Water Research Guide  Tags: water great_lakes  

Wisconsin's Water Library brings you AquaLog - a place the library will share information and news about water science.

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People of the Sturgeon tells the poignant story of an ancient fish. Wanton harvest and habitat loss took a heavy toll on these prehistoric creatures until they teetered on the brink of extinction. But in Wisconsin, lake sturgeon have flourished because of the dedicated work of DNR staff, university researchers, and a determined group of spearers known as Sturgeon for Tomorrow. Through a fascinating collection of images, stories, and interviews, People of the Sturgeon chronicles the history of this remarkable fish and the cultural traditions it has spawned.

For more information about the book and details on how to order a signed copy, please visit ASC Pubs Store.

This guide was developed for use by UW-Madison faculty, staff, and students to assist in their pursuit of water research. Water is a cross-disciplinary topic so many types of resources are provided in the fields and departments of Agriculture, Biochemistry, Ecology, Food Science, Education, Chemical Engineering, Biological Engineering, Environmental Science and more.

Increasing Safety at Sea Caves

The Apostle Islands National Lakeshore has become a world-class destination for sea kayaking, but some of the most popular attractions can also be treacherous. Under certain conditions, the sea caves can quickly change from awe-inspiring to terrifying. As waves roll into and reflect off of the cave walls, they can intensify and capsize even experienced kayakers. Once out of their boats, paddlers face the threat of hypothermia in water temperatures that hover in the mid-40s for most of the summer and rarely exceed 60 degrees. In addition, the surrounding steep cliffs make seeking safety on shore nearly impossible.

Conditions at Meyers Beach, where kayakers launch their boats, may seem easily manageable. However, after rounding a bend to approach the sea caves, paddlers can face significantly larger waves.

With support from the Wisconsin Coastal Management Program, Wisconsin Sea Grant Coastal Engineer Gene Clark teamed up with Chin Wu, a UW-Madison civil and environmental engineer, to find out if there was some way to measure the waves near the sea caves in real-time and transfer that information back to kayakers, outfitters, and park service staff.

Clark, Wu, and two graduate students tested some of the wave monitoring equipment in February 2009, when a thick layer of ice allowed foot travel from Meyers Beach to the sea caves. They also began working with the City of Bayfield, Inland Sea Society, local outfitters, Friends of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, and park staff to determine the best format for presenting the real-time data from the wave sensor so that its most useful for kayakers.

The system may take some time to develop fully, but initial testing suggests it will ultimately help kayakers make safe decisions about when to explore the caves.

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These sites have many links to water-related information.

Water information is found in several libraries on campus. You may find useful resources and expert help at:

Wisconsin's Water Library

Steenbock Library (Agriculture and Life Sciences)

Wendt Library (Engineering)

Chemistry Library

This Water Research Guide was created and organized with the help of Jennifer Champoux.