Category: Uncategorized

Checking in with Nitrogen in the Yahara Watershed

Phosphorus holds the infamous reputation of being the most problematic excess nutrient in our lakes, as readers of our blog will know well. But let’s not forget about nitrogen. Nitrogen (N) is an essential nutrient for all life in our waters as a key building block for proteins, and for chlorophyll in primary producers like …

TLS Summer Sign Off and New Field Guide Series

By Nalina Cherr– Can you believe it’s really almost the end of summer? I can hardly believe that this is the last day I will be typing at my desk in the bullpen at Trout Lake Station (TLS). Before I head out, I want to tell you about my independent project, and say a few …

Trout Lake Station’s Annual Open House Shines Despite the Rain

By Nalina Cherr- July 31st was rainy, but that did not stop a flood of people from rushing to Trout Lake Station (TLS) in Boulder Junction for our 15th annual Open House. More than three hundred visitors poured in to talk about freshwater science, play games, make art, and enjoy scoops of Babcock ice cream. …

Monitoring Salt in Madison’s Freshwaters

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 …

Behind the Scenes at Hasler Open House 2026

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, …

What’s bloomin’ these days in 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) …

Launching Summer Research at the CFL!

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 for Supporting CFL Students!

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 …

Support CFL Students during “Day of the Badger” 2026

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. …

Want to catch more fish? Keep your line in the water and eyes off your screen

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 …