As the weather gets cooler and the leaf cleanup around the lake continues, the Fox Lake Preservation Organization wants to remind everyone to be responsible with their leaf litter to prevent polluting Fox Lake.
After receiving multiple complaints from shoreline homeowners last year, the FLPO confirmed with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) that dumping or blowing leaves directly into the lake is considered littering and could be a citable offense.
Leaves, grass clippings, compost, and general yard debris contain phosphorus — the primary nutrient responsible for Fox Lake's water quality issues. When leaf litter or yard waste is dumped into the lake, it directly adds excess nutrients to the water and harms the lake's water quality.
Phosphorus pollution from leaf litter can contribute to water quality problems such as low dissolved oxygen for aquatic life, harmful algae blooms, and excessive aquatic plant growth. They do not stay put once leaves are blown or raked in the lake. Often, waves and wind push them onto a neighbor’s shore, decomposing them into an unsightly sludge.
The Fox Lake community can help protect Fox Lake's water quality and be a considerate neighbor by never dumping or blowing leaves or lawn clippings into the lake. By working together to keep leaves out of the lake, everyone can play a role in improving Fox Lake's water quality!
If anyone is concerned about egregious or excessive leaf dumping, please call Brad Burton (Dodge County WDNR conservation warden) at 920-210-5347. Since leaves quickly dissipate, pictures and/or videos of the potential citable offense may be helpful.
Thank you,
Mike Tegtmeyer, FLPO President