Divers Take a Stake in the Lake

From Dane County Land & Water Resources Department:

Long-time Take a Stake in the Lakes participant, Four Lakes Scuba Club has scheduled their final clean up dive for Saturday, June 4, 2011, with a Dive for DAN event (Diver Area Network, a diver safety association) at Mendota County Park, Shelter #1 from10 a.m.-4 p.m. Madison Scuba will also be hosting a dive at Law Park from 10 am - 2 pm. The dives and clean ups are a part of Take a Stake in the Lakes Days, June 4-19, 2011, promoting public awareness of and celebrating Dane County’s lakes and streams.

Dives also took place on lakes Kegonsa and Waubesa on May 14 and 15, and on Lakes Monona and Mendota on May 21 and 22 to take advantage of the clear water. Items commonly found during clean-up dives are anchors, broken glass and ceramic, and other garbage and trash.

“Above water” clean ups are scheduled 9 a.m.-noon on Saturday, June 11 and Saturday, June 18, 2011 (information center at Law Park on June 18 only). More information on Take a Stake in the Lakes Days is available at www.takeastakeinthelakes.com <http://www.takeastakeinthelakes.com>.

Over the years, thousands of volunteers have removed hundreds of tons of waste from the shores of Lakes Mendota, Monona, Waubesa, Wingra and Kegonsa as well as rivers and streams in Dane County. During Take a Stake in the Lakes Clean Up events, groups, individuals and families adopt a beach, shoreline, boat launch, stream or river and collect litter and rake aquatic debris from the shoreline and shallow waters. Some volunteers collect trash while paddling their canoes or kayaks. Many groups then have a picnic in the park they’ve just cleaned up. Garbage bags, supplies and t-shirts are provided.

In addition to picking up garbage, volunteers also mark storm drains with colorful disks that are glued to the curb that remind folks to keep litter, leaves and grass clippings out of the gutters, which drain directly to the lakes.

To reserve your group’s favorite park, stream or stretch of shoreline, or to find out how you can help protect our beautiful lakes by sponsoring this annual event, contact Rhea Stangel-Maier at 608-224-3601 or stangel-maier@co.dane.wi.us <mailto:stangel-maier@co.dane.wi.us>. Volunteers may also go to the information center in Law Park on June 18 to register onsite.

To Dive for DAN, contact Ellen Evans at 835-9462 or president@FourLakesScubaClub.org <mailto:president@FourLakesScubaClub.org>. or to join Madison Scuba, contact Kim Olsen 279-3908 or kim@madisonscuba.com <mailto:kim@madisonscuba.com>. 

Take a Stake in the Lakes Clean Up events are sponsored by the Dane County Lakes & Watershed Commission, with support from Dane County Parks, Dane County Public Works and Dane County UW Extension, and is sponsored by many local businesses and organizations.

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