MADISON, Wis., May 20, 2026 – With the unofficial start to summer this weekend, Clean Lakes Alliance is excited to kick off its 14th season of monitoring the Greater Madison lakes. Beginning Thursday, May 21, lake users will once again have more information about how to find the best spots when planning their lake visits. Water quality volunteer monitors will “dip in” their turbidity tubes (devices used to measure water clarity) for the first time this season and upload data to LakeForecast.org
“Each year, the popularity of this all-volunteer service expands,” said James Tye, Founder and Executive Director of Clean Lakes Alliance. “With more people using the lakes, and more people interested in the best spot for a visit, LakeForecast has become a trusted resource for timely information surrounding our lakes.”
What LakeForecast Tracks
Each volunteer water quality monitor takes temperature readings and measures water clarity. Additionally, monitors upload any visual water concerns, including cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) blooms, that may be observed at their monitored site. LakeForecast also includes beach-closure notifications posted by Public Health Madison & Dane County and Wisconsin State Parks. Lake users looking for this data can go to LakeForecast.org.
Community-Powered Science
What began as just a few offshore monitoring sites has grown to a network of more than 80 nearshore and offshore locations across all five Greater Madison lakes. Volunteers collect and upload data at least twice a week. The updated conditions are displayed on LakeForecast’s interactive maps during the summer season through Labor Day weekend.
