The excitement of a new school year, a return to the college lifestyle and the crunch of autumn leaves have all been tempered by sudden tragedy in the waters of Lake Mendota. Mendota has for many years been a scenic landmark beloved by Madison residents for its natural beauty, cool lake breezes and potential for for outdoor recreation. 

Last Thursday the lake displayed its dark side when it claimed the life of a University of Wisconsin student who was swimming with friends near the Limnology building when he failed to surface and spent several minutes underwater, as reported by The Wisconsin State Journal. The Madison Fire Department’s Lake Rescue team began a search, and within fifteen minutes they pulled the drowning man from the water and brought him to the UW hospital, where he died. 

This tragic incident illuminates in harsh detail perennial problems with the way the UW community coexists with Lake Mendota. On the Langdon and Lakeshore sides of campus, its azure waters are a hot spot on sunny days in the fall and spring, where students soak up rays and cool off with a swim. It is no secret that late-night splashes in the lake are as prevalent in UW culture as Saturday morning tailgating. It appears that our campus community has come to see the lake as an aquatic playground, like a beach or public pool. 

Unfortunately, this is not the case. In the first place, Mendota is an uncommonly polluted lake. Melissa Malott, chair of Dane County’s Lakes and Watershed Commission, explained to Isthmus that “… phosphorus is the biggest problem because it leads to algae blooms, including the toxic cyanobacteria from blue-green algae” and added that “You just have to touch the water and you can get sick.” The occasional barrier of yellow tape along the shoreline reminds us that every so often, blue-green algae blooms make swimming a serious health hazard. 

For long stretches of shoreline, in particular the Lakeshore Path and Picnic Point, students and residents swim at their own risk in the absence of designated swimming areas and lifeguards. In light of this lack of supervision, it is surprising that there are few signs along the shore alerting swimmers of potential hazards. 

In the aftermath of yet another tragedy, it is time for the Madison community to learn from the past, take action to make the lake safe and prevent future incidents.
From a risk management perspective, Mendota swimming needs to be re-evaluated and regulated. Lakefront swimming, especially on unsupervised shoreline that has not been inspected for underwater hazards, is inherently dangerous. Sections of the lakefront that are unsafe for swimming ought to be closed off to the public and adequately signed. 

Fortunately, there are safe swimming areas on Lake Mendota. The Memorial Union swim pier is supervised by lifeguards every day from 11 a.m. until sunset, and its prime location just below the iconic Union Terrace makes it a perfect place to chill out on hot September afternoons. Swimmers ought to be made aware that this is the safest 
–  and coolest – place to swim on Lake Mendota in the campus neighborhood. 

There are a number of city beaches on the lake, such as those at James Madison and Tenney Parks, but they are not life-guarded after Aug. 19. A change in infrastructure to make the lake safe for swimming and a heightened awareness of where to swim and where not to swim are pressing needs, but what is most important is that local residents stay informed of the potential hazards presented by Lake Mendota. 

Lifeguards would provide a safe environment for Mendota swimmers, but they would be unable to save swimmers in distress after hours or away from a designated swim area. It is the role of a well-educated community to discourage swimming in unsupervised areas, especially in the dark. 

For those of you who might find yourselves at the water’s edge this fall amid an inner soliloquy of “to swim, or not to swim,” I offer a few personal words of advice. Mendota’s lakewater is murky with pollution
– there are better places in the Madison area to swim, such as UW rec center pools, public beaches on Monona and even Wisconsin Dells, if you are feeling crazy and don’t mind the roadtrip. If you do choose to swim, you will probably feel gross and want to get clean immediately afterward. Take a shower. Please, don’t swim at night, especially after an evening of drinking; it is hard to keep track of fellow swimmers, impossible to see underwater and alcohol makes swimming difficult and ups the ante on inherent risks. Keep an eye on friends and don’t be afraid to put the kibosh on late-night swimming 
–  it may feel like a buzz-kill, but you could be saving lives. 

Ultimately, as a community, we have to watch out for each other.

Charles Godfrey ([email protected]) is a junior majoring in math and physics.