Clean Water Updates
Short posts on current issues, updated as necessary to keep our Clean Water supporters informed.
Posted July 30, 2025- Last Wilderness shares news on the latest Wave Boat study.
The highly anticipated study on the impact of wake surfing on lakebeds has been released! This groundbreaking research is a significant step forward in understanding how wake surfing affects the environmental health of our lakes.
Ten feet is not enough!
University of Minnesota Study Confirms Wake Surfing's Impact on Lakebeds
For too long, the wake surfing industry has claimed there's no lakebed impact if surfing occurs in depths of at least 10 feet. However, this new study definitively shows profound sediment disturbance even in much deeper water.
The study specifically recommends:
"It is recommended that wakeboats operate in 20 ft of water or greater when in surfing mode to minimize impacts on the lake bottom."
You can find the study summary HERE.
FAQ's (four pages) about the study HERE.
This research provides crucial scientific backing for the growing movement to regulate wake surfing.
The number of Wisconsin towns with wake surfing ordinances has now reached 59, with 25 of those enacted just since January 1st of this year! The Last Wilderness Alliance is proud to have assisted in the majority of these successful efforts.
We remain committed to educating the public and supporting regulations that
protect Wisconsin's lakes for everyone, especially the 98% of lake users who
do not wake surf.
Your continued support is vital to our work, and we deeply appreciate your dedication to preserving our precious waterways.
To read the Full Study, click HERE.
Here are Videos and the Data Set: DATA
Visit and support Last Wilderness Alliance at: Last Wilderness Alliance
Birds of Prey – Adaptation for Survival in the Northwoods
August 2 from 1 pm – 2 pm at the MWP Chalet | Facebook | Registration
Northwoods Wildlife Center Wildlife Educator Bart Kotarba will share information about birds of prey found in the Northwoods including learning about the unique and beautiful adaptations that help these fantastic birds hunt and survive. Since 1979, the Northwoods Wildlife Center has been rescuing and rehabilitating wildlife, while educating the public about how to be better neighbors to whom we share our environment with. They are a MWP partner located in Minocqua, Wisconsin.
Bart Kotarba holds degrees in Wildlife Management and Biology with an emphasis in Environmental Education from UW-Stevens Point. He completed several internships-including one at the Northwoods Wildlife Center (NWC) -where he was involved in all aspects of wildlife rehabilitation. Bart has been with NWC since 1992. Under his direction, our Education Department has conducted thousands of programs to educate students and adults about wildlife and the environment.
We also have a unique edition to our event, TOMMI, a red-tailed hawk wildlife ambassador who was admitted to Northwoods Wildlife Center in August 2016 after being hit by a car. The severity of her wing injury led to a partial wing amputation, leaving Tommi non-flighted. She now attends educational programs throughout the Northwoods, educating the public on the world of Red-tailed Hawks!
Find out more about the Northwoods Wildlife Center: https://northwoodswildlife.org/about-us/mission-and-history/
Event details and registration can be found at: Walk on the Wild Side: Summer Wildlife Series – Minocqua Winter Park
Posted July 24, 2025- Lake Steward Program officially begins on Moen Chain
The Oneida Count Lakes and Rivers Association Oneida County Lakes and Rivers Association - OCLRA announces that the Lake Steward program recognizing lakefront owners for best practices on their properties has begun on the Moen Chain in eastern Oneida County. Earlier this month Baerbel Ehrig, lakeshore restoration specialist with the Oneida County Land and Water Conservation Department, led a training session for property evaluators. Nancy Sattler, president of the Moen Lake Chain Association, and the association board have done an excellent job of starting this pilot project, which OCLRA hopes will spread to other lakes in the county and elsewhere. You can read about it in the association’s latest newsletter.
The program originated on the Gull Lake Chain in Minnesota and has been adopted statewide by Minnesota Lakes and Rivers Advocates. Forty lake associations in that state are taking part; you can find more information at https://mnlakesandrivers.org/lake-steward-launches-on-gull-lake-inspiring-shoreline-stewardship-and-community-action/. Through our initiatives and advocacy, we aim to raise awareness about the importance of environmental sustainability and empower individuals and communities to take action.
