For more information, call Joan May at (715) 362-7303 or email jmay3043@gmail.com.

Updated Sat. 5/26 – The Lake George Lake Association has been awarded a lake planning grant of over $23,000 from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to support the creation of a comprehensive management plan for Lake George in Oneida County.

The design for the planning project has been finalized and approved by the WDNR and includes two primary objectives: 1) the completion of in-depth studies including multiple plant surveys, water quality sampling, and watershed investigations; and 2) the completion of a realistic management plan for the lake and its watershed.

Most of the studies will be undertaken during spring, summer and fall of 2012. The tasks associated with the analysis of the data will be completed during the fall and winter. Onterra, LLC, a lake management planning firm out of De Pere, WI, has been hired to lead the project.

A Kick-Off Meeting for all riparian owners and lake users will be held on Saturday, June 30, 2012 at 1 p.m. at the Pelican Town Hall, 4093 County Road P.

As part of its Planning Grant Program, the WDNR is partnering with the Lake George Lake Association to obtain information on water quality, water use, land use, fish and aquatic life and other data that considers the broad range of factors that can affect the quality of inland lakes and their ecosystems. A goal of the program is to develop stronger state/local partnerships, leading to more effective watershed protection and lake management.

Wisconsin’s 15,000 lakes are in jeopardy on numerous fronts and many lakes need help. Much of the management of these lakes is limited by a lack of information about the lake, the watershed and the people who use it. The WDNR has created a format for the detailed study of these lakes, as well as providing funding to offset some of the costs of such a study.

The Lake George Lake Association was established “to preserve and protect Lake George and its surroundings and to enhance the water quality, fishery, boating safety, and aesthetics of the lake as a recreational facility for today and future generations”. As such, the Association recognizes the need for responsible and holistic long-range planning to better manage the lake, its watershed, and its use, and is taking full advantage of the opportunity provided by the WDNR.