Wisconsin Water News
by University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute · 63 episodes
ScienceNaturalEarth
Wisconsin is a state shaped by water. From its western border defined by the Mississippi River to two of the five lakes that make up the world’s largest freshwater system to its north and east, the state is awash in this valuable commodity. The interior is defined by more than 15,000 lakes scattered across counties both rural and urban, more than 5 million acres of wetlands, more than 84,000 miles rivers and streams and 1.2 quadrillion gallons of groundwater. Two Wisconsin programs provide a statewide and multidisciplinary approach to supporting livelihoods and enhancing lifestyles through the research of, education about and outreach focused on...
Latest episodes
-
5 min
When it comes to aquatic plant management, words matter
People searching online for control options related to unwanted plants that grow in lakes and rivers use many different terms. Some call them “lake weeds,” other call them “freshwa…
-
5 min
Oil spills trigger natural pollutants in groundwater
We all know that oil spills pollute water. But what might be news is that they can also trigger the release of natural pollutants when the spills reach groundwater. This pollution…
-
5 min
Climate Change Causes Uphill Battle at Downhill Ski areas
Wisconsin ski hills face multiple challenges due to changing snow conditions from climate disruption, plus changes in skier behavior. However, Wisconsin researchers Austin Holland…
-
18 min
Using Sound to Connect People to Green Bay
On a sunny morning in mid-June 2024, the Phoenix, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay’s research vessel, headed out onto the bay. Aboard were Sea Grant researchers Emily Tyner and Bi…
-
5 min
Lake and River Foams Study Reveals High PFAS Levels
In a new study, natural foams and water surface microlayers of 43 Wisconsin rivers and lakes were found to contain 36 compounds in a group of chemicals known as PFAS. While PFAS we…
-
6 min
Episode 58: Wisconsin sport fish carry suite of new viruses
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have detected a suite of new viruses in five species of Wisconsin sport fish. Although none pose a threat to human health, one is…
-
6 min
Episode 57: Northern Wisconsin communities benefit from climate change program
Leaders in several northern Wisconsin counties and cities were chosen to participate in a Lake Superior Climate Champions Program organized by Wisconsin Sea Grant and the Lake Supe…
-
9 min
Episode 56: Marine Debris Play Script Available for Free
What is marine debris, what are its impacts and what can we do about it? These are the central messages of a play written on behalf of Wisconsin Sea Grant by David Daniel with Amer…
-
4 min
Episode 55: Wisconsin’s rural residents concerned about water quality
A new report published by the University of Wisconsin-Madison found that Wisconsin’s rural residents perceived significant risks to water quality from pesticides, PFAS (which are p…
-
5 min
Episode 54: Plastics learning kit educates and enthralls
Wisconsin Sea Grant’s Anne Moser has learned enough about wastewater treatment to create “Plastic Panic,” a grab-and-go kit that formal and nonformal educators can use to teach abo…
-
6 min
Episode 53: Hoping for snow: Wisconsin snow data project captures snowflake images and students’ attention
Michael Notaro with the University of Wisconsin-Madison is teaching Wisconsin school children the similarities in snowflakes to share the wonder of nature and information about the…
-
8 min
Episode 52: Providing Access for All to a National Lakeshore
How do you make a park in the middle of Lake Superior accessible to people with disabilities? Natalie Chin and Marie Zhuikov from Wisconsin Sea Grant had the chance to travel to St…
-
7 min
Episode 51: Lack of housing looms large as barrier to nature-based jobs in northern Wisconsin
A report published recently by Wisconsin Sea Grant cites a lack of housing as a major barrier to development of nature-based jobs in Wisconsin’s northern tier. This includes Dougla…
-
6 min
Episode 50: Persistent Pollution: Researchers Investigate the key to E. coli Bacteria Survival in Lake Michiga…
Sea Grant-funded researchers Sandra McLellan and Gyaneshwar Prasad, both with the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, are building on previous research to find ways to decomplicate…
-
6 min
Episode 49: The Big Picture on Bluff Erosion Along Lake Michigan
High water levels in Lake Michigan since 2013 have caused erosion rates that are faster than usual, especially in 2020, when lake levels set records. This has created an urgent nee…
-
7 min
Episode 48: Testing Ceded Territories for PFAS at request of tribes
The three-year tribally driven project called, “Quantifying PFAS bioaccumulation and health impacts on economically important plants and animals associated with aquatic ecosystems…
-
16 min
Episode 47: The Stories Trees Tell
A Wisconsin Sea Grant-funded research and outreach project is designed to explore how the Anishinaabe people connected to and homesteaded the lands of Wisconsin and Minnesota point…
-
6 min
Episode 46: Marine Debris Play Debuts in Door County
What empowers people to help the environment and rhymes at the same time? Answer: “Me and Debry,” a half-hour, whimsical, audience-participation play about litter (or marine debris…
-
5 min
Episode 45: Accessible Birding Event Delivers
Barker’s Island in the Duluth-Superior Harbor was the site of a free, bird-focused morning during the fall of 2022. People of all ages and ability levels attended an accessible bir…
-
5 min
Episode 44: Research Survey Aligns the Wisconsin Idea with Water - 8/30/22
The Wisconsin Idea is one of the longest and deepest traditions surrounding the University of Wisconsin. It promotes the principle that education and the influence of the universit…