Public hearings on the revised draft of Wisconsin's shoreland zoning rules (NR 115) are set for this July and August in locations across the state (see below for hearing locations). NR 115 contains statewide minimum standards for shoreland development in unincorporated areas.

How we choose to manage our shorelines can have big impacts on the water quality and health of our lakes. Building too close to the water, removing shoreland plants, and increasing hard surfaces (such as roofs and driveways) can harm habitat and send more nutrient and sediment runoff into the lake. The interests of thousands of lakefront property owners, anglers, boaters, tourists, and the businesses that depend on healthy lakes are served by good shoreland zoning rules that preserve the character of our lakes and quality of life.

NR 115 is being comprehensively revised for the first time since it took effect in 1968. The intention of these revisions is to enhance the protection of lake ecosystems, waterfront property values, and the rights of property owners and the public to enjoy good water quality, fish and wildlife, lake recreation, and scenic beauty. A draft of the current proposal is available on the DNR's website.

Because shoreland zoning rules are so important to the future of our lakes and character of our lake shore properties, WAL is preparing an analysis of the current draft of the rule. Watch your inbox next week for a special e-mail on this important issue.

Hearing details and locations

The public hearings will all begin with a formal presentation and opportunity to ask questions at 4:30 p.m. Formal, recorded public testimony starts at 5:30 p.m. Times, dates, locations and contact number of hosting facilities are as follows:

• July 24, Wausau
  North Central Technical College - Health and Science Building Auditorium - 1000 West Campus Dr.
• July 25, Rhinelander
  High-School Auditorium - 665 Coolidge Ave., Rhinelander.
• July 26, Rice Lake
  Blue Hills Masonic Center - 225 West South St. (Note: The Masonic Center is near the college on the corner of Pioneer Avenue and South Street.)
• July 31, Tomah
  Farmers & Merchants Bank, Community Room - 1001 Superior Ave.
• Aug. 2, Green Bay
  Neville Museum Theater - 210 Museum Place.
• Aug. 7, Pewaukee
  Waukesha County Technical College - Pewaukee Campus - Richard T. Anderson Education Center - 800 Main St.
• Aug. 8, Stoughton
  Opera House - 381 E. Main St. (608) 873-7523 Note: The Opera House is on the second floor of the City Hall, a red brick building at the corner of Fifth and Main (Hwy. 51).

Written comments may be submitted via U.S. mail to Toni Herkert, Bureau of Watershed Management, PO Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707. Comments may be submitted until September 7, 2007.

A lake reflects the land around it- its watershed. The health of our waters and the way we care for our lakes is also a reflection of our values. Join us at a summer lakes workshop in Eau Claire on Friday, August 10! This workshop will provide you with tools you can use to effect positive change in your lake community!

Please register with Wisconsin Association of Lakes by July 31 by calling our office at 608-661-4313 or 800-542-5253 (WI only) or mailing in the registration form in the workshop brochure.

See the full program agenda, other event details, and download the workshop brochure and registration form on WAL's website.

Sampling of session topics

• Looking Behind the Shore: Watersheds and Lakes
• Understanding Agriculture's Impact Through the Discovery Farms Program
• Water Quality Improvement Project in the Red Cedar River Basin: Understanding People, as well as the Resource
• Adams County Lakes Planning Program
• Reflecting People's Values in Lake Plan Goals: an example from Lower Long Lake in Chippewa County. Visit the Lower Long Lake Protection and Rehabilitation District's website to learn more about their recently completed plan
• Healthy Lawns, Healthy Lakes: Initiatives to Phase Out Unnecessary Phosphorus in Lawn Fertilizer
• Reflections from the Lake Nancy Protective Association on Effective Lake Management
• Tips for Controlling Runoff and Erosion on Your Waterfront Property
• Framing the Message: Engaging People in Lake Management
• Regional Coordination for Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention in the Chippewa Valley Region
• Tips for Sharing Shallows and Near-Shore Areas with Wildlife

The city and state have joined forces to purchase nearly 50 acres and 1,200 feet of Big Muskego Lake shoreline as homes on half-acre lots begin to surround the heavily used natural area in the shadow of Milwaukee. Owners Richard and Baraba Leonard want to spare the land on the northeast side of the lake from residential and commercial development.

"It's a beautiful valley with a forest that goes to the lake. We didn't want it to be turned into half-acre lots," said Richard Leonard. About half of the property is wetland and the rest is woodland, grassland and cropland.

Small sections of the wildlife area spill into southwestern Milwaukee County and northern Racine County. Known for its extensive bird and aquatic habitat, the area often is called the Everglades of Milwaukee. A pair of eagles is nesting on the 2,073- acre lake this season. According to the Department of Natural Resources, Big Muskego Lake and surrounding wetlands comprise a unique shallow lake wetland complex in the midst of a rapidly developing urban area.

A healthy Big Muskego Lake "enhances the livability of the city," Mayor John Johnson said. City officials want to protect the lake basin, which acts as a filter and prevents man-made and naturally occurring contaminants from reaching the water.

In case you missed the lake planning workshop at this Spring's annual Wisconsin Lakes Convention, the presentations and reference materials from this workshop are posted on the UW-Extension Lakes Program website.

In addition to a step-by-step overview of the lake planning process, there are helpful examples of actual lake plans that address concerns faced by many lakes, such as managing aquatic plants and balancing recreational use.