kettleponds.org Friends of the Lakeshore LAKE PARTNER Nature Preserve PO Box 5534 Madison, WI 53705 friendslakeshorepreserve.com The Friends inspire people to connect to and care for the Lakeshore Nature Preserve. Open to the public, this beautiful 300-acre UW-Madison natural area includes Picnic Point and the Lakeshore Path.

Friends of the Lower Wisconsin Riverway (608) 575-0325 PO Box 614 Spring Green, WI 53588 wisconsinriverfriends.org Friends of the UW Arboretum (608) 571-5362 1207 Seminole Hwy Madison, WI 53711 arboretum.wisc.edu/get-involved/friends Friends of the Yahara River Headwaters PO Box 139 DeForest, WI 53532 yaharariver.org Friends of the Yahara River Parkway (608) 241-1711 facebook.com/Friends-of-the-YaharaRiver-Parkway-284831311757 Friends of Wisconsin State Parks PO Box 2271 Madison, WI 53701 friendswiparks.blogspot.com Stewards of the Southwest Pathway (608) 255-4195 Gasoline Barr's Resort (608) 838-9917 6002 Lake Edge Rd McFarland, WI 53558

Four Lakes Yacht Club LAKE PARTNER (608) 222-1401 6312 Metropolitan Ln Monona, WI 53713 The Four Lakes Yacht Club is a boating club located on the Yahara River promoting boating safety for all boaters.

Our private clubhouse is available for our members along with unlimited use of the boat ramp and a discount per gallon savings on gasoline. Our gas pumps are open to the general public.

Kegonsa Cove Resort (608) 838-6494 2466 City Rd AB McFarland, WI 53558 kegonsacove.com Mazanet Marina LAKE PARTNER (608) 249-9316 5320 Blue Bill Park Dr Madison, WI 53704 mazanetmarine.com Full service marina on Lake Mendota for 60 years. Services include gas on the pier, wet boat slips, dry dock spaces, food concessions, boat accessories, service mechanics, and winter storage.

SkipperBud's (608) 246-2628 5381 Westport Rd Madison, WI 53704 skipperbuds.com Lake Sports & Recreation Retail Cabela's (608) 478-4100 1350 Cabela Dr Sun Prairie, WI 53590 cabelas.com Dick's Sporting Goods (608) 829-1313 237 West Towne Mall Madison, WI 53719 dickssportinggoods.com

Friends of Starkweather Creek PO Box 8442 Madison, WI 53708 starkweatherfriends.org Friends of Stricker's Pond (608) 836-5898

LAKE PARTNER

The Lake Partner program recognizes businesses and organizations that support Clean Lakes Alliance through donations made independent of events, sponsorships, or programs, directly benefiting our efforts to reduce phosphorus loading to our lakes.

Additionally, Lake Partners demonstrate their organizational commitment to clean lakes through one or all of the following avenues: making improvements on their properties, educating staff on watershed sustainability, and participating in volunteer opportunities.

Greater Madison Lake Guide | Summer 2020 65

DIRECTORY Fontana Sports LAKE PARTNER 216 N Henry St Madison, WI 53703 fontanasports.com Fontana Sports is Madison’s locally owned and family-operated specialty outdoor retailer since 1949! Providing outdoor clothing and equipment from quality brands such as Patagonia, The North Face, and Smartwool for your next outdoor adventure.

Isthmus Sailboards 5495 Catfish Ct Westport, WI 53597 isthmussailboards.com

Crown Point Resort LAKE PARTNER (608) 873-7833 2030 Barber Dr Stoughton, WI 53589 crownpointresort.com We have 6 modern, year-round cedar cottages on Lake Kegonsa. Located 15 minutes SE of Madison. Offering 1-3 bedrooms, decks, wifi, cable, Weber grills, kayaks, SUPs, fishing boats with 10HP, and pontoon rentals to our guests. Five star Trip Advisor and VRBO rating.

