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Have you ever looked at a shampoo bottle where it says, lather, rinse, repeat, but the directions never tell you when to stop? If you are a cabin owner your life may be a little bit like that shampoo bottle. Monday through Friday you work really hard at your job and somehow, someone during the week manages to get groceries, mow the lawn, and pay the bills. Friday, you repack some of those groceries and head Up North, arrive at the cabin, unpack the groceries, and mow the weeds(LATHER). Sunday, you pack up the uneaten groceries along with an amount of garbage signifying overconsumption and return home (RINSE). Monday you start REPEATing the process over and over again. Oh, the glorious life of a Shampoo bottle, sure it sounds dreadful to some but for those of us who know, the magic of the cabin keeps us happily in an endless loop.  But have you ever thought of this?

 When you are at work on a Monday morning, do you ever think about the water quality of the lake at the cabin? What would your cabin lake be like with an invasive species such as milfoil, zebra mussels, and asian carp? What about fish stocking, erosion control, and waterlevels?

 Thankfully, there are hundreds of organizations called Lake Associations who are addressing all these issues so many of us can continue to enjoy the lake experience.  So what is a Lake Association exactly? From the University of Wisconsin, Extension Lakes Program (UWEX):

 “Usually, lake associations are voluntary organizations with members who own land on or near a lake.  They can be involved in various levels of lake management activities and vary from well-run lake management groups to loose-knit social groups.”

 Expanding on this is Kim Becken, from the UWEX:

“The Wisconsin Lakes Partnership has been recognized as a national model of collaboration. Three groups form the core of this team: the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) supplies the technical expertise and regulatory authority; the University of Wisconsin-Extension (UWEX) builds linkages among stakeholders and provides supporting educational materials and programs; and local lake people are the third group, represented by the Wisconsin Association of Lakes (WAL). Citizen volunteers from around the state - lake organizations, property owners, and local governments - provide the political will and hard work to accomplish watershed restoration and lake protection goals. We are all concerned with the future of our lakes, and have joined together in active cooperation and conscientious planning for lake protection.”

Some fascinating snippets on Lake Associations history from the UWEX:

Finally, a comparable organization to UWEX in Minnesota is Minnesota Waters.

Minnesota Waters, is a statewide non-profit dedicated to improving the lakes, rivers, and watersheds of Minnesota with a similar mission:

“The mission of Minnesota Waters is to promote responsible stewardship of our water resources by engaging citizens, local and state policymakers, and other partners in the protection and restoration of Minnesota’s lakes and rivers.”

So, how do you form a Lake Association, or join one, or run one, rules, etc. A great place to start is found in this terrific handbook noted by Kim Becken, University of Wisconsin, Extension Lakes Program and found on their website:

People of the Lakes: A Guide for Wisconsin Lake Organizations

Hats off to the staffs at Minnesota Waters and UWEX:

Staff at Minnesota Waters:

Bruce Johnson

Executive Director

Linda Hamilton

Development Director

Angie Becker Kudelka

Program Director

Molly Zins

Watershed Stewardship Director

Leah Peterson

Watershed Organizer

Courtney Kowalczak

Citizen Monitoring Coordinator

Anna Nicol

Admiistrative Assistant

Staff at UWEX:

Bob Korth

Lake Specialist

Kim Becken

Office Manager & Outreach Specialist

Jessica Tomaszewski

Office Assistant

Erin Henegar

Aquatic Invasive Species Volunteer Coordinator

(Clean Boats, Clean Waters)

Laura Herman

Citizen Lake Monitoring Network Coordinator

Amy Kowalski

Communications Specialist