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ASC
2021 issue 2
Plastic-Free Milwaukee PAGE 3
Water Projects Everywhere PAGE 8
New Sea Grant Advisory Members PAGE 12
AQUATIC SCIENCES CHRONICLE
Bryce Richter / UW-Madison
Tracking
VHSV
PAGE 4
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN SEA GRANT INSTITUTE | UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN WATER RESOURCES INSTITUTE
Aquatic Sciences Chronicle FEATUREDPODCAST
Introduced Returns
University of Wisconsin Aquatic Sciences Center
1975 Willow Drive
Madison, WI 53706-1177
608-263-3259 New Stories From Wisconsin’s
chronicle@aqua.wisc.edu
seagrant.wisc.edu, wri.wisc.edu Changing Waters
seagrant.wisc.edu/audio/introduced
The Aquatic Sciences Center is the administrative
home of the University of Wisconsin Sea Grant
Institute and the University of Wisconsin Water
Resources Institute.
On a cold November morning, Bonnie Willison, equipped with an
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR COMMUNICATIONS umbrella and a microphone, was waiting on the shores of Lake
Moira Harrington Michigan. She’d made this trip to see the salmon migrate back
EDITOR to their spawning grounds.
Elizabeth A. White
Salmon are not native to Lake Michigan, yet fisheries managers
WRITERS stock millions in the lake every year. Bonnie wanted to know what
Moira Harrington, Anne Moser, Jennifer A. Smith, makes salmon different from the other introduced fish species
Sydney Widell, Bonnie Willison and Marie Zhuikov in Lake Michigan — fish we generally think of as invasive. She
ART DIRECTOR found the answer has a lot to do with how highly salmon are
Yael Gen valued by the people who fish for them.
DESIGNER Willison and her co-host Sydney Widell are the creators of Wisconsin
Yael Gen Sea Grant’s “Introduced” podcast, which explores captivating
stories around the cultural, political and economic fringes of
CIRCULATION MANAGER
Linda Campbell invasive species science. The trip to Lake Michigan is one of the
stories listeners will hear on Introduced’s second season.
The University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute As they’ve learned more about introduced species, Willison and
is part of a national network of 34 university- Widell have gone on field trips, tangents and accidentally bought
based programs funded through the National prohibited plants online. Along the way, they’ve also examined
Sea Grant College Program, National Oceanic & the norms around “belonging” and “native-ness” that travel
Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of with introduced species, and the assumptions about the past
Commerce, and through matching contributions and future tied up in invasive species science.
from participating states and the private sector.
In its second season, their podcast features guests from state
The University of Wisconsin Water Resources and tribal agencies, fishing guides, community leaders, familiar
Institute is one of 54 Water Resources Research Sea Grant specialists and many others.
Institutes nationwide authorized by the federal
Water Resources Research Act and administered Authors of the Tribal Climate Adaptation Menu share their under‑
through the U.S. Geological Survey. standings of bakaan ingogi ga-ondaadag (non-local beings), and
a state of Wisconsin committee decides if feral hogs and red-eared
SUBSCRIBE
Email chronicle@aqua.wisc.edu to request
sliders — a turtle — should be classified as invasive under law
a free subscription to the “Aquatic Sciences in the season’s first episode, “Becoming ‘Invasive.’”
Chronicle,” a quarterly publication. Please specify Other highlights include the Midwest Conservation Dogs and their
whether you prefer a mailed print edition or handlers, who use canine scent detection for invasive species
electronic delivery. efforts. Widell heads to Illinois to go bow fishing for invasive carp
GET ASC NEWS ALERTS BY EMAIL with Peoria Carp Hunters.
Sign up to receive email notices about ASC news
Season two listeners will also hear stories about smelt, snails,
at the sign up for enews link from the News tab
wild rice, spiny water fleas and climate change.
on seagrant.wisc.edu or wri.wisc.edu.
All seasons of Introduced are available to stream and download
MAKE A GIFT
Support the University of Wisconsin Sea Grant
on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Google Play, and at the web ad-
and Water Resources institutes by making a dress noted under the headline above. —SW and BW
financial gift here.
