Volunteers measure dissolved oxygen on the Yellow River in northwest WI. Photo by Arnie DeWitt.
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Ah, October. The leaves are beginning to change, our favorite knit sweaters are coming out, and the regular water monitoring season is coming to an end. But no need to worry - just because the monitoring season is ending, doesn't mean there isn't still a lot to do!
Volunteers have until December 1 to submit data to SWIMS. Remember to use your new MyWisconsinID to log in to SWIMS and contact WAV staff if you need help at wav@extension.wisc.edu.
*Also new this year, WAV staff will no longer collect volunteers' baseline datasheets! We still strongly encourage volunteers or coordinators to keep datasheets for your own records. It's good practice to be able to refer back to the original data collected, in case there are questions or errors to correct later. Over the winter, WAV staff will still review all baseline monitoring data submitted to SWIMS and contact volunteers to correct any issues.
With our announcements out of the way, read on for this month's Volunteer Spotlight, Wisconsin Stream Monitoring Award nominations, and to learn about fish!
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Dave Bolha holding a Northern Pike. Photo by Dave Bolha.
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| Check out this new blog post from Wisconsin DNR water quality biologist, Dave Bolha!
Head on over to our website learn why fish are cool and what they can tell us about the health of our streams and rivers.
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This month's Volunteer Spotlight is the wonderful Crawford Stewardship Project team: Bill and Deb Hiller, Carl Schlecht, Cindy Wiar, Dave Edinger, Dawn Adams, Ellen Brooks, Jim Scheckel, Joel Austin, John and Judy Powell, John Powell Jr., Karin Silet, Lena Schmidt, Richard Thill, Sarah Bransky, Sheri Scott, and Fred and Kurt Hausler!
Read below to learn more about this team's monitoring efforts!
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Crawford Stewardship Project´s monitors in Water Action! Photo by the Crawford Stewardship Project.
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Submitted by the Crawford Stewardship Project:
Each of the 13 stream sites monitored by Crawford Stewardship Project's volunteers has a unique set of natural wonders: different shapes, rocks, springs, fauna, and vegetation. The streams are tributaries of the Wisconsin River and Kickapoo River in Crawford County, which is located in the mysterious Driftless Area with its steep slopes, crevices, caves, and fractures.
The Driftless Area's vulnerable hydrogeology must be monitored and cared for as the groundwater and surface waters face challenges from industrial practices. It takes work and coordination, but community scientists have picked up the important effort of monitoring erosion, contamination, and loss of diversity. These impacts harm water quality and endanger the safety of the communities who depend on the water. Despite all-too-often concerning results, Crawford Stewardship Project (CSP) appreciates working and playing with the volunteers who come out and show their care through data collection!
Recently, our hearts have been heavy with the loss of one of our earliest and eldest supporters, Fred Hausler, at the age of 93. Fred welcomed us onto his land, nestled between the Roth Feeder Pig CAFO and the Wisconsin River, in the early days of CSP’s stream monitoring almost 20 years ago. He helped in many ways, including clearing paths with a chainsaw into his 90s! His warmth and guidance, grounded in nearly a century of experience living, fishing, and farming in Grant and Crawford Counties, will be deeply missed, though the work will continue and we will carry his wisdom with us always. His spirit flows on through our actions!
No effort is ever missed, at any age or ability! Keep doing the best you can for yourself and for everything around you.
— Crawford Stewardship Project
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Do you know of a stream volunteer, volunteer coordinator, or stream volunteer group who has given substantial time and energy this year to monitor and protect Wisconsin’s streams and rivers? We encourage you to submit a Wisconsin Stream Monitoring Award nomination to celebrate their work! Award recipients are nominated by their peers.
Join us in celebrating the network of people who help monitor and protect our flowing waters!
Nomination deadline is December 1, 2025
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Have you ever wondered how art and science overlap? Are you interested in music and earth science? Looking for more learning opportunities as the monitoring season ends?
The Wisconsin Science Festival (WiSciFest) is a statewide celebration of science, technology, engineering, art, and math with activities for people of all ages, backgrounds, and interests throughout Wisconsin. Founded in 2011 on the premise that art and science go hand-in-hand, the festival has grown from a few days of events in Madison to a full week of activities spanning over a hundred cities.
WiSciFest’s 2025 theme is: Rock & Roll! This special, 15th anniversary feature is really three features in one: music, motion, and the geology that shapes Wisconsin. This festival feature aims to engage audiences of all ages by blending earth science, physics, and music, creating a dynamic, interactive, and appealing way for kids, families, and lifelong learners to explore science!
Learn more and find an event in WI near you this Oct 16-26!
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| The Water Action Volunteers (WAV) stream monitoring program is an ongoing partnership between the University of Wisconsin–Madison Division of Extension, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and nearly 50 local partner groups and organizations.
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