Keep Elkhart Blue: A Holistic Watershed Approach

This article explores the Elkhart Lake Improvement Association's (ELIA) efforts to preserve the lake's water quality and ecosystem through a holistic watershed approach. Learn about the challenges facing the lake and ELIA's initiatives to address them, including data collection, public education, habitat restoration, and invasive species control. Become a member or get involved in shoreline restoration projects to help keep Elkhart Blue! 

Click "Here" to read the full article that will appear in the Depot Dispatch later this month.

Lakes at stake release new Video

Lakes at Stake is a bipartisan group of concerned citizens from across the state who love our lakes and are alarmed by the damage being inflicted on them by wake sports.  

The prop wash from wake boats can erode shorelines, cloud the water, and disrupt the habitats of fish and other aquatic life.  It's a problem that's growing at an alarming rate.

To view the video created by Lakes at Stake, click on The Hidden Threat of Wakeboat Propwash.  Or, visit their website https://www.lakesatstake.org/ to learn more.....

28 boating fatalities in 2023 sets state record 

According to the July 12, 2024 issue of the Wisconsin Outdoor News, Wisconsin set a tragic record in 2023 when 28 people died while enjoying the state’s lakes and rivers by fishing, hunting, paddling, jet-skiing, waterskiing or motorboating.

Most of those folks drowned; only one died in a collision.  To learn more, read the article by , "Clicking Here."

Exploring Wake Boating on Elkhart Lake

At the Elkhart Lake Improvement Association, we are committed to ensuring the sustainability and enjoyment of our lake for all. As of now, the Board of Directors has not taken a formal stance on wake boating. We believe in making informed decisions based on scientific evidence and facts that either support or restrict this activity on Elkhart Lake.

To keep our community informed, we have created a dedicated section on our website. You can find articles discussing various perspectives on wake boating under the "Caring for the Lake" menu tab, specifically labeled as "Wake Boat Articles." We encourage everyone to explore these resources to stay updated on this important topic.

As we continue to monitor developments and gather information, we remain committed to the preservation and responsible management of Elkhart Lake.

Elkhart Lake Receives DNR GRants

Elkhart Lake was a recipient when the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources recently announced approximately $6 million in grant funding to lake organizations, nonprofit organizations and municipal and county governments throughout Wisconsin.

Of the 428 applicants, 207 programs totaling around $6 million were selected this year (2024) by the DNR for the annual awards.

Funding, which includes Healthy Lakes and Rivers grants as well as support for the Clean Boats, Clean Waters and Lake Monitoring and Protection Network programs, will be used to help restore and protect the state’s surface water resources in 2024 and beyond.

Under the grant funding, the Elkhart Lake Improvement Association (ELIA) will receive funding of $1,950 for our Clean Boats-Clean Water program and ELIA will work with the Sheboygan County’s Lakeshore Natural Resource Partnership which was given two $10,000 grants: one directed towards improvements to Elkhart Lake’s Neuses Bay Tributary, and the other to study phosphorus loading at Elkhart Lake.