Management Plans

The Rice Lake Protection and Rehabilitation District is charged with managing the health and quality of Rice Lake. Through about 2010, most of the District’s efforts were focused on weed harvesting. Many areas of Rice Lake are relatively shallow and would be impaired by curly-leaf pondweed, an exotic invasive plant that can cause nuisance navigation issues through the 4th of July and degrade a more desirable aquatic plant community and water quality if left unmanaged. Managing of curly-leaf pondweed and other nuisance level aquatic plants through the combined use of harvesting and aquatic herbicides is still a big part of what the District does, but their focus has expanded to include maintaining and/or improving water quality, shoreland quality, watershed health, and high quality recreational use. All the actions the District is involved with are guided by goals and objectives found in an Aquatic Plant Management Plan prepared on behalf of the District by a consultant and approved both by the District constituency and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

This plan and the summary report for 2022 are available for public viewing. Click on their titles to view them.

2021-2025 Aquatic Plant Management Plan

Goals:

  1. Maintain a level of aquatic plant growth (native and non-native) that supports a healthy lake
    system and multiple human uses of the lake system.
  2. Reduce the threat and impact of AIS to and in Rice Lake.
  3. Improve fish and wildlife habitat, reduce runoff, and minimize nutrient loading into Rice
    Lake.
  4. Implement monitoring and evaluation that supports adaptive management of aquatic plants and water quality.
  5. Assess the progress and results of this project annually and report to and involve other stakeholders in planning efforts.

For plan objectives and actions click here.

2022 Rice Lake Summary Report
2023 Rice Lake Summary Report

Components of Management Plans

  • Identification of problems and threats
  • Description of historical control actions
  • Characterization of the aquatic ecosystem
  • Assessment of fisheries, wildlife, and aquatic plants
  • Identification of protection and/or enhancement needs for natural resources
  • Definition of management objectives
  • Identification of target levels for aquatic plant control
  • Identification of target levels for water quality
  • Identification of possible management alternatives
  • Feasibility factors for all possible management alternatives
  • Management recommendations based on feasibility, need, and benefits
  • Definition of potential adverse impacts
  • Development of a prevention and rapid response plan for new or future Aquatic Invasive Species
  • Monitoring and evaluation recommendations for current and long-term management activities

Also available for public viewing are the Goals, Objectives, and Actions for both the Aquatic Plant Management Plan and the Comprehensive Lake Management Plan. Click on the titles below to view them.

Aquatic Plant Management Plan Objectives and Actions

Comprehensive Lake Management Plan Objectives and Actions

For more plan information visit our consultant's page here.