Clean Lakes 101

Join us for this in-person or virtual hybrid edition of Clean Lakes 101 to learn about the relationships and reproductive habits of some of our most common underwater dwellers. Justin Chenevert from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is returning for one of our most popular talks: Love in the Lakes. Register as an in-person attendee or to receive a Zoom link through your confirmation email and watch virtually.

Enter your information in the box below to register

About this Talk

Organisms across the globe are faced with the same dilemma – how to pass on their genes to the next generation and give their youngsters the best possible chance at success. Things are no different for the creatures in the Yahara lakes. Pike, panfish, plants, and invertebrates all go to great lengths to propagate, but take wildly different approaches. What makes each strategy successful, and why? During this presentation, you’ll learn about the mating and reproductive strategies of several important species, which range from the heartwarming… to the bizarre.

About our Speaker

Justin Chenevert (Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources) began his career in water resources by removing invasive plants from the Charles River outside of Boston, MA. Soon enough he found himself in Madison completing the Water Resources Management master’s program at UW. Justin worked for Clean Lakes Alliance from 2014 – 2016, supporting the volunteer water quality monitoring program and analyzing water quality data. He is currently employed by the Department of Natural Resources in the Monitoring section of the Water Quality Bureau, where he works on a variety of projects related to lake water quality, ecology, and citizen science. In his free time, Justin enjoys ice fishing and paddling on the Madison lakes and beyond.

Event Details

This event will be held at The Edgewater hotel – grand ballroom level 5 (1001 Wisconsin Pl, Madison, WI 53703). Doors open at 7:30 a.m. The program runs from 8 – 9 a.m. A Q/A session will follow the presentation as time allows. Complimentary event parking will be available at The Edgewater parking ramp. Parking spots fill up quickly and may be limited depending on hotel capacity.

A Zoom link will be sent to all registrants via the confirmation email.

Clean Lakes 101 Lecture Series

Clean Lakes 101 is a series of educational events open to the public and a great chance to learn more about the science behind the issues that affect our lakes. Each month we feature a different expert to make the science accessible and interesting to non-technical audiences. The series is produced in partnership with the UW-Madison Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies and UW-Extension Lakes, with presenting sponsor National Guardian Life Insurance Company, hosting sponsor The Edgewater, supporting sponsor Johnson Financial Group, and media sponsor WKOW. Additional support is provided by Alliant Energy Foundation, Hovde Properties, and Perkins Coie LLP.

Related Events

• 

  Clean Lakes 101

  August 14 @ 8:00 am – 9:00 am
• 

  Clean Lakes 101

  September 10 @ 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm
• 

  Clean Lakes 101

  October 9 @ 8:00 am – 9:00 am

As part of our Frozen Assets week of activities, join us for this FREE virtual edition of Clean Lakes 101 to learn more about the relationships and reproduction habits of some of our most common underwater dwellers. Register to receive the Zoom link and watch virtually.

ABOUT THIS TALK

Organisms across the globe are faced with the same dilemma – how to pass on their genes to the next generation and give their youngsters the best possible chance at success. Things are no different for the creatures in the Yahara lakes. Pike, panfish, plants, and invertebrates all go to great lengths to propagate, but take wildly different approaches. What makes each strategy successful, and why? During this presentation, you’ll learn about the mating and reproductive strategies of several important species, which range from the heartwarming to the bizarre.

ABOUT OUR SPEAKER

Justin Chenevert (Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources) began his career in water resources hauling laundry baskets of invasive weeds from the muddy Charles River in Boston, MA. Despite the smell, he found he loved working with water, and moved to Madison in 2013 to pursue a master’s degree in Water Resources Management from UW-Madison. Justin worked for Clean Lakes Alliance from 2014 – 2016 in several capacities, including surveying lake users, supporting the volunteer water quality monitoring program, and analyzing water quality data. He is currently employed by the Department of Natural Resources in the Water Monitoring section, where he works on a variety of projects related to lake water quality, ecology, and citizen science. In his free time, Justin enjoys ice fishing and paddling on the Madison lakes and beyond.

EVENT DETAILS

This event will be held online via Zoom. The online talk is free and open to the public. A link to access the talk LIVE will be sent to all registered attendees ahead of the event.

