'We'll go out and find junk:' Scuba divers work to 'clean up the water' at Okauchee Lake

OCONOMOWOC -- As arctic air moved in on Sunday, March 3, some scuba divers were eager to get out in it.

"We'll go out and find trophies or treasures or junk -- and best pile wins," said Roger Arnesen, 4 Seasons Scuba Divers Club.

They worked to collect garbage -- in an effort to clean up Okauchee Lake.

"We found a bunch of old cans, old bottles, shoes, pair of prescription glasses, the cover for a boat," said Arnesen.

The divers, part of the 4 Seasons Scuba Divers Club do conservation work as a hobby.

"It's just a group of guys in a club that get out once a week and dive," said Arnesen.

"It's phenomenal that we have people in southeastern Wisconsin diving down and wanting to clean up the water," said Marcus Medina, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

The gathered treasure, if possible, is salvaged, but the majority of it is disposed of properly once collected from the lake.

"It's preserving a natural resource for our grandkids and their kids for the future," said Arnesen.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources does not have a scuba team dedicated to this kind of work, so they said this effort is appreciated.