Geneva Lake Environmental Agency

The Geneva Lake Environmental Agency is determined to maintain the environment and resources of Geneva Lake by protecting, preserving, and enhancing lake and watershed quality through monitoring, data collection, and education.

Newsletter Link

Data & Information Link

Donate for Lake Health Link

E. coli Results on Facebook

Publications & Recent Surveys Link

The Geneva Lake Environmental Agency (GLEA) is the shared environmental agency of the Towns of Linn and Walworth, the Villages of Fontana and Williams Bay, and the City of Lake Geneva. Since 1971, we have worked to protect the water quality, plant and animal life, and overall health of Geneva Lake and its watershed through science-based monitoring, research, and community collaboration.

Geneva Lake’s clear water and rich biodiversity are not guaranteed. A healthy lake supports recreation, tourism, property values, and the local economy. Therefore, the lake requires ongoing care. Protecting Geneva Lake today ensures it can be enjoyed for generations to come.

The most important thing you can do is get involved.

Clean Waters

Keep our waters clean by keeping trash out of the lake and being sustainable with water use

Advocate

Support environmental protection by voting and calling governmental officials with suggestions and opinions

Clean Boat

Keep your boat clean from aquatic plants and animals to avoid transferring aquatic invasive species

Limit Runoff

Prevent runoff by planting plant buffers near the shoreline, picking up after pets, and organic gardening

If you see something, say something! Contact us with any concerns of our lake

Educate

Educate yourself and others by reading articles, watching documentaries, or participating in meetings

Monitoring

Lake Geneva & surrounding water sampling
Weekly summer beach sampling for E-coli bacteria
Annual Geneva Lake Boat count with Water Safety Patrol
Zebra & Quagga mussel assessments
Aquatic Plan Survey
Macroinverbrates Survey
Groundwater monitoring
Clean Boats Clean Water initiative to control invasive species

Reports

Lake Management Plan with WDNR, SEWRPC, and USGS
Summary Information Sheet on Geneva Lake and management
Groundwater reports
Newsletter, Geneva Waters
E-coli bacteria weekly results (May-August)
Lake documents for muncapaility education and decision making
Brochures on all lake topics
Lake Stewardship Booklet

Community

Groundwater Information
Education programs for residents
Ice-On Contest
Work with communities in Sanitary Waste Management
College internship and high school job-shadowing
Presentation of reports to schools
Co-sponsor scholarships for students to attend Natural Resource Career Workshops
Educational materials

OUR EFFORTS

Our 2025 E. coli testing season has wrapped up for the year, but the Geneva Lake Environmental Agency remains active year-round to protect and study Geneva Lake. Even outside of the summer monitoring season, our staff and partners are hard at work on projects that safeguard water quality, fisheries, and habitat.

Thank you for supporting our mission. While swimming season may be over, our commitment to Geneva Lake never takes a break.

Here’s what we’re focused on:

Algae and water-quality monitoring – expanding use of new sensor technology to detect changes quickly.
Fishery and habitat projects – supporting cisco survey work and preparing additional fish cribs for installation.
Invasive species management – monitoring for Starry Stonewort, zebra mussels, and other aquatic invasives.
Watershed research – tracking nutrient and E. coli sources in tributary streams.
Education and outreach – working with schools, lakefront associations, and community groups to promote best practices for protecting Geneva Lake.
Collaboration and planning – coordinating with municipalities, the DNR, and USGS on long-term strategies like lake level monitoring, shoreline protection, and the Geneva Lake Management Plan.

2025 SUMMER PUBLIC BEACH TESTING

GLEA provides weekly E. coli testing as a public service but cannot guarantee real-time water safety. These results are a snapshot of water quality, as bacteria levels can shift quickly. It is important to remember the decision on whether to swim is at your own discretion. Use caution, especially with young children or individuals with weakened immune systems.