It is unique because it is a shallow, prairie pot hole type lake that is important for waterfowl and has a significant history as a waterfowl hunting area. Water level management on this lake has been an issue for 10-20 years. Research efforts have been conducted over that time, resulting in accumulation of significant data on the resource. Small public groups have met and made recommendations on what they would like to see happen with Rush Lake. They are committed to developing a management plan for the lake and see the DNR as citizen involvement process facilitators to reach agreement on how the lake should be managed.
Issues surrounding Rush Lake continue to interest many people in the area.
In the past, the Township of Nepeuskun has been reluctant to get involved in any effort to develop a Rush Lake plan, but the new Town Chairperson is now interested in getting involved. The level of public interest in this resource is significant. Already, the Upper Fox Land Team has established a work group to outline a plan of action to get this effort started. They will be designing a strategy for how to approach the citizen involvement effort. Internal partners include a shallow lake specialist and fish biologists from the Bureau of Fisheries Management and Habitat Protection, and the Bureau of Law Enforcment.