Visit Moen Lake Chain Association at: Moen Lake Chain Association
See WJFW interview with Nancy Statler president of Moen Lake Chain Association at: moenlakechain.org/media/videos/New Program to protect the chain's water equality (6-23-25) wjfw.com.mp4
Posted July 23, 2025- Wisconsin's Greenfire presents essay questioning the new direction of federal management of forests.
In a must-read essay, A New Chapter for the U.S. Forest Service? Less Productive, Less Prepared, and Flying Blind • Wisconsin’s Green Fire for lovers of forests, Wisconsin's Greenfire voices many concerns for federal forests going forward. Valid concerns considering the gutting of Forest Service funding from $6.178 Billion to $2.136 Billion A good number of these concerns are focused on nationwide issues, but some are more local to Wisconsin.
In the essay Greenfire states that less funding will leave states, tribes, and private landowners hanging. A quote shared the concerns:
"Nowhere does the current budget offer even minimally adequate resources for states, local governments, or Tribes to assume the greater role envisioned for them. The scale of cuts suggests that forest health protection, technical assistance to private landowners, wood use innovation, and support of urban and community forests would all be significantly diminished or eliminated."
The article also claims the Trump administration is waging a "War on Science" in forestry with a quote:
"The Forest Service Research and Development Program is the world’s largest natural resources research agency. Trump’s budget calls for cutting funding for the Forest Service Research Program in its entirety. The loss would be 800 or so scientists and staff researchers who conduct important research work on forest management, wildfire prevention and management, climate change, fish, wildlife and biodiversity, recreational forest uses and myriad other forest-related issues."
At the state and local level, the elimination of the Forest Service Research and Development Program would result in Rhinelander jobs lost and termination of ongoing projects.
"The Forest Service Research facility in Rhinelander would be closed down and the dozen or so researchers and field technicians would be laid off, presumably as part of the agency reorganization and reduction in force plans. It is difficult to calculate the losses that would result from the termination of research projects, many of which have been built across several decades, and all of which support sustainable forests."
The essay goes on to question potential privatization and sales of publicly owned Forest
Service lands, an issue we at OCCWA have addressed concerns for multiple times. The final quote from the article states a dour prediction:
"Although the current proposals in Congress to tee up large scale federal land sales appear dead for now, the President’s budget opens the door with a “land transfer initiative” to states and tribes. Among all the directives being given to the Forest Service, it seems that the measurable few are to “Cut the Budget,” “Cut the Workforce,” “Cut the Paperwork,” and “Cut More Timber.” Achieving those goals will result in forests that are less healthy, less diverse, and less resilient, and will offer many fewer opportunities for meaningful public engagement."
Posted July 23, 2025-Join Northwoods Land Trust for a Bog Hike at Tower Nibiiwan Conservation Area
Eagle River, WI – Northwoods Land Trust is delighted to announce it will host a Bog Investigation at Tower Nibiiwan Conservation Area on Thursday, August 14 from 1-2:30 pm. The event will start at the access point near the intersection of Arbutus Dr and Saari Point Dr.
Tower Nibiiwan Conservation Area is located in the town of Sugar Camp. According to Frank Schroyer, NWLT Land Conservation Associate, “This 31-acre property donated in 2022 has a nice network of trails and encompasses over 1000 feet of shoreline along an unnamed bog lake. This property is also open year-round for the public to enjoy.”
The event is open to everybody and is free to attend. Registration is required by going online to www.northwoodslandtrust.org and click on ‘News & Events’ to sign up, or by emailing Frank Schroyer at frank@northwoodslandtrust.org. Please register by August 12, space is limited. Participants will be walking on the trails for around 1 mile stopping to discuss a unique wetland type called a bog. There is a boardwalk over the bog, but if participants would like to step onto the bog mat, it is recommended to have rubber boots or other footwear that can get wet. Due to the uneven and difficult bog mat walking surface, participants should have good mobility.
