Healthy Lakes

Healthy Lakes & Rivers Projects on Lake Wissota

 The Healthy Lakes & Rivers projects include 5 simple and inexpensive best
practices that improve habitat and water quality on your property. These
practices can occur at the shoreline itself or upland by your home. All work to slow, divert and filter runoff and improve wildlife habitat and natural beauty. Best practice guidelines have been developed by the WI DNR and the UW-Extension to help you with these do-it-yourself projects.  You can find guidelines to the best practices and more information at

  Healthy Lakes Program of WI. Let's Make Healthy Lakes Together!

The Healthy Lakes & Rivers projects build on the LWIPA tradition of educating
lakeshore owners on practices to improve the lakeshore. Demonstration projects on public and private shorelines have been done for years. This is another tool to assist Lake Wissota residents as we work to improve water quality and habitat.

The LWIPA has participated in the Healthy Lakes and Rivers project since 2018.   These cost-share grants provide a property owner with up to $1000 per practice when a Healthy Lakes project is completed.

If you are interested in obtaining a Healthy Lakes grant send an email to contact@lwipa.com

You can find guidelines to the best practices and more information at

Healthy Lakes Program of WI. Let's Make Healthy Lakes Together!

Native Plantings

Native plantings to improve wildlife habitat, natural beauty and privacy and slow runoff. The plantings include grasses, sedges and wildflowers with shrubs and trees that will attract pollinators, beautify your property and showcase your lake view. 

Rain Gardens

Rain gardens to create wildlife habitat and natural beauty while capturing and cleaning runoff.  Filled with native plants rain gardens provide a naturally beautiful view while decreasing runoff.  

Rock Infiltration

Rock infiltration to capture and clean runoff.  A pit lined and then filled with rock, these work well along roof driplines and driveways and allow space for runoff to filter itself. 

Diversion Projects

Diversion projects prevent runoff from getting into the lake by directing rainwater into vegetated areas to slow the water and allow it to soak into the ground before it reaches the lake.  These include berms, swales and rock and timber diversions. 

Fish Sticks

Fish Sticks are a group of partially or completely submerged trees & branches secured to the shoreline.  They improve fish and wildlife habitat for breeding and nesting and can prevent bank erosion by protecting the shoreline.  (Note: This project is not appropriate for river shoreline and does require DNR approval and assistance.)