
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 lakes to form Public Inland Lake Protection and Rehabilitation Districts.
Today, over 250 lake districts in Wisconsin undertake lake protection and rehabilitation projects for the benefit of all lake users. As we gather in Stevens Point for the annual convention, we’ll look back at the progress made over 50 years of partnering to protect and restore these waters. We’ll also look ahead to the next 50 years to ensure that future generations of lake lovers will continue our legacy of proactive lake, river and watershed management.