Friends of Lake Wingra

Friends of Lake Wingra http://lakewingra.org

Science Thursday is back at Wingra Boats! Bring the whole family and learn about Lake Wingra. Friends of Lake Wingra wil...
06/18/2026

Science Thursday is back at Wingra Boats! Bring the whole family and learn about Lake Wingra. Friends of Lake Wingra will be presenting on July 16.

June is Invasive Species Action Month in Wisconsin, making it the perfect time to highlight one of Lake Wingra's most in...
06/16/2026

June is Invasive Species Action Month in Wisconsin, making it the perfect time to highlight one of Lake Wingra's most influential invaders: the common carp.

Introduced to Wisconsin in the late 1800s, carp dramatically altered Lake Wingra. As bottom-feeders, they stir up sediment, uproot aquatic plants, and release phosphorus trapped in the lakebed. The result was murky water, frequent algal blooms, and a lake that was often described as looking like pea soup throughout much of the 1900s.

In 2008 and 2009, several organizations—including Friends of Lake Wingra—joined forces to remove 6,722 carp, totaling more than 25,000 kg of fish and over half of the lake's carp population. Before the project began, researchers tracked carp movements and conducted an exclosure experiment that demonstrated just how much these fish were impacting water quality.

The results were remarkable. Water clarity improved dramatically, and Lake Wingra shifted from a turbid, algae-dominated lake to a clear-water lake filled with aquatic vegetation. Those underwater "weeds" you see today are actually a sign of a healthier ecosystem. They provide habitat for fish and wildlife, protect shorelines, and help keep sediment and nutrients from fueling algal blooms.

Today, there are good reasons to be optimistic that carp populations will remain low. The Lake Wingra dam was reconstructed to prevent carp from re-entering from other Madison lakes, and bluegill help by feeding on carp eggs.

The story of carp in Lake Wingra shows just how dramatically invasive species can transform an ecosystem—and how much work it can take to restore it. Fortunately, the carp removal was a tremendous success. More often than not, invasive species management is a long-term battle that requires ongoing effort and vigilance.

Photos by David Liebl and Mike DeVries.

Yesterday’s storms and high winds left their mark at Thoreau Elementary School, with several large trees falling into th...
06/11/2026

Yesterday’s storms and high winds left their mark at Thoreau Elementary School, with several large trees falling into the rain gardens—including the newly expanded section we've been helping to plant.

The good news: once the fallen limbs are removed, it appears the rain gardens themselves will survive the damage.

The bigger question is how the garden will adapt to its dramatic change in conditions. What was once a shady woodland garden is now much closer to full sun. Some plants may flourish with the extra light, but others will likely struggle—including one of our favorite areas filled with Black Cohosh.

We'll be watering throughout the summer to give these plants the best chance of survival, but future plantings will likely need to include more sun-loving species. We may also need to transplant some plants to shadier areas. Another challenge will be managing the weeds that often follow soil disturbance and increased sunlight.

We'll be organizing a volunteer work day to help clean up the garden once the tree removal is complete. Stay tuned for details, and thank you to everyone who continues to support and care for this special space – every rain garden in the Lake Wingra watershed helps keep Lake Wingra healthy!

It was a beautiful evening to be out along Lake Wingra tackling the invasive Yellow Iris (Iris pseudacorus)! Thanks to a...
06/10/2026

It was a beautiful evening to be out along Lake Wingra tackling the invasive Yellow Iris (Iris pseudacorus)!

Thanks to an amazing group of volunteers, we were able to cover the entire Lake Wingra shoreline in Vilas Park and around the Lagoon. Many of the flowers had already begun turning into seed pods, making the work a little more challenging—but removing them now helps prevent thousands of seeds from spreading into new areas.

A huge thank you to everyone who came out to help protect Lake Wingra's shoreline and native habitats!

This weekend was busy for turtle watchers around Lake Wingra! Community members spent time along Nakoma Drive and Arbor ...
06/08/2026

This weekend was busy for turtle watchers around Lake Wingra! Community members spent time along Nakoma Drive and Arbor Drive helping keep nesting turtles safe as they crossed roads in search of places to lay their eggs.

In addition to numerous sightings of Painted Turtles and Snapping Turtles, there were also exciting observations of two of Lake Wingra’s more elusive species: an Eastern Musk Turtle and a Spiny Softshell Turtle.

Eastern Musk Turtles are rarely seen because they spend much of their time hidden in the muddy bottoms of the UW Arboretum wetlands and are often most active at night. One of the best opportunities to spot them is when females leave the water to nest. Thanks to Anne Forbes for finding and reporting this special sighting!

Spiny Softshell Turtles can be just as difficult to find. They often bury themselves in the mud of shallow areas of Lake Wingra and Wingra Creek, making nesting season one of the few times they are regularly seen on land.

The challenges don’t end once turtles safely cross the road. After eggs are laid, many nests are discovered by predators such as raccoons, opossums, foxes, coyotes, crows, and free-roaming cats. Almost any animal that finds a turtle nest will take advantage of the nutritious meal—including Sandhill Cranes, which have been observed feeding on turtle eggs around Lake Wingra.

