Rice Lake Lake District

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Rice Lake, WI
Rice Lake Lake District

The mission of the Rice Lake Lake District is to represent and protect the interests of the residents and property owners of Rice Lake. in the lake.
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In April of 2008, the Rice Lake – Lake Protection and Rehabilitation District was awarded a $68,000.00 State of Wisconsin Aquatic Invasive Species Education, Prevention, and Planning grant. The purpose of this grant is to update an existing lake management plan that has been in place since 1994. The Rice Lake Protection and Rehabilitation District is one of the oldest Lake Districts in the State o

f Wisconsin. It was established in 1977 and includes municipal boundaries of the City of Rice Lake and a large portion of Rice Lake Township, both located in Barron County. Rice Lake is a 939-acre lake controlled within a few inches of normal pool elevation by an 18-ft dam with a 12-ft. hydraulic head at it’s outlet to the Red Cedar River. The lake has a maximum depth of 19-ft. It has a 9.66-square mile watershed that drains into the lake through two main tributaries, the Red Cedar River and Bear Creek. Aquatic vegetation lines generally occur at a depth of 10-12 ft. Curly-leaf pondweed, a non-native, aquatic invasive plant species is present in large amounts throughout the lake. Current lake management activities involve large-scale plant harvesting throughout the system for curly-leaf pondweed in the spring, and other native plant species throughout the open water season. Rice Lake is separated into two basins by the County C Bridge. The north basin is shallower, with a maximum depth of about 15ft. Both major tributaries enter into this basin and the outfall is also located here. The south Basin is deeper and more of a bowl shape. Flow typically is not observable at the bridge connecting the two, though a significant drainage area does enter the southern basin through various ditches and gullies. Thermo-clines do develop in the north basin but are broken by flow or waves. An annual thermo-cline develops and remains intact all summer in the southern basin. View a map of the lake district. The lake is nearly fully developed. Downtown Rice Lake sits on the shore of the lake and a significant portion of the urban storm sewer from the city drains directly to the lake. Numerous public boat launch facilities exist around the lake, with the 2 most used launch facilities at Veterans Memorial Park and at the downtown launch site between the Moose Club and Birchwood Manufacturing. The main attraction to Rice Lake is the fishing, including trophy Musky. The lake often has algae blooms and is heavily weeded, keeping direct contact uses less frequent, though a water-skier or swimmer is not uncommon on hot summer days. There are numerous businesses located on the lake including hotels, resorts, bars, and restaurants, as well as manufacturing facilities. Several private residences on the lakes are operated as vacation rental units. Tourist and locals use the lake for boating, fishing, waterfowl hunting, skiing, wildlife watching, and general recreation. The Lake District has not updated its aquatic plant management plan since 1994, making the current management strategy very outdated. New technologies and management science are available. The Wisconsin DNR has new requirements for aquatic plant management plans that are necessary for future permitting. Additionally, there are concerns by Lake District residents and area resource managers that the current harvesting plan is not adequate, making the Lake District ineligible for future WDNR grants.

11/04/2024

"Silver carp, an invasive species, has been detected in portions of the lower Chippewa River and lower Black River in western Wisconsin."
click the link for more information ⬇

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced today that silver carp, an invasive species, have been detected in portions of the lower Chippewa River and lower Black River in western Wisconsin.

11/01/2024

Friendly reminder to not rake your leaves into the lake or street. Leaves in the lake in fall contribute to a green lake in summer. 🍁

10/23/2024

A recording of the Lake District's 2024 Annual Meeting is now available under "videos on demand" at www.ricelaketv.com or at this link:
https://videoplayer.telvue.com/player/HDwuV3is8s5nNzWpdoDe7ey1dmO7F3CA/media/908303?autostart=true&showtabssearch=true&fullscreen=false

The 2024 Rice Lake Lake Protection and Rehabilitation District annual meeting. Recorded at Rice Lake Elks Lodge on October 16, 2024.

10/22/2024

A shout out to Richard Statton for removing and treating buckthorn and prickly ash from about 1/2 acre along the Moon Lake trail. In early May he planted a native seed mix on the area and a few things began to sprout! A second planting was done in Fall. We are excited to see what this area looks like in Spring! Thanks Richard for creating a beautiful spot that will filter runoff before reaching the lake and keeping the lake healthy!

