Dane County lakes share Clear Lake's pain

Janesville Gazette

...A 2001 study from the U.S. Geological Survey said pumping would help, but the community needed money and permits. They eventually received $250,000 from state and county governments and formed a lake district to raise the rest.

The lake district—of which Melville is a board member—started pumping in 2006. So far, the project has cost about $600,000.

The project has not gone smoothly. The district originally installed 2 1/2 miles of pipe to pump water from Mud Lake into an infiltration base—similar to a retention pond—where water could sink into the ground and rejoin the water table.

The district tried several infiltration bases, but none worked.

Then this summer, the lake rose another 3 feet after record rains.