Office of Lakes & Watershed Home

Water Body Classification Project

Learn about this project to develop policies to protect and improve the health of county lakes and streams.

Prevent and Control Invasive Species in our Lakes and Rivers

Dane County has adopted an Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention and Control Plan.

DNR Increasing Invasive Species Enforcement

Clean Lakes Public Service Announcement

View the two clean lakes public service announcements created by the Lakes and Watershed Commission.

Take a Stake in the Lakes Days 2009

Even though TASDays are over for this year, you can still look at all the fun events that took place. And be sure to mark June 5-20, 2010 on your calendar for Take a Stake in the Lakes Days 2010! For more information, visit the Take a Stake in the Lakes 09 Home Page.

Yahara Lakes Legacy Partnership

The Dane County Lakes and Watershed Commission and staff at the Office of Lakes and Watersheds are part of an exciting partnership effort to protect and improve the Yahara River chain of lakes, including Lakes Mendota, Monona, Wingra, Waubesa, and Kegonsa. Lake users, residents, and other stakeholders are providing input in this process to create a 'practical vision' for the future of the lakes as well as a realistic set of recommendations for making the vision a reality. Click here for more information, and to offer your comments on a possible long-term partnership structure.

Aquatic Plant Management Project in Turville Bay

Selective herbicide application and cutting of aquatic plants on Turville Bay, the southwest area of Lake Monona, continue in 2009 as part of a cooperative research project to evaluate control methods for Eurasian water milfoil (an invasive aquatic exotic plant) and to restore native plant communities.

Eurasian water milfoil begins growing early in the year, and creates a dense growth canopy which shades out native plant species. Controlling Eurasian water milfoil early in the season may give an advantage to native plants.

Water quality and aquatic plants will be analyzed for three years, followed by two to three years of post treatment monitoring.

Read the March 27, 2009 press release.

View a video on weed control efforts.

Learn About the State of Dane County Waters

If learning about Dane County waters and what is being done to protect and improve them is one of your new year resolutions, the new Dane County State of the Waters Report is for you!

Join Dane Stewards

Join the Dane Stewards listserv to stay up to date on events and information regarding Dane County's water resources!

Ordinance on Coal Tar Sealants

The Dane County Lakes and Watershed Commission's ordinance regulating coal tar sealants was adopted by the County Board, and is effective July 1, 2007. Click here for more information.