U NIVERSITY OF W ISCON SIN
Plastic-Free Program Targets Milwaukee
The statistics are daunting: 93% of water bottled in The COVID-19 pandemic and distance learning for
the Great Lakes region contains microplastics, 85% schoolchildren necessitated project modifications,
of trash found on Great Lakes beaches is plastic turning the focus from the children’s classrooms
and 21.8 million pounds of plastics enter the Great to their own homes. To help, the team hired Belle
Lakes each year. Pappalardo, a professional master’s degree student
Strolling through her Milwaukee community,Wisconsin at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s School
Sea Grant’s Social Science Outreach Specialist Deidre of Freshwater Sciences. She worked with a fifth-
Peroff said the plastic problem is obvious. “I live a grade class at the Clement J. Zabloc ki Community
five-minute walk from Lake Michigan. I’ve seen a lot School in Milwaukee and their teacher, Diallo Tyler.
of plastic trash out there and participated in some Pappalardo researched existing marine debris tool-
of the cleanups in the past or even on my own — kits, education programs and curricula. Then she
just walking along, bringing a bag to put trash in.” developed her own curriculum about the impor-
tance of fresh water and the issue of microplastics
She worked with Leah Holloway from Milwaukee for the class, meeting with them every other Friday
Riverkeeper, a science-based advocacy nonprofit, to in a virtual session.
develop a plastic project proposal because Peroff was
aware of Riverkeeper’s involvement in a Milwaukee Pappalardo graduated this May and hopes to find
initiative to reduce plastics, called Plastic-Free MKE. an outreach job where she can work with students
The goal of the proposal is to reduce the amount of and provide scientific information to the public.
plastics that enter Lake Michigan. In 2020, the team Next year, Peroff hopes to hire another intern who
was awarded two years of funding through the will broaden the project’s scale and, COVID-willing,
National Sea Grant-Marine Debris Special Projects be able to work with the students for a longer time
Competition for “Plastic-Free MKE: Assessment and in person.
and Education to Support Lake-Friendly Schools.” “We’ve needed to be flexible and patient to get this
Peroff described the project. “We came up with the project going because of many pandemic-related
idea to do education, focusing on a student-led, civic challenges, but we were happy to be working with
action project where students would do an audit of students, even virtually. Because plastic is such a
their schools or their classrooms and figure out how huge contributor to pollution in Wisconsin’s lakes
much plastic they are using, and then assess the and rivers, we figured anything we can do now to
inventory and figure out if it’s a problem or whether get children thinking about this issue will be a step
they are using more than they thought – and then in the right direction.The students seemed to enjoy
come up with an action plan of how they could learning about their watershed and how they can
mitigate their impact on marine debris pollution.” impact water quality,” Peroff said.—MEZ
S E A G R A NT IN S T ITUTE& WATER RESOURCES IN STITUTE 3
Bryce Richter / UW-Madison
SEA GRANT COVER STORY
Hot Spots and Not Spots
Research Reveals Unpredictable Pattern of VHSV Infections
W isconsin Sea Grant-funded
research is revealing a
more detailed picture of the
range of viral hemorrhagic
septicemia virus (VHSV) in Wisconsin waters.
This invasive pathogen can cause affected fish
to die. Since the early 2000s, it has caused
deaths in more than 30 fish species in the Great
immunosorbent assay (ELISA). While the general
method of ELISA is not new, the particular ELISA
for VHSV is, and it was developed with Sea Grant
support. “It’s a valuable tool in fish health testing,” said
Goldberg, an epidemiology professor at the University
of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine.
While other, more common testing methods look
for the presence of the live virus, the new method
Lakes region. detects past exposure to VHSV, which, said Goldberg,
The researchers’ findings have been published in is “really useful for screening populations and looking
the Journal of Aquatic Animal Health, a publication back in time.” Blood samples are collected from fish
of the American Fisheries Society.The findings show in a non-lethal way.
that VHSV in Wisconsin can be found further inland The research team focused on four sport fish that
and in more bodies of water than previously known. are economically important in Wisconsin: bluegill,
Authors of the research paper (“Widespread brown trout, northern pike and walleye. Fish with
Seropositivity to Viral Hemmorhagic Septicemia VHSV antibodies were found in 37 of 46 inland
Virus in Four Species of Inland Sport Fishes in water bodies tested, including water bodies far
Wisconsin“) are Whitney A. Thiel, Kathy L. Toohey- from known outbreak events. Sampling occurred
Kurth, David Giehtbrock, Bridget B. Baker, Megan in 2016 and 2017.
Finley and Tony L. Goldberg. Researchers found the results surprising. SaidThiel,
The key to discovering this new information was first author of the journal article, “I suspected we’d
testing fish for the presence of antibodies to see it spread out in some of the inland water bodies
VHSV through a process known as enzyme-linked connected to the Winnebago watershed or the Green
4 U NIVERSITY OF W ISCON SIN
“The research team recommends
vigilance against potentially
spreading the virus…the best
offense is a good defense.”
