Questions about the Five Lakes Chain

What is a watershed?

How large is the Five Lakes watershed?

Where does water enter the lakes?

What streams feed the lakes?

Where does water leave the lakes?

How much of the watershed is agricultural?

How much is forest?

How much is developed?

How does rainfall affect the lakes?

How does groundwater affect the lakes?

How is water quality measured?

What is phosphorus?

What is nitrogen?

What is turbidity?

What is dissolved oxygen?

What is chlorophyll?

How clear is the water?

Is water quality improving?

How often is testing performed?

Who performs testing?

What is sediment?

Where does sediment come from?

Is sediment natural?

How much sediment enters the lakes each year?

How much sediment has accumulated?

Does sediment benefit the lake?

When does sediment become harmful?

How does sediment affect fish?

How does sediment affect recreation?

How does sediment affect water quality?

Can sediment be prevented?

Can sediment be removed?

Why is vegetation important?

Which plants are beneficial?

Which are invasive?

Why does vegetation increase?

How is vegetation managed?

What permits are required?

How does vegetation affect fishing?

How does vegetation affect water quality?

What fish live in the lakes?

How healthy are fish populations?

What wildlife depends on the lakes?

How do management practices affect habitat?

What has DNR found?

What causes shoreline erosion?

How can erosion be reduced?

What shoreline plants are recommended?

What permits are required?

What are best management practices?

Why is dredging being considered?

What areas are proposed?

How much sediment would be removed?

What are the estimated costs?

How were costs determined?

How often might dredging be required?

What permits are required?

What environmental impacts are expected?

What are the benefits?

What are the risks?

What alternatives have been considered?

How would dredging be funded?