A closer look at how Eurasian milfoil and chemical treatments are harming aquatic life Flint Lake on Valparaiso’s north side is in trouble. Invasive aquatic weeds, especially Eurasian milfoil, have become so overgrown that they’re even interfering with fish population surveys. During a recent Department of Natural Resources (DNR) survey, biologists had to stop two
Wake boats, designed to create large waves for activities like wakeboarding and wakesurfing, have become a contentious issue on Wisconsin lakes. While these boats provide fun and excitement for water sports enthusiasts, they also raise concerns among other lake users and environmental advocates. The main issues with wake boats include: Shoreline Erosion: The large wakes
The year 2024 marks the 50th anniversary of Wisconsin’s unique lake law, Chapter 33: Public Inland Waters. The legislature and governor worked together in the early 1970s to establish a collaborative research and management framework that lives on today as the Wisconsin Lakes and Rivers Partnership. The law also created a pathway for landowners around
Created by melting glaciers thousands of years ago, Lake George is 43,471 acres, 32 mile long, up to 2.5 mile wide and up to 200 feet deep. Located at the southern end of the Adirondack Park in Upstate New York, Lake George is the primary driver of regional tourism, generating $2 billion in annual economic
Ray Scott, was an American outdoorsman who turned bass fishing into a professional sport and founded the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (B.A.S.S.), died on May 8th; he was 88 years old. B.A.S.S. is the the world’s largest fishing membership organization and will be his legacy. His contributions and impact on conservation and his advocacy and passion
When it comes to knowing a thing or two about ice covered lakes, our friends to north in Canada have quite a bit of experience! However, there is actually very little data on under-ice lake ecology. The aquatic scientists at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, were interested in how climate change might affect lake ecosystems.
Bounded by two Great Lakes and the Mississippi River – with 15,000 or so inland lakes and 44,000 miles of rivers and streams in between – Wisconsin is an ideal place to study freshwater ecosystems. Freshwater education and research across the state has too often been an independent pursuit. Until now. As part of a
Lake associations are voluntary organizations with members who own land on or near a lake with the purpose to maintain, protect, and improve the quality of a lake, its fisheries, and its watershed. Wisconsin has about 400 lake associations in existence and the power of the associations have over lake management is impressive. The Carlin
Phragmites, the 12 feet tall perennial grass that aggressively colonizes and forms dense stands in freshwater wetlands can be eradicated using herbicides, but it takes years of repetition. The glyphosate components in the herbicide stay in the ecosystem which can lead to loss of biodiversity, making them more vulnerable to pollution and climate change. An