Every week this summer, graduate student Aubrey Wendorff and her undergraduate interns can be found scaling river banks and wading through mud to test the waters around Madison for chloride. Chloride, the anion component of common road salts (NaCl), is dissolved in water and can be measured in the lab from water samples or inferred …

By Nalina Cherr- Hasler Lab officially opened its doors at two in the afternoon on June 26th, but people were already lining up at half past one. Many people followed directions written in sidewalk chalk to the lab. This year’s Open House hosted more than three hundred visitors, who enjoyed boat tours of Lake Mendota, …

By Jackie Lemaire– Last week we had our first big, noticeable, bloom of Lake Mendota of the season. Every year, as expected, we see a similar succession of greenness overtake the lake. However, it can be hard to predict the exact timing and the exact culprits. At the Center for Limnology, researchers in Trina (Katherine) …

June is here and summer research is officially launched at both Hasler Lab and Trout Lake Station! We are excited for another fun summer of science and collaboration. Check out this video from our 2026 summer science communication intern Nalina to learn what is happening at TLS. Stay tuned for more updates from Nalina and …

Thank you so much to everyone who supported us during last week’s “Day of the Badger” event. We raised nearly $78,000- far surpassing our goal and allowing us to fund 10 summer research positions! Students will benefit directly through hands-on experiences studying the waters of Wisconsin. Many CFL students continue to pursue further education and …

It’s that time of year again- rain is falling, flowers are blooming, and it’s UW-Madison’s “Day of the Badger.” This annual fundraising campaign is your chance to support the Center for Limnology. Your generosity during this event directly funds student research fellowships both at Hasler Lab in Madison and up north at Trout Lake Station. …

Angling technology has gotten increasingly powerful in recent years. Newly developed forward-facing sonar (FFS) units now give anglers the ability to pinpoint the location and watch the behavior of fish in real time, a seemingly massive advantage. This has led to considerable concerns that new technology could provide an unfair advantage to anglers, making overfishing …

During the winter, many Wisconsinites share in the joys of a frozen lake or other waterbody. Ice fishing, ice skating, skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling are all popular types of frozen fun. The Center for Limnology also deeply enjoys this season, continuing research under the ice and leading educational activities on top of it. Each February, …

by Adam Hinterthuer – It is surreal to be typing these words but – after 15 years – I am saying farewell to the Center for Limnology. In that time, I’ve had the great privilege to help share the stories about – and behind – the world-class science being done from this small, but mighty, …

A recently published video on YouTube chronicles the struggles of Ito, or the Sakhalin taimen. Like many tales of struggling species of fish, the Japanese rivers Ito call home have been reengineered by humans and warmed by climate change. CFL associate professor, Olaf Jensen, helped conduct surveys of this endangered species and one of Jensen’s …