Tag: lakes

Exploring Hot Lake Topics for 2026

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Over the course of the next year, Wisconsin Lakes will look to explore our changing world of lakes. Here are five high-impact blog topics that we look to explore here at WisconsinLakes.net that are relevant to lake associations, property owners, and districts:

1. Wake-Enhanced Boating: Balancing Recreation and Lake Health

  • Why it matters: Wake boats and ballast systems are a growing concern in Wisconsin and lake communities in general. They can damage shorelines, uproot aquatic plants, and disturb fish habitats.
  • Goal: Work to explain the ecological impacts, summarize proposed statewide regulations (e.g., distance from shore, recommended depth), and offer practical tips for lake associations to manage wake sports locally.

2. Combatting Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS): Prevention and Rapid Response

  • Why it matters: AIS like Eurasian watermilfoil and zebra mussels threaten biodiversity and property values. Starry Stonewart is a newly identified threat in WI.
  • Goal: Share best practices for prevention (boat cleaning, ballast tank decontamination), highlight new DNR initiatives, and showcase success stories from Wisconsin lake districts.

3. Climate Change and Wisconsin Lakes: What Local Data Shows

  • Why it matters: Longer ice-free seasons, warmer water, and nutrient loading are changing lake dynamics. As previously touched upon we will reopen this topic based on emerging data.
  • Goal: Use Citizen Lake Monitoring Network data to illustrate trends in water clarity, temperature, and algal blooms. Offer adaptive management strategies for lake associations to consider.

4. Shoreline Management and Erosion Control for Property Owners

  • Why it matters: Poor shoreline practices accelerate erosion, degrade water quality, and reduce property value.
  • Goal: Provide actionable guidance on buffer zones, native plantings, and ordinances. Include links to model regulations and funding opportunities for restoration projects through possible cost share.

5. Forming and Strengthening Lake Associations: Governance and Funding

  • Why it matters: Strong associations are key to sustainable lake management and property value protection.
  • Goal: Outline steps to create or revitalize a lake association, explain statutory powers under Wisconsin Chapter 33, and share tips for securing grants and building community engagement.

Welcome to Wisconsin Lakes.net

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Happy Independence Day! Welcome to this website-Blog!

I’ve always loved the idea of “home”. Wisconsin is where I grew up and I am happy to be back home working on our lakes and watercourses. I have worked at offices located in several other states along the way, with the opportunity to work on projects in adjacent states. It has been a great adventure with a tremendous amount of experience to be gained in a variety of environments and among some extremely talented minds, but I always knew this was a domain I desired to re-inhabit.

I guess I should caveat things by saying that I didn’t just appear overnight, I have been working on projects, primarily in southern part of the state for the last 10 years, but mostly from a distance, slowly integrating into the local policies and protocols. Make no bones about it, Wisconsin is different and operates differently than many other states. This isn’t exactly a bad thing, but integral in understanding the flow of things when you are at the plate.

Wisconsin is such a very water and natural resources rich state that it can become part of your very being. It can become imprinted on you at a young age and continues to follow you wherever you may go. The state’s abundance of clear, and relatively clean lakes and streams overshadow the fact that these areas need management and upkeep as much as any water body. For every clear and clean lake there is an equal number of lakes that are overloaded with nutrients, typically driven by a delivery mechanism yet to be controlled or fully understood.

As I have explored the canvas of lakes management and furthermore the natural resources components that accompany these services over the past 20 years of my career I have realized just how dependent people are on use of the internet to begin their journey. While this is totally reasonable, there is no “paint by numbers” in this business. No replacement for experience or a trained eye coupled with applied education. Lakes are not houses, they are a living breathing ecosystem that is constantly evolving to achieve a balance, more particularly in the last few centuries this would include the heavy influence of man.

So welcome aboard! Perhaps there is something that you can learn from my projects or the experience of others. I hope to have others contribute over time their expertise and input. To the maximum extent possible I will try to keep this website- blog less opinionated and more factual but at times it becomes difficult to hold the line when you are passionate about things, particularly decisions driven by others who are forced to look at things as black and white or place a financial line in the sand. So let us soldier ahead to discover our lakes, rivers, and everything else in between.

-BV