Civil cases are still pending, as are contempt proceedings for alleged violations of a preliminary injunction issued in the civil case. Artz owns most of the land forming the north shore of Hilger Lake in Langlade County, a 24-acre lake that is a popular recreation spot among local residents. He has subdivided the land and, in an apparent effort to enhance the market value of several lots, filled in a wetland area along the shore, the criminal complaint says. The wetlands are considered part of the publicly owned bed of the lake, which required the permits. Our lakes and streams belong to everyone.
Tough penalties are appropriate for anyone who knowingly damages Wisconsin's water resources.
Although criminal charges have been nonexistent, in the last two years the Department of Natural Resources has taken civil action against 323 landowners for violating state waterway and wetland rules, including writing 260 citations and sending 10 of the cases to the Department of Justice. If an all-out rescue plan doesn't work, Wisconsin may lose one of its two remaining native inland lake trout populations. Trout Lake in Vilas County stands to lose its native trout because of reasons ranging from overfishing and diseased understocking to a change in habitat. Trout Lake is one of only a handful of lakes in Wisconsin that support lake trout, and state fisheries officials believe it's one of only two native inland populations remaining in the state. Other Wisconsin lakes contain lake trout largely of Great Lakes origin, but the Trout Lake population has been found to be genetically separate.