Lake Status

Wonder Lake Etiquette and Wakesurfing Guidelines

 It's crucial that we all take a moment to prioritize safety and respect for each other while enjoying the incredible resources of Wonder Lake. Whether you're a fisherman, pontoon boater, jet skier, or wake sports enthusiast, politeness and mutual respect ensure everyone enjoys their time on the water. 

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Shoreline Stabilization

On naturally formed lakes, native plant communities evolved, that created a continuum of vegetation, starting on the landward side with upland species and continuing downslope towards the lake where emergent, floating, and submergent wetland vegetation would be found.

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Cormorants on Strom Island

As you may have noticed, over the past few years, Wonder Lake has experienced a large increase in the population of Double-Crested Cormorants. The presence of these birds in large numbers is believed to have an impact on fish populations. Equally as important is that Cormorants prefer to roost and build nests on islands. Over time, the “droppings” from the roosting Cormorants can build up to the point where they can kill off the trees they roost in.
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EcoMapper scans lakebed

As part of the on-going efforts to complete the final design of the lake restoration project for Wonder Lake, the Wonder Lake MPOA has contracted with the U.S. Geological Survey to conduct an "EcoMapper" survey of the lake.
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Shoreline, Streambank Stabilization Permits

Shoreline / streambank stabilization problems are usually caused by an excessive amount of wave or ice action, frequent water level fluctuations, or energy being diverted from adjacent streambank / shoreline areas with more robust stabilization practices in place. Landowners often have to take action to correct these problems.
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Think Twice When Fertilizing your Lawn

Everyone lives in a watershed whether you live close to a body of water or not. A watershed is the surrounding land that drains into a lake, stream, or river. It includes drainage systems such as ditches and storm sewers, which means you have a direct effect on water quality.
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Lake Levels

Wonder Lake was designed with a “run-of-the river” dam spillway, where all flow leaving the lake cascades over a concrete spillway with a fixed (non-adjustable) weir. This weir elevation is fixed at 803.0 feet above sea-level.
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The Fight Against Invasive Species

The Wonder Lake Master Property Owners Association is reminding boaters, anglers, and water skiers to remove, drain, and dry after a day on the water to prevent the spread of invasive species. These Be a Hero—Transport Zero™ steps can now be found at 14 boat ramps around the Illinois private lake.
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