Announcements

Swan Lake is nestled between four wonderful communities. Visit each of their websites below for more information on city ordinances, local restaurants, parks, museums, and events.

North side of the lake, visit the City of Portage

South side of the lake, visit the Village of Pardeeville

West side of the lake, visit the Township of Pacific

East side of the lake, visit the Town of Wyocena

Notifications of a No Wake Status by the Emergency Management department, notifications at the boat landing, and on the SLA website are coordinated to inform as many people as possible. If SLA has your email and/or phone number, you could receive NO WAKE notifications and other urgent information.

If you have questions regarding No Wake Status, please call Sheriff's dispatcher at 608-742-4166 & request transfer to Todd Engl, Emergency Government Manager.

The debate over limitations on wake surfing boat usage on our lakes reached the State Level over the Winter.  There were Bills brought forward for hearings, debate, and votes.  The Bills were either supported by Industry Lobbyists or Lake Preservation Associations.  Ultimately, nothing moved forward for a multitude of reasons.  

Rather than risk anything other than an objective review of past activity, we refer all Swan Lake Association Members to follow up online by visiting the websites for Last Wilderness Alliance, Wisconsin Lakes, and Lakes at Stake for some extremely detailed information.

Our lakes are for everyone to enjoy, until our use negatively impacts the enjoyment or property of others.

Many of us call Swan Lake our boat's home, but if you visit other Wisconsin Lakes, read up about the lake and their association from the UW Steven's Point Extension Lakes program. Extension Lakes is dedicated to preserving our Wisconsin legacy of lakes through education, communication, and collaboration.

Today, over ​500 lake associations and over 250 lake districts are working for (and in) Wisconsin's lakes.​ Browse them all through Extension Lakes.

• Use motion security lighting instead of dusk to dawn security lights
• Choose the lowest light possible for your intended task
• Eliminate glare by shielding light fixtures from direct eye contact and using full cut-off fixtures
• Retrofit existing fixtures with shields to reduce glare
• Position lights above or in front of items and pointed down to remove sky glow. In fact pointing lights skyward is prohibited in Columbia County ordinances.

Read more information from the Sensible Shoreland Lighting: Preserving the beauty of the night PDF written by the University of Wisconsin-Extension, Wisconsin Lakes Partnership, and the WDNR Solid and Hazardous Waste Education Center.

Learn more about active legislation, upcoming events and conferences, and general lake news.

The Mission of Wisconsin Lakes is to conserve, enhance and restore Wisconsin’s lakes to ensure their sustainability for the benefit and collective use and enjoyment for this and future generations.

Last Wilderness Alliance helps Wisconsin towns, lake groups, and concerned citizens protect their lakes from the damaging impacts of enhanced wake boating through the enactment of local ordinances. To date, hundreds of lakes have been protected by local control.

Lakes at State work to protect Wisconsin Lakes from the economic, environmental, and safety threats of wake sports.