Protecting Wisconsin Lakes from Damages of Wake Surfing
Why Towns and Lake Groups Must Act Now By Mary Jung March 3, 2026- February was a chaotic month for Wisconsin’s lakes that ended in a legislative stalemate. · Industry-backed wake-surf bills (AB1033/SB1025) which offered no meaningful protection and sought to preempt local authority were introduced; and AB1033 passed the Assembly, but only after […]
Rescinding the endangerment finding will make it harder to mitigate climate change-related health risks
From WXPR by Katie Thoresen The Trump Administration recently rescinded the central scientific finding that’s the basis of much of the nation’s climate pollution rules under the Clean Air Act. The endangerment finding is a 2009 scientific finding that six particular greenhouse gases cause significant harm to human health. CONTINUE READING…
Urgent and New Opportunity for Action on Wake Boats
Call your legislators about wake boat bill SB 1024 Here’s the latest February 13, 2026: Earlier this week, we reached out encouraging you to contact your legislators about AB 1033 related to wakesurfing. We at Wisconsin’s Green Fire (WGF) oppose AB 1033. Two new bills are now out as of yesterday afternoon: Senate Bill 1025, which is […]
HEADS UP – Destructive Clear-cutting
As the bad wakeboat bill has dropped in the state legislature, another critical issue is brewing here in Oneida County. There is nothing you need to do at the moment – just please be attuned and watch for updates. There is a gaping hole in our county’s Shoreland Protection Ordinance (SPO) – one that threatens […]
OCLRA eNews – February 2026
Please share this information and the OCLRA website (oneidacounty.lakekit.net/) with the members of your lake association, district and/or friends group and with your personal networks. The next OCLRA Board meeting is Monday, February 9, at 9 a.m., at the ADRC building in Rhinelander, across the parking lot from Trig’s grocery. All are welcome. Our meetings […]
Lakes in the Northwoods are getting saltier
After two mild winters, drivers are being reminded ice and snow can make for some messy roads. Salt and brine have shown to be effective tools to help keep roads clear and safer to drive in the winter, but it comes with a cost. One study out of Minnesota found that salt damage to infrastructure, cars, and […]
Oneida County creates lakes classification system with emphasis on protecting high quality watersheds
Lakes in the region face a lot of threats. Public access, shoreline development, enhanced wakes, and aquatic invasive species are all key risk factors identified by the Oneida County Land and Water Conservation Department. Special Projects Coordinator JoAnne Lund says, so far, lakes in the county have held up well against these risks. “Our lakes […]
Wisconsin Citizen Lake Monitoring Network Winter Water Talks #4!
Our fourth webinar in the 2025-2026 Winter Water Talks series is coming up on February 11th at 12:00 CT! We’ll hear from Sean Strom of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources as he speaks about Bald Eagles as Indicators of Emerging Contaminants and Ecosystem Health in Wisconsin. The Winter Water Talks series is free and open to […]
Wisconsin Lakes and the LWA Call for Urgent Action to Protect Lakebed Life
January 20, 2026 – WISCONSIN Operating between 9 and 12 mph, specialized wake-surfing boats use their unique hull designs, additional ballast water, and powerful engines to displace a significantly greater volume of water than any other watercraft. This massive, focused displacement imparts a powerful, plunging energy downward, outward, and rearward, channeling destructive forces that blow up the lake bottom, […]
Winter Salt Week – January 26-30, 2026
Photo by Amy Kowalski After Road Salt Melts Snow, It Degrades Freshwater Winter Salt Week – January 26-30, 2026 Every winter, tons of salt are spread on roads, parking lots, and sidewalks to keep us safe. But once the snow melts, that salt doesn’t disappear—it washes into our lakes, streams, and groundwater. Rising salt levels […]