Governor's Mansion Inn & Café (608) 571-2866 130 E Gilman St Madison, WI 53703 governorsmansioninn.com

Machinery Row (608) 442-5974 601 Williamson St Madison, WI 53704 machineryrowbicycles.com

Hilton Madison Monona Terrace (608) 255-5100 9 E Wilson St Madison, WI 53703 hilton.com/en/hotels/msnmhhf-hiltonmadison-monona-terrace

Madison Log Rolling (608) 305-4564 madisonlogrolling.com REI (608) 833-6680 7483 W Towne Way Madison, WI 53719 rei.com

Mendota Lake House Inn (608) 620-3760 704 E Gorham St Madison, WI 53703 mendotalakehouse.com

Rich's Boardsports (608) 244-6838 411 North Fair Oaks Ave Madison, WI 53714 richsboardsports.com Rutabaga Paddlesports (608) 223-9300 220 W Broadway Madison, WI 53716 rutabaga.com

Lodging

LAKE PARTNER

West Marine (608) 221-8708 2455 W Broadway St Madison, WI 53713 westmarine.com

66 Greater Madison Lake Guide | Summer 2020

The Edgewater LAKE PARTNER (608) 535-8200 1001 Wisconsin Pl Madison, WI 53703 theedgewater.com Located in the heart of downtown on beautiful Lake Mendota! Award-winning resort with 202 guest rooms, public pier, and 40 boat slips, Grand Plaza with free community programming, several dining outlets, full-service spa, and winter ice skating.

The Livingston Inn LAKE PARTNER (608) 238-6317 752 E Gorham St Madison, WI 53703 livingstoninnmadison.com Experience the history of a 160-year old Gothic revival mansion at The Livingston Inn—a downtown Madison bed & breakfast featuring nine fireplaces, lake access, and stunning architectural details.

Mooring/Slips Brittingham Boats LAKE PARTNER (608) 250-2555 701 W Brittingham Pl Madison, WI 53715 brittinghamboats.com Downtown’s premier paddle destination.

Walk-in rentals of SUP's, kayaks, canoes, paddle boats, and rowboats. Special events including group paddles and Full Moon Paddles make it a Madison must.

Goodspeed Family Pier LAKE PARTNER 650 N Lake St Madison, WI 53706 uwalumni.com/goodspeed-family-pier Hoofer Sailing Club (608) 262-1630 800 Langdon St Madison, WI 53706 hoofersailing.org Kegonsa Cove Resort (608) 838-6494 2466 City Rd AB McFarland, WI 53558 kegonsacove.com Lake Monona Sailing Club LAKE PARTNER lakemononasailingclub.org We manage two piers for sailboats on Lake Monona: one at Olin Park in Madison, and one at Stonebridge Park in Monona. Please see the website for details, pricing, and membership information.

Maple Bluff Marina (608) 244-3048 1321 Farwell Dr Madison, WI 53704 villageofmaplebluff.com/ourneighborhood/marina Marshall Park 2101 Allen Blvd Madison, WI 53562 Mazanet Marina LAKE PARTNER (608) 249-9316 5320 Blue Bill Park Dr Madison, WI 53704 mazanetmarine.com Full service marina on Lake Mendota for 60 years. Services include gas on the pier, wet boat slips, dry dock spaces, food concessions, boat accessories, service mechanics, and winter storage.

DIRECTORY McKenna Park Boathouse (608) 267-2680 3400 Lake Mendota Dr Madison, WI 53705 shorewood-hills.org/marina Monona Docks (608) 251-8777 400 Interlake Dr Monona, WI 53716 Quam's Marine & Motor LAKE PARTNER Sports (608) 873-3366 1896 Barber Dr Stoughton, WI 53589 quamsmotorsports.com Full-service dealership on Lake Kegonsa for over 50 years. Services include wet slips, winter storage, service, sales, parts, and accessories.

Shorewood Hills Marina (608) 267-2680 3700 Lake Mendota Dr Madison, WI 53705 shorewood-hills.org/marina SkipperBud's (608) 246-2628 5381 Westport Rd Madison, WI 53704 skipperbuds.com Westport Marine (608) 850-4774 5339 Lighthouse Bay Dr Madison, WI 53704 westportmarinemadison.com Wingra Boats LAKE PARTNER (608) 233-5332 824 Knickerbocker St Madison, WI 53711 wingraboats.com Up-north beauty in downtown Madison.

Surrounded by nature, this quiet lake is a mecca for paddling and the perfect place for the whole family to SUP, kayak, canoe, row, or paddle boat. Fish, paddle, and play.

Restaurants Betty Lou Cruises LAKE PARTNER (608) 246-3138 Mariner's Inn on Lake Mendota and Machinery Row on Lake Monona bettyloucruises.com Madison’s premier cruise line, cruising Lake Monona and Mendota since 1998.

Enjoy a public or private charter aboard one of our four motor yachts while our experienced crew and captain make your event one to remember.

