Information for New Cedar Lake Residents
Welcome to Cedar Lake!
On behalf of the Cedar Lake Protection and Rehabilitation District, welcome to Cedar Lake. This page on our website is provided to new Cedar Lake residents and Cedar Lake lakeshore owners. Of course, it also contains information all Cedar Lake residents may find useful. It is meant to provide you with information that will help you enjoy the lake and help keep it as clean and healthy as possible.
The Cedar Lake Protection and Rehabilitation District is in place to help with the protection and rehabilitation of Cedar Lake and is governed by Wisconsin Statute 33. Our website, cedarlakewi.org, contains a great deal of information about the district and its history, as well as minutes from our monthly and annual meetings, various lake studies, and our Lake Management Plan. On the homepage of our website, you can also enter your e-mail address to receive our e-mail newsletter. We periodically publish a newsletter which will be mailed to you. Previous issues are also available on the website.
The Lake District Board typically meets on the 4th Tuesday of each month. The meetings are usually held at Alden Town Hall (183 155th Street, Star Prairie, WI) at 5:30 PM. Some summer meetings are held at the McMurtry Preserve near Cedar Lake and at times are held via Zoom. These meetings are open to the public and all are welcome. The agenda posted on the website will show where the meeting will be held and if by Zoom, how to participate in the meeting if you wish. In addition, there is an annual meeting for all lake owners/residents. It is normally held on the first Saturday of August at the Town of Star Prairie town hall. Please see the website for additional information which is posted shortly before the meeting.
We hope the information on this page will help you become familiar with Cedar Lake and all it has to offer, as well as good environmental practices to help keep it clean and healthy. If you have any questions, we encourage you to contact one of our district commissioners. Their e-mail addresses and phone numbers are on the website.
Once again, welcome to Cedar Lake!
Cedar Lake Protection and Rehabilitation District Commissioners
Helpful Links
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
- Newsletters – Previously mailed newsletters or e-mails newsletters are all available here.
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and UW-Stevens Point Extension office have numerous publications and pages related to best practices for lakeshore living, plantings, and environmental practices.
Resources
- Commissioner Candidate and Election Process
- Protecting Your Waterfront Investment
- A Guide to Envirmentally Sound Lakeshore Ownership
- A Shoreland Maintenance Checklist
- Wisconsin Healthy Lakes
Septic Systems
Correct installation and operation of Septic Tanks is each landowner’s responsibility. A State Sanitary Permit is required for the installation of a “private on-site wastewater treatment system” (POWTS). A County Sanitary Permit is required for the repair, reconnection, or rejuvenation of a POWTS or for the installation of a non-plumbing sanitation (i.e., privy, composting toilet, etc.)
A Sanitary Permit is required prior to obtaining a building permit from Town Staff. A Sanitary Permit may only be submitted by a licensed plumber. Staff will conduct at least one inspection for all work requiring a sanitary permit. In addition, the proper maintenance of a POWTS is essential to ensure the longevity of your private sewage system and to avoid premature failure. When obtaining a Sanitary permit you are required to submit a signed agreement indicating that as the property owner you will maintain your septic system properly and report this maintenance to the Community Development Office. Septic systems are required to be properly inspected or pumped every 3 years. Inspections may be conducted by a master plumber, POWTS inspector, septage servicing operator, or POWTS maintainer. Click here for more information on St Croix County and here for Polk County information.
Private Wells
Like septic systems, proper maintenance of a water well is important. The Wisconsin DNR has many resources on wells and getting your well water tested. They can be found here.
Safe Boating Practices
Each and every boat operator should be familiar with all Wisconsin boating regulations. There are specific age requirements, personal floatation device (PFD) requirements, and safe operational rules that must be obeyed for everyone’s safe enjoyment of the lake.
Local Organizations
There are several organizations that play an important role in the health of Cedar Lake. We encourage you to become familiar with them and become active in those that interest you. These include: