Wisconsin

Sustainably Speaking: Wisconsin DNR provides an update on Little Lake Butte des Morts

Published

2 years ago

July 31, 2024

Sustainably Speaking: Wisconsin DNR provides an update on Little Lake Butte des Morts

WINNEBAGO CO., Wis. (WFRV)- Little Lake Butte Des Morts in Winnebago County recently received positive news in the waterways recovery from the PCB cleanup that took place in the early 2000s.

Polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, are a man-made chemical that was used often in the 20th century to make carbonless copy paper. In the late 1970s, the federal government banned the usage of PCBs due to their impact on human health and wildlife.

The cleanup of the Fox River started in 2004, beginning with Little Lake Butte Des Morts, and ended in 2020 at the mouth of the Fox River at the southern end of the Bay of Green Bay. Jim Killian was involved in the PCB cleanup and is a sediment and dredge material management coordinator with the Wisconsin DNR.

“Here in Little Lake Butte des Morts, which was the first stage of the clean up of the entire 29 miles of the Fox River PCB project, hydraulic dredges were used to remove three hundred and seventy thousand cubic yards of contaminated sediment,” says Killian. “That’s roughly the equivalent of thirty thousand dump trucks full of wet mud.”

On top of removing the PCBS from the area, Killian says 114 acres of the river bed were capped with layers of sand and gravel to prevent the PCBs from entering the water column beneath the river. With that part of the project in the rearview mirror, the Wisconsin DNR announced the lake has been placed in a monitored recovery stage.

Rae Ann Eifert is the Lake Michigan monitoring and sediment coordinator for the Wisconsin DNR and is in charge of the long-term monitoring of the lake. Eifert explains what is in the plans as part of the monitoring stage.

“Essentially that means they go out every five years to check to see the progress toward their final goals in terms of fish tissue concentrations for PCBs and then PCB concentrations in the water.”

The last water sampling took place in 2022, and the results of that round resulted in the lake being elevated to this monitoring stage. The next round will take place in 2027 and Eifert says this will be another stepping stone to the goal of a ninety percent reduction in the PCBs in the water.

“Everything is continuing to come down and it does seem like we are going to meet our goals in terms of making sure the fish are safer to eat and that environmental exposure to PCBs has really decreased in this area. “

However, humans are more at risk of being exposed to PCBs through the consumption of fish that inhabit the waterway. Eifert explains that anglers planning to consume the fish should still be on high alert.

“PCBs don’t like to be soluble, they like to be hydrophobic so they like to bind to particles,” explains Eifert. “So your primary way of being exposed to it is not through the actual water itself, it’s through your actual consumption of fish.”

Fish advisories on the amount of consumption do continue for Little Lake Butte des Morts and many lakes and rivers across the state. Eifert says the advisories vary by fish and can vary by gender and age.

The DNR reminds anglers to check for any postage signage at the boat launch of the lake or river. If there is no signage, use this application on the DNR website to find out the advisories at the waterway that you are headed out to.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 – Green Bay, Appleton.

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Wisconsin

Sister Bay, Wisconsin: 2026 USA TODAY 10BEST Readers’ Choice Awards

Published

22 minutes ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

Sister Bay, Wisconsin: 2026 USA TODAY 10BEST Readers’ Choice Awards

Located in scenic Door County, Wisconsin, the town of Sister Bay is a waterfront town directly on Green Bay. Outdoor enthusiasts head to Sister Bay for its access to hiking trails, nature preserves, and water pursuits such as boating, fishing, and ice-skating during winter. The town hosts a number of seasonal festivals including a film fest, marina fest, outdoor concert series, and the Door County Festival of Fine Arts. The annual Roofing of the Goats Parade is a popular event tied to Al Johnson’s, a local restaurant known for goats that graze on its rooftop during summer months.

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Wisconsin

Vote: Who is Wisconsin High School Boys Basketball’s Top Guard of 2025-26?

Published

12 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Vote: Who is Wisconsin High School Boys Basketball’s Top Guard of 2025-26?

With the action-packed Wisconsin high school boys basketball regular season completed and March Madness beginning, it’s time to take a look at some of the outstanding players and cast your vote for the best.

We began by looking at the most prolific individual scoring threats, talented 3-point shooters,strong rebounders, and top free-throw shooters so now it’s time to take a look at the high-caliber guards from throughout the state.

There are hundreds of high-caliber boys basketball players in Wisconsin, and these lists are not intended to be comprehensive.

Voting remains open until March 9 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

(Players are listed in alphabetical order and all nominees are leaders from the 2025-26 season as compiled by Bound.com, and WIAA; the poll is below the list of athletes)

Castillo is averaging 25.4 points per game with 5.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.1 steals for Greendale (18-6 overall record).

Collien is averaging 15 points per game with 4.1 rebounds and 2.0 assists for Oakfield (21-3 overall record).

Edwards is averaging 14.1 points per game with 7.1 rebounds and 6.6 assists for D.C. Everest (21-3 overall record).

Gray Jr. was averaging 24.3 points per game with 6.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.1 steals prior for West Allis Central (22-2 overall record).

Hereford is averaging 36.4 points per game with 9.0 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 4.1 steals for Beloit Memorial (22-2 overall record).

Johnson is averaging 27.3 points per game with 8.5 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 3.6 steals for Milwaukee Juneau (22-1 overall record).

Jones is averaging 23.3 points per game with 5.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 2.6 steals for Germantown (15-9 overall record).

Kern is averaging 16 points per game with 6.2 rebounds and 3.0 assists for New Berlin West (21-3 overall record).

Kilgore is averaging 14.6 points per game with 7.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 3.0 steals for Kewaunee (24-0 overall record).

Kohnen is averaging 16.3 points per game with 3.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.3 steals for Slinger (20-4 overall record).

Knueppel is averaging 17.4 points per game with 7.4 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.9 blocks, and 1.4 steals for Wisconsin Lutheran (24-0 overall record).

Loose is averaging 18.2 points per game with 5.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 2.3 steals for Port Washington (23-1 overall).

Manchester is averaging 35.8 points per game for Mount Horeb (19-5 overall record).

Platz is averaging 19.5 points per game with 7.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists, and 1.4 steals for Brookfield East (19-5 overall record).

Prochnow is averaging 21.3 points per game with 11.1 assists, 4.8 assists, and 3.2 steals for Reedsville (21-3 overall record).

Resch is averaging 21.3 points per game with 3.3 assists and 2.0 steals for Arrowhead (18-6 overall record).

Schultz is averaging 27.4 points per game with 6.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 2.0 steals for Plymouth (17-7 overall record).

Schwalbach is averaging 15 points per game with 4.7 assists and 3.3 rebounds, and 1.7 steals for Kaukauna (21-3 overall).

Sweeney is averaging 15.5 points per game for Appleton North (20-4 overall record).

Vandenberg is averaging 13 points per game with 2.3 assists and 2.0 rebounds for Freedom (23-1 overall).

About Our Player Poll Voting
High School on SI voting polls are meant to be a fun, lighthearted way for fans to show support for their favorite athletes and teams. Our goal is to celebrate all of the players featured, regardless of the vote totals. Sometimes one athlete will receive a very large number of votes — even thousands — and that’s okay! The polls are open to everyone and are simply a way to build excitement and community around high school sports. Unless we specifically announce otherwise, there are no prizes or official awards for winning. The real purpose is to highlight the great performances of every athlete included in the poll.

— Jeff Hagenau | jeffreyhagenau@gmail.com

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