Breakwater (608) 416-5388 6308 Metropolitan Ln Monona, WI 53713 facebook.com/BreakwaterMonona Buck & Honey's LAKE PARTNER (608) 478-2618 800 West Broadway, Suite 300 Monona, WI 53713 buckandhoneys.com/monona Captain Bill’s (608) 831-7327 2701 Century Harbor Rd Middleton, WI 53562 capbills.com Christy's Landing LAKE PARTNER (608) 222-5391 2952 Waubesa Ave Madison, WI 53711 christyslanding.com Located on beautiful Lake Waubesa featuring lakeside dining, tiki bar, live music, banquet facilities, and volleyball.

East Side Club - Tiki Bar & Grill (608) 222-9131 3735 Monona Dr Madison, WI 53714 escmadison.com Green Lantern (608) 838-4730 4412 Siggelkow Rd McFarland, WI 53558 thegreenlanternrestaurant.com Kegonsa Cove Resort (608) 838-6494 2466 City Rd AB McFarland, WI 53558 kegonsacove.com Lake Vista Cafe (608) 261-4000 1 John Nolen Dr Madison, WI 53703 mononaterrace.com/experience-mononaterrace/shop-and-dine

Lakeside St. Coffee House (608) 441-7599 402 W Lakeside St Madison, WI 53715 lakesidestcoffeehouse.com Madison Elks Lodge (608) 255-1644 711 Jenifer St Madison, WI 53703 madisonelkslodge.org Monona Bait & Ice Cream Shop (608) 222-1944 4516 Winnequah Rd Monona, WI 53716 mononabaiticecream.yolasite.com Nau-Ti-Gal (608) 246-3130 5360 Westport Rd Madison, WI 53704 nautigal.com Paisan's (608) 257-3832 131 W Wilson St Madison, WI 53703 paisansrestaurant.com Sardine (608) 441-1600 617 Williamson St Madison, WI 53703 sardinemadison.com Springers (608) 205-9300 3097 Sunnyside St Stoughton, WI 53589 springersonthelake.com The Barge Restaurant (608) 669-8422 The Biergarten at Olbrich Park (608) 237-3548 3527 Atwood Ave Madison, WI 53714 olbrichbiergarten.com

LAKE PARTNER

The Boathouse LAKE PARTNER The Edgewater (608) 535-8232 1001 Wisconsin Pl Madison, WI 53703 theedgewater.com/dining-at-theedgewater/the-boathouse A Madison favorite offering casual lakeside dining like burgers, brats, the best cheese curds in town, craft beer, and ice cold margaritas. Accessible by land or by water. Open 11am-11pm daily for boaters, guests, and locals alike.

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DIRECTORY The Mariner’s Inn (608) 246-3120 5339 Lighthouse Bay Dr Madison, WI 53704 marinersmadison.com The Statehouse LAKE PARTNER The Edgewater (608) 535-8320 1001 Wisconsin Pl Madison, WI 53703 theedgewater.com/dining-at-theedgewater/the-statehouse Modern midwestern-inspired restaurant overlooking Lake Mendota offering a little something for everyone—tavern fare, steaks, pasta, and seasonal specials.

Features thoughtfully sourced ingredients and creative twists on the classics—and— sunset seating offering incredible views and a casual atmosphere both indoors and out on the lakeside terrace.

The Tasting Room (608) 223-1641 800 West Broadway, Suite 100 Monona, WI 53713 tastingroomofmonona.com Waypoint Public House LAKE PARTNER (608) 222-0224 320 W Broadway Monona, WI 53716 waypointonthewater.com Serving quality American pub fare, strong cocktails, and cold craft beer. We are boat and canoe accessible.

Angler at Tenney Park

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Wisconsin Memorial Union LAKE PARTNER (608) 265-3000 800 Langdon St Madison, WI 53706 union.wisc.edu/visit/memorial-union Known as the ‘living room’ of the UW-Madison campus, the Wisconsin Union connects students, faculty/staff, members, and visitors through shared cultural, social, and recreational events and experiences at Memorial Union and Union South.

