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 Center for Limnology researchers. But, in the last two days, (especially if you’ve been near a downwind shore of our …
by Cassie Gauthier – When you think of a beautiful natural area, what do you imagine? Maybe you think of a lake at the top of a mountain with clear water and tall pine trees creating beautiful green reflections along the shoreline. Or maybe a desert with lizards scurrying around in the hot sun under …
Attention all kids (and their grown-ups!) We interrupt our usual Friday programming for an important message. Our research outpost in Wisconsin’s Northwoods (also known as Trout Lake Station) is holding a “virtual” open house this year and it starts today! You see, normally today would be the day we opened the station to the public …
by Mary Magnuson, University Communications Invasive Eurasian water milfoil is flourishing in Wisconsin’s lakes, sometimes outcompeting native plants and creating floating mats that cause problems for people, boats and property values. But new research shows that the benefits of using one type of historical lake-wide herbicide treatment may be outweighed by the costs to native …
Once again, we’ve made it to another 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 Lukas asks about a certain critter most people associate with the oceans… The Question: Do we have freshwater jellyfish in Wisconsin? And, if so, …
The above picture shows CFL assistant professor Hilary Dugan and a giant pile of rock salt. It is so much salt. How much? Well, this particular pile belongs to the Jefferson County Highway Department and it’s not uncommon for them to dump literal tons of salt onto county roads and Interstate 94 during an extended …
EDITOR’S NOTE, DECEMBER 12, 2022: This article originally ran January 4, 2019. Here in December 2022, Lake Mendota is NOT yet frozen, but with some very cold days in the 10-day forecast, it seemed like a good time to dust it off! On the morning of Wednesday, December 19th, 2019, I got off the bus …
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Contact cjwatras (at) wisc (dot) edu, 608-356-4892 BOULDER JUNCTION, WI – A new study has found an unexpected connection between water levels in lakes and toxic mercury levels in fish. When droughts cause water levels to drop, the levels of mercury found in fish also plummet. In extended periods of wetter weather, …
Dense beds of Eurasian watermilfoil carpet the surface of Hancock Lake, a few miles east of Tomahawk, W.I., where undergraduate researchers Linden Taylor and Brigid Doyle have come to take samples of the invasive aquatic plant. The plant’s rapid spread has fascinated biologists and frustrated homeowners, who have seen it out-compete native plants, change freshwater …
Besides the rowboat being pulled across a grid of buoys, the surface of Peter Lake is calm. But, just 5 meters below the surface, a full experiment is under way. “Annndddd…. There is C-13 spilling out down there!” shouts Grace Wilkinson. Looking into the water doesn’t do any good, the carbon-isotope tracer that Wilkinson and …