Tag: wetlands

🌊 Dive Into the 2026 Wisconsin Lakes & Rivers Convention!

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When tackling a monumental challenge—like restoring a watershed, managing invasive species, or mitigating internal phosphorus loading—it can take years, even decades, to see the fruits of our labor.

This spring, we are gathering to celebrate exactly that: the long-term programs and the accumulated actions of countless people who have persevered through the years to protect our waters.

Whether you are a lake district commissioner, a shoreline property owner, a student, or a water resources professional, the 2026 Wisconsin Lakes and Rivers Convention is the place to recharge your batteries, share your successes, and prepare for the future of Wisconsin’s waters.

🗓️ Event Details At-A-Glance

  • When: April 15–17, 2026
  • Where: Holiday Inn & Convention Center | Stevens Point, WI (Virtual options are also available for select sessions!)
  • Theme: Decades of Dedication
  • More Info & Registration: WisconsinWaterWeek.org

🔍 Why You Should Attend

Brought to you by the Wisconsin Lakes & Rivers Partnership, this annual gathering is a unique convergence of science, citizens, and policy. Here is what you can look forward to:

  • 💡 Learn from the Experts: Choose from over 60 concurrent sessions covering hot topics like aquatic plant ecology, shoreland health, fisheries, and watershed restoration.
  • 🛠️ Hands-On Workshops (Wednesday & Friday): Dive deep into interactive sessions. Learn how to use DNR online data tools, design local runoff practices, or apply for state grant funding to launch your next big project.
  • 🤝 Expand Your Network: Connect with fellow lake and river advocates, DNR representatives, extension educators, and environmental consultants.
  • 🏆 Celebrate Lake Stewards: Join us for the annual Wisconsin Lake Stewardship Awards banquet to celebrate the extraordinary volunteer and professional efforts keeping our lakes pristine.

👥 For Our Lake Districts & Property Owners

If you’ve been using our online tools—like the Sediment Health Calculator—and are wondering “what next?”, this convention is the ultimate place to find answers. You will find workshops dedicated specifically to lake district administration, citizen monitoring protocols, and practical, on-the-ground engineering solutions for shoreland runoff.

🎟️ How to Join Us

Registration is officially open! Whether you are joining us in person in Stevens Point or hopping on via Zoom for hybrid/virtual tracks, make sure to secure your spot.

👉 Ready to register or view the full agenda? Head over toWisconsinWaterWeek.orgto lock in your spot.

Let’s get together, look back at how far we’ve come, and celebrate the people carrying the torch for Wisconsin’s waters into the future!

Welcome to Wisconsin Lakes.net

lakes-pro

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