CLEAN LAKES 101 LECTURE SERIES

Clean Lakes 101 is a series of educational events open to the public and a great chance for residents to learn more about the science behind the issues that affect our lakes. Each month we feature a different expert to make the science accessible and interesting to non-technical audiences.

The series is produced in partnership with the UW-Madison Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, with presenting sponsors First Weber Foundation and Johnson Financial Group, hosting sponsor The Edgewater, supporting sponsor National Guardian Life Insurance Company, and media partner WKOW 27 News.

Related Events

• 

  Clean Lakes 101

  August 14 @ 8:00 am – 9:00 am
• 

  Clean Lakes 101

  September 10 @ 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm
• 

  Clean Lakes 101

  October 9 @ 8:00 am – 9:00 am

Clean Lakes 101

Join us for this in-person edition of Clean Lakes 101 from 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 21st. We’ll hear three panelists discuss the conditions, trends, and water quality drivers affecting the five Yahara lakes.

Register by entering your information in the box below

About this Talk

The State of the Lakes provides an annual synopsis of how Greater Madison’s five Yahara lakes (Mendota, Monona, Wingra, Waubesa, and Kegonsa) are doing. Focusing on major drivers and indicators of water quality, the analysis summarizes lake and watershed health factors, trends, and the likely causes of observed conditions. The latest report features lake-by-lake health dashboards and covers five areas of watershed impact and lake response.

Authored by Clean Lakes Alliance Deputy Director and Chief Science Officer Paul Dearlove, the annual State of the Lakes is a product of collaboration involving multiple government and scientific contributors. They include: U.S. Geological Survey, University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for Limnology, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Wisconsin Salt Wise, Public Health Madison & Dane County, Dane County Land & Water Resources, and Clean Lakes Alliance’s volunteer LakeForecast monitors.

About our Speakers/Panelists

Richard “Dick” Lathrop has been studying the Yahara chain of lakes since 1975, first on a 2-year federally funded project, then for the next 33 years as a research limnologist for the Wisconsin DNR. Besides his Yahara lakes research that led to a mid-career PhD from UW-Madison, Dick has championed other lake restoration projects including at Devil’s Lake and Lake Wingra. After retiring, Dick continues working on local lake issues through his 26-year Honorary Fellowship at the UW Center for Limnology including on their North-Temperate Lakes Long-Term Ecological Research project.

Kyle Minks is the Watershed Manager with the Dane County Land and Water Resources Department and has worked for the County since 2011. His responsibilities include coordinating the County’s efforts in implementing Watershed initiatives and projects, providing support for the two Community Manure Digesters within the County, and quantifying and reporting on County Ecosystem Services. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point with Bachelor’s Degrees in both Biology and Water Resources Management in 2007. He also attended the University of Wisconsin Madison graduating with Masters Degrees in both Water Resources Management and Soil Science in 2010.

Paul Dearlove joined Clean Lakes Alliance in 2014 and is the organization’s deputy director and chief science officer. His primary focus is on building watershed stewardship and promoting phosphorus-reduction actions to improve water quality. This work includes creating opportunities for people to become more informed and involved as donors, volunteers, and program participants. He most recently served as the managing director of the Yahara CLEAN Compact, a 19-partner coalition that developed “Renew the Blue: A Community Guide for Cleaner Lakes & Beaches in the Yahara Watershed.” Prior to Clean Lakes Alliance, Paul prepared comprehensive lake rehabilitation plans as a consultant and spent 15 years as Lake Manager of the Lake Ripley Management District (Jefferson County, WI). He earned his M.S. in Water Resources Management from the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, and has served on the boards of the American Water Resources Association (Wisconsin Section), Wisconsin Lakes, and the Friends of Lake Wingra.

Event Moderator

Dana Fulton joined the 27 Storm Track Weather Team in September 2023 and forecasts the weather for 27 News Wake Up Wisconsin weekday mornings from 4:30-7am. She holds a degree in Meteorology from Mississippi State University and a degree in Journalism from Western Illinois University. Prior to joining WKOW, Dana worked at WISC News 3, WACH in South Carolina, KVAL in Oregon, and WEEK in Peoria, IL. At WACH, she was the Chief Meteorologist and led the team through the historic landfall of Hurricane Matthew. A Midwest girl at heart, Dana loves forecasting all four seasons, especially winter weather. She enjoys how invested Wisconsinites are in the weather since the forecast impacts all of us.