The Northwoods Land Trust is proud to host this event during the seventh annual Wisconsin Land Trust Days event series organized by Gathering Waters: Wisconsin’s Alliance for Land Trusts. Wisconsin Land Trust Days is an annual celebration of land trusts featuring family-friendly events that take place every year in July, August, and September. Guests learn about the benefits and importance of protecting natural places in their communities. A full list of Wisconsin Land Trust Days events is available at www.HaveFunOutside.org.
Northwoods Land Trust permanently conserves natural shorelands, woodlands and other natural resources to benefit present and future generations in Vilas, Oneida, Forest, Florence, Iron, Price and Langlade Counties. Visit https://northwoodslandtrust.org/ to learn more about land conservation services available to private landowners, protected lands, and future events.
Northwoods Land Trust
P.O. Box 321
Eagle River, WI 54521
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT INFORMATION
Frank Schroyer – Land Conservation Associate
(715) 479-2490
**Updated July 22, 2025** Congress votes in favor of recission package to cut federal funding to Public Radio.
WXPR's statement: "WXPR has been defunded. Not defeated"
Please consider contributing to WXPR for them to continue their non-partisan local news reporting in the Northwoods. Visit: Home | WXPR for details.
View WJFW's one and a half minute coverage: WXPR faces federal cuts following rescissions package | News | wjfw.com
Posted July 17, 2025- WXPR article covers WXPR's efforts to remain as a trusted news source for the Northwoods.
At times it can be difficult to find an OCCWA post without a reference or link to a WXPR article. That of course is for a very good reason, WXPR does an excellent non-partisan job covering issues in the Northwoods.
Unfortunately, federal funding cuts have targeted Public Media funding. This financial threat is most worrisome for us who depend on non-partisan reporting, which can be very hard to come by in our county.
Now we at OCCWA could put together an article sharing all that WXPR provides and why they are so necessary with information on how and whom to contact to submit your concerns, but of course WXPR has done that already. Here is the link, How federal funding supports WXPR - and why it’s essential | WXPR
Please consider taking the time to voice your support for our only non-tv, non-partisan news outlet in the Northwoods. Thank You!
Posted July 22, 2025- Congress goes about the business of ignoring PFAS contamination in biosolids.
In a July 20 Barn Raiser article Does the House GOP Have Something Against Farmers? - Barn Raiser questions are raised on the effects of the House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee's fiscal year 2026 appropriations bill. Specifically questions on PFAS in sludge/biosolids. An excerpt from the article states,
"The(appropriation) bill includes a provision (Section 507) that would permanently prohibit the EPA from finalizing, implementing or enforcing its Draft Risk Assessment for PFOA and PFOS in Sewage Sludge (January 2025). That’s right—permanently. Not just for 2026, but for any year, with any budget. This comes on the heels of the Trump administration’s decision to “rescind” and “reconsider” regulatory limits on four of the six types of PFAS in public drinking water systems covered by the EPA’s first-ever limits set by the Biden administration."
So, by not implementing or enforcing the EPA's crafted Draft Risk Assessment, the ability to provide protections from PFAS contaminated sludge/biosolids is lost? Yes, the nullifying of the Draft Risk Assessment in the bill will prevent the EPA from providing protections from PFAS sludge. Let's not forget that the town of Stella's PFAS contamination came directly from PFAS contaminated sludge. The Barn Raiser article goes on to say,
"Much would be lost if the GOP’s appropriation bill is allowed to move forward as written. The risk assessment, which the bill nullifies, could have finally led to rulemaking by the EPA that would provide long-overdue protection from PFAS-contaminated sewage sludge for American farmland and those living and working the land.
Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) has sued EPA for not addressing PFAS in sludge. In response to the policy rider, PEER Staff Counsel Laura Dumais said, “Across the country, farms have had to be condemned, and livestock slaughtered due to PFAS pollution from fertilizers. Further delay in preventing more of these needless tragedies would be unconscionable.”
One now wonders, where does the EPA's investigation on Stella being designated a Superfund site go. Does this mean that the funding from Superfund designation also dries up? Funding that would cover much of Stella's contamination problem including remediation. It may be time to contact your congressman.
