Finding the necessary resources to answer questions is always the biggest step even after spending countless hours on the internet, there a many stones left to be overturned. How applicable is the project to your state? Local area? Timeline and costs? How do grants work if I can get one? How do I find a reputable consultant and/or contractor if I need one? What is contingency? How do I feel confident things were done correctly?
Lake, Stream, and Natural Resources projects can be complex to undertake and not always described to property owners, Lake Districts, or other stakeholders in an edible or understandable fashion. The general public could describe these as “projects.” In Wisconsin, much of the policy directed at carrying out a project is written or described from the purview of regulatory agencies and provides limited direction to the necessary means and methods, costs, and potential timelines, not to mention maintenance and upkeep. In Wisconsin especially, due to The Public Trust Doctrine, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is a central hub for direction and policy.
Natural resources projects are often funded through non-dedicated, secondary sources, so whether it’s grant writing, stakeholder capacity consensus, or alternative design bidding, properly navigating the procedure will help you move forward rather than watching the project stall out. We hope the resources on this site can help you learn the process (or processes) needed to move your endeavors forward, improve you lake situation, or address a condition that helps you, your organization, or stakeholders make decisions and move forward.
While projects can be very diverse in their undertaking, most improvements involve restoration or an attempt to minimize a direct impact to our lake. Restoration and design described within this site will generally fall within one of the below service areas:
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
| Wisconsin Lakes Partnership |
| Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) Lakes Home |
| Wisconsin Lakes (formerly Wisconsin Association of Lakes) |
| UW-Extension Lakes (UWSP) |
Wisconsin Lakes.net 