BLANCHARDVILLE — The last nature program of the season takes place at 5 p.m. at Yellowstone Lake State Park, 8495 Lake Road, Blanchardville, on Saturday, October 10. The topic will be “Yellowstone Lake: Past and Present” as presented by Mark Sturnick, a local Biologist and Nature enthusiast. The discussion will be held at the Amphitheater which is located within the park.
A day pass or season admission sticker is required to attend the event. Sturnick is prepared to share information on the history and current conditions of Yellowstone Lake, which measures approximately 450 acres, and is nestled within the 4,000-acre Yellowstone Lake Wildlife area in Lafayette County. The location is a popular recreation area.
The site for Yellowstone Lake was first selected in 1947, with the first properties purchased from local farmers in 1949. Excavating began in 1953. When the lake was being built, it was decided that there would be a waterfowl refuge, as millet and smartweed were planted in that area. The total cost of the lake was around $380,000 when it was built. Yellowstone Lake became the 8,677th lake in Wisconsin on June 14, 1954, when the gates of the newly constructed dam were closed. The dike, which runs alongside the lake, measures 1,500 feet long and 18 feet high.
Yellowstone Lake is home to a variety of fish species, which includes bass, walleye, northern pike, muskie, bluegill, crappie, perch, bullhead, and catfish. The Wisconsin DNR continue to restock Yellowstone Lake, each year, with approximately 1,000 fish from a variety of species. The area remains a popular fishing spot by boat or from shore. Ice fishermen, swimmers, canoeists and kayakers also enjoy the lake year-round. Other activities that the park offers include hiking, camping, biking, some hunting opportunities, bird watching, nature scavenger hunts, along with several picnic and playground areas. Guests to the event are encouraged to arrive earlier in the day, and take in the sights, sounds, and other activities that Yellowstone Lake State Park has to offer.
Sturnick’s passion for conservation continues to spark new interest in others while maintaining the standards of Yellowstone Lake State Park, and the Wisconsin DNR. Attendance to any of his nature talks is sure to engage interest, which can only enhance the efforts made in maintaining conservation in Wisconsin.
