First lakewide algae bloom confirmed on Wisconsin’s deepest inland lake
By Gino Recchia
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GREEN LAKE, Wis. (WISN) — A harmful algae bloom stretched across nearly the entire surface of Green Lake last month, the first time such an event has been confirmed on Wisconsin’s deepest inland lake.
The bloom appeared during a late-September stretch of warm weather with little wind, creating stagnant conditions that allowed algae to spread.
“The conditions were perfect. We had a really warm stretch of temperatures in late September, very low wind conditions. And so it kind of creates a stagnant condition where all of those little guys can kind of grow,” said Taylor Haag Strauser, assistant director of the Green Lake Association.
At 236 feet deep, Green Lake is the state’s deepest inland lake, but even its size and depth couldn’t prevent the outbreak.
Blue-green algae can produce toxins that are dangerous to people and pets, making swimming, boating and other recreation unsafe.
More than 2.2 million people visit the lake each year, and Strauser said seeing it change was difficult.
“At 236 feet deep, you would think this could never happen to Green Lake. When you’re out there and you see it with your own eyes, it’s heartbreaking,” Strauser said.
Strauser added that the bloom isn’t just an isolated incident, but a warning about declining water quality statewide.
“This is indicative of a much larger issue. And it’s the face of declining water quality. One in five lakes in Wisconsin, which has over 15,000 lakes, are already listed as impaired. So, you know, the nutrients are here. And the action needs to follow,” Strauser said.
Officials recommend simple steps that can help, including not raking leaves into streams or the lake, and planting native vegetation along shorelines to reduce runoff.
Green Lake is connected to a watershed that flows into Green Bay and eventually the Great Lakes, meaning the impacts of inland lake health can ripple far beyond one community.
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