NEPCO Lake District Mission - Vision Statement
The NEPCO Lake District is the organization for boundary property owners to be stewards of NEPCO Lake that foster the lake becoming and remaining a highly sought after recreational and wildlife area for Wood County residents and area visitors.
Solving for:
- A focused investment in water quality
- Control of natural and invasive plants and species
- A wildlife and fish friendly lake and shoreline habitat
Aquatic Plant Management Plan
In 2023 the Nepco Lake District commissioned an aquatic plant survey of the lake, which resulted in a plan for managing the aquatic plants in the lake. This plan serves as the foundation for the goals of the Nepco Lake District.
2025 Goals
The following goals were approved by the lake district commissioners in March, 2025.
| # | Description | Outcome | Activities | APMP # |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Public Safety–Watercraft Existing Laws, |
1a - Maintain high floristic quality while reducing navigation impairments and protecting fish & wildlife habitat 1b - Wake boating on NEPCO does not cause environmental or safety concerns |
1a - Execute actions to protect fish & wildlife habitat; Add boater safety signag 1b - Develop a Wake Boat strategy; Implement initial phases of the strategy |
1 & 3 |
| 2 |
Education Sessions |
2a- Parcel owners are informed on appropriate lake management and safety practices |
2a - Continue to add lake management & safety information to the website; Secure 2 or more in-person presenters and deliver 2 or more presentations by the 2025 Annual Meeting; Post presentation content on the NLD website |
2 |
| 3 |
Shoreline Assessment & Protection |
3a - One or more NEPCO Lake Parcel Owners utilize the advantage of the availability of WDNR Funds for Shoreline improvement 3b - Shoreline assessment preparation complete |
3a - Work with Wood County Land & Water Conservation on a recruitment campaign; Support grant applications 3b - Prepare grant application for 2026 professional shoreline assessment |
3 |
| 4 |
Watershed Management |
4a - Align and support NEPCO Lake Watershed projects currently underway by WDNR, UWSP, UWSP Center for Watershed Science Education, and others 4b - Have a high-resolution baseline of lake and watershed water quality |
4a - Engage stakeholders; Conduct watershed event; Execute event action items 4b - Perform NEPCO Lake advanced water quality testing |
3 |
| 5 |
Mechanical Harvesting |
5a- 2025 Harvesting Plan is executed 5b- Nutrient removal levels are understood 5c- Improved efficiency of harvesting operations |
5a - Follow the harvesting plan with adjustments as needed; Supervise and support the Harvesting Seasonal employees; Track the usage and service of the equipment as needed 5b- Collect and test monthly samples during harvesting season; Provide results to the DNR 5c- Identify options for west-side access and take-out sites; Partner with the NLD Board to secure sites |
4 |
| 6 |
Reduce Spread of Invasive Species |
6a - Clean Boats / Clean Water initiative executed |
6a - Conduct Clean Boat inspections; Update signage |
5 |
| 7 |
NEPCO Community |
7a- Increased sense of community and organizational capability amongst the NEPCO Lake parcel owners | 7a- Plan and execute 100-year anniversary event; Create other actions to create community and increase organizational capability. | n/a |
| 8 |
Financials |
8a - NLD has a 5-year funding and spending plan | 8a - Develop a funding & expense plan; Develop a capital needs plan | n/a |