Bay area — where we already knew VHS was — COVER: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) fisheries technicians collect trout from a
but I didn’t expect we would see it so far inland.” creek near Viroqua, Wisconsin. ABOVE Tony Goldberg (center), professor of epidemiology sciences
Thiel completed a master’s degree in freshwater at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, collects blood samples from trout collected by DNR staff
and marine sciences at UW-Madison in 2019 and is members to test for emerging diseases in the fish population.
now a research scientist at the University of Idaho.
Another intriguing finding was what members of the
team characterized as “hot spots” and “not spots,” stocking practices at this point. Citing both Department
which were often close together. Prior to the research, of Agriculture regulations and the DNR’s own poli-
they expected that any additional instances of VHSV cies, he said that managing the health of fish for
detected would be near bodies of water known to stocking is already strictly controlled.
have problems. However, in a number of cases, a “VHSV is one big component of that,” explained
body of water with no evidence of VHSV could be Giehtbrock. “We do virus testing on all of the stocks
found neighboring one with evidence of the virus. prior to their departure from the hatchery for stocking.
Giehtbrock, fish culture section chief at the Wisconsin So in terms of actual stocking practice, I don’t see a
Department of Natural Resources, said that this new change because we’re already doing all the testing
information was all the more reason for those using and monitoring that is feasible to make sure that
Wisconsin’s waters — like recreational boaters and everything we put out there is healthy and not
anglers — to keep taking preventative steps against spreading disease.”
the spread of aquatic invasive species in general. Where Giehtbrock does see a possible change,
“We need to continue all those practices that have however, is on the demand side, if more fish are
been in place for a long time, to mitigate any transfer needed to maintain or supplement fisheries being
of VHSV between bodies of water, which is what affected by VHSV fish kills. However, such a situa-
we were already asking people to do everywhere. tion has not occurred yet.
From invasives like Eurasian watermilfoil to carp This new information paints a more accurate and
to VHSV, we’re already asking people to clean their complex picture of VHSV in Wisconsin than previ-
boats, drain their live wells and not transfer water ously understood.The research team recommended
between bodies of water,” said Giehtbrock. vigilance against potentially spreading the virus or
“What people should take away from this is, we want other invasives.The best offense is a good defense,
to keep it out of where it’s not,” echoed Goldberg. such as adhering to current advice promoted by the
“Clean Boats, Clean Waters” campaign and similar
Giehtbrock, who supervises DNR fish hatcheries
initiatives.—JAS
around the state, does not foresee a change in fish
S E A G R A NT IN S T ITUTE& WATER RESOURCES IN STITUTE 5
wisconsinwaterlibrary
The Co$t of Water
Where Do Poetry and
Safe water is priceless.
Yet putting a price on water is just what environmental economist
Science Intersect?
James Price is doing as part of a University of Wisconsin Water
Resources Institute-funded study. Specifically, Price is comparing
the relative costs of protecting groundwater at its source versus
treating that water at a plant.
“The overarching objective here is to understand the relationship
Consider the patterns in both poetry and science. Or between source water quality and the cost of treating drinking
consider how each discipline uses observations to make water,” said Price, an assistant professor at the University
sense of the world. Certainly, both use their own tech- of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Freshwater Sciences.
niques and require creativity and even problem-solving. This work will help groundwater community water systems in
Perhaps the two disciplines are not so very different.
Wisconsin make smart, cost-effective decisions.
Try sharing some poems with the young people in Over the course of his two-year study, which is in its early stages,
your life. Price will consider both short-term costs at treatment plants
(such as labor and chemicals needed for water treatment) and
Flutter & Hum: Animal Poems = Aleteo long-term costs (like capital expenses). He’ll also factor in the
Y Zumbido: Poemas de Animals by Julie connections between source water quality and the choice of
Paschkis. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 2015. specific treatment technologies.
Firefly July: A Year of Very Short Poems. Francesca Sanchez, a graduate student in the professional master’s
Selected by Paul B. Janeczko; illustrated by Melissa degree track at the School of Freshwater Sciences, is aiding in the
Sweet. Somerville, Mass.: Candlewick Press, 2014. data cleanup that will make the project possible. That data may
be supplemented by an internet-based survey sent to specific
I Heard It from Alice Zucchini: Poems about
contacts at water treatment plants.
the Garden by Juanita Havill; illustrated by Christine
Davenier. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2006. The study appears to be the first of its kind looking solely at
groundwater (other cost-related studies on drinking water have looked
Iguanas in the Snow and Other Winter at surface water, or a combination of surface and groundwater).