It’s a tough life for a turtle, which is one reason every nesting female is so important to the population.

You can help scientists better understand Wisconsin’s turtle populations by reporting turtle sightings through the Wisconsin DNR Turtle Conservation Program:
https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Wildlifehabitat/TurtleConservation

Have you spotted a turtle around Lake Wingra this spring? Share your sightings in the comments!

Right now, many of our local Lake Wingra turtles are leaving the water in search of the perfect place to lay their eggs....
06/04/2026

Right now, many of our local Lake Wingra turtles are leaving the water in search of the perfect place to lay their eggs. Snapping Turtles and Painted Turtles have already been spotted crossing roads near the lake, and other species—including Spiny Softshell Turtles and Eastern Musk Turtles—are on the move as well.

Unfortunately, there have already been a few turtle road fatalities along Arbor Drive this year. If you're driving near Lake Wingra, please slow down and keep an eye out for turtles crossing the road.

Why do turtles travel so far? Female turtles often journey hundreds of feet—and sometimes more than a mile—to find a nesting site with the right combination of sunlight, well-drained soil, and protection from flooding. Landscaped areas with loose, mulched soil are often especially attractive nesting spots.

Did you know? Along portions of Arbor Drive, sections of curb have been lowered to help turtles safely return to the water after nesting and to give hatchlings a better chance of reaching the lake when they emerge later in the summer.

A little extra caution behind the wheel can help these ancient reptiles complete one of the most important journeys of their lives.

06/02/2026

Why am I cutting a Yellow Iris along the shore of Lake Wingra?

Yellow Iris is an invasive species that has been spreading around Lake Wingra since it was first observed here in 2017. Today, it can be found along shorelines throughout the lake and in marshy areas of the UW Arboretum. Left unchecked, Yellow Iris can form dense stands that crowd out native plants and reduce habitat quality for wildlife.

Want to help slow its spread? Join us to remove flowers and seed pods from Yellow Iris plants growing along the Lake Wingra shoreline at Vilas Park. We'll provide training on identification, along with gloves and collection bags. If you have pruning shears, please bring them.

When: Tuesday, June 9, 6:00–7:30 PM
Where: Meet at Vilas Beach (1501 Vilas Park Dr., Madison, WI). If you arrive late, look for us along the Lake Wingra shoreline.
What: Work in small teams to clip Yellow Iris flowers and seed pods along the shoreline and around the lagoon.

Learn more about Yellow Iris and why it's a problem: lakewingra.org/Yellow-Iris

Join Friends of Lake Wingra at First Friday Music by the Water on June 5 from 5:00–8:00 PM at Wingra Boats!We'll be help...
06/01/2026

Join Friends of Lake Wingra at First Friday Music by the Water on June 5 from 5:00–8:00 PM at Wingra Boats!

We'll be helping kick off Nature Everywhere Madison Weekend alongside Henry Vilas Zoo and the UW Arboretum with a fun nature bingo activity and Lake Wingra nature trivia. Test your knowledge, discover local wildlife, and learn more about the amazing natural resources right here in Madison.

Learn more about Nature Everywhere Madison Weekend:
https://www.natureeverywheremadison.org

Learn more about First Friday Music by the Water:
https://www.madisonboats.com/events/

We hope to see you there for an evening of music, nature, and community on the shores of Lake Wingra!

Several Lake Wingra community members asked "Why does Lake Wingra look so milky today?"What you’re seeing is a natural p...
05/29/2026

Several Lake Wingra community members asked "Why does Lake Wingra look so milky today?"

What you’re seeing is a natural phenomenon called a “whiting event.” Early this morning, a slight milky color appeared near Wingra Park and Wingra Boats, but by afternoon the warm temperatures and bright sunshine created the perfect conditions for the event to intensify.

Here’s what’s happening: the sunlight and heat caused algae (phytoplankton) and aquatic plants to go into photosynthesis overdrive. As they rapidly take in CO₂ from the water, the lake’s pH increases. That change causes calcium carbonate — a natural mineral already dissolved in Lake Wingra’s hard groundwater-fed water — to precipitate out into tiny visible particles.

The result? The lake temporarily takes on a cloudy white or turquoise appearance.
The good news: this isn’t pollution or anything harmful being dumped into the lake. It’s a fascinating natural chemistry event that can happen in hard-water lakes like Lake Wingra during hot, sunny weather. Hopefully we'll get some rain soon and the whiting should clear up.

Thank you to the Thoreau Girls on the Run for choosing Lake Wingra for your community service project! The girls spent t...
05/28/2026

Thank you to the Thoreau Girls on the Run for choosing Lake Wingra for your community service project!

The girls spent time picking up trash from a stormwater channel that flows directly to the lake, created lots of educational posters to help protect Lake Wingra, and even hosted a lemonade stand that raised $166 for Friends of Lake Wingra!

Throughout this past school year, the students at Thoreau learned about stormwater, rain gardens, and the ecology of Lake Wingra through our education programs. It’s inspiring to see that learning turn into action and stewardship for the lake.

Thank you for helping care for Lake Wingra and showing that even small actions can make a big difference!

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PO Box 45071
Madison, WI
53744

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