When Lake Monona in Madison, Wisconsin froze over a few days after New Year’s Eve, it marked the beginning of “ice season,” a time of year when (once the ice gets thick enough, of course) …
Lake Monona
Clear Water? Yes. Green Scum? Also yes. What’s Going on Out There?
by Jake Vander Zanden — You may have noticed that, In the last week or so, the Madison lakes have been crystal clear, with visibility of up to 30 feet recorded in Lake Mendota by …
Winter in Wisconsin: Life on Ice
For those of us lucky enough to live where our lakes freeze in the winter, one of the true joys of the season is getting out on the ice. Suddenly, a space that was only …
Cool Weather Means Clear Waters for Wisconsin Lakes
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 …
Water We Talking About? The Wind and the Waves
Remember when songs like this used to mean something? Well, it’s Friday again and, if that doesn’t exactly mark the end of the work week the way it once used to, it does at least …
Guest Post: Madison’s Lakes are Thawed for Spring
It’s no joke- the April Fool’s Day view in Madison was one of open water, retreating ice and a few brave American coots and other waterfowl already taking advantage. That’s right, our “ice-on” season is …
From the Arctic to Aruba: Migratory Waterfowl Take Refuge in Wisconsin Waters
As fall turns to winter and layers of skim ice form in the bays and shallows of Madison’s lakes, another seasonal phenomenon is taking place on the open water. Currently, the far eastern bay of …
Editorial: Help Lakes Drain to Prevent Future Floods
In case you missed his editorial in Sunday’s Wisconsin State Journal, Dick Lathrop (who spent four decades with the Wisconsin DNR studying the Yahara lakes and holds an honorary appointment with the Center for Limnology) …
After the Flood – “Doomsday” Climate Change Scenario Looks a Little Less Alarmist
In 2014, the Water, Sustainability and Climate Project at the University of Wisconsin-Madison published “Yahara 2070” a series of stories about potential futures for the Madison area and the Yahara watershed. Using a combination of …
How A 30-Year Rain Event Became a 100-Year Flood
In case you’ve somehow missed the news, let’s just say that it’s been wet in Wisconsin over the last week. Really, really wet. Here in Madison we’re still holding our breath, filling up sandbags and …