Poems/ Iguanas in la Nieve Y Otros Poemas
For more information, see the full version of this article at
De Invierno by Francisco X. Alarcón; illustrated by
go.wisc.edu/pm72n9.—JAS
Maya Christina Gonzalez. New York: Children’s Book
Press, an imprint of Lee & Low Books Inc. 2012.
Thank You, Earth: A Love Letter to Our Planet by
April Pulley Sayre. New York: Greenwillow Books, 2021.
Sail Away: Poems by Langston Hughes; illustrated by Ashley
Bryan. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2015.
Water Sings Blue: Ocean Poems by Kate Coombs;
illustrated by Meilo So. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2012.
Please visit the Wisconsin Water Library’s blog to see
more titles on this topic at go.wisc.edu/k3qnic
Anyone in Wisconsin can borrow these books. Just email
askwater@aqua.wisc.edu.
6 U NIVERSITY OF W ISCON SIN
Bob Hundt
Great Lakes Quests
Great Lakes Quests are virtual learning activities about coastal topics in Wisconsin Clockwise from top:
that use interactive story maps. Wisconsin Sea Grant and the University of Hoan Bridge, Milwaukee
Wisconsin-Madison’s Upham Woods Outdoor Learning Center collaborated County; downtown Two
to develop these activities. Rivers, Manitowoc County;
and Kemper Center,
The quests are inspired by the century-old British tradition of letterboxing, in Kenosha County.
which clue-driven activities encourage people to get out in nature to find a
container that holds a notebook and a stamp.
In our virtual format, a story map provides the narrative interspersed with
multimedia, an online survey form provides the clues, and there is a certificate
of completion at the end.
There are two different types of quests.The first type addresses coastal issues
facing a community on the Great Lakes, go.wisc.edu/06xy3p such as building
resilience to coastal hazards or ecological restoration.The second type features
Wisconsin coastal counties go.wisc.edu/99h73z; those quests were guided by
interactions with Wisconsin 4-H Clubs.—JAS
S E A G R A NT IN S T ITUTE& WATER RESOURCES IN STITUTE 7
j
WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH j
Number of Projects
> 63
50
30
15
oversight, including the Wisconsin departments the project reports to each county. That’s the next
of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection step in this and one I hope to tackle in the coming
(DATCP); Transportation; Safety and Professional months,” she said.
Services (DSPS); and Natural Resources (DNR). Many of the researchers who conducted the proj-
Clicking on each of Wisconsin’s 72 counties within ects have been based at university system schools.
the map reveals the number of projects out of Other investigations
474 that have happened in that location during have, and continue to, in-
Sara Stathas
the last 36 years. volve DNR experts.That
The map is also a visual representation of where department has been
groundwater challenges have been particularly funding groundwater
pronounced through the decades. This includes projects for more than 30
conditions such as naturally occurring radium years, and recent work
— which has adverse human health effects — in has focused on timely
Waukesha County (27 projects), a greater suscep- issues of concern such
tibility to contamination in Door County thanks as naturally occurring
to a thin layer of topsoil covering porous bedrock arsenic, groundwater
(25 projects) and water quality and quantity chal- quantity, and emerging
lenges in Portage County (51 projects). contaminants like vi-
ruses or antibiotics
“This map shows the broad impact of the fouling the water.
research program that serves people all over
Wisconsin. I find it meaningful that for decades, DATCP has a history
we have been able to draw on the collective of funding research
strengths of scientists and state agency leaders on pesticides and in
to deepen our understanding of our groundwater recent research cycles
and then devise evidence-based management has maintained its ability
tools and strategies for best managing our to support a few projects.
resources,” said Jennifer Hauxwell, who is the as- Finally, in the 1990s DSPS funded research on waste- Well drilling in Havenwoods
sociate director for the Aquatic Sciences Center, water treatment. For many years since then, it has State Forest in Milwaukee.
the administrative home for WRI. lacked the budgetary wherewithal to fund projects.
