Fig. 5. A landscape-scale view of lakes in Wisconsin's Northern Highlands Lake District. The landscape position of a lake affects the pattern of water movement into and out of it. Precipitation is the main method by which lakes high in the landscape receive water inputs. Lakes lower in the landscape receive water from groundwater flow from precipitation and groundwater-fed lakes at higher elevations. Overland runoff is affected by the land use pattern and is common for lakes where the surrounding vegetation has been removed. On the landscape, there is a continuum of human use of lakes from the more pristine, unaffected lakes (click on lake 2 for a closer view) to highly affected lakes (click on the lowest lake to see more).