​Aquatic Invasive Species

AIS Profile: Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS) 

Saturday 9:00-9:50am

Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS) is an emerging fish pathogen in the Great Lakes states and has the potential to spread rapidly to other locations in the U.S.  It infects and causes disease in over forty fish species.  Attend this presentation and learn about the biology of the disease and its current distribution from a fish health specialist.  Participants will also hear more about how the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is attempting to prevent the further spread of this disease.

 

 

The disease VHS forever changed how Wisconsin fisheries management and aquaculture conducts business.  In 2007, UW-Extension hired three aquaculture outreach specialists to help promote and advance the development of commercial aquaculture in a northern climate.  These new specialists are currently conducting workshops, visiting farms, offering presentations on biosecurity, and facilitating VHS discussions between the Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection (DATCP) and the DNR.  Learn how they use education as a tool to help limit the spread of aquatic invasive species and forge new alliances with lake associations, sportsmen groups, and veterinarians in order to raise awareness and provide factual information on VHS.

 

 

Short-Term Vacation Rental Issues and Strategies

Saturday 9:00-9:50am

Lakes remain a popular vacation destination, but there has been a steady decline in the number of resorts and other commercial businesses catering to tourists.  With high demand for lakefront rentals, what could be easier for a lakefront property owner than to rent out their cabin or condo for a couple of days or weeks?  But, there is more to weekly or daily property rental than just putting a sign out front and an ad in the area visitor’s guide.  This session will cover many of the issues that lakefront owners will bump into when they begin to rent out their property on a short-term basis.  Drawing from a recent policy initiative in Waushara County, we will explain under what circumstances property owners are required to have a seller’s permit, charge sales and room tax, and may be required to pay other taxes.  Come find out how to avoid potential problems by learning what to expect when renting your lake home.

 

Blackhawk Lake: Managing an Impoundment for Diverse Interests

Saturday 9:00-9:50am

Blackhawk Lake in Iowa County was one of many earthen dams constructed throughout Wisconsin’s Driftless Area during the 1960s and early 70s.  Flood control and recreation were the primary goals for creating most of these impoundments.  However, these impoundments can create a new set of management challenges.  Recent monitoring data has shown that nutrient discharges from bottom sediments cause water quality problems both in the impoundments and in streams below the dams.  Due to low dissolved oxygen levels at the lake bottom, compounds released from the sediments cause summer algal blooms and pollution below the dams.  In this session we’ll explore the science that makes these systems unique, plus the management options to improve water quality both within impoundments and downstream.  In this example from Blackhawk Lake, we’ll learn how a diverse group of scientists, DNR staff, County Land Conservation Dept. staff, and citizens representing various interests established goals to improve the lake, watershed, and downstream water quality.

 

Lipsett Lake is a 393-acre lake located in Burnett County.  In 1911 an inlet channel was excavated by a cranberry operation that needed a means for removing excess water, forever changing the lake dynamics.  A WDNR grant has  allowed lake citizens to embark on a number of useful lake protection and monitoring strategies including a successful boat launch monitoring program, precise water level monitoring, soil collection  analysis for phosphorus, and incentive programs to encourage citizen stewardship actions.   

 

 

Come hear about the many ways Dane County citizen volunteers are monitoring water quality, cleaning up lake shorelines, restoring streambank habitat, giving talks and writing publications, and ensuring their values are reflected in public policies affecting local lakes, streams and wetlands.  One of the new initiatives that will be discussed in this session is the development of a community vision for the Yahara River chain of lakes.

 

Critical Habitat Designations

Saturday 9:00-9:50am

What is critical lake habitat and why does it need to be designated?  Our cherished lake resources are increasingly endangered by human activity.  Identifying and designating critical habitat for protection is an important tool for maintaining healthy lakes.  Changes in state law obligate the state to identify critical habitats in and near Wisconsin’s waters that can include sites with cultural, recreational and aesthetic values.  This new process also incorporates what used to be called sensitive area designations.  Come learn what critical habitat features are, how they are determined and what the implications are for lake shore development and lake use

 

 

Framing the Message: Engaging the Public in Lake Management

Saturday 9:00-9:50am

Lake management is a scientific endeavor.  However, the people who live on the shorelines and those who utilize lakes for recreation are commonly not scientists, nor are the local government officials who control the budgets used to fund many local lake management activities.  This presents a communication conundrum that often inhibits meaningful dialogue.  This presentation will explore the concept of using language that is based on community and individual values to frame issues and concepts of lake management in a manner that engages the public in vital discussions and fosters involvement in lake management issues.

 

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