Results from at least 120 projects can be applied However, departmental expertise is valuable to re-
broadly to groundwater issues, affecting much, search proposal reviews.
if not all, of the state. Others of these hundreds According to the map, the largest number of
of projects only involved laboratory explora- field-based projects took place in Dane County
tions and that is why they did not factor into the (63). In numerous instances, field work done in
county-by-county breakdown. Examples of these Dane County can also be extrapolated to other
projects are investigating emerging contaminants parts of the state. Further, being able to do re-
or legacy chemicals used in agriculture in many search close to the flagship campus has been a
corners of Wisconsin, assessments of petroleum cost-effective way to gather data without incur-
spills that resulted in contamination and the ef- ring overnight travel expenses.
fects of leaching landfills. While this map shines a light on research past,
Details from the projects — investigators, the the future of groundwater science in Wisconsin
specific locations of the research, methods and is continually evolving. The selection process
findings — can be found on the WRI website here for funded projects that would kick off in 2022
wri.wisc.edu/wgrmp-repository. Anne Moser, begins with a call for proposals through a joint
senior special librarian at the Wisconsin Water solicitation that WRI coordinates. That call will be
Library, applies her organizational and cataloging released in late July, according to Hauxwell.
skills to these gathered reports and ensures To be added to an email list that will circulate
their accessibility. “It’s essential to maintain this a message about this funding opportunity,
incredibly valuable collection of groundwater re- and others through WRI, send an email to
search reports in the Wisconsin Water Library, in rfp_aqua+subscribe@g-groups.wisc.edu. As
both print and digital formats. The breadth of the Hauxwell noted, you do not need to add a subject
collection shows a deep commitment to investing or message to the email but will need to respond
in groundwater research in Wisconsin since 1985. to an automated reply to your request confirming
“The map is a great way to visualize that invest- that you would like to join.—MH
ment and to see its statewide reach. Looking
ahead, we will enhance it by interactively linking
S E A G R A NT IN S T ITUTE& WATER RESOURCES IN STITUTE 9
PEOPLEPROGRAMNEWS
Fellows Convocation and Award Event
A CELEBRATION OF FRIENDS, FELLOWS AND UNDERGRADS
Left to right: Dean Haen, U.S. In February, Wisconsin Sea Grant and the and well wishes made up for that loss of in-
Sen. Tammy Baldwin and University of Wisconsin Water Resources person conviviality. I’m pleased that so many
Congressman Mike Gallagher Institute (WRI) conducted a fellows convocation people from near and far could join to celebrate
and award event that conferred recognition on water scholarship and positive impacts in our
a group ranging from graduate students to law- coastal communities,” he said.
makers to undergraduate students — unified by See the full article at go.wisc.edu/7k37d7 for
their contributions to Great Lakes and Wisconsin more information about these talented people
water research. and their work.
“It’s not news that COVID-19 has disrupted every
part of our lives. Our biennial fellows convoca-
AWARDS AND FELLOWSHIPS
tion is just one of innumerable events that could
not be held in person, but we were not prepared Friend of Wisconsin Sea Grant Award
to let a pandemic stand in the way of honoring U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin
student accomplishments and the contributions Congressman Mike Gallagher
of U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin and Congressman Wisconsin Sea Grant Great Lakes
Mike Gallagher who see the value of investing in, Champion Award
conserving and celebrating our amazing Great Dean Haen
Lakes and other Wisconsin water assets,” said
Jim Hurley, director of both Sea Grant and WRI. Wisconsin Sea Grant Actionable Science Award
Vicky and Hallet J. “Bud” Harris
Hurley acted as emcee of the virtual event
that drew more than 70 participants from
cities across the Badger State, as well as from DEAN JOHN A. KNAUSS FELLOWS
spots such as Guam, Washington, D.C., and St. Stephanie Houser
Petersburg, Florida.
Rachel Johnson
“This is the third time we have held a fellows
Joe Naughton
convocation. It was the first time we needed to
conduct it in a virtual setting. Of course, we wish
it could have been in person, but the enthusiasm
10 U N IVERSITY OF W ISCON SINFELLOWS
Partner state agencies include the Wisconsin Wisconsin Mercury
Coastal Management Program, Wisconsin
Department of Administration, Wisconsin Researcher Wins
Department of Natural Resources, and the
Wisconsin Department of Health Services ASLO Award
Carolyn Voter
Former University of Wisconsin Water Resources
Lydia Salus
Institute researcher, and now a post-doctoral fellow
Adam Arend at the U.S. EPA Mid-Continent Ecology Division in
Jackson Parr Duluth, Minnesota, Ryan Lepak has been awarded
the 2021 Raymond L. Lindeman Award from the
Dana Lapides Association for the Sciences of Limnology and
Bryan Maitland Oceanography (ASLO). It is the leading professional
organization for researchers and educators in the field
Gavin Dehnert
of aquatic science.
