Martin Letter - A Grandpa Responds

I have been part of Lake Koshkonong for the last 39 years. I discovered Lake Koshkonong just after getting married in 1965. My in-laws owned a home on the lake in the Edgerton area. My wife and my children fell in love with the lake and now I have also owned lake property on the North Shore of Lamp Road for the last 10 years.

I love the Lake and its people. In the spring everything is beautiful. The water is just about the right level. Birds are all over the place. Fishing is fun right off of my pier. Boating is fun too and the water is not shallow. My 3 children and 6 grandchildren visit the lake often and love to swim in the lake during the warmer days of spring.

Now comes summer and the DNR insists on a low water level. The birds go away. Well most of them anyway. The shoreline turns from a lush green to a smelly, dirty, insect ridden collection of muck. I even wonder about disease? Is all this muck loaded with disease that could harm my children or grandchildren? I am not a scientist or a biologist, but I hope the DNR is aware of the potential disease hazard of shallow smelly mucky stagnant water!

At low water level my grandchildren make faces when I ask them if they want to go swimming. "Grandpa, is that water okay to swim in"?, is what I hear. It makes me sad. My boat no longer can be brought to my pier. It has to stay about 40 yards away from the pier so it will still float without becoming stuck in the muck. There are no fish at the end of my pier because it is way too shallow.

I am very sorry Brian, but all this makes me very discouraged. What's wrong the the DNR? Don't they have families? Do the want the lake to go away? What are they thinking?

Correct me if I am wrong, but if there is a higher water level, then the flow into the river is better resulting in cleaner water, better fishing, nicer looking shorelines, happier residents, etc. As far as the wetlands are concerned, just use common sense. For thousands of years the birds built nests and the animals adapted to whatever level of water is given to them. They have always survived and will continue to survive. Raise the water 7 or 8 inches and they all will survive. They will just build their nests a little higher and the animals will have more water in which to live. It's a no brainer. What are we all waiting for?

Whoever reads this, please, please, write the DNR, write to your federal and state legislators. We all know higher water levels are better, are safer and good for the economy of our towns. Haven't we waited long enough. Lets do whatever it takes to raise the water level just 7 or 8 inches.

Regards,

James J Pupelis
Fort Atkinson