Shoreline Landscaping & Ecological Restoration Adaptive Restoration LLC (608) 554-0411 1882 State Rd 92 Mount Horeb, WI 53572 adaptiverestoration.com Dixon Shoreline / LAKE PARTNER Landscaping (608) 742-5657 or (608) 432-0078 N6780 Hwy U Portage, WI 53901 dixonshoreline.com thelakesaver.com Professionally certified in rainwater harvesting, rain exchange, pondless waterfalls, and fountain scapes. We specialize in stormwater runoff issues with the revolutionary, easy to install Lake Saver Bag

EC3 Environmental Consulting Group, Inc. (608) 497-0955 PO Box 44281 Madison, WI 53744 ec3grp.com Ecological Restoration Services LLC (608) 335-7250 5110 Juneau Rd Madison, WI 53705 restorewisconsin.com Good Oak LLC (608) 250-0513 4606 Pflaum Rd, Suite A Madison, WI 53718 goodoak.com Meister's K&M Tree and LAKE PARTNER Landscaping Inc. (608) 592-5244 W 11924 County Rd V Lodi, WI 53555 meisterskandm.com Meister’s K&M Tree and Landscaping specializes in shoreline restoration, landscaping, and tree services. Free estimates insured. Email: info@ meisterskandm.com.

Olson Toon Landscaping, Inc. (608) 827-9401 3570 Pioneer Rd Verona, WI 53593 olsontoon.com

DIRECTORY SCS Engineers (608) 224-2830 2830 Dairy Dr Madison, WI 53718 scsengineers.com Strand Associates, Inc. LAKE PARTNER (608) 251-4843 910 W Wingra Dr Madison, WI 53715 strand.com As a full service engineering firm for more than 70 years, Strand Associates, Inc.® is dedicated to helping our clients succeed through excellence in engineering.

Weed Man Lawn Care LAKE PARTNER (608) 824-0043 2211 Eagle Dr Middleton, WI 53562 madison.weedmanusa.com Weed Man Lawn Care has been a strong advocate of clean water and reducing sediment runoff since the inception of the company. In creating high quality turf, we are reducing urban sediment runoff while creating beneficial filtering to our lakes and the Yahara Watershed.

Sporting Outlets & Clubs 4 Lakes Bassmasters (608) 695-7595 Badger Flyfishers (608) 233-7480 badgerflyfishers.com Badger State Boating Society bsbs.org Camp Randall Rowing LAKE PARTNER Club PO Box 258160 Madison, WI 53725 camprandallrc.org Camp Randall Rowing Club competes nationally as a year-round competitive junior rowing program for middle and high school students. CRRC also offers “We Can Row” for adult cancer survivors.

Fishing Has No Boundaries - Madison Chapter (262) 644-7940 fhnbmadison.com

LAKE PARTNER

Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club (608) 347-3513 iceboat.org

Madison Fishing Expo (262) 305-1907 wifishingexpo.com

Four Lakes Yacht Club LAKE PARTNER (608) 222-1401 6312 Metropolitan Ln Monona, WI 53713 The Four Lakes Yacht Club is a boating club located on the Yahara River promoting boating safety for all boaters.

Our private clubhouse is available for our members along with unlimited use of the boat ramp and a discount per gallon savings on gasoline. Our gas pumps are open to the general public.

Madison Sail and Power Squadron madisonsquadron.org Madison Sailing Center madisonsailingcenter.com Madison Youth Sailing Foundation madisonyouthsailing.com Mendota Rowing Club (608) 257-2739 PO Box 646 Madison, WI 53701 mendotarowingclub.com

LAKE PARTNER

Hoofer Sailing Club (608) 262-1630 800 Langdon St Madison, WI 53706 hoofersailing.org

Mendota Yacht Club PO Box 2062 Madison, WI 53701 mendotayc.org

Lake Kegonsa Sailing Club PO Box 75 Stoughton, WI 53589 lksc.org

Muskies, Inc. - Capital City Chapter (608) 577-3184 PO Box 8862 Madison, WI 53708 capitalcitymuskiesinc.org

Lake Monona Sailing Club LAKE PARTNER lakemononasailingclub.org Founded in 1969, LMSC supports four major fleets with races on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and holidays throughout the summer. The Club maintains two piers with low-cost slips available to members, and works to make sailing as easy, fun, and affordable as possible for all skill levels.

Mad City Paddlers (608) 833-1734 madcitypaddlers.org

Madison Bass Club madisonbassclub.org

Waubesa Sailing Club 2867 Bible Camp Rd McFarland, WI 53558

LAKE PARTNER

Wisconsin Bass Federation wisconsinbass.com Wisconsin Bowfishing Association wibfa.com Wisconsin Fishing Team (612) 747-0933 wisconsinfishingteam.com

Mad-City Ski Team (608)-663-TEAM 6516 Monona Dr #193 Madison, WI 53716 madcityskiteam.com Madison Area Antique & Classic Boat Society Glacier Lakes Chapter glacbs.org

Trout Unlimited - Southern Wisconsin Chapter (262) 470-1775 swtu.org

LAKE PARTNER

Wisconsin Smallmouth Alliance, Ltd. PO Box 45555 Madison, WI 53744 wisconsinsmallmouth.com/wordpress Yahara Fishing Club (608) 212-2506 yaharafishingclub.org

The Lake Partner program recognizes businesses and organizations that support Clean Lakes Alliance through donations made independent of events, sponsorships, or programs, directly benefiting our efforts to reduce phosphorus loading to our lakes.