Nicole Ward
“I am thrilled that our team was selected for this
prestigious award. It represents work that would not
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have been possible without strong monitoring efforts
Ryan Lepak like those at the Great Lakes Fish Monitoring and
Surveillance Program at the EPA,” Lepak said. “Across
Sally Mayasich
the board, at UW-Madison’s Environmental Chemistry
Nate Pollesch and Technology Program, the U.S. Geological Survey
Prarthana Shankar Mercury Research Lab and the Great Lakes Toxicology
and Ecology Division Laboratory at EPA, this work
exemplifies the innovative and multidisciplinary
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Northern
approaches requisite to creating impactful science.
Aquaculture Demonstration Facility Fellow
I am honored to tell this story alongside these
Patrick Blaufuss
colleagues.”
Each year, ASLO recognizes a young scientist for
University of Wisconsin-Madison Fellow
leading an outstanding peer-reviewed, English-
Sarah Balgooyen
language paper in the aquatic sciences. Lepak’s paper,
on which he was the lead author, is “Mercury source
NOAA Coastal Management Fellow changes and food web shifts alter contamination
Chelsey Willetts signatures of predatory fish from Lake Michigan,”
published in Proceedings of the National Academy of
NOAA Coastal Management Fellow Sciences of the United States of America.
Emma Cutler For more information, see the full version of this ar-
ticle at go.wisc.edu/106sr0.
Carl J. Weston Scholarship
Celeste Gunderson
Summer 2020 interns
Eliza Suchan
Elise Ertl
Celeste Gunderson
Breanna DeNamur
Isabel St. Arnold
Claire Finucane
Emma Holton
S E A G R A NT IN S T ITUTE& WATER RESOURCES IN STITUTE 11PEOPLEPROGRAMNEWS
New Sea Grant Advisory Council members
help guide program with their expertise
Four new members joined the Advisory Council of Wisconsin Sea Grant in fall 2020. Invited to serve by
the organization and officially appointed by the University of Wisconsin-Madison chancellor, these indi-
viduals help shape Sea Grant’s future, enabling it to better serve the people of Wisconsin. The four new
members are Deb DeLuca, Madelyn Leopold, Becky Sapper and Lori Tate.
With 15 members total, Wisconsin Sea Grant’s Advisory Council brings together individuals from
academia; state, tribal and local governments; private industry; and the public at large. Members’
DEB DELUCA MADELYN LEOPOLD
Executive director, Duluth Seaway Port Authority, Private landowner and retired attorney,
Duluth, Minn. Madison, Wis.
For Deb DeLuca, the University of Wisconsin- Madelyn Leopold found her way to the Advisory
Madison, where Wisconsin Sea Grant is Council though another body on which she
headquartered, is in her blood. She earned serves, Madison’s Board of Park Commissioners.
her master’s degree at what is now the Nelson There, she met Sea Grant Assistant Director for
Institute for Environmental Studies on campus. Communications Moira Harrington, a fellow
Said DeLuca, “I was very aware of the Sea Grant commissioner.
program while I was in graduate school,” having Said Leopold, “Moira always brings a broad,
crossed paths with former Sea Grant Director science-based perspective to the board
Anders Andren, who taught water chemistry. discussions; it was clear that her lens was much
DeLuca’s graduate research focused on the broader than most, and I credited some of that
occurrence of pesticide degradation products perspective to her work with Wisconsin Sea
in groundwater contaminated by the parent Grant. I was curious to know more about her
product, and the implications for health-risk- organization and the work that it does.”
based standards for those pesticides.
Leopold finds Sea Grant’s emphasis on
Now, years later, DeLuca is the parent of a “engaging young people of diverse backgrounds
recent UW-Madison graduate, and her father in science-based projects” especially appealing.
is an emeritus professor there. “Serving on As she observed, “We need to broaden the
the Advisory Council keeps me close to my community of people who care and are smart
Wisconsin and UW roots, and it lets me return about managing our waters.”
service to the University of Wisconsin system.”
DeLuca leads the bustling Duluth Seaway Port
Authority, the Great Lakes’ largest port, as its
executive director — the first woman in that role
in the port authority’s 60-year history.
12 U NIVERSITY OF W ISCON SINvaried viewpoints and experiences help ensure Sea Grant’s responsiveness and accountability to
its constituencies.
Sea Grant is grateful to these individuals for contributing their time to address challenges and opportu-
nities facing our Great Lakes. To learn more about our new Advisory Council members, including their
favorite spots on the Great Lakes, follow the Wisconsin Sea Grant blog at seagrant.wisc.edu/blog.
