PROGRAM PILLARS
With multiple projects in progress for the sake of our lake, we have structured our programs to reflect our priorities and efforts in the Green Lake watershed based on our current Strategic Plan.​ The projects are divided into four categories known as our Program Pillars.
In collaboration with our partners, the GLA implements solutions to reduce the lake’s incoming phosphorus pollution—which impairs Green Lake’s water quality, fueling weed growth and degrading conditions for both our community and aquatic animals.
AIS
PREVENTION
To protect Big Green Lake’s water quality, the GLA minimizes the spread of new and existing aquatic invasive species (AIS) through preventative measures and community education.
DATA
EVALUATION
The GLA gathers data and information that drives the Lake Management Planning Team to identify water quality problems, inform solutions, and track our collective progress.
COMMUNITY ACTIVATION
The GLA cultivates community engagement in the health of the lake by mobilizing our members, volunteers, and partners to act on Green Lake’s behalf.
PHOSPHORUS
REDUCTION
OUR GOAL
To reduce the lake’s incoming phosphorus pollution by 20% by 2027.
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OUR CHALLENGE
We know our biggest problem—phosphorus—and that we must achieve a 57% reduction in phosphorus loading to remove the lake from the WDNR’s impaired waters list.
The primary locations of the problem are the inlets at County Highway A and County Highway K. The Silver Creek inlet is the source of 48% of the phosphorus entering the lake annually, and the Southwest inlet is the origin of 29% of the lake’s annual phosphorus. Together, these two locations account for nearly 80% of the lake’s annual phosphorus loading.
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By intercepting phosphorus from these inlets before it enters Green Lake, we can drastically reduce the speed of degradation of our lake's water quality. The GLA is tapping into the expertise of the nation's top scientists to help tackle this challenge head on and identify solutions for our lake.
AIS PREVENTION
Aquatic invasive species (AIS) are plants, animals, or pathogens that are introduced by human action to an area where they do not naturally occur. Once they establish breeding populations, they spread rapidly in their new environments. AIS lack natural predators and competitors, which contribute to their population explosions.
The GLA prioritizes managing existing aquatic invasive species (AIS) in Green Lake—like zebra mussels, carp, and curly-leaf pondweed—while preventing new invasions. Our prevention efforts include operating a self-service boat wash station at Dodge Memorial County Park and the Clean Boats, Clean Waters program, which educate boaters on proper decontamination techniques. Additionally, the CD3 system at Horner’s Landing provides boaters with easy-to-use tools to clean, drain, and dry their equipment, ensuring AIS do not hitch a ride into Green Lake. These initiatives are vital in safeguarding the lake from irreversible damage caused by AIS.
By partnering with the Green Lake Sanitary District, the GLA also helps fund the annual removal of carp, an AIS that stirs up phosphorus-laden sediments which flow into Green Lake and affect water quality. We funded the removal of more than
20,000 pounds of carp from the County K Marsh in the last five years.
DATA EVALUATION
The GLA collects and analyzes data to guide the Lake Management Planning Team in identifying water quality issues, shaping solutions, and tracking collective progress.
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Green Lake’s challenges are unique, requiring tailored strategies rather than one-size-fits-all approaches used on other lakes. To address these complexities, the GLA collaborates with federal agencies, academic institutions, local governments, citizen scientists, and other partners to design studies that deepen our understanding of the lake’s issues.
Together, we develop actionable solutions to monitor and mitigate these challenges effectively.
COMMUNITY ACTIVATION
The GLA engages the community in protecting Green Lake by mobilizing members, volunteers, and partners. Over 100 volunteers helped restore Dakin Creek, enabling brook trout, an indicator of clean water, to thrive for the first time in 70 years—an effort that underscores the need for collective action to restore the lake.
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Education and clear communication are key to informing stakeholders—community members, leaders, officials, and future generations—about necessary actions for lake preservation. GLA’s initiatives include developing curricula and training programs for students, farmers, landowners, and shoreline owners.
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As we strengthen our volunteer program and foster an informed watershed community, we look forward to deepening partnerships with schools, businesses, and governments to expand our impact.