Additionally, Lake Partners demonstrate their organizational commitment to clean lakes through one or all of the following avenues: making improvements on their properties, educating staff on watershed sustainability, and participating in volunteer opportunities.

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LESSONS FROM NATURE

By JOHN ROACH

If ever there was a time when the warmth of the sun and the waters of Madison's lakes were a welcome respite, it is now.

After weeks of conscientious sheltering, we have emerged from our homes with a greater appreciation of the natural world.

With games, concerts, and restaurants experiencing a guarded awakening, it is Nature and the lakes that beckon us back to normalcy with the most open of arms.

But it would be an ignorant thing if our time spent sheltered did not make us wise to the lessons of COVID. And one lesson we can learn is that mankind is inextricably linked to the natural world, and how we treat Nature can determine our fate.

Most scientists agree that the COVID virus, like other novel viruses, jumped species, meaning it started as a cross between two animal viruses that somehow managed to discover that humans made excellent hosts. In the case of COVID, it is suspected that China's live animal markets created an unnatural incubator where a variety of live species were jammed into a confined space. They swapped viruses, creating a new hybrid, which infected one human, who spread it to millions of us.

In his book "Spillover," published in 2012 well before COVID, National Geographic science writer David Quammen uncannily 70 Greater Madison Lake Guide | Summer 2020

predicted just how the COVID virus would become an outbreak.

But he also observed another outbreak, one that pertains to our Dane County lakes and beaches.

Quammen noted that while humans study outbreaks, we fail to see that we are an outbreak ourselves. Current estimates put the number of humans on the planet at 7.8 billion people, making us the dominant upright mammal of all time.

Some of those 7.8 billion humans live in Madison and Dane County, which means the Yahara lakes are serving far more of us than they did in centuries before us when humans were sparse.

As we have become more numerous, so have the stressors we have placed on our lakes. Yard waste, storm runoff, road salt, and invasive species like carp, Eurasian watermilfoil, and zebra mussels are all human actions that have been imposed on the natural waters that serve us.

And there is no doubt our lakes serve us.

They provide us with recreation, peace, vistas for reflection, commerce, and so much more.

But if COVID has taught us anything, it is that we have to work to keep peace and balance with Nature. The fresh air, clear skies, and beautiful waters of Dane

County don't just happen. They have to be respected and nurtured so they can adjust to the impact we humans impose on such glorious resources.

Which makes groups like the Clean Lakes Alliance and others so important. Their very existence is an acknowledgment that humans have to manage the impact we bring to bear on our world. Clean Lakes Alliance brought together ten organizations to provide keen perspective on how we can do small things in our daily lives to treat the natural world of Madison with the respect it deserves. The list can be found at cleanlakesalliance.org/top10.

There were a lot of upright mammals before us. Homo habilis. Home erectus.

Homo neanderthalensis. And then we arrived, and named ourselves homo sapiens, Latin for "the wise man". As a wise species, we have done a lot of things.

Some of it has been remarkable. Some of it has been destructive and arrogant.

The COVID pandemic has reminded us of how, in an instant, Nature can humble us by tipping the cart of human safety and comfort.

So‌ we must learn.

For it is the wise ape who understands that how we treat Nature, will determine how Nature treats us.

Photo: Family picking up trash on Monona Bay

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Clean Lakes Alliance 150 E. Gilman St, Suite 2600 Madison, WI 53703-1441

by

BOAT

by

LAND

Join us in the heart of downtown Madison on The Edgewater Grand Plaza and Pier, a waterfront destination offering one of the only public access points on beautiful Lake Mendota.

Cruise up and enjoy a casual lakeside menu and sunset dining at The Boathouse. Or, pop up to The Statehouse Terrace for the best view in town. At Madison’s Place, you’ll find 40 public boat slips, pop-up pier parties, live music, customized boating excursions, boat rentals and complimentary boat ride nights.

MADISON’S PLACE

The Edgewater 1001 Wisconsin Place Madison, WI I 608.535.8200 I theedgewater.com