Most people think of green, algae-filled waters when talking about southern Wisconsin lakes. And, sure, these highly productive bodies are full of nutrients that run off from the landscape and feed huge algae blooms every year. But, each Spring, we get a little break between ice-out and algae season. And, depending on certain climate conditions, …
We realize we’ve all lost track of time as we continue to flatten the COVID-19 curve but, trust us, it’s Friday. And that means it’s time for Water We Talking About? Kids have questions and we track down a scientist with an answer. Today’s is a first – William and Luke sent a video of …
by Kelly April Tyrrell – Plankton, says the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s Carol E. Lee, are cows of the sea. These tiny marine organisms eat algae and in turn, fish eat the plankton. If plankton become victims of climate change, which is altering the temperature and salinity of the waters in which they live, fisheries around …
Obviously Lake Mendota is still frozen over here in the Spring of 2014. But, two years ago, Madison lakes had officially opened up (i.e. thawed) on March 10th and, by early April, we were writing what proved to be one of the most popular posts in CFL blog history. Since we’ve been dreaming of spring …
Last week I took advantage of the clear water conditions to observe fish in their natural habitat. While it was an awesome experience, I was left wondering: “Why does the water start off clear and get exponentially scummier over the summer?” At first glance, the question doesn’t seem complicated. Algae don’t thrive in cold conditions, …