Lake Management

Lake Helen - Lake Management

The Lake Helen Protection & Rehabilitation District (LHP&RD) was formed in the fall of 1975 to protect and improve the lake. Our goal is to help all of the residents contribute to the preservation of Lake Helen for enjoyment today and for future generations.

The surface watershed encompasses around 500 acres while the groundwater watershed is around 443 acres. Lake Helen is a groundwater drainage lake that is just under 90 acres in size.

What Is Our Lake Management Plan?

In 2008, the Lake Helen Protection and Rehabilitation District (LHP&RD) partnered with UW-Stevens Point to develop our first lake management plan. The purpose of this plan was to learn about the health and overall ecological status of Lake Helen, identify factors important to Lake Helen residents, and develop goals, objectives, and associated actions to protect and improve the lake for future generations.

Since then, the lake management plan has been updated over the years to set goals and actions specifically addressing the watershed and water quality, shore-lands, aquatic plants and invasive species, fisheries, and recreation.

To view the current plan, click here.

While the plan is continuously updated to reflect activities and findings, the plan is formally updated and approved every 5 years. The last formal update was in 2023, the next will be in 2028.

This plan outlines significant collaboration with local organizations and service groups, and highlights the important role that volunteers play in keeping our lake healthy. Thank you all for your support!

Lake Helen PRD Actions - HIghlights

AIS Removal Station - Coming in 2026
The Lake Helen R&P District will be partnering with the Portage County Parks Department to construct a new Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Removal Station, complete with new signage and equipment to help local and guest boaters properly clean their boats and trailers prior to and after entering the water to minimize the risk of invasive species transfers.

2025 Chemical Treatment of EWM
Over the summer, the Lake Commissioners worked with location organizations to conduct a chemical treatment aimed at eliminating the invasive presence of Eurasian Water Milfoil (EWM). This type of treatment is done approximately every 5 years, with manual pulling used to address it in between. Hand or manual pulling events in the past have been supported by amazing lake volunteers, and professional divers have been leveraged as needed.