Where Did My Lake Go?
If you ‘ve been to Northern Wisconsin recently you’ve probably noticed that many of our lakes have shrunk in size. This is not the result of global warming, just the lack of rain and snow in the last 5 years. This is all part of a natural cycle that can be charted back to the 1890’s. The last time we experienced a serious drought in Northern Wisconsin was between 1987 and 1990.
Droughts affect every lake differently. Lakes, such as Thompson and Crescent Lakes have inlets and their water levels do not fluctuate much . Seepage lakes, like Lake Mildred get their water from the water table. If there is not enough rain the lake level will drop as the water table drops. Flowages, such as Nokomis fluctuate even more than seepage lakes because the dams that control the water level are opened to supply more water to the river downstream.
Lower water levels means more exposed lake bed. The DNR recommends that property owners leave this exposed area alone. Removing branches and vegetation will affect the fishery when the water level returns. Before you purchase lake property do your research. Contact an experienced realtor or the DNR for information on lake depth, water quality and fishery.
Thanks to Sandy Ebben, First Weber Rhinelander for this informative article.