The Yahara lakes are the Madison-area's dominant natural feature. They affect our daily lives, yet we may not know them well. This Wisconsin State Journal series examines the history, impact and health of our lakes.
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The Yahara chain of lakes dominates our landscape. For the past 12,000 years, almost as soon as the last glacier withdrew, people have been dr…
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The Yahara lakes are a largely unknown world within our world. Running right through the middle of our lives, they affect us in ways so big and so familiar that that are easy to forget.
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The state christened the Yahara River’s four main lakes with undulating three-syllable names in 1855.
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Tamara Thomsen is a marine archaeologist with the Wisconsin Historical Society and has documented hundreds of dives in the Yahara lakes. She a…
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Madison's lakes have a long and storied history. Here's a look back at how they have changed over the years.
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Wisconsin State Journal photographers capture the stunning beauty of the Yahara River chain.
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Images from lakes Mendota, Monona, Waubesa, Kegonsa and Wingra, the jewels in the Yahara River chain of lakes.
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Discover underwater oddities such as cars, boats, equipment and other objects beneath the surface of the Yahara lakes.
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Why is the water here? The unhurried Yahara River you see today follows much the same path of a very different watercourse that flowed long before the last glacier came and went.
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We asked Wisconsin State Journal readers for their stories and photos about the Yahara lakes. We received a tremendous response. It’s clear th…
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Each of us has our own relationship to the lakes, an affection that endures through good times and bad.
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The beauty, health and culture of Madison's four lake has inspired timeless art in all mediums.
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“If Wisconsin is going to have swimmable, fishable, drinkable water in 30 years, we need better farm policies,” said one researcher. “What we’re doing is not working.”
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Madison, Dane County, farmers and others are fighting back against phosphorous and invasive carp. Will their efforts be enough?
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Lake levels are rising, and the area may be on the cusp of flooding unlike anything in the last 100 years, according to one expert.
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Our everyday actions can have an impact on the lakes we love. Here are some simple things you can do to help take care of them.
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Want to help improve and protect the Madison-area's cherished lakes? Several groups offer a way to get involved, including:
23 updates to this series since
As featured on
OUR VIEW: Newspaper series on Madison lakes should prompt stepped-up action
