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First Sighting
The first noxious growth of algae was noted by local citizens. -
Start of Heavy Rain
Since the 1940s, Wisconsin began to see a significant increase in heavy rain days. In turn, there were more floods in downstream lakes, more shoreline erosion, and more runoff into the lakes. With this increase in stormwater runoff, the efforts to reduce phosphorous levels in the water were compromised. -
Lake Mendota Priority Watershed Project Begins
The Lake Mendota Priority Watershed projected was in effect until 1990 and promoted erosion control in agricultural areas as well as increased storm water management in urban areas. -
Priority Watershed Project of the Yahara River & Lake Monona Watershed
Between the years of 1988 and 1998, this project reduced agricultural sources of sediment by 48%. -
Yahara Mendota Priority Watershed Project
The Yahara Mendota Priority Watershed Project promoted traditional conservation practices such as grass waterways, contour strip cropping, streambank protection, barnyard runoff systems, nutrient management and wetland resotration in the watershed of Lake Mendota. -
Clean Lakes Festival Founded
The Clean Lakes Festival was started by the Mad-City Water Ski Team to create awareness and raise money to support lake clean-up projects. This is an annual festival that has been consistently put on each summer since 2007. -
Spiny Waterflea Introduced
An invasive species called the Spiny Waterflea was first documented as present in Lake Mendota. -
First U.S. Manure Digester Invented
As part of an initiative to reduce phosphorous in the Yahara Watershed, Dane County paired with Clear Horizons, LLC (a biogas energy company) and three dairy farms north of Waunakee to develop the country's first manure digester. The second one is currently being developed in Middleton. These projects help the effort to reduce phosphorous levels, contribute to cleaner energy initiatives to power homes and create jobs in Dane County. -
Floating Booms Installed
In 2010, floating blooms (a.k.a. boom curtains) were installed as a way of deflecting algal scums and other floating debris away from public beach areas, permitting only clean water into circulation underneath. -
Significant Beach Closures
In 2011, 72 out of a total 1,500 beach days were closed. 29 of the 72 were caused by bacteria, 37 by blue-green algae, and six due to multiple causes. -
Yahara WINs Pilot Project Goal
The end of 2015 marks the goal of the Yahara WINs Pilot Project: to reduce phosphorous runoff by 20,000 pounds.