Lake Redstone Protection District

03/10/2026

Did your shoreline assessment recommend a native plant buffer? Please consider taking advantage of the Sauk County Land Resources & Environment Department (LRE) Native Plant Sale Program.

Did your shoreline assessment recommend a native plant buffer? If you are unaware of the assessment done last year, you can see the Assessment Summary Report(https://www.lakeredstonepd.org/shorelineimprovement) on the Lake Redstone Protection District(https://www.lakeredstonepd.org/) website. It includes a description of:

The criteria used to evaluate each parcel
A description, with pictures, of the best practice methods to prevent runoff
The scoring method used to obtain the red/orange/yellow/green ratings
Cost-share (reimbursement) information.
To obtain the report on your property, send an email requesting it to [email protected]. Your request must include your parcel number(s). The fire number/address is not useful for the identification of parcels. In part, this is because many addresses in the Sauk County database of properties contain more than one parcel. You can find your parcel number on your real estate tax bill and on your deed.

The Sauk County Land Resources & Environment Department (LRE) Native Plant Sale Program encourages local planting of native plant species while meeting a demand for low priced planting stock. All kits contain 32 plants selected for various sun exposure and soil type. Each kit is sold for $70 + tax. Order deadline is May 8, 2026.

Please place your order early, as quantities are limited. Orders will be filled in the order in which they are received. Once a kit has sold out, we will not be able to order more until the following year. We will contact you if your order cannot be filled as indicated. Payment must accompany order.

Order pick up is Thursday, May 28, 2026 from 4:30pm-6:30pm and Friday, May 29, 2026 from 8:00am-Noon at Sauk County Highway Department (620 Linn Street, West Baraboo, WI). Please arrange to pick up your order on the date specified—plants dry out quickly and should be planted immediately. Any order not picked up on the specified date will be donated to The City of Baraboo Parks and Recreation Department.

For more details, please see:

https://saukcountynativeplantsale.square.site/

01/26/2026

Update On Artificial Enhanced Wake Ordinance

On Monday, January 12th the Town of La Valle Board voted to move forward with an ordinance for wake-enhanced boats. It will set restrictions of 400 feet from shore and no operation of wake-enhancement boats between 6pm and 10am. There is no minimum depth restriction. The board tried multiple versions to include a depth restriction, but were unsuccessful in getting a version approved by the DNR.

The Town must complete a legal review and schedule a public hearing. After the public hearing, they will have the vote to approve the ordinance.

Send a message to learn more

01/25/2026

This is a report for the Discovery Farms study done at Lake Redstone from 2019-2023.

Research from edge of field monitoring by Discovery Farms in the Lake Redstone watershed was published recently.
Three big takeaways:
1) Manure timing has a big impact
2) Carefully layered conservation practices go a long way
3) Consistent soil testing keeps you ready and aware of potentially phosphorus losses
Read our summary article and the full report on our website: https://go.wisc.edu/93ibz7

11/04/2025

Did your shoreline assessment recommend tree cover.

Sauk County Tree Sale

10/07/2025

09/26/2025

A story on WMTV from Madison reported that with the current forecast of warmer weather, area lakes may see increased surface algae blooms. When Lake Redstone has experienced these in the past, the events have been isolated and tended to dissipate quickly.

What should you do if you see a bloom?
- If you see something, say something. Take pictures. Report the bloom to the Wisconsin Dept. of Health Services (WI DHS) website.
- Also email pictures and location to [email protected], so the LRPD knows.

- The WI DHS recommends that if you see an algal bloom or suspect an algal bloom, stay out of the area of water where a bloom is present and keep children and pets out of that part of the water. Some surface algae blooms can produce toxins, so the best approach per WI DHS is “When in doubt, stay out”.

- See the Wisconsin DHS website: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/algae/ for further information on algal blooms.

The LRPD’s water quality testing includes sampling for algal species, however there is a several week delay between collecting the water sample and getting results of the analysis from the State Lab of Hygiene. The LRPD is in contact with Sauk County regarding water conditions and results of testing.

09/17/2025

2025 Shoreline Assessment Results and Workshop!

Per studies through the years, runoff from properties around Lake Redstone accounts for approximately 40% of the sediment and phosphorus going in the lake. Sediment causes navigational problems and dredging. Phosphorus causes the green color and clarity issue.

In June and July, the first 35 feet from the lake of all 795 parcels (lake properties) on Lake Redstone were photographed and assessed per criteria for runoff prevention. This assessment was performed by Sauk County in cooperation with the LRPD,

To obtain the report on your property, you must send an email requesting it to [email protected]. Your request must include your parcel number(s). The fire number/address is not useful for the identification of parcels. In part, this is because many addresses in the Sauk County database of properties contain more than one parcel. You can find your parcel number on your real estate tax bill and on your deed.

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The Assessment Summary Report includes a description of:
• The criteria used to evaluate each parcel
• A description, with pictures, of the best practice methods to prevent runoff
• The scoring method used to obtain the red/orange/yellow/green ratings
• Cost-share (reimbursement) information
can be viewed at: https://www.lakeredstonepd.org/

As a result of a similar assessment performed in 2018,125 people asked to see the assessment of their parcel(s). Seventy people attended a workshop on understanding and addressing the assessment. Dozens of property owners have reduced or eliminated the runoff from their property, and many owners received partial reimbursement.

A workshop for property owners regarding the assessment and potential actions to be taken is planned for Friday, October 10th from 3-5pm at the La Valle Town Hall. No reservation is required.

08/28/2025

Producers of the Lake Redstone Field Day

Please join us on Thursday, September 18 at 5:00 PM for the next Producers of the Lake Redstone Field Day. The agenda includes:

- Wegner Farm Tour
- DNR Fish Shock Demonstration
- LRPD Pontoon Ride

The event will begin at the Redstone North End Tavern at S593B La Valle Rd. To register please contact Caroline Zimmerman at [email protected] or 608-847-7221 extension 3 by September 12.

08/08/2025

The Annual Meeting of the Lake Redstone Protection District was held on Saturday, August 2 at the La Valle Townhall. Congratulations to our new Commissioners:

Matthew Haerter
Jane Mahoney

To review the information presented at the meeting, please go to the Annual Meeting page of our website:

https://www.lakeredstonepd.org/annual-meeting

Send a message to learn more

07/27/2025

Please help with the 2025 Lakes and Rivers Partnership Meeting
Tuesday - August 5
On Tuesday, August 5, the LRPD will be hosting the 2025 Summer Lakes and Rivers Partnership meeting. The meeting will be attended by around 50 people from around the state.

The purpose of the Summer Meeting is to engage DNR, UW, and local partners about major issues facing Wisconsin's surface waters. The in-person summer meeting is an opportunity for statewide leadership in WI DNR, Extension Lakes, and Wisconsin Lakes to connect with local/regional partners and advance our mission of protecting and restoring our legacy of lakes.

As part of this all day meeting, they have requested a boat tour of the lake. We need eight people to drive a group of attendees around the lake in your pontoon boat for a tour of the lake. I have received an updated agenda for the event. The schedule is now:

1:00 Boats meet in Mourning Dove bay
1:15 Load boats at police boat dock
1:15-2:30 Boat tour
2:30 Unload boats at police boat dock

Please email [email protected] if you are available to help with this event.

Thanks!

Send a message to learn more