Contact: Pete Jopke, Water Resources Planner
(608) 224-3733
Madison, Wisconsin — The Dane County Land and Water Resources Department is seeking public comment on draft Aquatic Plant Management Plan amendments. These plans provide an inventory of existing plants in area lakes and streams. The plans also detail how native plants will be protected, how nuisance vegetation will be controlled, and ways in which recreational access will be provided.
The Department operates the Aquatic Plant Management Program to provide for reasonable use of the lakes for boating, fishing, and swimming, while preserving the health and balance of the lake ecosystem. The plan amendments up for public comment address the following water bodies: Lake Mendota, Lake Monona, Lake Wingra, Lake Waubesa, Lake Kegonsa, the Yahara River, Upper Mud Lake, and Lower Mud Lake.
The Aquatic Plant Management Plans also guide aquatic plant mechanical harvesting that Dane County staff may conduct in these waters. The plans need to be updated every five years in order to satisfy Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources requirements.
Area residents can find draft plan amendments on the Dane County Office of Lakes and Watersheds website (https://olw-lwrd.countyofdane.com/Management/Aquatic-Plants/Aquatic-Plant-Management). Public comment on these drafts will be accepted until December 8 via email at lakes@countyofdane.com.
This exercise compliments the many other efforts the Department of Land and Water Resources carries out to protect and enhance Dane County’s natural, cultural, and historic resources. The Department strives to provide the county’s residents with a broad array of accessible, high quality resource-based recreational services and facilities.
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