By Adam Hinterthuer In the lake-rich regions of the world, algae blooms are a growing problem. Not only are the floating green scums a nuisance for anyone hoping to enjoy the water, they can turn …
Water Quality, Hydrology & Nutrients
The High Cost of Hydropower: Study Records Big Impacts from Brazil’s Belo Monte “Mega Dam”
The Belo Monte Dam, located in the Amazon Rainforest on Brazil’s Xingu River, is one of the largest hydroelectric facilities in the world. It is also likely the most studied, thanks to an ambitious research …
Help Keep Our Freshwater Fresh! Salt Smarter, Not Harder.
Yesterday, I rounded the corner of the block in my neighborhood and immediately pulled my dog off the sidewalk. Spread out before us was a carpet of chalky white salt crystals stretching across nearly a …
3 Ways to “Salt Smarter” During Winter Weather
[UPDATED 12/20/22] – With folks in the Midwest staring down a long span of below frigid weather (and a blizzard warning!), icy and snow-covered surfaces are becoming the norm. While we totally understand the desire …
Annual PSA: To Keep Our Freshwater Fresh, We Must Be Smart About Winter Salt
Winter in the colder climes of North America means a lot of things – frozen lakes, white blankets of snow and, far too often, the crunch of salt crystals underfoot. While we use salt to …
‘Epic’ Summer Road Trip Reveals the Big Impact Small Streams Have on Great Lakes
MADISON – In the summer of 2018, Rob Mooney, a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s Center for Limnology, set out on an epic road trip around Lake Michigan. Mooney was no stranger to …
Learn Your Lakes: Spring Runoff and Nutrient Loading
This weekend, my family and I went on a drive. These days, any chance to leave the house while still practicing safe social distancing feels like a blessing and this drive felt especially so. There …
Water We Talking About? Why Water Can Look Like Root Beer
The idea is simple – kids have questions and we have scientists with answers. We’re all stuck working and studying from home, so (home)school is now in session! The Question: Sometimes the lake water looks …
Why Did These Freshwater Scientists Spend Their Winter Plowing a Bog?
As March gives way to April, spring is springing throughout Wisconsin. Boats are again braving the waves of lakes down south, while ice is slowly melting away in the half-frozen lakes of the Northwoods. As …
Amid Clean Water Act Rollbacks, a New Chemical of Concern emerges
The health of U.S. waters are often steered in whichever way the political winds are blowing. In 2015, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, under leadership appointed by the Obama administration, expanded the definition of what …