
FRIENDS OF
LAKE KEGONSA SOCIETY
AQUATIC DEBRIS PICK-UP
ALERT: Dane County LWRD and FOLKS arranged a special barge pick-up on Aug 30 and 31. Special Rules applied - no hard objects. Please read the following:
In response, to input and requests from several lake residents, FOLKS worked with Dane County Land and Water Resources Department (LWRD) to schedule a special barge pick-up Wednesday, Aug 30 and Thursday, Aug 31. The County did harvester cutting the past week or so and significant quantities of plants have blown on shore at several locations around the lake. FOLKS will pay for this extra pick-up as we do with the entire program. FOLKS appreciates the cooperation and responsiveness from LWRD to arrange this work on short notice. Both FOLKS and LWRD continuously strive to be of service to lake residents!
Two pick-up crews were on the lake Wednesday, August 30 at 7:00 a.m. and all day on Thursday, August 31. Debris should have been on your pier by 7:00 a.m. Wednesday.
The crew used harvesters (not barges) to make these pick-ups. Because most of the County’s summer workers finished last week, they have limited staffing to make this special pick-up this week.
Thank you for making sure that there were no rocks or other hard debris in piles - that causes serious damage to the harvesters and conveyors. Also, the harvesters were careful about avoiding rocks or low areas next to your pier in order to get close enough to make the pick-up and avoid damage to the equipment. We appreciate your understanding and being helpful by putting debris at the end of your pier as much as possible.
We directed the crew to several specific areas on the lake where there have been reports of significant cut plants on the shore. In addition to those locations, the crews will made a complete pass around the lake.
There will be no further pick-ups due to lack of County staffing to perform this work. Thanks to all FOLKS members for caring for Lake Kegonsa!

WILL NOT PICK UP



Dane County LWRD informed FOLKS they will not pick up weeds that grow on shore, including in riprap, because they are not growing in the lake. They stress that the pick up is for lake debris only. The top two pictures show weeds LWRD will not pick up.
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Partnering with Dane County, FOLKS provides bi-weekly pick-up of aquatic plants AND debris from the end of piers on Lake Kegonsa and the near north Yahara River inlet. Removing aquatic plants removes phosphorus and keeps the lake cleaner and safer. In 2022, 44 barge loads of plants were removed from Lake Kegonsa.
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FOLKS is continuing to fund the Aquatic Debris Pick-up program through payments to the Dane County Land & Water Resources Department.
Click here to view the pick-up schedule.