Center for Limnology

Open house visitors watch as fish are sampled using Fyke nets
Join us at Trout Lake Station on Aug 1 for our annual Open House
An anchored weather buoy, managed by the UW–Madison Department of Limnology and affectionately nicknamed “David Buoy” (after musician and singer David Bowie) floats above one of the deeper sections of Lake Mendota in Madison, Wis., on a sunny autumn day on Oct. 16, 2024. The buoy has a weather station on top plus records underwater temperature, dissolved oxygen, conductivity and algae levels.
UW-Madison lake researchers face uncertainty over potential cuts to the National Science Foundation

The Center for Limnology.  Global leadership, local impact.

The discipline of Limnology in North America was founded at UW-Madison in the 1890s. After 130 years, the Center for Limnology remains a globally-recognized leader in the field. Our faculty and researchers lead cutting-edge research programs in limnology, aquatic ecology, fisheries, and ecosystem science. Our work aims to understand the world’s aquatic ecosystems, and to inform and inspire their stewardship.

Our core research mission is closely integrated with training the next generation of freshwater leaders – we train graduate students (MS and Ph.D.) through Freshwater and Marine Sciences and Integrative Biology graduate programs. We engage with diverse partners, and share our knowledge and research with a wide range of audiences and users. Field facilities at the Hasler Laboratory for Limnology in Madison, WI and Trout Lake Station in Boulder Junction, WI support our researchers and students, as well as the larger freshwater research community.

Research at the Center for Limnology

Aquatic Invasive Species

What are the impacts of invasive species in lakes and rivers, and what management strategies are effective?

Global Limnology

How are lakes around the world responding to human impacts and global environmental change?

Carbon Cycling

What is the role of lake and river ecosystems in global carbon cycling?

High-tech Limnology

Can we use new technologies and knowledge-guided machine learning to better monitor, model, and manage lakes?

Fish and Fisheries

How can we manage inland and marine fisheries in a rapidly changing world?

Water Quality

How do climate change, pollutants, changing land use, food web perturbations, and other factors influence water quality?

News

Lake researchers face uncertainty over potential cuts to the NSF

UW-Madison researchers, who study Wisconsin's lakes, are grappling with uncertainty as cuts to the National Science Foundation (NSF) could threaten decades of freshwater research. Professors Emily Stanley and Hilary Dugan from the UW-Madison Lab for Limnology have dedicated their careers to studying freshwater systems, with Lake Mendota serving as a key research site.

Events

Open Houses at Hasler Lab & Trout Lake Station

Open Houses are an opportunity to get a first-hand look at what research is going on at the CFL and meet the scientists and students conducting it here and all over the world exchanging knowledge and helping to solve global environmental problems. Lots of fun activities for all: boat rides, fishes, ice cream, aquatic-themed crafts, and more.

By The Numbers (2024)

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$15.1M

Active Research Grants

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50+

Research Watercraft

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24

Graduate Students and Postdocs

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54

Undergraduate Research Experiences

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46+

Peer Reviewed Publications

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2000+

Community Members Engaged in Outreach

The Center for Limnology is committed to the full inclusion of individuals with disabilities. Our Hasler Laboratory and Trout Lake Station facilities were built before the Americans with Disabilities Act and are not fully ADA accessible. If you have questions about accommodations to participate in any outreach or department event, please email or call Monet Hutchins at the Hasler Lab (monet.hutchins@wisc.edu or 608-262-2009) or Gretchen Gerrish at Trout Lake Station (ggerrish@wisc.edu or 608-890-4763).

“Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals. The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background—people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.” ~ UW President Charles Van Hise, 1904