10/19/2024

Thank you for all who attended the 2024 Lake District meeting. It was a great night where a lot of important connections were made, facts were learned, and discussions were had. If you were unable to attend, a recording will be available shortly...stay tuned!
See you October 15, 2025!

10/01/2024

See you there!
with Tamarack Wetland Services, LLC

Rice Lake Lake Protection District The Mission of the Rice Lake, Lake Protection and Rehabilitation...

10/01/2024

***Rice Lake is currently experiencing a blue-green algae bloom.*** Please use caution and wash you and your pets off after entering the lake.
"A bloom is a sudden increase in algae cells in a certain area of water. Little wind, warm water, sunlight, and plentiful nutrients - especially phosphorus - all increase the chance that a bloom will happen."
"It is impossible to tell from a visual inspection whether an algal bloom is toxic. The safest thing to do is to treat every algal bloom as if it could be dangerous. When in doubt, stay out!"
For more information on blooms, what they are and what to do if exposed visit: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/algae/defined.htm

Photos of Rice Lake courtesy of Tyler Gruetzmacher

09/29/2024

True friends don't let their friends transport aquatic invasive species.

These invaders can hide in the most unsuspected places, so it's important to double-check your gear (and your dog!) when you're done hunting for the day.

When waterfowl hunting, insects, snails and seeds can collect under the vests of our four-legged friends. That's why it's important to give your dog a rinse with a jug of clean water or scrub them off with a brush while they go for a quick swim to prevent invasive species from hitching a ride home or to your next hunting spot.

Just a few minutes of preventative action can protect our hunting tradition for generations to come. Before launching into or leaving a water body, hunters should always:

– Inspect waders, boats, trailers, motors and hunting equipment, including boots, blinds and dogs, before leaving a boat launch or access point.

– Remove all plants, animals and mud to the best of your ability. A special consideration for waterfowl hunters is to remove all seed heads and roots when using vegetation to conceal duck blinds. It is also important to note that it is illegal to use phragmites for camouflage in counties where the plant is prohibited by NR40. In general, these counties include the western half of the state.

– Drain all water from decoys, boats, motors and other hunting equipment.
– Never move plants or live fish away from a water body

09/23/2024

Don't get stranded!!!
Rice Lake will be lowered 6 inches between October 10 and 20 to aid in the prevention of ice shoves.
If necessary, it is recommended to remove your boats, docks, lifts, etc. before then 👍

09/01/2024

Carol Kettner and John Peter spent a couple of hours tackling some of the overgrown weeds at the old beach off of Lakeshore Drive. The rain garden located there filters runoff from E. Eau Claire St. before entering the lake. You can find lots of good native plants in this rain garden such as cone flower and milkweed! 🦋

09/01/2024

08/28/2024

Have you stopped by the Lumbering Hall of Fame lately? The native plants are looking pretty good! 🌱🌸 Planting shoreline plants or a raingarden can be a bit of a waiting game but it is worth it! The pictures show the difference a year can make. These plants are helping filter any runoff before entering the lake. If you're interested in a planting project, contact the lake district today! ([email protected])🌻

08/08/2024

07/29/2024

It's a Marty Party!🥳
Marty the Muskie had a friend over with plenty of food to share 🐟

Marty the Muskie had a friend over with plenty of food to share!

07/29/2024

Driving around our region, it's always great to see plantings we've done that are thriving! This one (next to the dock) is in year three - the year that it 'leaps!' This one is in Rice Lake, with some funding from the Rice Lake Lake District!

06/22/2024

Yellow Iris – Not just a pretty flower.

