An aerial view of a beach along Wisconsin's coast. People play in the water while others lay on the sandy beach.

Protecting our Great Lakes

How federally supported work at UW–Madison keeps the state’s water healthy and industries strong

Story by Elise Mahon and Will Cushman May 30, 2025

Research at the University of Wisconsin–Madison drives innovation, saves lives, creates jobs, supports small businesses, and fuels the industries that keep America competitive and secure. It makes the U.S.—and Wisconsin—stronger. Federal funding for research is a high-return investment that’s worth fighting for. Learn more about the impact of UW–Madison’s federally funded research and how you can help.

Through research and programming, the University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute and the Division of Extension’s Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve are working to protect our Great Lakes. These organizations rely on federal support to keep our waters clean, drive economic development, and improve public safety across Wisconsin. Losing funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) would cause immediate disruption and long-term harm to communities across the state and nation. The work of both organizations, ranging from water quality monitoring to erosion control along shorelines, supports commercial fisheries, industry, recreation, and ecosystem health.

Fisheries Research at Wisconsin Sea Grant informs management of both commercial and recreational fishing. After new standards by the World Wildlife Fund of Sweden jeopardized international business for Wisconsin’s Lake Superior whitefish and cisco commercial harvesters, Sea Grant helped state fishers secure a “best choice” sustainability rating with the Swedish organization in 2023. This rating restored an impressive $15 million market for Wisconsin fish roe that supports around 100 Wisconsin commercial fishers.

Goldberg draws blood samples from a trout that lies on a wet soft foam mat. One researcher helps keep the trout steady while another researcher looks on behind Goldberg.

Generating an estimated $1.9 billion annually, sport fishing is another popular way Wisconsinites and visiting tourists enjoy our Great Lakes. But sports fish are also susceptible to viruses, making it crucial for fisheries managers to understand what viruses are circulating in these species. Thanks to Sea Grant, UW–Madison virologist Tony Goldberg (left) and his team conducted a novel survey of Wisconsin sport fish, identifying 17 new viruses and informing action plans for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

Sherman balances on water-lined rocks as she leans forward with gloved hands to scoop handfuls of bubbly, yellow foam into Ziploc gallon bags.

Drinking water Sea Grant projects also work to keep drinking water clean. Major contaminants of concern include PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as “forever chemicals.” These contaminants originate from several sources, like firefighting foams, flame-resistant materials and nonstick products. These chemicals can also cause negative health effects and are believed to play a role in the development of some cancers. Sea Grant-funded research has detected high levels of PFAS in 43 Wisconsin rivers and lakes, with elevated levels in natural foams.

A gloved hand holds up a sample of the semipermeable membrane.

Sea Grant researchers have also developed a filter made of a semipermeable membrane that can be used to screen for nanoplastics in the Great Lakes. Since plastics can also attract and hold onto other contaminants, understanding how prevalent they are in the Great Lakes can better inform management practices to protect our drinking and recreational waters.

Two researchers sit in a speedboat on one of Wisconsin's many waterways. The boat is stopped as on researcher unravels cord and the other prepares a large vial to gather samples.

Recreation Lake Superior supplies water for drinking and industry while also serving as the foundation for the state’s lakeshore recreation economy. To protect this vital resource, the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve operates four real-time water and weather monitoring stations and a Lake Superior buoy, providing long-term public access to critical data that protect drinking water, fisheries and Wisconsin’s $370 million lakeshore tourism industry.

A man rests his hand on a clean marina sign that is posted along a fence at the edge of a Wisconsin marina.

Marinas and related industries are another important place where people interact with the Great Lakes. They contribute more than $2.7 billion annually to Wisconsin’s economy. By partnering with the Wisconsin Marine Association, Sea Grant helps run the Wisconsin Clean Marina program to foster sustainable boating practices and safety protocols that benefit businesses by reducing costs while also protecting the environment.

A group wearing jackets and boots stands along a forested bank that was caused by erosion.

Community protection Through educator training, fieldwork programs and hands-on STEM initiatives, the Reserve has connected with more than 28,000 people since 2020. It also leads efforts to help rural counties and towns adapt to flooding and erosion-related threats that can wash out coastal roads and stormwater infrastructure and harm water quality, especially in Lake Superior’s inlets and near-shore waters.

A hand holds up a large vial of green algae collected from one of Wisconsin's waterways.

After a history of contamination, the St. Louis River estuary in northern Wisconsin is being revitalized while also facing new water-quality challenges. Recent harmful algal blooms in problematic “hotspots” are not well understood, leaving communities without critical information they need to respond. The Reserve is leading foundational research to understand the conditions that lead to algal blooms and low dissolved oxygen in these hotspots.

Both Sea Grant and the Reserve are working to support the health of the Great Lakes and communities that rely on them. Federal budget cuts to these programs would cause a loss of momentum for vital discoveries and programming — it could even end some projects entirely, which would lead to a tangible loss of information and support to Great Lakes communities across the state.