By Extension Lakes Staff

Humans have interacted with water for thousands of years. Since the retreat of the glaciers, the seasonal rituals of native tribes have been guided by water. The oral histories of the Anishinaabe migration tell of a journey from the east along what we now call the Great Lakes to a place where “food grows on the water.” That food is wild rice, known as manoomin in Ojibwe, and is both sustenance and a powerful reminder of our connection to water.

In more recent years, European explorers used the waterways to access the region’s fur and forests, and by the 1800s, Wisconsin’s lakes and rivers became popular destinations for vacations.

Today, we still depend on clean water for drinking and growing food, but also for recreation, livelihoods, and the places we call home. Now there are many more of us sharing these waters. That is why it is so important for us to work together to protect and preserve our shared lakes and rivers.

One way to do this is through the Wisconsin Lakes and Rivers Partnership. This collaboration of statewide, regional, and local groups, as well as individuals, is working together to care for our shared waters.

Are you part of the Partnership?
Absolutely! Just by reading this 
newsletter, we know that you think protecting Wisconsin’s watery gems is important. Whether you live on a lake, fish a river, volunteer with a local organization, work in water resources, or simply care about the places that make Wisconsin special, you are part of this effort.

We may have diverse family histories, experiences, educations, and perspectives, but water connects us. It connects communities, economies, wildlife, recreation, and our sense of place. It also connects our individual efforts. What happens in one lake, river, or watershed can teach, inspire, and affect people working in another.

Partnership History
The Partnership began taking shape in the early 1970s, when university researchers and state resource managers worked together to find new ways to protect lake health. The Inland Lakes Demonstration Project showed that science and state resources were important, but so was the involvement of local people who knew and cared deeply about their lakes.

In 1974, a formal partnership between the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the University of Wisconsin, and local lake groups formed as the Wisconsin Lakes Partnership. That same year, the legislature passed a law enabling lakes to form lake districts, giving communities a new way to organize, plan, and take action for their lakes.

Since then, the Partnership has grown to include lake associations, river organizations, water professionals, volunteers, researchers, and others who share a common goal: healthy waters for generations to come. Connect all these groups sharing knowledge, challenges, successes, and solutions, and you get the Wisconsin Lakes and Rivers Partnership.

You Make the Partnership work!
The Wisconsin Lakes and Rivers Partnership is not mandated by the legislature, nor is it a single organization with a dedicated funding source. It is a committed network of people who understand that we can accomplish more together than we can alone.

Being part of the Partnership can be as simple as sharing an article with your neighbor, attending a local lake or river group meeting, learning something new about a waterbody near you, volunteering locally, or helping someone else find the resources they need. It can mean joining a lake or river organization, participating in regional efforts, attending the Wisconsin Lakes and Rivers Convention, or lending your voice to statewide conversations about water. There is a place for everyone.

Wisconsin’s waters connect us all. How will you help ensure they remain healthy, vibrant, and treasured for future generations?

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Join a statewide nonprofit.

Attend the Wisconsin Lakes and Rivers Convention
April 14-16, 2027

2027 Theme: Water Connects Us All
Water weaves us together. It nourishes all life and creates places where communities gather, unite, and find common purpose. Protecting our waters is a shared responsibility that connects us to past and future generations. Keeping these waters healthy is the foundation of healthy communities. Save the date and join us at the Lakes and Rivers Convention next April.

Friday Keynote: James Edward Mills
Mills is a freelance journalist and independent media producer who has worked in the outdoor industry for over 30 years. Learn more about his projects and perspective to help make sure our natural resources are available to everyone and conserved into the future.