If you enjoy lakeshores and wetlands, whether it is because you like fishing, being on the water, or have views from your cabin or home, you probably notice some of the flowers that bloom at different times of the year. In the spring, you see the marsh marigold and native blue flag iris along the shoreline. Most people are familiar with purple loosestrife and the harm it can cause as it chokes out the native plants. But fewer people are aware of the growing problem with yellow iris.
Yellow iris is not native to Wisconsin. In fact, there are no native yellow irises in the state. The yellow iris you may see growing along a shoreline is a fast-growing and fast-spreading non-native aquatic plant that escapes from cultivation into native habitats. It invades shorelines and shallow water areas of lakes, rivers, and wetlands, and crowds out native species, reducing wildlife habitat. Yellow Iris is a Regulated species under the Wisconsin Invasive Species Rule.
The rhizomes can survive droughts, and they float, so rhizomes and seeds can be transported downstream, further spreading the plant. Seeds can germinate even after a wetland area burns. Seeds, stems
and rhizomes escape into natural areas by wind, water movement, earthmoving equipment, transplanting and other human activities. When not flowering, yellow iris may be confused with native species such as blue
flag iris (Iris versicolor), cattails (Typha spp.) or sweet flag (Acorus spp.). Yellow iris does not provide food for native animals and contains large amounts of glycosides that are toxic to wildlife and grazing animals.
During peak bloom time this year, a volunteer with the Rice Lake Protection District mapped the locations of yellow iris on Rice Lake. The plant is spreading rapidly through the south basin (south of Narrows Bridge). The good news is that there are still only clumps here and there on the main part of the lake. Now that the iris have been mapped, the spread will continue to be monitored while a plan is developed for control.
In the meantime, if you are a property owner, there are a few things you can do. Control efforts are
most likely to succeed when plants are small and manageable. Each seed capsule can hold more than a hundred seeds, so removing the spent flowers and seeds can slow the spread.
Mowed plants will regenerate from the rhizomes, so plants must be cut multiple times to exhaust their
energy reserves. Digging is effective for removing small plants and plant populations. Remove as much plant debris as possible, particularly rhizomes.
Use caution and protect your skin when handling yellow iris as they are poisonous, and resin in the leaves and rhizomes can cause skin irritation.

Information from: Citizen Lake Monitoring Network, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and Wisconsin Wetlands Association.
Photo credit: Leslie J Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org

06/21/2024

This muskie has returned for the fourth year to the same spot on Rice Lake

06/21/2024

Get ready for Snapshot Day with out Aquatic Invasive Species of the Week series! This week's AIS is the rusty crayfish.

This AIS hails from the Ohio River basin. The crayfish's suspected method of transport to Wisconsin was anglers who used it as fishing bait. This species poses a host of potential threats to our state's waters such as displacing native crayfish, eating fish eggs, and eating aquatic plants that provide food and shelter to other water inhabitants.

To search for the rusty crayfish and more AIS in Wisconsin, join us on August 10th for Snapshot Day! Learn more and register at https://wateractionvolunteers.org/events/.

Learn more about the rusty crayfish at https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Invasives/fact/RustyCrayfish.

06/06/2024

Looking for something to do?
Tuesday June 11th at 8am will be a workday at Arnold’s Landing (2200 20 1/2 20 1/4 St, Rice Lake). We will be pulling weeds and sprucing up the rain garden. Gloves and tools will be provided but are limited so if you have your own please bring them. If inclement weather, updates will be made to this post so be sure to check back.
Any questions contact the Lake District Coordinator at [email protected]
Thanks for your help to keep the lake healthy!
See you there!

06/03/2024

🐢Help Protect Turtles During Nesting Season🐢

"This time of year, turtles are beginning to emerge from rivers, lakes and wetlands to lay eggs. Wisconsin’s 11 turtle species lay eggs in nests from late May through June in sunny and well-draining uplands, where they are highly visible along roads and in residential yards. Many females are run over by vehicles during these annual nesting migrations, a leading cause of turtle decline throughout Wisconsin. Turtle nests also experience high levels of predation as populations of nest-raiding animals such as raccoons, skunks and coyotes have grown beyond historical levels."

https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/newsroom/release/57841
photo credit: Timothy Hansel Nature Photography

05/24/2024

Our operators spent some time on the river this morning trying to get some work done before the inclement weather starts.