BECKY SAPPER LORI TATE
Director, Wisconsin Master Naturalist Program, Section chief, Fisheries Management Bureau,
University of Wisconsin-Madison, Division of Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources,
Extension, Ashland, Wis. Madison, Wis.
For Becky Sapper, the waters of Lake Superior Lori Tate, of the Wisconsin DNR’s Fisheries
are her lodestar; she has lived near them for Management Bureau, came to Wisconsin in 2009,
25 years. Based in Ashland, she directs the after growing up and spending her career until
Wisconsin Master Naturalist Program, which to that point in Canada. A fisheries biologist, she
in 2020 was honored with the Dave Engleson has experience with freshwater systems, as well
Award from the Wisconsin Association as some exposure to aquaculture farms.
for Environmental Education. That award Tate is eager to grow connections between the
recognizes significant contributions to the field DNR’s Fisheries Management program and
of environmental education having statewide, the organizations it partners with, such as Sea
regional or national impact. Grant and its sister program, the University
As a new Advisory Council member, Sapper of Wisconsin Water Resources Institute (WRI).
looks forward to making an impact with Sea She’s already a mentor to a postdoctoral fellow
Grant as well. The organization has long been jointly supported by the Bureau of Fisheries
on her radar, and, in 2010 (while she was in a Management and WRI (Bryan Maitland, a
previous Extension role), she collaborated with Wisconsin Water Science-Policy Fellow).
several Sea Grant staff during the designation Said Tate, these collaboratively supported
of the Lake Superior National Estuarine fellowships are “a great model for helping to
Research Reserve. answer research and management questions,
Sapper said she finds Sea Grant’s emphasis and they provide fantastic opportunities for
on both research and education/outreach young scientists!”
compelling. “It’s important that we continue to Tate appreciates Sea Grant’s active outreach efforts
learn more about our Great Lakes, but we also to connect Great Lakes stakeholders with research
need to understand why it’s important and how and management decision-making. —JAS
that impacts local communities,” she noted.
S E A G R A NT IN S T ITUTE& WATER RESOURCES IN STITUTE 13Freshwater steel corrosion
occurring beyond Lake
Superior harbors
Owners of steel structures on inland lakes and a Scott said his firm designed and oversaw replace-
river in northern Minnesota are reporting the same ment of gates on the Fond du Lac Dam and the
kind of corrosion as seen in the Duluth-Superior Sappi Dam in Cloquet.
Harbor and other harbors along Lake Superior. A “They were all heavily pitted. It looked just like
structural engineering firm reported it has designed harbor corrosion,” Scott said. He’s also had friends
and overseen replacement of gates on dams along report biocorrosion on their docks on Fish Lake,
the St. Louis River, far removed from Lake Superior Island Lake and Grand Lake. He’s seen firsthand
water, because of the corrosion. the dock posts covered by corrosive tubercles on
Along with partners, Gene Clark, retired Wisconsin those lakes.
Sea Grant coastal engineer, devoted considerable Randall Hicks, professor emeritus at the University
energy into ferreting out the causes of and ways of Minnesota Duluth, has worked for years to un-
to mitigate this corrosion, which can lead to costly derstand the microbiology behind the corrosion.
harbor infrastructure replacement. He said he has seen the tubercles on his own dock
The accelerated corrosion of steel pilings in the on Barrs Lake near Two Harbors. He has also iden-
Duluth-Superior Harbor was first noticed in 1998. tified them in photos from a dock on Wilson Lake
Researchers funded in part by the Wisconsin and near Cotton.
Minnesota Sea Grant programs eventually identified “I don’t think it’s just a regional problem,” Hicks
microbes as the culprit combined with a complicated said. “I think it’s been happening all along for a long
interaction between water and the steel. Bacteria time in places where conditions are right.” Those
form small lumps, or tubercles, on the steel. The conditions include the presence of sulfate-reducing
lumps limit oxygen and allow small amounts of bacteria and iron-oxidizing bacteria, a source of dis-
copper in the water to interact with and dissolve solved sulfate and iron, and low-oxygen conditions
the steel, which results in pockmarks and holes that such as those sometimes found in spring water.
compromise steel structures.
