Reports and Special Projects

The Wisconsin Association of Lakes has conducted a number of studies on lake and lake policy issues. Summaries and links to the following reports and special projects are available below:

• Motorboat Gas Taxes in the Great Lakes Region
• Land Preservation around Northern Wisconsin Lakes
• The Shoreland Connection Project
• The Shoreland Friends Project
• Report on Lake Classification in Wisconsin

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Motorboat Gas Taxes in the Great Lakes Region (2004)

In 2004, WAL and the Wisconsin Stewardship Network conducted a research project on motorboat gas tax allocation programs in Great Lakes states and compared them with Wisconsin’s program. The study assessed how states in the Great Lakes region estimate and allocate taxes on motorboat fuels to water protection efforts. The study also evaluated how Wisconsin’s motorboat gas tax allocation program compares with other regional programs.

Wisconsin’s motorboat gas tax allocation program generates the funds that allow the State of Wisconsin to cost-share with lake groups and local governments on lake planning, protection, and classification grant projects.

Read the full report... PDF (193 KB)

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Land Preservation around Northern Wisconsin Lakes (2004)

In 2004 WAL worked with Gathering Waters Conservancy to conduct an in-depth investigation of barriers to preservation of shorelands and critical watershed areas in Northern Wisconsin, particularly through the use of conservation easements and other arrangements between private property owners and private, non-profit land trust organizations.

This project focused on an important set of tools (including conservation easements, land donations, and land acquisition) available to lake groups, waterfront property owners, and local governments for achieving various lake protection goals.

Read the full report... PDF (633 KB)

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The Shoreland Connection Project (2003 and 2004)

In 2003 and 2004, WAL worked with the Headwaters Basin Partnership Shoreland Education Team – a group of local lake leaders from several northern counties – to create a multi-media campaign to inform the public, particularly waterfront property owners, about the current science and rationale for shoreland protection. WAL and the project team created a website (www.theshorelandconnection.org), a free compact disc, and print publications to convey this information. The group also set up a toll-free number to call to request materials and a media program to make the public aware of the existence of the project’s educational resources.

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The Shoreland Friends Project (1999-2003)

The Shoreland Friends Project was a partnership with WAL, the Wisconsin County Code Administrators (WCCA), and the UW-Extension Center for Land Use Education (CLUE). This project was accomplished in two phases between 1999 and 2003. The Shoreland Friends Project goals were to:

• Raise awareness of lake concerns among new waterfront property owners through a “welcome wagon” approach;
• Increase compliance with shoreland zoning regulations; and,
• Promote shoreland protection by property owners to improve the quality of our lakes and rivers.

Two guidebooks were produced through this project to help communities create effective educational programs for waterfront property owners to achieve local lake protection and restoration goals. The Shoreland Friends Guidebook (Volume 2): Ideas for Reaching Waterfront Property Owners is a manual that provides guidance to communities for developing a local shoreland education program. The Volume 2 Guidebook supplements the original Shoreland Friends Guidebook printed by WAL in 2000.

The Volume 1 guidebook was written as a “how-to” guide for county agencies and local groups to educate new property owners about lake-friendly (stewardship) practices and shoreland zoning rules. It also provides recommendations on roles that various organizations and agencies could perform to carry out shoreland education projects.

The second volume draws upon the resources listed in the original Shoreland Friends Guidebook. Volume 2 includes step-by-step instructions for shoreland education planning and ideas for implementing the education plans. It also describes the compilation, distribution, and evaluation of shoreland stewardship packets for waterfront property owners.

Download Volume 1 guidebook... PDF (1.45 MB)

Download Volume 2 guidebook... PDF (980 KB)

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Report on Lake Classification in Wisconsin (2002)

Lake classification is a local initiative that counties can use to group waters by a general comparison of their physical features. Waters with a similar capacity to assimilate pollutants, support development or recreational use may be grouped into separate management classes. The criteria used to classify waters depends on the community’s objective for doing the project - such as management of shoreland development, management of recreational use, or watershed management.

Lake classification has helped to protect the water quality, natural scenic beauty, and public and economic benefits of many Wisconsin waters. Most of the counties that have undertaken classification projects have incorporated streams and rivers as well as lakes into their classification and protection efforts. Interest generated by these projects has also led to greater awareness of the need for water resource protection, stimulated comprehensive land use planning efforts, and spawned a “movement” for restoring natural vegetation along shorelands. Lake classification is a tool whose potential is just beginning to be tapped – a tool that not only has applicability to managing shoreland development, but to restoring shoreland vegetation, reducing recreational use conflicts, managing fisheries, protecting water quality, and managing watersheds.

Read full the report... PDF (760 KB)

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