05/22/2024

*Why All the Weeds?*
Some years there seems to be more aquatic vegetation present in the water than others. This year is one of those years. Why is that? This winter, ice cover that measured less than a foot and a lack of snow caused by unseasonably warm temperatures provided ideal conditions for aquatic plant growth. The lack of snow and early ice out enabled the energy from the sun to pe*****te deep into the lake much earlier than normal helping the aquatic plants grow and thrive for a longer period of time.
The Rice Lake, Lake Protection District has a full Operations staff running three aquatic vegetation harvesters this season. The harvesters are running overtime to keep up with the high amount of plant growth this year. They are currently removing four dump truck loads (25 tons) of vegetation per day. The staff has already removed more vegetation in the last few weeks than the total vegetation removed last year.
The Rice Lake, Lake Protection District is working diligently to keep the navigation lanes clear for lake users to continue to enjoy the lake. To help out, keep your boats and props clear of vegetation to stop the spread of any plants, especially invasive species.

05/21/2024

*An Accessible Lake for All*

This month Rice Lake Parks and Recreation Department installed a new dock off Lakeshore Drive across from Heritage Lakeside just North of Indian Mound Park. This dock is open for public use and features enhanced stability and a solid railing system for wheelchair users. It also has a ramp to allow for wheelchairs to safely board boats with ease.

This new dock was purchased from 4:19 Outdoors with generous donations from the Rice Lake ELKS Lodge #1441, the Rice Lake, Lake District, and by individuals in memory of Onalee Levenhagen and Dave Halling.

In addition to this new wheelchair-friendly dock, Rice Lake has other accessible features. There are accessible docks located at the lumbering hall of fame, an accessible fishing pier at Veteran’s Landing, a mobility-friendly ramp at Narrows Beach, and an accessible kayak launch near the Moose Club. An accessible kayak is also available for use through the Rice Lake Public Library.

With docks such as these installed, they present an opportunity for equitable access for all to enjoy the benefits of Rice Lake.

05/17/2024

💧Northwest Wisconsin Lakes Conference💧
Friday June 21, 2024
8:00am-3:45pm
Spooner High School
topics include: lakeshore, fisheries, wake science, macroinvertebrates, and more!
⭐️visit https://nwwislakesconference.org/
for more information and to register⭐️

05/08/2024

The new Inland Harvester is in the water and has been hard at work clearing navigation lanes!

Address

1960 21 7/8 Street
Rice Lake, WI
54868

Website

http://rllakedistrict.org/

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Videos

Marty the Muskie 2024

This muskie has returned for the fourth year to the same spot on Rice Lake

Muskie spawning on Rice Lake

What a find! A Rice Lake resident caught a pair of muskies spawning on video. "Within the north and south limits of the Wisconsin muskellunge range, spawning occurs from mid-April to mid-May, with the peak occurring early in the season. Optimum spawning temperature is about 55º F, but may range from 49 to 60º F. Eggs are usually deposited indiscriminately over several hundred yards of shoreline. There is no parental care. Adult spawners return to the same spawning ground in consecutive years." WDNR

FISH ON!

It's a busy Saturday on the first day of the Wisconsin Free Fishing Weekend, January 15-16!!!! At least 50+ ice shacks and tents were on the South Basin for this sunny, 18 degree, wind-free day. Perfect! Please remember to respect the lake at all times of year and remove all trash, bottles, etc when you leave.

On Nov 23 a gaggle of geese and a bevy of swans gathered in front of Veterans' Park on Lakeshore Drive. What a noisy bunch! Did you know, a group of swans can also be called a bevy, a herd, a game or a flight? If in flight they can be called a wedge of swans. When geese are flying in formation they can be referred to as a skein.

WHAT'S BETTER THAN A HARVESTER WORKIN' HARD TO CLEAR NAVIGATION LANES? TWO HARVESTERS! The two harvesters in the video were seen in the north basin of Rice Lake today. The Rice Lake Lake Protection District has three harvesters - two operate in the north basin and one in the south basin. Due to the height of the harvesters, and the low bridge height at the Narrows, they cannot pass from the north to the south basin. As mentioned a couple days ago, Rice Lake and some other area lakes are experiencing high rates of Curly-Leaf Pondweed this year. It's a non-native, invasive weed, that if not managed can create a mat of weeds so dense, it will choke out desirable plant growth, as well as limit fishing, swimming and boating. The Lake District harvester operators are working many hours and especially hard this year to keep up with the problem weeds. Thanks guys!