Hicks described how the process begins when a
Experts brought together to investigate the issue clean sheet of steel is placed in water. “Different
blamed water chemistry specific to Lake Superior. bacteria will attach to the surface and form a bio-
However, those still tracking the issue have discov- film first.” Dental plaque is a common example of
ered this microbially influenced corrosion problem a biofilm. Microorganisms multiply and create a
is more widespread. thin but tight layer on teeth. In this case, the biofilm
Chad Scott, principal at AMI Consulting Engineers, layer is on steel.
initially alerted harbor industries about the corro- “As that biofilm grows, we see a lot of iron-oxidizing
sion issue in 1998 when he was a diver inspecting bacteria — they’re aerobic microorganisms,” Hicks
structures in the Duluth-Superior Harbor. Scott said said. He explained that as the iron-oxidizing bacteria
Marie Zhuikov / Wisconsin Sea Grant
during the past few years his company has worked next to the steel surface use up oxygen, sulfate-
with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to place steel reducing bacteria, bacteria that can live without
samples (or coupons) in the St. Louis River at the oxygen, become common. “It’s really their activities
Thompson Dam, Scanlon, Cloquet and near Cotton. in combination with activities of the iron-oxidizers
“At every single location along the river, the steel in the biofilm that accelerate the loss of steel from
had the same tubercles on them,” Scott said. “So, the surface of the metal.”
what that tells me is, what’s coming to the harbor is How can we protect steel structures from corro-
coming down naturally from inland in Minnesota.” sion? Read an expanded version of this article at
go.wisc.edu/zzf8g6.—MEZ
A steel dock post on Wilson Lake near Cotton, Minnesota, shows
the same biocorrosion tubercles as those found in the Duluth
Superior Harbor.
14 U N IVERSITY OF W ISCON SINSea Grant Hires New Emerging
Contaminants Staff Scientist
To address contaminants of emerging concern and communication. Dehnert met many of those
that pose threats to Great Lakes ecosystems and stakeholders during his fellowship.
public health in Wisconsin, Sea Grant created an “That network is one of the best things the fellowship
emerging contaminants scientist position. After a gave me,” he said. “I’m also excited to continue both
nationwide search, Gavin Dehnert was hired, and research and outreach.There’s no point in doing the
he began work on May 3. research if you’re not able to share it or help move
Emerging contaminants include pharmaceuticals, forward with actionable science. I’m excited to learn
personal care products, perfluoroalkyl and
polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and pesticides.
Although many of these compounds are detected at
low levels in surface waters, they may have adverse
impacts on aquatic ecosystems.
“Wisconsin Sea Grant has long funded researchers
who strive to increase knowledge about contaminants
affecting Great Lakes ecosystems,” said David Hart,
Wisconsin Sea Grant assistant director for extension.
“The National Sea Grant Office has identified
contaminants of emerging concern in aquatic
environments as needing increased investment.
Gavin brings a wealth of experience that will help
us build research partnerships addressing emerging
contaminants and bridge research with outreach
and education efforts.”
“There’s no point in doing the
If Dehnert’s name sounds familiar, it’s because he
has a history with Wisconsin Sea Grant. Dehnert
research if you’re not able to
completed a Wisconsin Water Resources Science-
Policy Postdoctoral Fellowship, where he worked
share it or help move forward
with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services
(DHS) to develop groundwater standards for 22 with actionable science.”
drinking water contaminants, including 16 forms
of PFAS. He also helped create a hazard index risk more about the different emerging contaminants
assessment, which offers guidance when mixtures that are coming to light and use science to further
of PFAS are found in water. inform how we make decisions.”
Additionally, Dehnert gained outreach experience Dehnert has undergraduate degrees in marine
through his fellowship. The PFAS drinking water science and biology from the University of Miami,
standards were released through the governor’s and a Ph.D. in integrative biology with a focus on
office last year. “That was an experience like none toxicology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison
other,” Dehnert said. “Giving a press conference — I where he studied the effects of herbicide 2,4-D
felt like a TV star. I would definitely not have done exposure on the development and behavior of fish
something like that if I hadn’t been in the fellowship.” at different life stages.
His emerging contaminants position will put all these Connect with Dehnert via email at dehnert2@aqua.
skills to use through the lens of actionable science wisc.edu or (608) 263-5348. — MEZ
– sound science guided by strong relationships
with stakeholders, coupled with effective outreach
S E A G R A NT IN S T ITUTE& WATER RESOURCES IN STITUTE 15University of Wisconsin Aquatic Sciences Center
1975 Willow Drive
Madison, WI 53706-1177
Aquatic Sciences Chronicle
a joint newsletter from UW Sea Grant and Water Resources Institutes
Marie Zhuikov / Wisconsin Sea Grant
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