The Wisconsin Association of Lakes would like to thank Governor Doyle for vetoing a bill (AB-850) that would have allowed very large piers on our lakes. These large piers could have interfered with the free passage of boats on our lakes, negatively impacted neighbor’s rights, and damaged natural habitat.

In the future, we expect the Legislature to act in the best interests of all property owners and lake users, not listen to the narrow interests of a few groups. We hope the next legislative session will resolve this issue such that the initial Legislative intention to codify the current Pier Planner and simplify pier rules for property owners can be achieved.

Current pier guidelines

Because the pier rules (NR 326) have not been approved by the legislature and the statute has not changed, property owners are guided by the existing Pier Planner and the legislative changes that came with Wisconsin 2003 Act 118 (Job Creation Act).

For more information about piers, including the Pier Planner brochure and Piers—What you Need to Know for 2006, visit DNR's website.

The Natural Resources Board unanimously approved the proposed revisions to the Manure Management Discharge Rules (NR 243) in May: the rules will now go before the legislature for final approval. We hope that the Legislature will improve these rules to go further to address public health and natural resource damage caused by manure spills from Wisconsin’s largest farms. We will continue to follow the progress of these necessary rules.

The Wisconsin Association of Lakes would like to thank the lake enthusiasts who testified at these important hearings about the effects manure spills and chronic nutrient loading have had on their lake’s ecosystem and the financial investments local lake leaders have made to preserve water quality.

Manure runoff from detention ponds and/or saturated land can have acute effects and long-term impacts on our lakes. Sudden influxes of nutrients from sources such as manure trigger fish kills, and provide the fuel for re-occurring, smelly algae blooms. The thick, green soupy water caused by algae blooms is a nuisance for property owners and recreational users, and can also dramatically change what plants and fish species can survive in the lake.

Spreading manure on saturated lake watershed soils contributes to chronic nutrient loading, as nutrients can run directly into the lake and leach into our lakes from groundwater for years. 61% of Wisconsin's lake acreage and 44% of Wisconsin's river miles no longer fully support fish and other aquatic life because of damage done by polluted runoff, which includes nutrient loading from sources such as manure.

June is Invasive Species Awareness Month in Wisconsin. Numerous field trips, workshops, presentations and work parties are being held throughout the state to teach citizens about invasive species and what they can do to stop the spread.

Invasive plants and animals threaten Wisconsin’s lakes, rivers, wetlands, forests, prairies, and wild lands by out-competing and destroying native plants and animals and by disrupting the complex habitat systems. They also threaten the productivity and economic viability of Wisconsin’s agricultural lands by competing with crops. Millions of dollars, both public and private, are spent each year for the control of invasive plant and animal species in Wisconsin’s waters and lands.

You can find more about invasive species and Invasive Species Awareness Month through the Invasive Species Council’s website or on the DNR invasive species website.

Turtles cross roads because roads often separate the aquatic habitat where turtles spend most of their lives from the well-drained upland habitats where female turtles deposit their eggs. This annual ritual generally reaches its peak from late May to June. Females that survive from one year to the next often select the same location to nest.

“Highway mortality continues to pose a major threat to our native turtle populations," says Bob Hay, amphibian and reptile biologist with the Department of Natural Resources. Turtles are up against tough odds even without highway mortality. Hay says that as few as 5 percent of eggs laid survive to hatch and of those, only one in 100 may survive to reproductive age. Turtle predators include raccoons, skunks, opossums, herons, egrets, seagulls, cranes and crows. Five of Wi sconsin’s 12 turtle species are experiencing significant population declines.

What you can do

If you see a turtle on the road -- and only if it’s safe to do so -- carefully pull over and help the turtle to the side of the road it is facing.

When helping an aggressive turtle -- such as a snapping turtle -- off the road, the safest way to avoid being bitten is to gently drag it across the road by it tail, leaving the front feet on the pavement. It may help to use a stick that the turtle can bite, allowing one to grab the tail more safely.

Every turtle saved increases the chance of maintaining already dwindling turtle populations -- especially since most of the turtles killed on roads during nesting season are mature females.