
The Arboretum and Lake Wingra make up the foreground of this image featuring the UW–Madison campus and the Isthmus. (Photo by Jeff Miller/UW-Madison)
With support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Arboretum and neighborhood, city, and county partners are pleased to embark on the WATER (Water Action to Encourage Responsibility) project. Project partners and residents in the Lake Wingra watershed will work together to minimize harmful effects of stormwater that flows from urban land into lakes and rivers.
The majority of the Arboretum’s 1,200 acres flow into Lake Wingra. While detention ponds and restored land help to filter and absorb some of the stormwater from surrounding neighborhoods, collective help is needed to ensure the health of the watershed. This project will provide a model for community engagement in pressing environmental issues and document how neighborhood-focused efforts can make a difference.