We are thrilled to have completed our one-year UW-Madison Arboretum WATER grant project this summer! In the WATER (Water Action to Encourage Responsibility) project, the UW-Madison Arboretum along with neighborhood, city, and county partners in the Lake Wingra watershed worked together to pilot programs and neighborhood-focused actions that minimize the harmful effects of stormwater that […]
Friends of Lake Wingra WATER Grant Read More »
by David Thompson April 14, 2022 In October of 2012, Jack Nolan asked the Friends of Lake Wingra for help in selecting an Eagle Scout project. Jack wanted to do something to help the lake, and after I gave Jack a tour of the watershed, learning about some of its problems, Jack decided to build a
Building a Rain Garden at Thoreau School Read More »
by Sally Lehner October, 2021 Have you seen the new turtle mural above the storm drain at Vilas Park? It features two of Lake Wingra’s favorite creatures to spot: the snapping and painted turtle. The new turtle mural, located across from the tennis court parking lot near Lake Wingra in Vilas Park, was made possible
Lake Wingra Storm Drain Mural at Vilas Park Read More »
On June 16, 2021 at 9 a.m. the City of Madison formally dedicated a new rain garden to Roger Bannerman. You can find it on the corner of Sheldon Street and Fox Avenue. The rain garden right off the Southwest Commuter Path reflects Roger’s lifelong work to protect our freshwater resources. Roger’s wife Jane spoke
Roger Bannerman Rain Garden Dedication Read More »
Chloride levels have increased in our Madison lakes over the decades. In fact, Lake Wingra has the highest chloride concentration out of all the Yahara-chain lakes. Water softeners contribute to chloride levels in freshwater resources. While they don’t directly impact the chloride concentrations at Lake Wingra, we believe it is important to treat our water
The Salt in My Water Softener Goes Where? Read More »
By Roger Bannerman Every Fall the leaves accumulating in our residential streets contribute to making Lake Wingra turn green in the summer. Rain water running through the fallen leaves can release nutrients, such as phosphorus and carry it to the lake. If the leaves are left on the street for the few weeks of the
How Brown Leaves Help Turn Lake Wingra Green Read More »
The Department of Natural Resources has a new and improved rain garden manual for your use! Rain Gardens: A Guide for Homeowners and Landscapers, the new manual, discusses the three main steps to designing a rain garden for your home: Step 1 – sizing and siting, Step 2 – constructing, and Step 3 – Planting
A Statewide Accomplishment: A New DNR Rain Garden Manual Read More »
By Roger Bannerman Rain gardens help improve the quality of our lakes by capturing pollutants and infiltrating runoff. One additional benefit for Lake Wingra is that increased infiltration can help restore spring flows, which is the main source of year-round flows into Lake Wingra. Out of the 600 rain gardens that have been installed around
How Rain Gardens Help Lake Wingra Read More »
By Sophia Dramm When snow falls in Wisconsin, children may think about the snowmen they’re going to build, students may think of the school cancellations they’re going to enjoy and drivers may think about their safety on the road. So when they hear the rumble of snow plows that clear the streets and scatter salt
By Casey Hanson Have you heard the superstition that spilling salt is bad luck and that if you did, throwing a pinch over your left shoulder should help avert any evil omens you’ve just incurred? Maybe they were talking about road salt application the whole time! Let us explain. For years, a
Worth One’s Salt: Reducing Salt Application to Protect Our Lakes Read More »
By Roger Bannerman The Friends of Lake Wingra (FoLW) have been cooperating with the city of Madison for over four years to determine how selected leaf control efforts in the fall can reduce the amounts of phosphorus reaching Lake Wingra. Results from the fall of 2016 are especially exciting. By increasing the leaf
Fall Leaf Control Study Continues in the Lake Wingra Watershed Read More »
Have you ever explored the UW-Arboretum foot paths on the southwest side of Wingra Boats? If so, you may notice sections of it are dominated by oriental bittersweet, an invasive woody, climbing vine that can choke and kill native trees. A group of forty eleventh graders from Capital High came to the
How Capital High Students Helped Lake Wingra’s Watershed Read More »
