Freshwater Estuaries: Exploring an Unusual Ecosystem

The Saint Louis River Estuary is a rare type of freshwater ecosystem that receives significant amounts of water from both the incoming rivers and Lake Superior. While estuaries are common along coastlines where rivers empty …

Invasives Hitch Rides with Boaters, Not Birds

When it comes to moving in to Wisconsin lakes, aquatic invasive species have a preferred mode of transport – one that often involves an outboard motor. Scientists at the UW-Madison Center for Limnology and the …

Carving Ice and Catching Smelt: Winter Sampling on Crystal Lake

Last summer, scientists at the CFL launched an ambitious attempt to eradicate invasive rainbow smelt from Crystal Lake in northern Wisconsin. Last weekend, Zach Lawson and Page Mieritz went up north to sample for smelt …

Small Dams Add Up to Major Pollution Control

When it comes to surface water pollution, people tend to think big. The focus is often on metropolitan sewer districts, large dairy operations, or sediment build-up behind giant dams. It turns out that small-scale dams …

Study Documents Round Goby’s Rapid Invasion of Wisconsin Streams

In 1990, a small stowaway was dumped from the ballast tank of an ocean-going freighter into the waters of the St. Clair River, joining more than 180 other non-native species in the Great Lakes. Two …

Crystal Lake: Are Invasive Smelt on Their Way Out?

Back in 2009, a team of engineers and scientists affiliated with the Center for Limnology had a crazy idea – they wanted to see if they could manipulate an entire lake to kill off an …