Event Details

This event will be held in person only at The Edgewater hotel – grand ballroom level 5 (1001 Wisconsin Pl, Madison, WI 53703). Doors open at 4:00 p.m. The program runs from 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. A Q/A session will follow the presentation as time allows. Complimentary event parking will be available at The Edgewater parking ramp. Parking spots fill up quickly and may be limited depending on hotel capacity.

Clean Lakes 101 Lecture Series

Clean Lakes 101 is a series of educational events open to the public and a great chance to learn more about the science behind the issues that affect our lakes. Each month we feature a different expert to make the science accessible and interesting to non-technical audiences. The series is produced in partnership with the UW-Madison Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies and UW-Extension Lakes, with presenting sponsor National Guardian Life Insurance Company, hosting sponsor The Edgewater, supporting sponsor Johnson Financial Group, and media sponsor WKOW. Additional support is provided by Alliant Energy Foundation, Hovde Properties, and Perkins Coie LLP.

Related Events

• 

  Clean Lakes 101

  August 14 @ 8:00 am – 9:00 am
• 

  Clean Lakes 101

  September 10 @ 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm
• 

  Clean Lakes 101

  October 9 @ 8:00 am – 9:00 am

Clean Lakes 101

Join us Wednesday, November 10th to learn about ways that you can help create more resilient landscapes in our communities.

About this Talk

Join us Wednesday, November 10th to hear Katie Richgels discuss actionable ways for residents to reduce stormwater runoff from reaching the lakes. Land use and climate impacts, such as heavy rain and runoff, and other headwinds threaten our progress toward healthy lakes. Fortunately, you don’t need to live on the lakes to make a difference in our Yahara Watershed. Many small actions can make our landscape more resilient and add up to big impacts for water quality.

Our speaker will cover how stormwater from the Madison Metro area impacts the Yahara Watershed and provide some practical strategies for reducing runoff and capturing stormwater where we live. From complex water mitigation installations such as swales and rain gardens, to simple redirection of downspouts and collection of leaf litter, we’ll highlight the many large and small ways you can reduce your impacts and contribute to sustainability of our lakes for many generations to come. Let’s challenge each other to change just one thing, because together we can have a positive impact on the issues affecting our watershed.

About our Speaker

Katie Richgels earned her PhD in Ecology and Evolution from the University of Colorado and completed her undergraduate degree in Wildlife Ecology at the University of Wisconsin. She studied aquatic ecosystems and amphibian malformations for her thesis, and now manages a team of scientists who investigate wildlife disease outbreaks for a federal agency. She has taught introductory biology, biology for non-scientists, and parasitology at the University of Colorado, and currently is a recurring guest lecturer in the University of Wisconsin wildlife diseases course. Currently, she is the Chief of the Ecology and Epidemiology Branch at the National Wildlife Health Center of the USGS. She is a mom of two, avid natives gardener, and all around lover of the natural world. She began volunteering her time and expertise for The608.org in January of 2021, with a series of prerecorded informational talks called “Living Among Lakes”, which has provided a connection to the community of lake enthusiasts in Madison and a space where we can learn from one another.

Event Details

This event will be held online via Zoom. The online talk is free and open to the public. A link to access the talk LIVE will be sent to all registered attendees ahead of the event.

Clean Lakes 101 Lecture Series

Clean Lakes 101 is a series of educational events open to the public and a great chance for residents to learn more about the science behind the issues that affect our lakes. Each month we feature a different expert to make the science accessible and interesting to non-technical audiences. The series is produced in partnership with the UW-Madison Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies and UW-Extension Lakes, with presenting sponsors First Weber Foundation and Johnson Financial Group, hosting sponsor The Edgewater, and supporting sponsor National Guardian Life Insurance Company.

Related Events

• 

  Clean Lakes 101

  August 14 @ 8:00 am – 9:00 am
• 

  Clean Lakes 101

  September 10 @ 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm
• 

  Clean Lakes 101

  October 9 @ 8:00 am – 9:00 am