Posted July 1, 2025- DNR releases latest PFAS well testing results for Stella and expands free well testing to Pine Lake, Pelican, Newbold, Crescent, and Sugar Camp.
Stella Updated Well Testing
As of June 20, 2025, the DNR has received PFAS results for 241 private wells in the vicinity of the Town of Stella. Of the 241 wells sampled for PFAS:
- 88 private wells have reported concentrations of PFAS greater than DHS' recommended health guidelines.
- 39 private wells have reported detections for PFAS but are less than the DHS' recommended health guidelines.
- 114 private wells have no reported detections for PFAS.
Here is the 6/2025 updated link map of PFAS sampling results [PDF] for private wells in the Town of Stella/Starks.
Expanded Testing to Pine Lake, Newbold, Crescent, Pelican, and Sugar Camp
As an expansion of a previous private well sampling project in the Town of Stella, the DNR and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are offering free PFAS sampling in private wells to some communities within Oneida County. The cost-free sampling is available to full-time and seasonal residents who receive a letter of eligibility from the DNR. This sampling is offered to a targeted number of private drinking water wells in four general locations around Oneida County in the townships of Crescent, Newbold, Pelican, Sugar Camp and Pine Lake. Those who choose to participate in this sampling effort will receive their private well's sample results and any recommendations from the DNR.
This project will begin in July 2025 and will likely run through December 2025. Eligibility letters will be sent to homeowners in batches to accommodate laboratory capacity. Therefore, not all residences will receive notification of sampling availability at the same time. Well owners can submit questions to DNRDGOneidaCountyPFAS@wisconsin.gov or 888-626-0605.
More information may be found at the DNR/Stella webpage PFAS Contamination in the Town of Stella and Oneida County | | Wisconsin DNR
WXPR coverage Wisconsin DNR expands private well PFAS testing to five Oneida County townships | WXPR
Posted July 9, 2025- A Fox 6 Milwaukee report on Wave Boats covers latest news on the controversy.
The Fox news report posted on YouTube Wakesurfing 'stalemate' in Wisconsin | FOX6 News Milwaukee covers multiple positions on the controversial issue. In a quote from the
video Scott Rolfs from Lakes at Stake said:
"On the statewide level, Scott Rolfs calls it a stalemate.
"I think there's a strong division in the Republican Party over what to do with this," he said.
Rolfs is an officer of Lakes at Stake, one of 80 organizations that now belong to the Coalition to Protect Wisconsin Lakes, formed for the express purpose of restricting what they call "wake-enhanced boating" in Wisconsin."
OCCWA is one of the 80 organizations belonging to the Coalition to Protect Wisconsin Lakes. We are not surprised at the no progress reported on state legislation on Wave Boats. Despite overwhelming public support, the boating industry as many other industries have strong influence on legislators. While the stalemate continues, many of the Northwood glacial lakes without local ordinance protection will continue to be affected. It appears no consensus is in sight, as quoted from the Fox 6 video.
"The coalition recently met with wakesurfing supporters in the office of State Senator Mary Felzkowski, a Republican from Tomahawk. In a statement to FOX6, Felzkowski called it "a good initial conversation," but said there was "no initial general consensus."
In the meantime, as reported earlier both a Texas and a Florida resident are suing to the state constitutionality of local town ordinances. This too may wind up being a battle of big money over public local control. From the Fox6 video:
While more communities consider wake-enhancement restrictions, property owners in far northwestern Wisconsin are going to court.
Republican Party donor and millionaire Chad McEver of Texas is one of three plaintiffs who own property on Birch Island Lake in the Town of Scott in Burnett County. In May, they sued over the town's newly-enacted wake-enhancement restrictions, calling the ordinance "unconstitutionally vague" and a violation of the state's Public Trust Doctrine, which ensures lakes and rivers are accessible to all.
Another big money reminder, in the picture at the top of this update we shared an advertisement run by the Water Sports Industry Association. The ad was run in a local paper just at the start of the Wave Boat controversy. We'll leave it up to you to figure out what they were trying to convey. It is possible we missed the ad thanking Wisconsinites for all the money they have spent on supporting that industry over the years.